Book Wyrm

Writers: Halyonix, Shawna
Date Posted: 25th March 2025
Series: Bronze and Blue Entwined

Characters: Zariah, I'serin
Description: Zariah delivers I’serin’s special book subscription
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 14 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: K'mai

I'serin

Zariah had saved this special delivery for after her work day officially ended. Thankfully, today had gone by quickly with some extra hands to help, and she was home not too long after dinner. Surely it was late enough that the Weyrleader should be out of any official meetings, but early enough that he likely hadn’t retired for the evening.

}:Aluneth, my rider has a delivery for yours. We’d like to bring it by now.:{ There was a pause before, prompted by her rider, the green added, }:If you aren’t busy.:{ Her rider’s excitement for this particular delivery was contagious, and she didn’t want to wait.

Aluneth looked at Relsath with curious puzzlement. After conferring with his rider, he simply said, }: Proceed. :{

Zariah bustled in with a barely suppressed grin, "Weyrleader, I have here your first delivery from your new subscription. A lovely history book. Well, I've heard it's lovely." She held it out to him, the note from K'mai conspicuously sticking out from the pages, complete with his signature and the smiley face.

_'For when you don't have time to go to the bookstore, I'm bringing the bookstore to you.' _

The Weyrleader of Dragonsfall Weyr took the book from Zariah's hands with equal part puzzlement and delighted surprise on his face. "Explain. This...is the a gift? An exchange?" he inquired.

"Someone gifted you a subscription." Zariah shrugged, although her grin was even less suppressed now, "I'm just the humble delivery service. I wouldn't know who it was from," it was not a very convincing lie. Also she'd absolutely read the note.

"Someone," he echoed. He did not believe her one whit but he would not press the subject. That would ruin the delight of the gift. "And how does this...subscription work?"

Taking a deep breath, Zariah launched into a familiar speech, "Well, I will give you a copy of our current catalogue. You can pick out a couple of books for the next few months. When I come back through next month, I'll bring one of those and you can either trade that one in," she nodded to the book in his hands, "for the new one, or buy it out if you want to add it to your collection. Normally I take your orders for next month at drop off, but since I live here you can just let me know any time in the next sevenday what future books you're interested in."

He turned over the book in his hands thoughtfully. He had already made up his mind that he would purchase this one, if nothing more than for a memento, but he would wait for her return. "This...endeavor must keep you busy," he observed.

Zariah's eyes widened slightly, not sure if this was meant as critique. "It doesn't interfere with my duties, and it gives me some marks to keep my own bookshelf full." A thought occurred to her, and she added quickly, "And Relsath found our newest goldrider on a book run, so it's productive in a few ways." Never mind that Sybana had approached them. It was the end result that mattered.

"Did she?" I'serin replied thoughtfully as he continued to pore over the book. "A very useful endeavor then -- delivery _and_ Search." His fingers slid across pages. With absent curiosity, he asked, "And it is just you?" Somewhere in the back of his mind, an idea that weyrlings could assist with this initiative simmered.

"There's a young bluerider from Dolphin Cove I'm showing the ropes to right now. I'm hoping he can take over some of the areas out that way. He's a little young, though, and I worry he might get bullied. Not everyone wants to pay up when they damage their books. On one of my stops yesterday, some holder tried to convince me the 'other' delivery rider had dropped his book in a puddle, it wasn't him who damaged it." Zariah met I'serin's gaze and added, "He didn't realize last month's delivery was also me."

His fingers stopped. He looked up. "Does that happen often? The damage?"

"It's not unusual, but it's not like it happens to everyone. Almost every month someone spilled klah on a book or a canine got at it or yes, it got dropped- although truth be told it wasn't muddy. I think he was reading in the bathtub. Most people just accept they have to buy the book, but some get testy." Shrugging, Zariah said, "It's one of the most pleasant side jobs I've taken up; most people are thrilled to see me, but there's always a few. People are people, you know?"

"They are indeed," the Weyrleader agreed like an intonation. He closed the book and set it on his desk. He would figure out some sort of reciprocation later. "This was very thoughtful of this...someone. I will most certainly send along my thanks." He nodded once to the greenrider. "I look forward to seeing what you bring me next month." A small smile tugged on the left side of his mouth.

"Hypothetically speaking, if I could track down the person who gave you this gift, would you want them to pick your next book, or should I check with you in a few days for your picks?" Zariah did her best to restrain her curiosity.

There was a glimmer of amusement in those sharp hazel eyes. "_Hypothetically_ speaking," he echoed, speaking slowly, "if you could track down this...mysterious donor...I would be willing to let them decide the next book as well. Let us see if their tastes match mine."

Zariah grinned, "Then I'll see what I can do about that. Well, I'll let you get back to your work, Weyrleader. Enjoy your book."

Last updated on the March 26th 2025

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