"Thank you, Kiada," he said warmly, appreciating the unspoken promise and her loyalty to her friends. "With luck it won't need to be for long. But... well. 'Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst' as the philosophers of my world say." He smiled ruefully, handing her another book before going back to peruse the shelves, reaching for one tome, then hesitating and choosing another instead. With the renovations going on above, it wouldn't be strange for them to be carrying sacks of (presumably) rubble away from the Atheneum, but that didn't mean they could make many trips without becoming suspicious. Though it broke his heart to be leaving any of these books behind, he could only hope that the Guild's doors being locked in his coming absence would help to protect them.
As he handed more books over to Kiada he was impressed with the care she took to wrap and pack them gently and securely, and his eyes and smile were warm as he gave her a deep nod of gratitude for her efforts. "I'd guess this isn't your first time helping a rebel hide seditious texts." He didn't quite have it in him to joke yet, not really, but it was very nearly one and he smiled as he said it. "The books in here are all histories and journals, bestiaries and herbals, and the chronicles that Sam has written since the guild began," he explained, though his smile remained. "But I can find you some books like that upstairs before we go. And... I need to decide whether to take the Sentient Books from the vault, or to leave them as a trap for unwanted visitors after we're gone." He grimaced as he said it, frowning thoughtfully. "Most of my Lorekeepers will know how to deal with them, should anyone return unexpectedly, but I'm afraid some of the newer members might not be quite, ah, ready for a challenge of that nature yet. Not, at least, from the Dracolich's book... and even some of the happiest fairy tales have rather grim climaxes. People being boiled alive or torn apart by wild animals, that sort of thing," he admitted with the offhand manner of one who has become used to such strange occurences in and around his Guildhall.
Outside in the main room Isuma was not as quick to join Auni in the game as she usually was, but the little luxere's tenacity and pink tongue eventually won through the remnants of her companion's weary depression, and she was drawn into the game of tag, sometimes getting licked and sometimes fluttering up to boop Auni's nose in return as they dodged and scampered their way around the dimly-lit Hall's sturdy furniture.
As he handed more books over to Kiada he was impressed with the care she took to wrap and pack them gently and securely, and his eyes and smile were warm as he gave her a deep nod of gratitude for her efforts. "I'd guess this isn't your first time helping a rebel hide seditious texts." He didn't quite have it in him to joke yet, not really, but it was very nearly one and he smiled as he said it. "The books in here are all histories and journals, bestiaries and herbals, and the chronicles that Sam has written since the guild began," he explained, though his smile remained. "But I can find you some books like that upstairs before we go. And... I need to decide whether to take the Sentient Books from the vault, or to leave them as a trap for unwanted visitors after we're gone." He grimaced as he said it, frowning thoughtfully. "Most of my Lorekeepers will know how to deal with them, should anyone return unexpectedly, but I'm afraid some of the newer members might not be quite, ah, ready for a challenge of that nature yet. Not, at least, from the Dracolich's book... and even some of the happiest fairy tales have rather grim climaxes. People being boiled alive or torn apart by wild animals, that sort of thing," he admitted with the offhand manner of one who has become used to such strange occurences in and around his Guildhall.
Outside in the main room Isuma was not as quick to join Auni in the game as she usually was, but the little luxere's tenacity and pink tongue eventually won through the remnants of her companion's weary depression, and she was drawn into the game of tag, sometimes getting licked and sometimes fluttering up to boop Auni's nose in return as they dodged and scampered their way around the dimly-lit Hall's sturdy furniture.
