@Bats the Overprotective Throne Warden✨✨(FF) (BLC) (Elite Door Smasher Captain) here you go!
Books and Crannies
After a lunch of apples and butterbread, me, Tink, Janner, and Podo walk to town, which I think the boys preferred. The closer we got to Oskars, the more jumpy they were.
Though it’s a normal day, it seems silent compared to the amount of noise from the festival.
I wave to the Shoosters as we pass.
Glancing over to the jail, I see Gnorm laying in his chair, asleep. I’m not positive, but I think Janner almost tripped when he moved closer to Podo.
“You lads run along to Oskar’s. I’ll be watching over ye from the tavern. I feel the need to wake up old Shaggy and wet my whistle, Podo tells us.
Janner opens his mouth, then shuts it and stands up a little straighter, “Yes sir. Come on, Tink.”
Janner waves to Zouzab, who’s sitting on the roof.
“And hello to the Igiby children. I trust your time at the festival was pleasurable?”
His words sound careful, like he knows more than he says. Like he’s planning each word carefully.
“Yes, it was definitely a day to remember,” I tell him, “Not to be forgotten any time soon. Is Mr. Reteep inside?”
“Inside, yes. Many are the books that arrived by wagon not an hour ago. Many new books for you to read, Maddie Igiby.”
“Thank you,”
We walk in, and Zouzab watches in silence.
As we make our way to the back, Tink keeps stopping to look at the items scattered (Though quite carefully, as Oskar was quite specific about where all his little treasures went) across the shelves.
“Look!” I turn around at Tink’s voice, laughing as he stares at a bowl full of dusty spectacles.
Janner makes a sound and points to a green cylinder, a Snot Wax candle, when I look over.
“Eh? Who’s there?” some of the books shift around until Oskar is visible, “Ah! Maddie, Janner, Tink, I didn’t hear you come in. There’s a lot of work to be done, so no dillydallying. Time for browsing later. Follow me.”
The books slide back, hiding Oskar, and his steps sound off the wooden floors.
After successfully getting to the back without any wrong paths, we see Oskar sitting in the back with a pipe.
“Now, lads, I’d have thought your Podo would have taught you better than to laze around while an old man like me needs your help. What in Aerwiar have you three been doing out there?”
“We were arguing,” I tell him, “About whether to turn at Skreean History or–”
He waves his hand, “No matter. I believe it was the great Chorton who wrote, ‘To worry over dallying siblings is not worth the trouble when a large shipment has arrived.’ Or something to that effect.”
Tink moves a few steps closer to Mr. Reteep’s desk, looking at a map spread across the cluttered desk.
I turn the map face down as Oskar walks over.
“Easy, young Igiby,” he tells Tink, “Surely your brother and sister have told you that not everything here is permissible for young eyes. There are mysteries in the world that should remain mysteries for the young.”
I glance back at him and see his face bright red, I smile as I step away from the desk, giving Oskar more room.
“Where did all these books come from?” Janner asks.
Oskar looks around his shop, admiring the rows of books a moment before answering, “The real question, young Janner, is where didn’t these books come from. I traveled all over Skree after the Great war, salvaging what could be salvaged. You wouldn't believe the rubble. Those rotten Fangs burned our homes and cities to the ground. But as it always does, the dust settled. As the Skreeans began to unearth life again, they also unearthed these treasures. Books. Only they weren’t treasures anymore. Not to everyone. I knew that I had to gather them up, preserve them. Most people were working so hard at rebuilding and adjusting to life with evil snake men breathing down their necks that they didn’t have time for books. They were given to me or sold for pennies. As the infamous Bweesley the Leaf Thief said in his memoir, ‘Cheap is almost free,’ Look around you, lads. This is the best of old Skree. Or at least, it’s what’s left of it.”
I run my hand over the worn spines, remembering some of them from Anniera’s towns.
“On Dragon Day,” Oskar continues, “the people who visit me come to remember who they were. They always leave sad. Now then, here’s what I need of you three. I’ll sit at the desk and keep record of the books and their categories-very taxing on the mind, I assure you-and you three unload the crates and stack them where old Oskar Noss Reteep tells you. Just holler out the title and author, can you handle that?”
Janner and Tink nod, but a motion above the shelves distract me. I look up and see Zouzab sitting on the top of a bookcase, watching us.
“-yes,” I hear Oskar say, pulling my attention back, “Get thee busy.”
-BTW, anyone who remembers Little Fire from the last chapter, he's at the cottage. I didn't really know how to add him in
this was very good!! Who was Little Fire again? 😅