Hiding Where my Troubles Cannot Find me

[Madalyn Onimus]

Madalyn had awoke that day, not with a great leap and an excited greeting for the morning, but a hesitent and timid crawl. She did not don her usual purples or blues that helped bring color to her pale skin, but a stark and depressing black that made her look more pale and fragile than ever. She was still in mourning for her father, both publically and privately, as was her mother. But unlike her mother, she could not simply lock herself away and simply think on times past and the memories her father gave her, because to sit still was to allow the realisation that she was now archduchess sink upon her.

It was silly really, she had always known that she would become archduchess one day, but not this soon. She had turned sixteen mere weeks ago, she was supposed to go and visit her grandfather, the emporer, she was supposed to think of marriage, and children, and her own happiness for awhile, but then father fell ill and suddenly everything came to a halt, everything crashed, and then, after only a breif pause to breathe while she took regency, it all burned to a crisp around her.

Now her mind was constantly fraught with worry. She had so much yet to learn, so much yet to do, but she now had to wear the heavy coronet of the archduchy, she was no longer 'maddie' but archduchess onimus, her life was no longer her own and that frightened her.

So she did what she did best when things frightened her.

She escaped into books.

She'd arrived at the library practically at dawn, and now it was midday. Yet despite only eating the lightest of breakfasts the young woman showed no signs of slowing down or giving in to bodily needs as she consumed tome after tome before her with all the hunger and ferocity she had become just about famous for. Because, no matter what happened, books would never leave her life father.

[Core Noru]

Core had found himself outside the Grand Library earlier that morning, in fact, he had arrived the moment the library opened its doors to the public. His electric blue eyes looking at the large building before entering into the massive maze of shelves, desks, books and tomes. A little overwhelming at first, but for the most part the only people around were the scholars that attended the library's needs. He looked around for a moment, taking note of the scholars that would pass by him with strange looks. He hadn't come to the library to bury his nose into a book, instead he had come to find a quiet place to relax and possibly nap. So when he noticed the coast was clear and no one was watching him. Core climbed the nearest and tallest shelf, reaching the top of the shelf with ease.

" Well its not a inn bed, but its free and quiet. " Core sighed, looking at the layers of dust on the shelf top he was perched on. With a grim expression, he laid down and folded his arms back behind his head. His dark brown cloak being the only barrier between him and the dust. It wasn't long after he fell to sleep, his boots dangling over the edge of the shelf. Thankfully he went UN-noticed for the few hours he had been a sleep. An unknowing to him in his sleep, the library had slowly begun to become more active as the day went on.

Core turned in his sleep, his body now on its side and dangerously close to the shelf's edge. In fact, so close that as he began to tip and slowly roll forward in his sleep over the edge. His eyes shooting wide open as he felt himself begin to fall, but by then it was too late. Core had already begun to fall and his hands couldn't grab hold of the shelf. His fall was broken by a desk with a woman sitting down in front of it reading a book. Thankfully she wasn't using the desk for the legs were broken out underneath it, leaving Core on his back o ntop of the desk with several books and parchments scattered around him. Thank the gods the fall didn't hurt; But the surprise did shock the hell out of him.

Core looked around a bit, some what dazed and his heart racing from the sudden fall. Though when his eyes locked on the woman he had fallen in front of. His eyes blinked and he grudgingly sat up to look at her. " Sorry for just dropping in on you, miss." Core spoke up with a nervous smile, his voice sounding a bit groggy having just woken up, while the back of his cloak was covered in dust and lint.

[Madalyn Onimus]

It was supposed to be a peaceful day.

That's what she had told herself as she read tome after tome, desperatly seaking peace for her troubled mind. Today would be a peaceful day of study and the tomorrow she would embrace her new title and life, she would embrace her fears and worries, she would be as adult as she could about this, but she needed just one last day to herself and only herself.

But the gods had other plans, to be fair, that was the story of her life at this point.

She had been sat straight up, the perfect image of the noble she now was, dignified and refined like a proper lady. One pale hand clutching her book the other tracing along the words with a finger. She must have really been involved in the book too, because she didn;t hear the snoring right next to her on the shelf, she never even noticed him or heard his breath, even when he fell, until the moment he had utterly smashed into the table before her.

"Oh heavens, are you alright sir!?" her voice was hushed, almost instinctively given her location, and a soft glow eminated from her hand as she knelt down and brushed the broken table from around him as she tried to spot any obvious injuries while also keeping a polite distance given that they were strangers.

[Core Noru]

Core quickly checked himself over the best way he could; while being flat on his back. He had determined that there were no injuries, however, he didn’t feel any pain which was a good sign for the time being. So as he laid there, he stared at the woman who began to crouch down to inspect him too. Odd…Normally nobles didn’t care of the well being of others, perhaps this one was different somehow? He pondered, listening to her as she asked if he was alright. A calm and carefree smile appeared on his lips, while he did a last gesture to ‘check’ and sat up straight. He then picked himself up off the floor; The Dust falling off his cloak and disturbing the air with a light cloud of specks that could be seen in the sun’s rays beaming through the windows.

“ I’m fine I think. Thank you for asking..” Core paused, taking a second to dust himself off before bowing his head towards her in respect. “ Are you alright though miss? I didn’t crash down on you did I? I didn’t mean to just come crashing down on you, I swear! I must've rolled off in my sleep. “ He gestured to the shelf next to them, before glancing down to look at the desk he had destroyed. Probably a good indicator to leave soon; The commotion had caused clearly disturbed the library more than he had hoped. The last thing he needed was to have the library breathing down his neck for destroying their property. Or worse, paying for said damage...

Core turn his attention away from the desk and back to the woman he had interrupted, Giving her a quick once over to see if she had gained any injuries from his crash.. His body language suggesting he was a bit anxious standing there, his baby blue eyes keeping track of the amount of people coming in and out, their curiosity driving them to see what was going on.

“ Sorry for the mess…” He spoke softly under his breath, kicking a piece of the desk back to its larger pile with the toe of his boot.