"The ones in the Atheneum seem to be more along the lines of explorer's journals and diaries," he offered as explanation. "I... to be honest I don't know how they got there. If they were placed there by the writer before they died as a memorial to their life, or if their descendants donated it, or if someone was just cleaning out a ruined building and found one and brought it to the Atheneum for lack of anywhere else to take it." He could only shrug gently, careful not to dislodge Isuma from her perch on his shoulder "All I know is that there are some there. My Guild tends to be more interested in histories or more official journals though." He nodded agreeably at her not-really-a-promise to visit, knowing how plans could change between now and then.
Her question might have raised the hackles of a Natural, and for the sake of his Natural friends Jigano did have to take a moment to soothe his internal bristling, though he kept his expression carefully thoughtful. "Just like not all Fae think the same, neither do all humans," he pointed out with a chuckle. "Each one might have a different answer, if you asked. At first it was because we didn't know about the Fae, or the Wildwood, or anything beyond the Barrier, really. Several of us came to learn if there were people here, and whether they were friendly or dangerous if there were. Now that we know..." He hesitated, then sighed, looking over to the beautiful red of the waterfall with a sad smile. "There is still so much to learn about this world. Animals and plants that will start moving back into the barrierlands now that they can simply walk across that stretch of ground, the Old Gods that the barrierfolk have been cut off from all this time, magic and history and medicine of the world beyond the Barrier... things that have proven difficult to ask the Fae about when most Fae want nothing to do with us." His smile was wry, acknowledging that 'most' was not the same as 'all,' as Jiao so amply proved. "And for Outlanders, some of them at least, these Woods are far more similar to the places we came from than the drab world within the barrier." He felt guilty saying it, knowing he had friends for whom those lands where their beloved homes, but it was true. "Coming to the Woods might help some of that feeling of homesickness," he tried to explain, not knowing whether Jiao would really understand it or not.
Her question might have raised the hackles of a Natural, and for the sake of his Natural friends Jigano did have to take a moment to soothe his internal bristling, though he kept his expression carefully thoughtful. "Just like not all Fae think the same, neither do all humans," he pointed out with a chuckle. "Each one might have a different answer, if you asked. At first it was because we didn't know about the Fae, or the Wildwood, or anything beyond the Barrier, really. Several of us came to learn if there were people here, and whether they were friendly or dangerous if there were. Now that we know..." He hesitated, then sighed, looking over to the beautiful red of the waterfall with a sad smile. "There is still so much to learn about this world. Animals and plants that will start moving back into the barrierlands now that they can simply walk across that stretch of ground, the Old Gods that the barrierfolk have been cut off from all this time, magic and history and medicine of the world beyond the Barrier... things that have proven difficult to ask the Fae about when most Fae want nothing to do with us." His smile was wry, acknowledging that 'most' was not the same as 'all,' as Jiao so amply proved. "And for Outlanders, some of them at least, these Woods are far more similar to the places we came from than the drab world within the barrier." He felt guilty saying it, knowing he had friends for whom those lands where their beloved homes, but it was true. "Coming to the Woods might help some of that feeling of homesickness," he tried to explain, not knowing whether Jiao would really understand it or not.
