Jasleh

Dawn came slowly to the forest, little light filtered down through the canopy above. Yet the world lightened all the same, revealing gray stone and high spires that reached for the branches above.

The castle looked as if it had always been there, built around the trees as necessary. As castles went, it was not especially large, although it dwarfed any building the town could boast, and indeed, was nearly half the size of the whole town.

The gate, which seemed excessively large for the castle's entrance, stood open and welcoming, a warm pool of lantern light spilling from it.

This was a diverse place, and heads of many heights, colors, and shapes peeked out of doorways towards the building that had appeared overnight, murmuring in confusion and perhaps fear.

It was an orc who first dared approach, flyer clutched in one large hand. Entering through the gate, he found himself in a vaulted room that surely took up a quarter of the castle ground floor by itself. It was brightly lit, the lanterns glowing with something that did not seem to be flame. The walls were lined with desks, behind which sat red kobolds that practically vibrated with eagerness. Signs above them proclaimed this area was for check-out, this for returning, this for assistance. Above the door leading further into the castle - near as big as the entrance gate - was a large sign proclaiming that all books must be returned before sunset on the 20th day of the Library's visit, and that late fees would accrue at a rate of 1 gold coin per hour.

Given that the town had perhaps never even seen a gold coin, and had few enough of silver, he was forced to wonder what exactly the penalty would be if a book was returned late and the borrower could not pay the fee.

He hesitantly approached the "Assistance" desk and asked, "Uh... are you who I talk to if I'm looking for something specific? Or a certain section?"

"Yip yip yip!" The kobold hopped down from its perch, vanishing behind the counter, and another climbed onto the stool in its place. A tiny door opened in the counter and the kobold popped out of it, yipped at him again, and headed for the door into the library proper. The orc followed it, wondering what exactly he was getting himself into.

The moment he stepped through the door, he stopped dead. Large as the castle was, this space could never have fit inside of it. Bookshelves towered, 50 feet high or more, with generous space between. Kobold-sized ladders on rails and wheels ran from the bottom to the top of the shelves all over. He had not thought there could possibly be so many books in the entire world, although even that almost paled beneath the sheer amount of magic that must have been poured into this place.

"Yip yip!"

He looked down and found the kobold some distance ahead, looking back and thumping its tail impatiently. He endeavored to close his hanging jaw and resumed walking, if somewhat more unsteadily.

The kobold lead him through a maze of shelves to another over-sized door, which it knocked at politely and waited.

"Enter."

The voice was not loud, but he could only describe it as large. The door swung open silently. Not all the way, but enough to allow them both entrance.

Within was... a dragon. A red dragon. Her size recontextualized the entire scale of the building. The doors no longer seemed over-sized, the stacks no longer too widely spaced. They were simply the size they needed to be to allow her passage. She peered down at him and he felt dwarfed in a way that only the great trees had previously managed. Her head and muzzle were covered in a delicate tracery of gold chain that somehow gave the impression that she was wearing spectacles even though she was not.

"Ah. Our first guest of the trip, is it? And what might you be looking for in my collection?" asked the Book Wyrm.

"Um. I was... wondering if you had any cookbooks?" he mumbled nervously, feeling a bit foolish.

"Of course, I have a great many." She shifted her head towards the kobold. "Section 83, Subsection 32A, Shelves 5 through 10."

Looking back towards the orc, she continued as if the aside had not happened.

"Do be aware that any damage done to one of my books will also be done to you." At his panicked expression, she added, "Copying desks and supplies, including ink, quills, and blank books, can be provided upon request, should you wish a copy of your own that you may keep and treat as you please."

"Y-yes. That would. Uh. That would be appreciated." He could feel a drop of sweat slide down his face as he pictured the inn kitchen and the way grease splatters seemed to get everywhere.

The Book Wyrm nodded gracefully. "Then my assistants shall show you the way and ensure you have whatever you might need."

She returned her attention to the enormous book that he only now realized rested in her claws, and he knew they had been dismissed.

 

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