Letter 1: The Library Of Cir

The Library of Cir
-an excerpt from Tenrrel's Guide To The Kingdom Of Cirinea

The Library of Cir stands in the centre of Cirinea, surrounded by Thurlfen Forest. With its towering turrets, high arched windows, and imposing stone walls, this library is the crowning jewel of the kingdom, and is affectionately known as the “Castle of Knowledge.”

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Poppy,

I know you must still be furious with me (trust me, I'm furious with myself) but I hope you won't mind if I write to you.

I hate it here. In the canteen this morning the other librarians all left, one after the other. Maybe I was late, I'm still getting used to the timing of everything here? Or maybe they're scared of me. I can't blame them.

The whole place is cold and draughty. There’s one tiny window in my tower room and it rattles in even the slightest gust. I still can't bring myself to light the fire. The thought of flames makes my stomach twist.

As a Class 4 Assistant I'm always given the worst jobs so I spend most of my time either sweeping, mopping, or filing artefacts away in the creepiest parts of the vaults. It's just endless corridors, stone staircases and being ignored.

Yesterday, after the Chief Librarian sent me to the vaults again, I overheard her arguing with the Deputy Librarian. Something about “appropriate restrictions,” and “Grand Justice's orders.”

I'm here as punishment, not as a real member of staff.

The gorbles are the only good part. I'm surprised the Arcane Guild doesn't use these. You would love them. They look like little round owls, but with the colours of a parrot, and they have the ears of a dire wolf. The librarians use them to carry messages, and to sense for danger when they have to go to the deepest parts of the vaults. Those are the most dangerous, which might be why it’s my responsibility to go down there. Their hearing is so good that they can determine a foe from up to a kilometre away. In one of the books I was given, it says that their ears will start to glow when there is imminent danger, instead of sounding an alarm. I suppose that's important for escaping.

I'm still yet to see any of them in action. I was assigned a young and untrained gorble. This guy can't even fly properly yet. I'm sure the Chief Librarian is just hoping that I run into trouble down there. They know I'm not a Combat Guard.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I know the majority of the Kingdom want me cast in irons for the rest of my existence and the Grand Justice saved me from that fate. But right now, I don't think I deserved to be saved.

I wish you could have come here with me Poppy. The Greenhouse Initiative brought so much value to Cirinea; rare plants, new medicines, and steady supplies. But it was our community that meant so much to me. And now I've never felt so alone.

I wish that none of this had happened.

Your dearest friend

Willow