Like the frightening sound of fireworks disappearing into the night sky, the unsightly mask was replaced by a strained smile. Eliza’s presence was as kind as ever and two shocked onlookers almost didn’t believe their own eyes. Neither dared to mention the small mishap from before but to avoid any misunderstanding the lady spoke up the clear any doubts from their hearts.
“Excuse me, my actions were extremely unbefitting of me. Hearing these words reignited a deeply unpleasant memory of mine and caused me to overreact even when I am perfectly aware that you have little to do with them. I beg you to forgive me for this.”
Scared out of her wits by the monsters besides her, the thief retreated any questions and accepted the apology without any negative thoughts. While El enjoyed the fact she was not the target of discrimination anymore, her feelings about the subject were still unfavorable. She stood up silently while Emma innocently responded to the explanation.
“No, I’m sorry that I reminded Lady Eliza of something bad. I hope you can forgive me.”
“Absolutely.”
Albeit the one step distance gaping between the two told a different story to her words.The librarian started to walk away from them and none of them tried to stop her. While all three felt that such a cold treatment was over the top, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. They kept looking at her back as she stopped at the end of the room reaching a wall only 10 meters away. Considering the endlessness of the space around them, this was more contradictory of the place than the usual bizarre events happening all the time.
El pulled her hands into a fist and brought them to her chest. They were completely oblivious to the painful grimace on her face as her power gathered around her, visible by the naked eye. Like a thin smoke cloud, spirits surrounded her skin glowing faintly. The wind blew exclusively around her in a miniature storm, raising her hair into the air as her eyes glowed in a menacing azure light.
Space ripped apart and folded before her opening and closing at her command. Sweat trickled down between her eyebrows as forces that could kill any of the spectators in milliseconds danced according to her strict guidance. A new door was born at that moment and materialized itself like a good child before her mother awaiting praise. It shook slightly as if nudging towards the woman, trying to get closer and seek her attention desperately.
At a moments notice, all the strange powers dispersed, returning to their homes and the woman took a weakened step backward. Her face was filled with a smile of accomplishment but was warped by the feeling of tiredness and pain coming from straight within her soul and its connection to the library.
She leaned forward a few degrees then kneeled down feeling the loss of her might for seconds. After gathering herself she stood up and walked back to the other three and sat among the others who silently watched her actions from behind.
“So… What was that?” Acting as a cushion, the thief asked.
“I have created a room for you to stay. It will disperse around tomorrow noon so I advise you to leave before that.”
“Are you that eager to get rid of us?” Asked the lady from her.
“Yes.” The answer came not hiding the truth.
The young girl’s head fell down in sadness. Emma didn’t wish to bother her but knew she had nowhere else to go, no one else to rely on. Seeing her brokenhearted expression, the lady leaned closer to whisper into her ears.
“She is just not honest to herself, don’t mind her. If she really disliked you she would have not let you into her home.”
As a dutiful host, the librarian showed off her creation to them. While it wasn’t a luxury hotel, she never intended her library to be one. Two wide and comfortable double beds and a washroom was more than a weary traveler could ever hope for and the three guest were extremely thankful for whatever they were given.
El opened the door herself and let the curious thief and runaway princess discover their accommodations. Both rushed in vigorously, touching and feeling the unknown items and materials they have never seen before as they disappeared into the separate world of existence.
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Lady Eliza stayed, arms reaching to hug the other woman’s waist from behind who never acknowledged nor denied the closeness. Her body stuck to the other’s warm skin while she buried her face into the fluffy silverish hair. Lips parting next to her ears, she whispered.
“What’s with the ears?”
El’s smile became uncomfortable by the subject. Not knowing how to answer and not wanting to lie, she stayed silent.
“I don’t mind, it’s just that I was lonely without you around. Sorry for being so childish all the time.”
A slight chill ran up the librarians back as the woman’s hands moved to her stomach. With stirring emotions of rejection, she spoke viciously without moving an inch.
“I do not owe you anything.”
“But I do owe you. I owe you everything.”
The curse of sweet words turned the air around them partially black as El in a single motion broke away and caught the woman’s throat. Her grip was tight enough to kill any human yet it only caused pain to the captive as she gasped for air. Due to the difference in height between the two, she wasn’t raised into the air, not like that mattered when her face turned from greenish to a greasy chalk color. She didn’t have the opportunity to choke as her magical heritage extended her suffering.
“I really want to just remove you.” Started a monologue El. “Your impulses are uncontrollable.” From utter disgust which wasn’t aimed at the woman, she sighed. “But that would be just another mistake.”
The small, weak and fragile hands let go of the woman who fell down towards the ground in a half-conscious state.
“Whether you live or die are both great mistakes so I better just do what I do best and watch.”
Turning her back, the librarian attempted to return to her desk in the middle of the infinite room when her legs were suddenly grasped from the back. Most of her body still paralyzed, Eliza hugged into her legs with tears in her eyes, not letting her go.
“Th-. Than-k. You.”
El stopped and looked at her, eyes filled with nothing but disappointment. Her hand reached down and she took the woman into her embrace and resumed walking. Finally reaching her beloved spot, the desk in the middle with a single strand of flower in a vase, she sat down with the Eliza still laying in her bosom.
Gently, her hands stroked the hair of the woman who enjoyed the soothing care again after a very, very long time. At first, small hums started to come out of the librarian's throat by mistake. Soon the dark noises became more numerous and like chains, they joined together into a melody the two could only reminiscent faintly from small flashes of memories that should have never existed in the first place.
From behind a pillar and two bookshelves, a thin shadow spied at the two, never approaching nor speaking. The librarian didn’t indicate that she knew about them and didn’t stop showing affection to the tearful woman in her arms like one would soothe a hurt child.
Fearing for discovery, the shadow crouched into a location where their eyes could never find her and her hands opened a book from the shelf next to her. The shadow read, just like most people who entered library by their own volition.
It wasn’t a particularly interesting book, it told the true history behind an empire facing many difficulties and being held together only by a few strands of hair and the tears of sweat of a princess. By volume, it was longer than most others similar to it, but the length didn’t indicate the failure or success of the story.
It took a decent time until the shadow finished the book, far longer than it would take an average person to get through it. The shadow put the book back to its place and left a new book next to it before taking one last look inside the library and leaving the place for good.
The shadow smiled at the sight of the beautiful adult woman sleeping soundlessly in the arms of the librarian who kept looking at her dreaming face with a loving expression.