The Library, Part 40
The woody passageway underground winds away from the Fairy library, with roots both large and small following along the walls. The entire underground from the more deliberately constructed to the more natural structures are all lit with glowing orbs growing from the roots and plants throughout.
The walk is a long one, especially given the amount of walking already done, but everyone keeps pace with Pleni, who moves quickly through the corridor. Before too long another passageway veers off from the main one now traveled, and this side way is blocked by a round wooden door.
Pleni raps the door twice and the door sets back a bit before rolling open, revealing a large, circular open space filled with heavy wooden furniture and adorned with a large number of plants. Seating of all sorts fills the space which itself stands empty until the Witch and company enter.
The Witch helps Ernest to a long, semicircular lounging area, and Ernest collapses on the seating. The Witch takes a seat nearby and all the rest find somewhere to rest while Pleni stands in the middle of the room. After a few moments of silence, Pleni waves for everyone's attention.
Pleni says, "We will stay here for the duration of our time in Sluagh na Marbh. Rest, relax, eat, drink, be merry! If you have any wants or needs I shall do everything in my power to see you satisfied."
"Where can I get food for everyone?" The Witch asks.
Pleni answers, "Follow me and I'll show you. We can bring it out here together."
Pleni leads the Witch across the room away from the main entrance and to another door, and upon opening it reveals a kitchen and pantry, but one far different from the sort usually found back on Earth or in the Academy. In a phrase the kitchen is old fashioned, at least to human eyes.
The Witch scans the kitchen and sees an open hearth with pots and pans stored nearby. Pleni leads her to a pantry attached to the kitchen on the side, and in the back there is an open doorway to a scullery. The Witch finds plentiful fruits, vegetables, legumes and other foods within the pantry.
The Witch says, "I should start something cooking, it's been too long since we all last ate."
Pleni waves her hand back and forth, "No need! I will prepare everything for you!"
"That is very kind, thank you." The Witch responds.
"It is no effort at all, watch!"
Pleni casts a spell and various foodstuffs lift themselves into the air, migrating from the pantry into the kitchen where they place themselves on a cutting table. Knives dance of their own accord and slice the food in preparation for cooking, as pots and pans ready themselves for use.
A fire starts itself in the open hearth, and pots fill themselves with water from a constantly flowing stream emanating from the wall. Standing in the middle of it all Pleni conducts the ceremony that prepares a full course meal for everyone.
"You certainly have Humans beat in presentation." The Witch quips.
"Thank you for your wonderment! I do enjoy playing host." Says Pleni.
The Witch watches as the food prepares and cooks itself, and once everything is done, the finished meals find their own way onto plates, and the Witch with Pleni leave the kitchen with floating meals in tow.
Back in the main room, Bishop Clement and the secretary take a seat at a table with the Witch joining, meals landing for each of them. Ernest sleeps soundly, and That-Came-From-Before stands quietly along a wall, a meal floating into his hands, which he eats while staring blankly into space.
Pleni, for her part does not eat, but takes a stand in the middle of the room once more, saying, "Please do enjoy yourselves! Don't worry about cleaning up, the dishes will take care of themselves. I shall leave you to your rest."
Pleni walks over to the table and says to the Witch, "When you are all well rested and ready to get studying, just place your brooch in your hand and call my name. I will be here shortly after your call."
The Witch takes the diamond brooch attached to her robe and looks at it, giving a nod to Pleni in response. As the Witch affixes the brooch to her robe, Pleni takes her leave, the main door rolling open and shut again with two knocks.
Before the Witch turns back to her meal, she looks Bishop Clement in the eye, which catches his attention to which she says, "Don't think I haven't forgotten my promise to you. I will help you find yourself, and I will do so right here with the help of the Fey."
The Bishop gives a small smile, "I do have many questions, but I'll leave them until after everyone gets a good rest," the Bishop pokes a bit at his food with his utensil, "I do enjoy this meal, but I hope the Fairies can provide me with some good books."
The Witch's eyes grow wide, "I'm so sorry! Let me find you something."
Before the Bishop can keep the Witch from leaving her seat, the Witch gets up and scans the room, quickly finding a third door in the wall ninety degrees off from the entrance and kitchen door both. The Witch opens the door as Pleni did before, and finds a staircase leading down.
The stairs lead around in a circular fashion outside the main room, curving along the outer edge of that space. Once a floor below, the staircase opens into another circular room with five doors, presumably to five bedrooms, the Witch thinks.
In this lower main space, there are book shelves in between the bedroom doors, and from one of the shelves the Witch grabs a volume and brings it with her back upstairs. In one movement, the Witch gives the book to Bishop Clement as she takes her seat.
The Witch asks, "You can sense if a book is good or bad, right? I hope this one is good enough for you. If not, there are others I can get for you to try."
The Bishop's smile grows a little more, "No this one is fine, thank you."
The Bishop opens the book and begins reading, his eyes beginning to glow with the intake of Knowledge. The Witch can feel the energy flow to the Bishop from the book. She returns to her own meal. The secretary pauses and watches the Bishop for a moment before returning to her own meal.
Once everyone is done eating, the dishes do indeed take care of themselves, floating back into the kitchen and scullery. The Witch reminds herself to ask Pleni about the spells involved as she wakes up Ernest.
The five then all descend the staircase and take a bedroom, the Witch helping Ernest to his before retiring to her own.
The walk is a long one, especially given the amount of walking already done, but everyone keeps pace with Pleni, who moves quickly through the corridor. Before too long another passageway veers off from the main one now traveled, and this side way is blocked by a round wooden door.
Pleni raps the door twice and the door sets back a bit before rolling open, revealing a large, circular open space filled with heavy wooden furniture and adorned with a large number of plants. Seating of all sorts fills the space which itself stands empty until the Witch and company enter.
The Witch helps Ernest to a long, semicircular lounging area, and Ernest collapses on the seating. The Witch takes a seat nearby and all the rest find somewhere to rest while Pleni stands in the middle of the room. After a few moments of silence, Pleni waves for everyone's attention.
Pleni says, "We will stay here for the duration of our time in Sluagh na Marbh. Rest, relax, eat, drink, be merry! If you have any wants or needs I shall do everything in my power to see you satisfied."
"Where can I get food for everyone?" The Witch asks.
Pleni answers, "Follow me and I'll show you. We can bring it out here together."
Pleni leads the Witch across the room away from the main entrance and to another door, and upon opening it reveals a kitchen and pantry, but one far different from the sort usually found back on Earth or in the Academy. In a phrase the kitchen is old fashioned, at least to human eyes.
The Witch scans the kitchen and sees an open hearth with pots and pans stored nearby. Pleni leads her to a pantry attached to the kitchen on the side, and in the back there is an open doorway to a scullery. The Witch finds plentiful fruits, vegetables, legumes and other foods within the pantry.
The Witch says, "I should start something cooking, it's been too long since we all last ate."
Pleni waves her hand back and forth, "No need! I will prepare everything for you!"
"That is very kind, thank you." The Witch responds.
"It is no effort at all, watch!"
Pleni casts a spell and various foodstuffs lift themselves into the air, migrating from the pantry into the kitchen where they place themselves on a cutting table. Knives dance of their own accord and slice the food in preparation for cooking, as pots and pans ready themselves for use.
A fire starts itself in the open hearth, and pots fill themselves with water from a constantly flowing stream emanating from the wall. Standing in the middle of it all Pleni conducts the ceremony that prepares a full course meal for everyone.
"You certainly have Humans beat in presentation." The Witch quips.
"Thank you for your wonderment! I do enjoy playing host." Says Pleni.
The Witch watches as the food prepares and cooks itself, and once everything is done, the finished meals find their own way onto plates, and the Witch with Pleni leave the kitchen with floating meals in tow.
Back in the main room, Bishop Clement and the secretary take a seat at a table with the Witch joining, meals landing for each of them. Ernest sleeps soundly, and That-Came-From-Before stands quietly along a wall, a meal floating into his hands, which he eats while staring blankly into space.
Pleni, for her part does not eat, but takes a stand in the middle of the room once more, saying, "Please do enjoy yourselves! Don't worry about cleaning up, the dishes will take care of themselves. I shall leave you to your rest."
Pleni walks over to the table and says to the Witch, "When you are all well rested and ready to get studying, just place your brooch in your hand and call my name. I will be here shortly after your call."
The Witch takes the diamond brooch attached to her robe and looks at it, giving a nod to Pleni in response. As the Witch affixes the brooch to her robe, Pleni takes her leave, the main door rolling open and shut again with two knocks.
Before the Witch turns back to her meal, she looks Bishop Clement in the eye, which catches his attention to which she says, "Don't think I haven't forgotten my promise to you. I will help you find yourself, and I will do so right here with the help of the Fey."
The Bishop gives a small smile, "I do have many questions, but I'll leave them until after everyone gets a good rest," the Bishop pokes a bit at his food with his utensil, "I do enjoy this meal, but I hope the Fairies can provide me with some good books."
The Witch's eyes grow wide, "I'm so sorry! Let me find you something."
Before the Bishop can keep the Witch from leaving her seat, the Witch gets up and scans the room, quickly finding a third door in the wall ninety degrees off from the entrance and kitchen door both. The Witch opens the door as Pleni did before, and finds a staircase leading down.
The stairs lead around in a circular fashion outside the main room, curving along the outer edge of that space. Once a floor below, the staircase opens into another circular room with five doors, presumably to five bedrooms, the Witch thinks.
In this lower main space, there are book shelves in between the bedroom doors, and from one of the shelves the Witch grabs a volume and brings it with her back upstairs. In one movement, the Witch gives the book to Bishop Clement as she takes her seat.
The Witch asks, "You can sense if a book is good or bad, right? I hope this one is good enough for you. If not, there are others I can get for you to try."
The Bishop's smile grows a little more, "No this one is fine, thank you."
The Bishop opens the book and begins reading, his eyes beginning to glow with the intake of Knowledge. The Witch can feel the energy flow to the Bishop from the book. She returns to her own meal. The secretary pauses and watches the Bishop for a moment before returning to her own meal.
Once everyone is done eating, the dishes do indeed take care of themselves, floating back into the kitchen and scullery. The Witch reminds herself to ask Pleni about the spells involved as she wakes up Ernest.
The five then all descend the staircase and take a bedroom, the Witch helping Ernest to his before retiring to her own.