What is wrong with this picture?|Neo'anar

[Kender Bard]

"He does seem to favor some people more than others in that way," Morrigan replied. "I've not been placed in that situation, myself. It's strange, actually. You mentioned being a Thuothian; my parents were Thuothians. I've always had a healthy respect for the Force, but I just felt like my duty was here with Taed."

[Darastrix]

"My father was Thuothan and my mother is Efilian. I follow both, but with the things that have happened in the past few years, I've come to love Thuoth more than I'd ever thought possible." Zira smiled, remembering the love and joy he'd felt at each visit. "I would have become a priest had he asked it of me, but he never has, and I don't feel drawn to that vocation."

[Kender Bard]

"It's not for everyone," Morigann agreed but she was beginning to smile more animatedly now listening to him talk of his love for Thuoth. It was infectious--she could sympathize. "I think that those who are meant to be priests can feel it, deep down. It calls to you in some way or another. And it's always to the Force where you're needed most. That's just my theory though. To be honest, I don't know what I'd be doing if I hadn't joined the priesthood."

She sipped her tea quickly and continued, "If you're a man of Thuoth, then you must have a love for arts or the books. Well. You don't have to. But I've yet to meet a Thuothian who wasn't drawn to one, the other, or both."

[Darastrix]

"Both, in my case," Zira replied. "When I was younger, I owned a bookshop in Talen'sul." His smile turned a bit sheepish. "I admit I was usually less than eager to actually sell a book. My personal collection was upstairs and in no danger of being sold, but still.... My own tastes run to poetry and novels; I've always been fond of romances."

"As far as the arts go, it's in the name I chose for myself. I love music. I even fell in love with a bard." He chuckled softly. "Much to my disadvantage. I'm not nearly the social type that he is, and I have been bribed into attending gatherings with a song more times than I care to admit."

[Kender Bard]

Morigann giggled quietly--very quietly. She hardly made a sound when she did, but from the way she smiled and ducked her head slightly it was clear she was amused. "Oh I greatly enjoy romance too," she added enthusiastically. "And histories. So you can imagine my very favorite are historical romances. They're a little harder to find but I have a small book of them. All Contrastan, of course, and some really quite tragic but I find that they offset the ones with happy endings nicely. Would you like to see? I carry it with me when I leave home in case I have a dull moment."

[Darastrix]

Zira's eyes lit up with interest and he leaned forward in his chair. "I'd love to see. I tend to prefer happy endings, but sometimes...I like to read something that will make me cry. It feels good, in an odd sort of way." Of course, he'd never convince Zack of that.

[Kender Bard]

"Of course it does," Morigann agreed with a knowing look. "Wait right here." She set her cup down on a small table nearby and strode briskly out of the wing towards one of the staircases to the upper half of the temple. Before long she was back, holding a slender volume in her hand. "I'm sorry about the quality. As a bookkeeper you'll probably wince..."

Indeed it was a very well-worn, much-read book. The binding was beginning to come apart and was weak in some places and the pages were dogeared and yellowed. The cover, at least, was still pleasant to the touch; leatherbound and worn smooth by her hands. She handed it over and sat back down, watching him with a slightly excited smile.

[Darastrix]

He did wince, a little, at the dogeared pages. Really, how hard was it to find a scrap to use as a bookmark? The rest, though, that was just what happened to oft-read books. "It's well-loved; nothing a good bookbinder couldn't fix," Zira commented as he turned it over in his hands.

He caressed the smooth leather for a moment before carefully opening the little book to the first page.

[Kender Bard]

The Great Loves of Anarlina

"I keep meaning to take it to one," Morrigan replied with that head-ducking grin. "But then I forget." She licked her lips. "I don't... Usually do this... But if you would like to borrow it for a little while, you may."

[Darastrix]

Zira smiled warmly at her. "Thank you; I would. I do promise to take good care of it." Maybe he could even take it to be rebound. It certainly needed it.

[Kender Bard]

"I hope it brings you joy," Morrigan added, sincerely. "And when you're done, you know where to find me. I'm here just about every day around this time, except for Ferven. I'm here around dusk for the night service then."

[Darastrix]

"I hate to cut our conversation short," Zira said, even as he began to leaf through the pages, "but I do feel much better now. And I'm afraid I turn a bit useless when I know I've a new book to read."

[Kender Bard]

"Oh, no, it's okay," Morrigan replied, though there was a note of... disappointment? "Do enjoy it, my lord."

[Darastrix]

Zira smiled and nodded as he stood. "I'm sure I shall."

---

Several days later--it hadn't taken him long at all to read the book, but he'd wanted to have the binding repaired as well--Zira returned to the temple and headed once again to Taed's wing to look for Morrigan.

[Kender Bard]

Morrigan was chatting amiably with another priest about a topic that had her smiling widely. When she spotted Zira, her smile widened. "Zira," she called out, but softly. The woman didn't seem to raise her voice, ever. She excused herself from her colleague and walked over. "Hello; how are you today?"