Faith loved this place. So filled with books and knowledge and things that she could learn. There was no judgement here, no consideration of could or could not ~ here there was just potential. Plus, the smell here was intoxicating; that unique and wonderful smell that was a library. Yes, here was a place where she was content.
Earlier, she'd been to the Glass Temple, met with Stan the Tunawa and there she had, amongst other things, prayed in the shrine to Vri and the one to Famula. It had reminded her that there was something that she wanted to do, had wanted to do for a while now and she seemed to have the perfect opportunity to do so here.
The Institute of Metaphysics was the other Institute currently open, alongside the Institute of Science where she and Padraig were both studying. The books which had made their way into the Library were for both Institutes and so here, amongst the tomes on mathematics, physics, chemistry and medicine, there was a whole section devoted to the Immortals. Faith was beyond delighted and she knew that she was going to be spending more time, if it were possible, reading.
Having been a slave for so much of her life had led to a number of things which were true for Faith. One of which was her very disciplined and controlled nature around everyone except Padraig. In a real sense, he was the only person who ever saw the real her, the person she actually was. To the casual observer, it might seem like Faith was looking at the books with an intense concentration, but she was actually just exploring them with her eyes, drinking in the sight of them and experiencing delight. She didn't show it, outwardly, but Faith was an individual who felt emotions deeply. Maybe because that had been forbidden to her for so long, or maybe she always had and always would have.
Selecting a book, she pulled it down from the shelves and breathed in. The smell of old books had changed from the subtle and pleasant one she was used to into an almost overwhelming smell of musty with just an undertone of rotten in it. Faith turned and smiled to the man who was suddenly standing next to her. "Hello," she whispered, her voice soft. He was an older man, maybe late fifties and Faith realised that most of the souls she had been in the younger age ranges. Maybe dying early made one more likely to stay, she thought.
He looked at her with undisguised surprise on his face. "You can see me?"
Faith nodded her head, "Yes. I can see you and hear you."
"You're Famula marked?"
"Yes," Faith replied with a smile. He knew his stuff, at the very least. "I can help you."
He shook his head, "I don't want help, child. I'm here because I choose to be."
It wasn't the first time that Faith had met a soul who did not want to cross over, but it was only the second. "Why?"
"I was the librarian," he explained, gesturing around, "I belong here." As though he could see her argument about to start, the soul next to her shook his head. "We get the choice, isn't that what you believe, what you've been taught? We have the choice to go with Vri and, if not him, then Famula gives us a choice. It's my right to say no, otherwise it isn't a choice."
She couldn't argue with his logic, but still. "Aren't you lonely?" Faith asked, cutting to the chase for him as she saw it. He smiled.
"Not right now, child, no."
Evidently, he'd amused himself with that one and Faith could hear his laughter even though he was no longer there.
Earlier, she'd been to the Glass Temple, met with Stan the Tunawa and there she had, amongst other things, prayed in the shrine to Vri and the one to Famula. It had reminded her that there was something that she wanted to do, had wanted to do for a while now and she seemed to have the perfect opportunity to do so here.
The Institute of Metaphysics was the other Institute currently open, alongside the Institute of Science where she and Padraig were both studying. The books which had made their way into the Library were for both Institutes and so here, amongst the tomes on mathematics, physics, chemistry and medicine, there was a whole section devoted to the Immortals. Faith was beyond delighted and she knew that she was going to be spending more time, if it were possible, reading.
Having been a slave for so much of her life had led to a number of things which were true for Faith. One of which was her very disciplined and controlled nature around everyone except Padraig. In a real sense, he was the only person who ever saw the real her, the person she actually was. To the casual observer, it might seem like Faith was looking at the books with an intense concentration, but she was actually just exploring them with her eyes, drinking in the sight of them and experiencing delight. She didn't show it, outwardly, but Faith was an individual who felt emotions deeply. Maybe because that had been forbidden to her for so long, or maybe she always had and always would have.
Selecting a book, she pulled it down from the shelves and breathed in. The smell of old books had changed from the subtle and pleasant one she was used to into an almost overwhelming smell of musty with just an undertone of rotten in it. Faith turned and smiled to the man who was suddenly standing next to her. "Hello," she whispered, her voice soft. He was an older man, maybe late fifties and Faith realised that most of the souls she had been in the younger age ranges. Maybe dying early made one more likely to stay, she thought.
He looked at her with undisguised surprise on his face. "You can see me?"
Faith nodded her head, "Yes. I can see you and hear you."
"You're Famula marked?"
"Yes," Faith replied with a smile. He knew his stuff, at the very least. "I can help you."
He shook his head, "I don't want help, child. I'm here because I choose to be."
It wasn't the first time that Faith had met a soul who did not want to cross over, but it was only the second. "Why?"
"I was the librarian," he explained, gesturing around, "I belong here." As though he could see her argument about to start, the soul next to her shook his head. "We get the choice, isn't that what you believe, what you've been taught? We have the choice to go with Vri and, if not him, then Famula gives us a choice. It's my right to say no, otherwise it isn't a choice."
She couldn't argue with his logic, but still. "Aren't you lonely?" Faith asked, cutting to the chase for him as she saw it. He smiled.
"Not right now, child, no."
Evidently, he'd amused himself with that one and Faith could hear his laughter even though he was no longer there.
