Ariadne has always been a dreamer. Her mother would always say she was away with the faeries.
Until one night, an envelope shrouded with magic lands at her doorstep, inviting her to the dance of the damned in the enchanting land of Altoria.
It's m...
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Ariadne paced her new favourite place in the castle, the library. It was gigantic, a maze of conjoined rooms. Floor to ceiling was covered in every shape, size and colour of book. They all sat on wooden bookcases that covered every available inch of the vast rooms. Each section was divided by huge, open arches leading into the next room, while wide double staircases spiralled up to three further levels, nay balconies full of even more books.
Several stone alcoves sat inbetween the abnormally tall windows that seemed to vanish just short of the domed ceiling, while velvet covered love seats covered the low benches. Lecterns stood at intervals by the start of each bookcase, some were gently splayed open, resting on thick cushioned boxes; while others had glass cases placed atop of them protecting them from God's knew what.
Ariadne marvelled at the ingenuity of it all, the balconies that defied gravity, only held up by several thick beams that grew out of the walls, the vastness of each room and the veritable city of books stretching out as far as the eye could see. Even the huge fireplaces that were dark and currently unlit in every open reading space.
Kallen was bent over a book, as his fingers traversed the pages feverishly. His hair fell over his shoulder, shielding the text from Ariadne's gaze.
"You sure it's in here," she chuckled.
"If the lore is written by Fae, the creators, or any race inbetween, you better believe it is in here," his voice was muffled, preoccupied.
Ariadne peered around the bookcase in front of her, Kallen was still bent over the lectern at the front of it, the alleyway before her stretched out, no visible end in sight.
"How far back into the castle does this go?" Ariadne called over her shoulder.
Kallen briefly looked up.
"The library itself spans about two quarters of the entirety of this castle," he bent back over the book and turned the page.
"Holy shit!"
Ariadne hadn't even seen half of the castle yet, according to Iyrena. Ariadne walked back to Kallen and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, he shrugged it off.
"I'm sure we'll find a way to break it."
Ariadne turned away from Kallen and paced down row upon row of books looming over her. She felt safe here, like she was amongst old friends. A slight smile pushed her lips upwards, it had been sometime since she had ventured into a library, especially one even half as grand as this one.
"Do not wander too far, there is no librarians about today," Kallen called after her.
Ariadne took note and turned down a corner, her feet moving one after the other. The wall of books ensconced her until the section she was in was almost dark. Ariadne looked around her and her heart began beating double time. She had journeyed into this alley of books further than she had intended. The faint light at the beginning of the bookcase seemed like an eternity away from her. Her hands became wet with sweat, and her hands drifted through her hair.
