Embers of Sun and Flame: Before We Have It (Fuegoleon x OC)

Chapter 40 The gift

He could barely believe it. The hall, only one of many, held shelves upon shelves of books. Forgotten lore, items, bestiaries and collections of mana and its usage methods. Memoirs of long forgotten kings and queens, hunters and craftsmen. Anything he could think of and more, even if some of it was written in languages he couldn't understand.

Between the shelves there were tables, glass cases and cabinets, filled with items, scrolls seemingly too frail to handle. Weapons and pens. Crowns, sceptres, cloaks and looking glasses. Some with mana and some without.

How... how does one begin to choose an item out of all of these...? Out of everything that one could... learn...

"Any new additions since I was last here?" Solara asked from Idalia as they were making their way down the hall.

"Just one," she shrugged. "I haven't been out much lately."

"Anything interesting?"

Idalia gave her a glance, as if to scold her. "All of my pieces are interesting."

"Fair," Lara laughed.

"The latest one is a scythe."

"A scythe?"

She nodded. "There is a stone embedded into the handle of it, and I have a guess on which one it is, but I need some more time to read through texts in order to be sure."

Solara hummed, deeming it satisfactory.

"Some would say that it's a shame for such an item to end up locked into a glass cabinet," she continued. "I found myself in such a debate again; that items are not appreciated best by people who don't use them."

"Oh?"

"And I gave my usual argument on being able to appreciate the fine artistry of anything, despite of not being able to wield it, arguing that the measure of art shouldn't be in how useful it is."

"But if the item is meant to be used..."

"It can be admired for more than its functionality."

"But if it doesn't have a purpose?"

"Me keeping it in a cabinet doesn't make it any less capable of performing its duties if need be. And if a skilled fighter, or I suppose... a farm worker, would get their hands on it, which ones of them would use it? Or would they simply keep it out of the joy to posses something like it? They might be able to appreciate the piece for how useful it is, that it is of fine make, but would they use it is a question entirely different."

"Fair."

"Or would the fighter, farm worker, whoever they are, be more eager to seal it away because they know exactly how rare it is? I say that when it comes to appreciating tools, the one to know the least about it, will be the most glad to use it."

Solara stayed quiet for a moment, thinking about it. But ended up only nodding along, because there didn't seem to be a reason to argue against. Not that she had a strong opinion of it either.

"Do you know how to use them?" Fuegoleon asked, thinking back to his earlier discussion with Solara.

"Do I know how to use what?" Idalia asked, looking over her shoulder with a quirked eyebrow.

"The... items in your collection," he clarified.

There was a pause, during which it seemed like she was trying to peer into him, to determine what exactly he meant with the statement. But as seconds had ticked away, she turned to face forward again. "Some I do, some I don't. Pens tend to be easy to use, some items I might be able to manage, such as a flail, but others, most of which are magical, I wouldn't even know from where to start."