central_librarylogs | The Enchantment

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The Enchantment

Once upon a time an enchantment crept through the Library, winding through the stacks and slipping amongst the shelves. Those that were touched by this classical magic might find themselves seeing things that they had thought were impossible or finding themselves bursting into song. Some may find themselves wishing for love or adventure, perhaps even both. While others find themselves acting as vagabond or prince.

With the enchantment came a menagerie of flora and fauna, but not to worry. Gardens bloom with fanciful flowers and the darker aisles begin to resemble a forest instead of the more mundane shelves. Strange birds break up the Library's hush and mice scurry from shelf to table, whispering of lost Princesses. These woodland creatures are not to be feared... unless someone has stumbled into the more Grimm areas of the Fiction section. Although the spell is only beginning, the patrons touched by its magic may act strangely or find themselves slightly - or more than slightly - changed by the enchantment.

Remember that this is only be beginning of our Tale. Other wonders and mysteries will soon appear...

((ooc: This post is for to help get the event underway. Players can tag in to start their own mini plots and interact with others. Please treat it like a meme (action or prose depending on the players preferences) tag new people and have fun!))

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"For you, perhaps, but not for me." It was humiliating that he had almost been laid low by her hair. At least the frying pan was heavy enough to be a weapon. Hair was... hair. Nothing dangerous. It was also creepy that she could so easily manipulate it. That was not normal no matter how at ease with the situation she might be.

Giving Tauriel a disbelieving look, he accepted that she would not answer his question or give him details on how exactly she would manage.

Watching her tie her hair off and use it as a rope, he knew he looked foolish, gaping at her instead of moving forward. Still, he hesitated, unsure if he should climb down using her hair or try to find handholds the way he had when he climbed up her tower. "Yes, I - "

Grasping her hair, he almost chose that method before shaking his head. No, he was a prince. He had been taught manners and using Tauriel's hair would be improper. Instead he climbed down, finding hand and footholds quickly before dropping down beside her. "Here I am. Are you ready, bakanî?"

It was getting increasingly creepy, as whatever knot was holding her hair to the railing before seemed to easily pull out with a single tug. Her hair tumbled to the ground around her, surrounding them in a sea of red. It did not seem to bother her nearly as much as it should.

She merely smiled at him as he landed beside her. "I am sorry, melamin. Next time I will find a more enjoyable way to restrain you."

Why yes, Tauriel just made a flirtatious joke. She even leaned down and kissed his cheek before turning and heading off in a direction, her hair trailing behind her. It may have been humiliating, but at least he was rewarded with a kiss!

((OOC: Melamin= My love... kind of an easy one but I'll translate anyway just because :-) ))

The hair was unnerving but Kili was accepting the strangeness of it. It was part of Tauriel and something seemed to mute his worries for her. Whatever had happened was meant to happen. She was his dream and that meant he would accept the curious properties of her hair along with all the other traits that he treasured.

Grinning at that kiss, Kili tried not to draw too much attention to the sign of affection. He did not want her to become embarrassed or deny that she did feel something for him.

If he was not certain she would bash him with the frying pan, he might have tried to steal another kiss. Instead he would keep up the flirtation, hoping that she would continue the game. "Are you sure that you would not rather try those methods instead of seeing the stars?" The comment was only meant to tease, a chance to see if she would continue flirting with him. The stars were important. Not just to her but to Kili as well. He had the feeling that it was important to show her the stars for more reasons than the discussions they had shared while he had been in a prison cell.

Looking around, he quickly regained his bearings, nodding toward the direction that would eventually lead to the market. "This way, my lady."

The tips of her ears turned bright red at his response, but she gave him an amused little smile, arching her eyebrow a little at his suggestion. "Perhaps after we see the stars."

Following his lead, with her frying pan in hand and her hair trailing behind her, she walked in silence for a moment before she spoke again.

"Why did you carry a crown?" She asked, curious about the contents of his rucksack. "Where did it come from?"

"A second reward for my valor? I am honored that you would consider it, my lady." It was meant to sound flirtatious but there was awe in Kili's voice. Whatever enchantment had caught them both could not dispel his true feelings for her. His heart was already given despite the strange feeling that this would be new for them both.

For a moment, Kili's steps faltered. The crown. Where had it come from? "I do not know. I found it this morning among my things." Turning toward, her he tried to seem confident but instead his expression showed only confusion. "I know it is not from the mountain. My brother agreed and we both are certain that it isn't the dragon sickness. I just know that I must keep it safe."

"Strange." She observed, frowning a little. "And strange that you should feel so protective of it. Have you always had such care for jewels?"

It worried her that he should care so for an object, and she could not help but worry that he would value such a thing over her. Of course, she had no claim over him, and no reason to feel as such, but she could not help it.

"Never. Not even when we were in the mountain. I only wanted to find the Arkenstone because I wanted to help uncle." It was strange which was why he still feared that it was some sort of illness or spell. "A fine bow or sword, those I would care about, but not like this.

"If it were a gift meant I would understand this caution but I would not give you something that suddenly appeared." Pausing, he smiled, considering the idea of gifts. Eventually he would find one that was right for her, but not something that might be tainted by sorcery. "If you would accept a gift. I do not know if that is proper among your people."

At his mention of gifts for her a blush colored her ears a rather telling shade of red, and flushed her cheeks. "I do not require gifts of you, Kili."

She paused for a moment, considering his words about propriety carefully. Their customs were bound to be different in many ways, and courtship, if that was what they were doing, or moving towards, was new territory for her. Perhaps it would be best to be upfront about their ways, to avoid any confusion or embarrassing mistakes.

"But no, gifts are not considered improper. Though usually, they are of great significance, and not to be given lightly."

Some of the strangeness that had clouded his mind slipped away, or perhaps this was where it wanted his thoughts to lead. Courting his bakanî seemed just as important as protecting the crown. "Gifts are rarely required, my lady."

For a moment, two sets of memories struggled. Yes, he had wandered without a home but he was not a - rogue? No. Kili had never been that unless someone meant it to tease him about how he flirted with Rapunz - Tauriel. He was a prince. Which meant he must court her properly even if he did not know what was correct among the elves.

"I do not want to accidentally offend you but I would like to learn the rules."

"I am not so easily offended." She assured him, absent-mindedly spinning the frying pan in her hand. "Courtship is usually more informal, as you get to know the one you are considering. We elves only love and marry once, so it is important to be sure you are well-suited. Betrothal is where things get considerably more formal, usually."

This topic of conversation was making her blush more, though, for she was not entirely sure they were courting. She knew how she felt, and she could guess that he returned her feelings, but... such a bond between and elf and a dwarf had never been heard of before. Could it even be done?

"And what of your people? I also do not wish to offend you in return."

She then glanced around the library, curiously. "And where are you taking me?"

Eying the frying pan warily, he hoped that she had spoken truthfully. He would rather not be hit with that again. "It is similar with my people. Usually it is the lady that initiates the courtship." It was not a set rule but given that females were not as common among the dwarves, they usually had their choice of suitors. Being a prince might have changed that but Kili had been content with discovering the world and waiting to see what might happen in the future. Until he met Rapunz - Tauriel. Then he had known that he had found his one.

"There is flirting of course, and gifts..." Was Tauriel blushing? It was an endearing look on his bakanî. "Those vary depending on the stage of courtship and because I am -" His voice faded as Kili tried to remember what he was and why it was so important. Something to do with his family but he could not grasp the memories. "That is no matter."

Shaking off that strangeness, he grinned. "Dwarves are not easily offended. We are rougher folk than your kin," he teased, glancing around her to see if her hair had snagged on any of the shelves or furniture. There had to be an enchantment on her hair. "To the market. When night falls we will be able to see the stars."

"I am not easily offended!" Her eyes narrowed a bit. Her response seemed to actually prove that she was, but that was beside the point!

He was a rouge and a thief and she really should not trust him. Wait, was he? Kili was no thief, at least she did not take him for one, and yet... he had that crown.

"Remember, if you plan to lead me false, I can defend myself." She spun the frying pan again. Now why did she say that? Goodness, things were getting confusing.

"Perhaps in the market we will find answers to why we are acting so... off." At least, she hoped so. She did not like this feeling.

"Of course you aren't, bakanî." He should not enjoy teasing her so much but she was lovely when she was flustered and her blushes made his heart flutter. She was his dream.

Odd... that was true but it sounded wrong. Even though he loved her, he had never thought of Tauriel in those terms.

"I am offended that you would think I would try to harm you. I have done nothing to earn your distrust." Although his tone was light, there was a faint worry that caught at his thoughts. Why would Tauriel think he would lie to her? He had been honest with her - or as honest as possible - when he was a prisoner. He had always kept his motives open to her. "You are the one who struck me. I should be the one considered in danger."

But they were acting strangely. Now the dragon sickness did not worry him as much as simple madness. Except madness was not contagious. "If we cannot find the answer there then we should look for the leaders of this place. They should be able to help."

"You were breaking into my home!" Wait... that wasn't right either. She had taken shelter there, yes, but it was not home. For a moment she looked confused.

Shaking her head, she tried to remember where home was. She remembered the trees, the river, she remembered climbing, but she suddenly could not place it. It was as if those things had happened to someone else. Instead, she remembered a tower, but there was no tower in- Wait. No, it did not make sense. Her mind was suddenly torn between two different memories of home, and she was not sure which was real.

".... are you beginning to forget things too?"

"I was escaping from..." From what? He could not remember. There had been someone behind him but who or what had they been? That causes a curl of unease. He should have seen them. He had been the more perceptive of the Company but there was no memory of his pursuers.

"I have been since I found the crown. I thought it was the dragon sickness but Fili said he thought I was safe." But even as he spoke, it was difficult to find his brother's name. "I remember my family but they do not feel - They feel distant. Like travelers met in passing instead of those I care for."

Moving between two shelves, Kili stopped when he caught sight of the portal leading to the market. "There. We should be able to see the stars tonight."

"Here? Can we not get any closer?" She frowned a little, feeling a bit restless suddenly. "I cannot explain it, but I feel as though my entire life has been spent locked up and trapped."

"We can go into the market. I was not certain if you would be comfortable with the idea." If she had hit him with a frying pan because she had thought that he was an intruder, what would she do when surrounded by others? "We can explore a bit until nightfall, if you wish."

She gave him a rather pretty, cheerful, smile that lit up her whole face. The idea clearly was one that she approved of greatly.

"Oh yes, let's do that." And with that, she turned and headed in that direction.

For a few moments, he could only stare, stunned by the beauty of her smile. He had been right to choose bakanî as an endearment.

Shaking his head to clear away strange thoughts of princesses and rogues, he followed after her. "Careful, my lady, you might accidentally leave me behind."

She paused and allowed him to catch up, still smiling brightly.

"I do not believe I could, even if I wanted to. You are rather hard to shake, and my hair makes me rather noticeable, I think."

The differences in height did not bother him but he could not resist teasing her. "It might be possible. Your legs are longer than mine." But Kili would still follow his amrâlimê. It just might take longer for him to reach the same destination she did.

"Your hair makes you more noticeable but it could be an obstacle. You could use it to set traps to keep me away."

"True enough." She had used her hair to capture him before. "But you seem quite good at sweet talking your way out of trouble. And if I lost you, I would have no one to share the stars with."

"How else would I escape when you had me tied up that way?"

She wanted to share the stars with him? That was not something that he had expected. He was a rogue. She deserved... Wait, there was that strange thought again. That was not right. Closing his eyes momentarily, he forced the thought away. "I am honored that you want to share that with me."

"You are my guide, aren't you?" She raised an eyebrow, amused. "Who else would I share them with?"

"And I suppose you could have asked nicely for release. But it really was only hair."

Magical hair, yes, but hair.

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The Enchantment

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