Triangulating Assumptions

City Library, Afternoon

Sprawled out across a table is a large map, held down by several open books and ink wells. A drawing compass is held in a grey scarred hand, Aryia chewing on a pen cap as she scans about the cartography. Hands trail across the seas, but drift as it gets inland.

She frowns, rubbing at her face as a frustrated huff leaves her as she plops into a chair, arms crossed and making her green jacket fall to the ground.

Dirk comes trundling into the library, carrying a stack of books. He tiptoes quietly up to the counter and sets the books atop it with a soft WHUMP. "Hello. I'd like tae return these," he says. The librarian leans over to start checking the stack in. Pauses when she sees that the top book is 'Forge of Love: A Crimson Pen Romance'. Dirk harrumphs. "What? They're -good-!" he grumbles. He reaches up to doff his tricorne, muttering and harrumphing as he turns away from the desk, seeking escape from the librarian's judgement. He spies Aryia, and trundles over in that direction. "Och, Aryia, it's been awhile, nay? How've ye been?"

Eztli was not the most frequent of visitors to the library, not that she was completely adverse to the place, but there was usually somewhere else to be. Today however was not one of those days. Eztli was wandering between the shelves with a couple of books in hand, rubbing one of her shoulders.

"Oh, is that captain Aryia of the colosseum team I see over there?" The small makari grins. "And, Dirk, too? Hey Dirk! What brings you both here?"

Books getting dropped down gets Aryia to glance over. Her frustrated scowl morphs to a more easy smile. She waves. "Hey Dirk. Good to see you. Been well, busy with some adventuring shit, as well as coaching for a new team at the Colosseum. Hands are full. Yourself? Good hunting this winter?"

A long grey ear twitches, the mute lulling her head back to spy Eztli upside down. "Hello Eztli," she gestures. "I'm doing some research about Desolation. Never been there." <Handspeech/Tongues>

Dirk offers a warm smile as Eztli joins them. "Och, Eztli, peace on yer nest! Great tae see ye, it's been too long!" He looks back to Aryia, watching her hands intently and nodding. "Aye, got a whole load o' pelts an' hides in the tannin' shack. Lots of arctic fox this winter. All that white fur always sells nicely!" He hops up on tiptoes and leans over the table, squinting at the map the mul'niessa has spread out over the table. "What's this yer workin' on, then? Plannin' an expedition?"

"Huh, I guess you packed enough books for an extended stay out there, too. And peace on your nests!" Eztli notes with a small chuckle to herself, and the small makari goes against their better judgement, wandering over and attempting to poke the upside down elf on the nose. One of the books she was carrying appeared to be some form of draconic dictionary. "Never been exactly to the desolation either, just nearby, pretty sure. It's a weird place, can't say I blame you for wanting to know more."

"Good, good. Snow fox hide is very much worth the price. I don't use it often for that reason- expensive," Aryia opines, nodding before her attention is drawn to the map.

It's a map of Desolation, with faint charcoal circles going over swaths of the land. Trying to triangulate something, but not really making headway with it. Nautical measures attempted, at least. The mute gives Dirk an assessing look. "... something like that. Can't say anything about it at present," she gestures slowly.

And then her nose is booped. Glowing eyes go cross eyed. Blink. Then squint in a cautionary glare as she rights herself. "Never been myself as the seas tend to not get anywhere near it. Just fucking tired of looking at books." <Handspeech/Tongues>

Dirk gives his beard a tug, hrrming thoughtfully. "Aye, the Desolation's nasty place," he says. "Nae much in the way o' forest. Ergh." He gives himself a shake. "Well, I'm nae sure if me skills would be helpful to ye out -there-, but if they might be, dinnae hesitate tae reach out, eh? I'd be happy tae help. I've nae been in the field fer far too long."

"Ah, well, shame you can't tell us, but that's fine." Eztli huffs. "I don't know too much about it, most tend to keep away to begin with. I know I can't say it was high on my list of places I wanted to go."

"I thought mul'niessa liked being booped. I need a bigger sample size. Maybe I should go visit Verna?" The small makari mumbles to herself. "Anyways! Yeah, I'm sure you'd be helpful Dirk, wouldn't be surprised!

"I'll keep you in mind, Dirk," Aryia tilts her head towards him. "Better than me at tracking and finding things. Like I said, can't say anything about it at present." The signing hand waves the topic off. "Regardless- what are you to two here for?"

She stares at Eztli. "I wasn't aware I gave off an impression of 'to be poked'. Test that theory on me again and I'm snapping that finger." She shakes her head, huffing. <Handspeech/Tongues>

Dirk can't help but blush a bit under his beard at Eztli. "Aww, that's kind of ye tae say, lassie," he says. "I do what I can. It's nae much, but it's what I've got tae offer." He turns his attention back to Aryia. "Oh, I just had some books tae return," he says. "An' I expect they'll be whoppin' me wi' a yuge late fee." He clears his throat, blushing once more. "It's been, er... a couple months since I've been here last."

Eztli blinks. "... Yes?" The small makari answers uncertainly. "That's okay though, I can already snap my finger pretty well. Maybe snap my shoulder instead? Been feeling like someone jammed a knife in there."

Chuckling quietly, they take a few steps back. "I figured, I saw what you brought in, and that's a lot of books for a sort period. Still, you should return them when you can! Just because you can afford to pay the fines, doesn't mean that there weren't other people wanting or needing to read the books you took out. Besides, if you do that enough, they won't loan them out to you to begin with!"

Aryia bobs her head, lightly smirking. "I see. I mean, if I lived out in the middle of the woods, I wouldn't come here for several months. Late fees be damned, I'd take my time."

The coach gives Eztli another appraising squint. "I most assuredly do /not/. Regardless, go to the TarRaCe for that if you want your shoulder snapped. They'll do it properly. I'll just break your arm."

She inhales, leaning forward to roll the map up. "Eztli has a good point. Reading anything good?" <Handspeech/Tongues>

Dirk wilts a little bit. "Well I -meant- tae come sooner, but we got that yuge snowfall. I dinnae really much fancy shovin' me way through arse-deep snowdrifts just tae return a couple library books," he grumbles. "Maybe if I could learn how tae flit about like the mages do. I dinnae see why Dana or Gilead couldnae let me do -that-."

He points over at Aryia with a nod. "-She- gets it!" he says with an amused chortle. He looks back to Eztli, giving his beard another tug. "Hrm. I mean... I ken some healin' magicks, but I'm nae sure that'd help yer arm. An' I'm wi' Aryia. I'd probably just break summat. Maybe Mourner Verna could help ye? She's quite skilled."

Back to Aryia, he shrugs his broad shoulders. "Some comical works. -Maybe- a Crimson Pen novel or two, but only the -good- ones."

"But if everyone thinks like that, the whole system falls apart." The small makari huffs, crossing her arms together. "Might as well just buy your own books at that point, then you can keep them all in a big bookshelf and talk about them to visitors, instead of just buying a bunch of books as decorative furniture. It's much better."

"Maybe it's just a person thing then, anyways, not really important. I could ask, maybe I'll go for a massage some time." Eztli shrugs. "Surprised a mountain man like you doesn't have a good pair of snowshoes stowed away. It wouldn't be too bad, and dwarves have an easier time of it than most humans."

"Maybe they can let you move about the snow easier?" Aryia suggests before shrugging. "Don't really know much about what kind of blessings those two give. Regardless, it's just some books."

Her brows quirk up. "Crimson Pen? Nice. The couple recent ones have been pretty good, they've got it here if you're looking for another check out."

The coach gives a light nod towards Eztli, moving past that point and she crosses her arms. "Sometimes you don't have the space for all those books. Oh well, fees let the library run." <Handspeech/Tongues>

Dirk rumbles a low chuckle at that. "Ohh, lassie. Snowshoes are all well an' good fer tallfolk. But we dwarves are much too heavy. We just plop right intae the snow anyway." He gives his beard a tug, looking sheepish. "'s why we're nae so good on sailin' ships, or out on the water. We sink like rocks. But aye, maybe I -should- start collectin' some books. Be nice tae have summat tae read that actually belonged to me."

Eztli stops, and blinks. "Have you even given the snowshoes a try? Sounds like you tried some that didn't have enough survface area, and gave up on the idea entirely. Not that I'm the best judge of whether a snowstorm is safe or not to be caught out in, but I digress."

"It's easy for you to say Aryia, until you're the one waiting for the newest release of a serial drama, and the last two novels are both loaned out to different people overdue, and the last book still ends up back before the second to last, so you can't even read it when it's your turn." The small makari huffs, before taking a look around. "Speaking of which, if they've got recent releases here, I should grab them while I can, if that's the case."

Something Dirk and Eztli says gets Aryia to pause briefly before tapping her chin, pulling out a small notepad and jotting something down. A brief glance shows 'large dwarf snowshowshoes' before the notepad is stashed away.

She glances at the small makari, raising a brow. "Patience. And it sounds as if you should take your own advice: buy the book."

Talk of recent released gets the mute to point off to the corner of the library. "Middle row in the back, saw them earlier when I passed by to check. Something about a makari and a half-sil woman. As well as a half-sil woman and several suitors or something. Didn't get a good look, just saw the covers." <Handspeech/Tongues>

Dirk blanches a bit. "I mean, I imagine snowshoes that would actually -work- would be the size o' tower shields," he says. "But maybe there's some sort o' trickery that might do the job." He looks over at Aryia as she jots down that note, and he rumbles a deep laugh. "Oh ho ho! Already on it, I see." A broad grin creases his leathery features. "Well, good on ye, lassie. It -would- be nice tae visit Alex when the snow's on the ground."

"It's about length, size, and material." Eztli shrugs. "I'm sure you could get something that would work, just need to get used to it.

"I do buy my own books, usually, when it isn't something too esoteric to be in the few public book stores in Alexandria. But it's not just me, and it's the principle! Tell that two fifteen year old me with no money, and wanting to catch up on the recent adventures of Feynrie the dragon knight, and well uh, never mind." The small makari huffs, being left with a pout on their face.

"Is that so? Well, guess I'll take a look real quick." The sorceress mumbles, disappearing into one of the nearby aisles quickly. A moment passes, and there's a booming, raucous laughter from the area as Eztli is left clutching her sides, staring at one of the books on display with mirth filled eyes.

Aryia shoots a smile over towards Dirk as he spots what she jots down. "I'm sure I can figure something out," a hand flits before she gets to her feet.

Eztli is given the strangest look. Something the small makari says making a few dots try and connect with nothing meeting. "... I'm guessing you didn't grow up in Am'shere, like that polearm dancer redscale," she intuits before collecting her materials, stashing them into her bag or readying to get put back on the return rack. The loud laughter gets the mute to lean around the stacks, perplexion across her face. "Must be someone she knows. Anyways- need to get going, got a meeting with the team now that I'm back in town. Good to see you Dirk."

The laughing makari is given a quick wave from afar as she dons her coat to ward against the chill, only to slip out briskly. Best to vacate before the librarian gets any ideas. <Handspeech/Tongues>

-End Scene-