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[scarlett aria hawthorne]

A lot of people thought Scarlett Hawthorne was bordering on illiterate. She most certainly was not. She’d attended –and finished- high school, as well as done some post secondary. Moreover, she loved to read. She only read those cheesy, passionate romance novels you’d hate to be seen in public with, but those were still books! Her lazy attitude and ditziness led people to believe otherwise. Well, it was offensive, and it set the redhead’s famous temper off.

On her day off work, Scarlett was at a loss as to what to do. She’d heard there was a ranch in the village. The idea of even seeing some animals appealed to her. But her reading material was running low. She hadn’t brought many books with her to begin with really. She hadn’t seen any bookstores around but... there was a library. Scarlett never borrowed books. The titles she read were a little embarrassing, and she was horrible at taking care of books. With her, pages would magically rip out, water and gravy stains would appear...

But Scarlett had no other choice. It was the library or nothing. So she set off, a large tote bag on her arm and a cheery smile on her face. The library wasn’t far. She reached it in no time and stepped inside. The first thing she saw were books. Books everywhere. In the shelves, on a table, on the floor. Books on virtually everything. How on earth was she supposed to find what she liked here?

After much investigating, Scarlett happened upon the romance section. Her eyes scanned the spines, looking for something that sounded interesting, and something she hadn’t read before. She found one, Untameable, and blushed as she studied the cover illustration. Really, couldn’t the publishers have given it a blank cover? It was embarrassing enough reading things like these, even in private. But whatever. Flipping the book over, Scarlett began to read the summary when she heard the door to the library creak open. Whipping around way too fast, she dropped the book.

Without a second thought, Scarlett dropped to her knees and began looking for the book. Her cheeks were, much like her name, scarlet. Not only was she in a compromising position, but she was also at the romance section, gosh. Her love of romance novels was her dirty little secret. What people would say if they found out tough girl Scarlett Hawthorne read things like these... she couldn’t imagine.

[VALENCIA MAE KIPERIO]

The ancient door creaked open as she walked into the dim library. The old lock's click echoed as the way shut behind her, and Valencia gave an involuntary shiver. Oh Goddess. How she hated this place. Even in the heat of summer with its lively festivities, the village library was always a cold, silent place. It would have been the stuff of horror movies. If Valencia had been able to stomach horror movies.

Just put them down and go. Down and go. Tip-toeing over to the front desk, she dropped two large novels on to the dusty wood. Seriously. When were the going to get a better upkeep for this place? Eyes darting about, Valencia spotted some old sticky-notes to her right. A stubby pencil lay next to a journal for recording outgoing books. The gritty "stick" flaked off as she grabbed one of the pale yellow bits of paper, scribbling on to it her usual note.

These books were checked out to
Mable Kiperio are being returned.

The "weekly exchange", Valencia called it. Her bookish mother would correspond with the village library through Val, seeing how she was growing weak with age and Mr. Kiperio was a forgetful sort of man. Duty done and eager to go, Valencia set down the pencil and was about to finally leave.

Until...she heard something. It was...a faint something. A scurrying. A moving and a fluttering. Was someone (or something?) actually in the lonely library?

"H-hello?" Valencia called, voice loud in the small space. She suddenly felt too open. Too easy and vulnerable. But what proper criminal would actually hide out in a dingy library?

Silly woman. That's exactly the kind of place they'd hide.

She stood frozen to the spot, subconsciously quieting her breath.

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[scarlett aria hawthorne]

Book book book book where art thou?

It had become a chant now for Scarlett as she hastily dug through piles and piles of novels trying to find that stupid, evil, possessed book which... she really wanted to read. And she had to find the stupid thing before whoever had just entered the library found her. Scarlett didn't care much for what the people here in Charoite said about her, but there were some things which were better off kept secrets, like her guilty pleasure.

After much scrambling and scurrying, Scarlett found the battered paperback she'd been searching for. Quickly jumping to her feet, she brushed a few stray strands of hair off her face and looked back at the bookcase when she heard it. A voice. Not from above or anything holy like that, but a woman's voice. "H-hello?" Oh shit. Scarlett froze and dropped her book once more. So she'd been heard and now she'd have to explain and oh goodness. She didn't want to.

But she hadn't been seen. The thought struck Scarlett like lighting. She hadn't been seen so could just stay here, quiet and unmoving, so whoever it was would leave when they didn't get a response. Unless, they decided to investigate. In which case she was screwed, and that would probably lead to more uncomfortable questions. There was only a lose-lose situation here, wasn't there? Grumbling slightly, Scarlett shoved her hands in her pockets.

Leaving the romance section, she stopped at mystery and grabbed a couple of books off the shelf. Not her genre, but (gag) it didn't hurt to try new things. Making her way over to the front desk, she soon spotted whom she thought was the innkeeper. Valencia something? "Sorry, I fell back there," Scarlett said, not being entirely untruthful. She'd fallen to her knees to search, so that was good enough for her.

[VALENCIA MAE KIPERIO]

Valencia wasn't exactly the bravest character around, but she sure had a strong survival instinct. Honestly - going to an all-girls boarding school toughened up a woman. But as flight-or-fight adrenaline bubbled through her veins, Val found an odd courage possessing her. She stood quiet. But she'd be damned if some unholy criminal was going to spirit her away without a kick or bite.

Her pulse thudded to life as a figure turned the corner. Valencia felt her muscles tighten.

...And then relax, as she saw only a young girl with books in hand.

"...Oh. Hello, there." Valencia tried to ease her body language, straighten her back, suddenly quite embarrassed as the drama she'd just but her mind through. Why had it never occurred to her that maybe some people came here of their own free will?

"Sorry, I fell back there," the redhead before her said, looking a bit disheveled for library...ing. Val didn't comment. But she definitely took note. Perhaps this girl had some secret lover who she had to meet in the dark corners of the library, lest their parents discover them and ship the girl abroad. Their misunderstood passion was the sole thing that kept their hope in life, and only the books stood witness to their love... The situation unfurled in Valencia's mind, and she found herself jealous. Oh, how'd romantic that would be...

(Because certainly no one came here just for books. Only her mother was that odd.)

"Is there...anyone else here?" Valencia questioned gently, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.