Percy's not in the library when I get there, instead I am greeted by Katelyn, who is an eighth termer and considerably older than others in her class. It does surprise me, because recently Percy's always been here, although I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised, it's only 12:30 and he does still have some classes even if it's mostly independent studying during the last term. I hadn't exactly thought about what to do if I didn't find him here, so now I feel at somewhat of a loss. I suppose there's a lot more research I could do, but I had been hoping on getting Percy's opinion before getting into it... I frown at the clock on the wall, as if it could tell me when he will arrive.
"Can I help you with something?" Katelyn asks and I revert my attention to her and smile.
"Actually I was hoping to find Percy here," I say, walking over to the front desk. "Percy Masters? Would you happen to know if he has a shift today?"
"Well," she says, thinking. "On Wednesdays Percy has the last two shift, which means he should be here at four and until to eight, although he's always here early, so it's probably more around three thirty, maybe before. I think he's in the cricket team, and he always helps with cleanup but he comes here immediately after he's showered. You can tell cause his hair is wet and he smells so fresh." She stops there, a faint flush raising on her cheeks. I wait politely, trying to keep my amusement off my face. "Anyway, he should be here in three hours or so. Do you wanna leave him a message, or are you gonna wait, or..?"
"I think I'll wait, I have some school stuff I can work on in the meantime," I say with a shrug. "I was kinda surprised though, he's been here so much lately I hadn't thought he wouldn't be here now."
"Oh, yeah," Katelyn says, leaning her elbows on the counter. "He's a real doll, he had barely any shifts last term, or even the beginning of this term, but a few weeks back he just volunteered for so many more! I think the only time he's not here is when he has classes like 15 hours a week, and then when the library is closed for the night. I mean, I like this job and the extra credit, but he really opened a lot of time to the rest of us to focus on our studies."
"Yeah, he's one of the nicest people I know," I say with a laugh. "I'm really gonna miss him when he graduates."
"Me too," she says. "Although it's not like I have that many terms left myself. And maybe he'll consider taking over the head librarian's job." She leans in to whisper conspiratorially. "The one we have now is really not interested in the job at all."
"Who knows," I say. "He does know this library inside and out."
"He did spend basically all of his time here even before he started to work the front desk," she tells me and then sighs. "But I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I'll let you to your studies now, do ask if I can help you with anything."
"I will, thank you," I say. She smiles as I walk to one of the tables behind the shelves and drop my bag on it. I suppose I could do my homework for tomorrow while I wait.
~x~
I manage to get a bit of studying done before Zeze flies from behind the shelves. I swear, she can somehow sense me when I come to the library, always managing to appear minutes after I've arrived. She usually hangs with Percy on the front counter, yes, but I think she's began to explore the library, trying to figure out the categorization system perhaps. I don't actually know what she does when Percy's not here, though it would seem she has made the library her temporary home. I had considered she would leave when Percy did, tagging along for classes and sleeping in his room. Apparently not.
She doesn't really bother me, instead playing with my spare quill and rummaging through my bag. I can hear her muttering to herself, but I can't understand her words, so I mainly ignore her. She doesn't seem to mind. A few hours go by like that, and I find myself immersed in my arithmetics.
I redip my quill and it comes out yellow. I stare at the tip for a while, blinking, before turning to the ink bottle. Zeze is standing above it and looks up at me.
"What did you do?" I ask, not loudly enough for Katelyn to hear us by the front desk. Zeze shrugs.
"You do know I can't understand you, don't you?" I ask, slightly amused. She shrugs again, uncaring.
I let her speak, even if I don't understand. I've started to notice familiar patterns in her speech, I can recognize words she's said before, but without a reference I can't place meaning on them. It's alright though, because just listening to her is pretty enchanting on its own. Her voice is clear and beautiful, the words flowing out of her mouth like a melody, like small glass bells. I can only imagine what it must sound like to hear her sing.
She doesn't seem to mind talking to an audience that doesn't understand her, as she chatters on.
She huffs and rolls her eyes. I cannot fathom what she's talking about, but clearly she doesn't hold whatever it is in high regard. She stands up then, and walks over to my book, which got abandoned as she started to talk. She inspects it for a moment and then hops into the air and flies to sit on my shoulder.
"I didn't know dragons were that smart," says someone from behind me. I turn around to see Percy standing there.
"She was saying that dragons are very smart creatures," he explains. "That they're really good at calculations and stuff. And that... we might learn a lot about all kinds of creatures if we'd... stop killing them."
"I quite agree with that," I say. "I've always found dragons to be fascinating creatures, and it would amazing to learn more about them."
"Yeah," says Percy. Zeze has climbed into his hair again, the only thing visible behind the curls her wings as they sway slightly. "Katelyn said you wanted to talk to me about something?"
"Oh, right," I say. "I went to talk to Cole yesterday, about what had happened."
"Did he really use magic?" he asks. He's frowning.
"Seems so, yeah. There were several eyewitnesses and he basically admitted it when I confronted him." He looks down, twisting his ring and then sits down opposite of me. Cole having magic is really bugging him, though I'm not sure why. "That's not the interesting part though. What's interesting is who he used magic on. Hans Jacobs."
Percy squints, confused. Then he places the name.
"Private Hans Jacobs?" he all but squeaks. "The one who died 30 years ago?"
"Yeah, he's not dead! Cole recognised him and that's why he pursued him."
"Are you sure it's him?"
"Cole was. And I've heard his description and he matched it to a t. He even had a scar on his face on the same spot."
Percy thinks about this for a moment.
"That's... that's pretty big," he says finally. "This could change everything!"
"This does change everything!" I say, excited. "Though I'm not entirely sure how, yet. Best case scenario, magic is legalised again!"
"Wow. I can't imagine. After all this time..." He seems dazed. "I need to look more into this, to see how this could have happened."
"I noticed that there seems to be only one official document made in reference of Jacobs' death, that seems like a good place to start," I say him. He lets out an absentminded 'hmm'. "I would appreciate, of course, if you were to keep this between us. The fewer people who know about this, the better. We have no way of knowing how people will react to the news. I've set Alica on a quest to spread as many outrageous lies about Cole as possible, to make it hard to discern the truth."
"Right, right, of course," he says and stands up. "I need to go relieve Katelyn now. But I'll definitely look into this."
I nod and he leaves, going around to the front counter. I turn back to my arithmetics homework, only to realise my ink is still yellow, and I sigh. Luckily Gil arrives soon after and he gladly lets me use his ink (he's pretty excited about the idea of yellow ink, being the artist he is) and we finish the work together. Alica comes in too, though much later, and she copies my work. I let her, because I know her arithmetics grade doesn't hinge on one day's homework.
~x~
Thursday after school, Gil and I head over to town again, in hopes of talking to Jacobs. Wismuth doesn't seem too thrilled to see me, but he indulges us, seeing us into the castle cells. Apparently he's had the good mind to put the two men in separate cells and so Jacobs is alone when the door opens. He blinks at the light and looks surprised once he recognises us.
"Hello again, Jacobs," I say cheerily. He scowls. "I was hoping we could have a nice chat,just you and me."
"Yeah, right. Me, you, the copper, and your little lap dog here," he spits out, looking at Gil with a sneer. "Don't know what you want from me, but you ain't getting it."
I can feel my eye twitch and I squeeze my hand into a fist, but I refrain myself.
"That so?" I say. "Well, let me tell you what I know.
"I know that you faked your death, and I know it was deliberate. I know that sergeant Feathers knows about this too, as he was the one that wrote the report. I know that you and he were sent the Kalehar at the same time for the same reason, so I know you were, if not friends, at least acquainted enough to plan out something like this. I know your death was never verified by a physician, making it very easy for him lie about your demise and I know that this wasn't the first crazy stunt you've pulled, and I have no doubt it wasn't the last. I know that you are in a lot of trouble and you will be in even more once the news spread the only way to get even a little out of it is to come clean, because I know that I will find Feathers and I will make him talk."
Jacobs has gone rather pale and I consider that a win. He's glaring at me, gritting his teeth. He doesn't look likely to talk right now, but I as I stare down at him I hope he realises that either way I'm getting the truth and for him the most beneficial route right now is admit defeat. If not now, then soon.
He looks away and tuts, opening his mouth to say something...
Someone barges into the room and everyone's attention snaps to the door. It's a soldier, though not a local one, and he's panting like he's been running.
"Chief Wismuth!" he calls out as he makes his way towards us. "Something has happened, you are needed in the next town North!"
"In Aldhill? What the hey has happened in that little place?" Wismuth says, seeming annoyed by the sudden interruption.
"There was a scuffle between two young men in a herb and potion shop! Someone used magic! We have a whole caravan as a witness!" the soldier pants and that catches my interest. "The local guards are trying to sort it out, but they would much rather have a chief of police to handle this."
"Alright, alright," Wismuth says. "Guess it can't be helped. You, boy, time's up, you need to leave," he tells me and ushers Gil and me out before locking Jacobs' cell and following suit. Jacobs looks rather miserable as the door closes.
Outside he takes a horse and follows the soldier North as he leads the way towards Aldhill.
"What now?" Gil asks. I hum thoughtfully. Aldhill is just a few hours ride away, especially with a fast horse, I could probably make it there and back this evening... Someone used magic, eh? It could be nothing, but then again it could be everything. It's been almost a week and we haven't heard a peep from Viper, if he's out of town that could explain it... I can't know if it'll be worth the trip unless I go, and besides if I don't go and end up missing something big, it could be really problematic. "Oz?"
"I don't know," I say. This evening didn't go at all as planned. "It could be something big, seems like too big of a coincidence for it to not be related. People haven't been arrested for magic in years... For now, let's go back to the Academia. I need to see if I can get a horse."
____________________________________________________________________
Hey ho, I'm done, and holy shit it's not even six. It's a kinda short one, and a lot less plot heavy than the previous ones. I do hope you appreciate my planning though.
There's probably a lot of typos, I couldn't spell at all today. Like it's crazy how badly I spelled. Thank the gods for spellcheck. Spellcheck is convinced it's not spelled spellcheck. I don't care. I'm gonna go now, I have a lot of unpacking left. Your topic is "Remed/y, -ies". Bye.
Pie out.
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