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Posted on August 7, 2015 at 03:47:22 AM by Madeline || Nanook
Madeline broke out into the happiest smile, one that stretched from ear-to-ear. "Of course I will join you in the library. The King, he's very open with the materials in his library. I suppose, well, I guess he is. I take books all the time and no one has told me I can't." The young lady gracefully turned on her heel and motioned for Nim and Nanook to follow after her. Madeline kept on talking as she led the way back into the comfort of the library, her sanctuary.
"You haven't been here, at the castle for very long? What do you study?" With practiced ease, Madeline pushed with her shoulder against the heavy wooden doors until they swung inward. Their own weight caught them, and held them wide open without any need for a door-stop. As Madeline had described, warm sunlight streamed through the windows at the far end of the room. Dazzling the eyes with gold light that caught spinning dust motes in its beams. Madeline would eagerly describe the library to anyone who asked, in fine detail. The library was rectangular in shape, lined with shelves of books taller than Madeline could guess at. Ten, twelve feet tall? She'd say they were taller than Nanook standing on her back legs. The walls were painted burgundy (where they weren't hidden by bookshelves). At the center of the room was a motley of desks, lounge chairs, cushions and soft rugs. Above it all, vaulted ceilings with faded murals of fairies frolicking with wild animals.
Maddy's favorite part of the library was the triple set of matching windows. As tall as the book shelves, with clear glass panes. Dusty old curtains stood sentinel at either end of the windows, tied back with gold rope. They hadn't been unfurled in months, as Madeline preferred to have the room lit naturally. No one else told her what to do in the library, so she'd kept it as she liked it.
To her dismay, there were not any built-in windows seats for curling up. So Madeline had dragged an oversized green velvet couch over to the windows and had set up a reading area which remained relatively undisturbed by anyone. There were stacks of books beside the couch, and a plush ivory rug (the perfect color for hiding polar bear hair) laid out in front of the couch. Her final touch had been to hang a discrete wooden cross beside the couch, it was hidden in the shadow of the window's ledge and not immediately obvious to an onlooker.
Madeline placed her hands on her hips as she surveyed the library, nodding in prim approval. "I've really made this my own place. It is not understatement to say, nobody, ever comes in here. I mean it. Maybe once, twice I've encountered people in here but they never stay long." She blushed then, rosy cheeks becoming rosier, "I did catch Nick and Jenny making out in here a few days ago. They were entwined over by the maps," and she pointed off into one of the shadowy corners where a rack full of rolled parchment stood.
Replies:
- A Slim Silver Lining - By NiM August 20, 2015 at 10:40:42 AM
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