"I encourage the challenge, but the number of books you would be able to read is limited to your knowledge of languages," she said. "Because, you see, this library is split into different sections for different cultures and subjects. We're currently on the floor for this kingdom's early days, almost all written in the ancient tongue as opposed to the modern version."
"I know multiple languages, so I guess that just makes the goal more unattainable." She said, shaking her head. "So many books." She huffed a laugh, returning to looking around curiously. "That must be quite a few sections."
Cinthia gestured around her. "Make yourself at home. I have to go all over the place to get the books I want, so feel free to wander around and take what you want." She tossed a friendly wink over to Lily. "And who knows, maybe we both know a few of the same languages?" She grinned and lowered her voice, dramatically holding her hand up to her mouth. "Secret conversations!"
Lily huffed a laugh, nodding. "We'll have to run over a list of languages each of us speaks, find some in common." She promised, lips quirking up into a faint smile. She returned her hand to their place in her pockets as she looked to the nearest bookshelf. "I wish you luck on your book quest, Cinthia."
"And you yours." She sketched a bow, then turned away with a friendly wave.
She nodded in farewell, starting for the bookshelf. Where did they even get a hold of this many books?
((Skip to after, or later?))
(Hmm, maybe say that she and Cin hung out at the library, and now it's time for her to meet Rhydar?)
((Works for me. How would that go about? Like, where?))
(Oooo. Maybe, since he doesn't really look like what a prince would look like, they bump into each other in the halls and she doesn't recognize him? He nicks her picture as he grabs her to steady both of them, and when they officially meet in the throne room, he gives it back to her?)
((I love it. Give me a sec~))
Lily made her way through the halls of the palace, her eyes on the pages of one of the books she'd picked up at the library during her and Cinthia's excursion. The book itself was an old, leather bound copy of an adventurer's journal, one she'd been looking for for a while now. Every library she had gone to though, had either had their copy stolen, ruined, or had never owned one at all.
The reading was an attempt to distract herself from the meeting, just a few minutes away. She didn't want to think about murder right now, much less the murder of the brother of her friend. So instead, she lost herself in the recordings of adventure, danger, and what grabbed her attention most, freedom. She might have been a little too lost though, evidenced when she almost collided with another person.
"Woah, easy there." Rhydar abruptly stopped and lightly grabbed onto the distracted girl, steadying them both when they nearly ran into each other. He was wearing less traditional royal clothing, not at all looking like the crown prince of the kingdom. True to habit, as he grabbed the girl, he nicked a random object off of her without her knowing, tucking it into his back pocket. He chuckled. "Interesting book?" he asked with a hint of amusement.
Lily blinked, looking up from the book as she closed it. "Oh, Gods, I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention at all." Her cheeks were dusted with a faint blush as she apologized hurriedly, tucking the book under her arm as she straightened. "Er-yes? I mean, it is a good book. Apparently a bit too good. I really am sorry."
His eyes were bright as he smirked down at her. "It's alright, I should've been paying more attention." She's cute, especially that little blush. "Where're you headed?" he asked, messing with the leather bracelets around his wrist.
She scrunched up her nose as she thought, clearing away the fog left over from reading. "Throne room, I believe." She looked around for a moment, before sighing. "And I seem to have lost my sense of direction." She looked back up at the man, noting the the startling color of his eyes.
His smirk simply grew as he realized who she was. "Well, I'm always up for helping a pretty lady out. May I escort you to the throne room?" he asked as he held out a hand. His long and slender fingers were covered with different styles of carved rings. One intricately carved ring was hanging on a chain around his neck.
Her eyes flickered down to his hand, studying the rings for a moment before she took the offered hand. "It would be much appreciated, thank you. Though I think the term pretty might be stretching the facts." He looks….familiar.
He chuckled and led her through the hall. "You're too modest, milady," he insisted, still looking down at her as he walked through the hall to the throne room. So she's one of the women my mom handpicked for me to choose from? I wonder how this whole thing will turn out to be.
"Or not." She said, shaking her head as her blush deepened just a bit. She reached up, tucking a loose tendril of golden hair behind her ear. "It's nothing more than a fact." She turned her gaze to their surroundings, figuring it best to learn the route.
Soon enough, they made it to the throne room. "You weren't too far off, just missed a turn," he said. He opened the double doors and swept a hand towards the room, gesturing for her go ahead. His emerald green eyes brightened yet again in amusement when he saw her blush.
"That explains it." Lily nodded, wrinkling her nose at herself. "Something tells me it'll continue to happen, for a while." She turned back to him, once she had stepped into the throne room, giving him a small smile. "Thank you, for the directions. I probably would have continued to get more and more lost. Er-I never caught your name?"
His eyes sparkled as he offered her a lopsided smile. "It doesn't matter. I'm no one worth knowing." He left with a small wave before she could respond, heading over to his chambers to change. That was where he was originally going to go before Lily had run into him.
She frowned in confusion, tilting her head as she watched him disappear. Strange man. Shaking her head, she turned around, looking around the empty throne room. She was early, apparently, giving her time to gather herself as she waited.
Five minutes later, a bunch of noble-looking women started streaming into the throne room. They all glared at each other and bickered and participated in petty arguments over who was the best fit for the prince. Not long after the last woman entered, the Queen herself entered the throne room and sat on her elegant throne. "Silence," she ordered calmly. All of the women shut their traps almost immediately.
The Queen looked down at them from where she sat on the dais. "I present to you all, Crown Prince Rhydar." Her elegant and dignified voice rung loud and clear through the silent room. She looked off to the side, where a door was opened by two guards. Walking through the door, the prince emerged. He was now changed into the outfit his mother picked out for him.
Lily had kept quiet as the other women entered the hall, watching them bicker with a slightly bored expression. They all seemed to take this too seriously, as though their entire lives hinged on this. Ironic, considering. The Queen's arrival caught her attention, and she turned to watch the woman, admiring her ability to shut the women in the room up with a single word.
It was the Prince's arrival that garnered a noticeable reaction from her, though. Her eyes widened as she recognized the man who had given her directions earlier. The man she'd walked right into, too busy reading to even look up. Oh, dear Gods.