Friends and Enemies // Chapter Twenty Eight // The Great Library

 

 "Here is the map," Sir Richard offered, handing Willow some rolled up parchment.

   She gave him a small smile. "Thanks."

   As she turned to leave, the Knight caught her by the shoulder and gently turned her around to face him. "Why are you sneaking out to visit the Library and not going with the prince or an escort?" he asked, sounding concerned.

   Willow chewed her lip, trying to find a way to voice the feeling that had been growing in her heart since the battle; a tiny flicker of distrust. "I don't know if I trust his judgement," she replied shortly.

   "But why?" the Knight inquired in his deep voice. "What reasons has he given for you to distrust him?"

   She sighed. "I think he's too naive. He just doesn't get that the enemy doesn't give up that easily."

   Sir Richard gave her a look of fatherly concern. "Perhaps you could teach him? But I know that you do not have all of the answers either, Elvish-grace."

   Those words struck a chord in Willow's mind, but she shrugged and gave him a small wave. "See you when I get back."
  
*************************************

   "Thanks for letting me borrow Shadowlight, Aliatha," Willow grinned at her timid friend as she helped her with the horse.

   "You are most welcome," Aliatha answered, dusting off her hands on her apron. "Remind me where you are going?"

   "Just to the Library. Sir Richard gave me a map of his, so I shouldn't have much trouble finding it," Willow answered nonchalantly.

   Aliatha gave her a queer look. "Why are you not being accompanied? It is not safe, out there in the forest!"

   Willow swung up onto Shadowlight's back. "I'll be fine. Really Ali, you worry too much. I won't get lost. What could happen?"

*************************

   "Okay, I take it back. I am sooo lost." Willow tried to discern the direction she was headed, but the forest had grown too dense, and the warm summer air was making her uncomfortably hot in her long dress.

  "Why did I ever think going to find this stupid library by myself was a good idea," she grumbled, pulling out the map and eyeballing it. "Arg!"

   "Need some help?" Emmeth's voice broke through her thoughts, and she turned around and glared at him.

   "No, thank you." Willow busied herself with the map, pretending not to notice him.

   "You know, there is a shortcut not mentioned on the map," he put in.

   She rolled her eyes. "I've almost got it..... I think...." she trailed off and gave him a sheepish glance.

   Knowing that her expression was the closest thing to a request for help as he was likely to get, Emmeth pointed to the left. "We go that way. It should take us about half a days ride to reach the inn, and then another half day before we reach our destination."

    "Thanks, I guess," Willow offered. Then she grinned. "You know, you really should work on your sneaking skills. I knew you were following me hours ago!"

****************************

   "Wow! Now that's a library!" Willow exclaimed in astonishment. The grey stone building rose high over the tree tops, its columns covered in winding ivy.

   "Who's there?" demanded a voice, strong, but old. A very tall man with long, stringy, salt-and-pepper hair and a beak nose stepped out of the massive engraved doors and challenged them with a sword.

   "Terraneth, is that you?" Emmeth questioned, taking a quick step in front of Willow, just in case the elderly man was a bit lost upstairs.

   The tall man cocked his head, his eyes focusing on the prince's face. "Prince Emmeth? Is that you?" he replied, his eyes bulging.
   Willow had to resist the urge to think that his cheese had slipped off his cracker. "Hello," she greeted warmly, stepping out from behind the prince.

   The wild eyes of the librarian rested on her. "My lady," he acknowledged. "I am afraid that I am lost as to your name."

   "Willow Elvish-grace of the Veil," she answered.

   Terraneth took her hand graciously and shook it. "Terraneth of Tionia, my dear. Now, my dear prince, why have you journeyed so long to the Great Library?"

   Emmeth nodded at Willow. "Willow wishes to examine some of our texts regarding a "Dark Lord"?"

   "Ah!" Terraneth nodded. "An interesting subject, if I may say so. Come along!" He swung open the gigantic door and trotted through it, his age obviously not constricting him. The two young people grinned with amusement at his eagerness and followed.

*****************************

   "Now, what else do you need?" the aging Knight asked as he heaved a stack of ancient books onto the edge of the richly engraved table where Willow was seated.

   "I think this should be good for now," she replied, already flipping through a time worn book.

   Emmeth hovered behind her, unsure of what to do with himself. Willow seemed to have forgotten him, and cheerfully cross-examined each book. "Do you need any help?" he asked.

   Glancing up, she pointed across the room. "Can you grab me that Author's Writ? I left mine at Essgarothe, because it's pretty heavy. I always try to have one on hand."

   Handing her the book, Emmeth wandered over to the tall shelves of books, examining their names.

   "Great Tardis of Gallifrey!" Willow cried, her eyes growing bigger by the minute. "I found something!" she called, waving a hand at the two men.

   "What is it?" cried the library keeper, rushing over.

   "Yes, what?" Emmeth echoed, peering over her shoulder.

   Willow jabbed her pointer finger at a sentence. "I don't believe it!" she cried. "Look!"

 Sorry I didn't post last week, we were at a homeschool conference, and it took all day Friday. It was about 9:30 by the time we got home.

I was planning a Saturday post, but got busy with the rest of the conference and forgot :(

Update on my bracez: I'm getting two toofies taken out this Tuesday, so if you would, please pray that I would be calm and not freak out about it.

Ammie posted her chapter six last Monday, and D posted her chapter twenty three last Wednesday :) Check 'em out!

Don't forget, if you're confuzzled about something in the chapter, ask moi!

Be a friend, not an enemy,

Willow