The Blood of Old Valyria

IV

~The Blood of Old Valyria ~
Chapter IV

The library was a place where Dayraena could think in peace, practice her magic, and read endless books. Perhaps it was her favorite place in the castle. Accustomed to Lady Gelarion spending a lot of time in the library, the king gave her a separate place where she could store the necessary ingredients and books for magic. So now Dayraena was back in her abode. She inhaled the smell of ancient books and dust and smiled, feeling at home.

The royal library was huge. The room in which it was housed was the size of a throne room, to say the least.

The passages between the cabinets and shelves were narrow and cramped. He walked carefully so as not to throw off the books. He had to step over the folios piled on the floor.

"I'm here," he heard a woman's voice.

The middle of the library was crammed with books, piled and pyramidal. Many were piled up randomly, singly or in picturesque piles.

"I am here, my price!"

He went deeper into the inter-book canyons and gorges. And found her. Dayraena was kneeling in the midst of scattered books and folios, leafing through them and putting them in relative order. She was wearing a modest blue dress, tucked slightly upward for comfort. Even that dress looked great on the woman. Daemon found the picture incredibly appealing.

"Don't be outraged by the rubble here," she said, wiping her forehead with her forearm because she was wearing dusty, thin silk gloves on her hands. "I've been trying to find an interesting specimen, but I guess my luck isn't changing today. I had to ask everyone else to leave the library so I could be alone. I can't have strangers breathing down my neck when I'm working."

"Should I go?"

"No, no, no. I invited you yesterday," she pinched her blue eyes a little. "Don't just stand there. Sit down here, on the books."

Daemon sat down.

"This mess," Dayraena gestured around with a broad gesture, "has suddenly made my job easier. I've managed to get to the books, which usually lie somewhere at the bottom, under a prop that can't be touched. But what I'm looking for is nowhere to be found."

The royal librarians have made a titanic effort to sort through the rubble, so that the daylight has seen some gems of writing, the veritable white crows. Damon watched as the woman selected from the tall stacks of books the most interesting and useful specimens for her. The sun's rays fell on the milky curls and it felt as if they were glowing. Such a peaceful picture made the prince smile.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, my prince, I promised to show you magic..."

"Don't worry, I'm in no hurry, and stretching the time only further fuels my interest."

"I hope you won't be disappointed in the result," Dayraena looked up and met her violet eyes. She froze for a moment, gazing into the prince's surprisingly warm and bright eyes. They had seemed dark to her yesterday at the feast, probably because of the lighting, but now, in the sunlight, his eyes glittered a beautiful purple. And now those eyes were looking at her with a strange warmth and interest. Dayraena bit her lower lip and looked away, turning her attention back to her books.

"May I help you? What book are you looking for?"

"Morghe qrimbrōzagon, (Deadly Curses)" Dayraena answered, catching the surprised look in her violet eyes. The woman only shrugged her shoulders. Well, she couldn't tell him she was looking for a spell that would kill Dayron, could she?