Jan 14 17:20:24 106 PA
From Chronicles
Located to the east of the Library is an open garden that extends from the floor, up five stories to the skylight ceiling. The garden is forty feet across with a large, polished marble staircase circling the garden extending up to each floor. The staircase has dark, highly polished mahogany railings on both sides of the ten foot wide staircase. In the center of the garden is a fountain about ten feet across. The fountain depicts ten individuals of varying race and sex who supposedly founded the Kingsdale Library. A book placed on a pedestal is located in the center of the ten statues and spews forth water that flows past the statues feet and into the fountain pool. Marble benches circle the fountain and seem more decorative than functional. Marble paths circle the fountain and garden joining to many pleasant areas to think and enjoy the tranquility of the garden. Flowers seem in constant bloom and the hedges of the garden are said to be the healthiest and most beautiful in Kingsdale. The most striking thing about the central garden is that it is a hanging garden. Plants, flowers, and ferns line the walls extending from floor to ceiling on tiers. During the day sunlight enters the central garden filling the area with light that almost has a magical effect especially at noon when the sun is at its highest.
The daytime people in the library gardens have gone home, and the evening arrivals not yet appeared. Beside the fountain, Caliopa is sitting crosslegged, on a bench, watching the water tumble over itself. She is trailing her fingers in the water, her face thoughtful as she gazes at it, or through it, or past it. Out of her work clothes, she is dressed in worn jeans and a jacket over her t-shirt, her hair loose for once, hanging down like a red curtain to hide her face from the main library.
Into the garden comes Desmond, the big feline walking with a modicum of quiet discretion within the library environs, even the garden itself. He carries in his hand a book, this one a bit aged and thick, though for now unopened. With it curled casually into one arm, he moves towards the center of the enclosure smoothly, quickly catching sight of Cali as he draws near. Though he does not yet announce his presence.
She is oblivious, as Caliopa often is. She leans forward, flicking the water with her fingers, her lips curving into an amused smile at the droplets flying through the water. Beside her, a couple of technical books await her attention but are ignored in favour of contemplation. She reaches up, tucking her hair behind her ear, sitting back now, leaving the water alone.
"Your thoughts fill you," Desmond rumbles lowly as he draws near, gazing down at Caliopa with a simple understanding in tone and gaze. "At times, it might help to speak of them to a friendly ear. If they are not so private that it is better they remain unspoken. After speaking, he is quiet and for now keeps to his standing posture, with a bit of distance to reduce his loom factor.
Caliopa almost jumps, the bench beside the fountain not an ideal place to see large felines coming. "I was jus' thinkin'." She states the obvious, twisting to sit so she can face him. "How'd you reckon on Aimee bein' the right person for you?" The question is spoken softly, Caliopa's cheeks flushing a tiny amount, a brush of pink across her cheek bones as she looks up at the feline standing near her, looking down at her.
Desmond is given to a few moments of quiet thought at the question. The day sits in the midst of morning and night, a low traffic period for the building, which leaves the garden low on bodies. Desmond is standing near to the fountain, a thick, aged looking book cradled in his arm. "It is not something so easily spoken of in clear terms. Such feelings.. they are never truly clear. I did not know at first when I met her.. only that, to me, she was compelling. Such that when she was lost to me, there seemed a space that could not easily be filled, save by the return of her presence," he answers, his deep voice rolling smoothly as he considers the past. many months it has been since those times. "It came clear when I realized that no matter the path her life might take, mine was to be beside her. It is not something known from the moment one touches upon it, but in time it becomes stronger.. especially when true thought is given to the chance that that one might be drawn from you forever. In that moment, the truth is often known."
Abigail hasn't been seen around Kingsdale much for the past several months. Either she's been gone, or she's been living at the KEC. Either way, she's out and about now, walking into the gardens of the library, looking around. She offers a nod to those people she knows, namely Desmond and Caliopa, but doesn't really approach either of them. Instead, walking around the gardens, looking at the flowers. Taking a break from the every day hustle and bustle that is her life.
Alistair makes his way out of tthe library with another young fellow as they both look into the same book " ... and consequently that is the non-trivial proof of vector multiplication in general, so now -" says Alistair, though perhaps it is barely audible. The other man protests, and rather abruptly. "No, this is wrong!" "But it's here, look, the -" "No, this is bullshit!" followed by the storming off of the other person, while Alistair stares at his back dumbfounded. "Huh ... " his gaze returns to the book, "Really? ... no, this is right" he says to himself.
Caliopa draws up her knee, hugging it and resting her chin on it as Desmond talks. Her face, as she listens, is thoughtful. she bites her lower lip as he continues, her forehead wrinkling. "So it weren't obvious, 'n' simple?" She asks quietly, returning a stray strand of hair to its place behind her ear. Abigail's nod is returned, with a quick smile, but her attention is on the topic between Desmond and herself. "There ought to be a real easy way of seein' if folks are right for you." Alistair's entrance, loud as it is, gets him a glance, a hint of the smile at the corner of her mouth.
Desmond spots Abigail not long after her arrival, just a bit before Cali does. A casual interest rising, though he leaves her be for the moment, his head dipping subtly in response to her own expression. "You remember some of how things were," the bag make rumbles deeply. A pause, his ears flicking towards the sound of argument. Though the tone of it doesn't alarm him, though an ear remains flicked in Alistair's direction after the other man has stormed off. "Emotions such as this are rarely clear or easy." He steps closer to Cali then, smoothly dropping to a loose crouch near to her, his book placed on the edge of the fountain. "Nor is it something to be done swiftly.. such things nearly cost me before. You will know when you find the right person. It may not be the first, second nor third, but you will know. No other will be able to tell you who is right."
The doctor continues on the 'path' she'd chosen through the gardens. She pauses to glance toward the two young men as their voices rise. Or, rather, as one voice rises. Abigail tilts her head as she watches the one who'd yelled storm off, and then shakes her head, continuing upon the 'path', looking at the displays.
Noting Caliopa now, Alistair smiles back at her and waves, perhaps a little enthusiastically. And then he eyes Desmond, perhaps a bigger ... kitty? than he has ever seen before. Seeing that Caliopa is busy however, he decides not to intrude in the conversation, especially since she appeared to blush.
Caliopa uncurls, dropping her feet to the floor, her casual pose apparently uncomfortable with others around. "I guess I kinda know it don't have to be, but I..." She trails off, her cheeks turning pink, and lowers her voice to keep the words between Desmond and herself. "I ain't precisely in love, but I got...feelings." An agonised pause and then, "You know, feelin's." Her gaze stays firmly away from Desmond's, returning Alistair's wave, her cheeks now scarlet.
Desmond seems to understand without the need for greater detail. "Such feelings are not uncommon. I feel the same from time to time. The choice to explore them or not is yours. There is no wrong in it." And it is just that simple when it comes to his point of view, though as he notes her discomfort, his voice drops to a more personal rumble for said advice. THough it rises once more as he shifts himself to sit on the edge of the fountain and pick up his book again. "How have you been otherwise, Cali?" Offering a casual shift to her.
Abigail wanders along the path, looking at the displays. Eventually, that path, or another branching path, brings her back towards the fountain where the others seem to be sitting. It's now that she goes toward the others. She offers nods around, and a quietly spoken, "Hello," but hangs back a little bit. Within speaking distance, but not so close that she can't just walk on past if it seems she's intruding on anything.
Yes, definitely kittenish. In a big way. Alistair then sees Caliopa blushing harder and turning her eyes away; is it his fault now or is someone else teasing her? He blinks his eyes and his cheeks color a touch as well now. Oh no! Sympathetic blushing! Alistair looks back in the book. Silly.
The change in topic helps, and Caliopa puts the thoughts to the back of her head, replying to the large feline with a warm smile. "Been busy. Vyv found me a pile of machines that are rightly interestin', 'n' jus' takin' them apart." She glances up as Abigail greets them, her mouth curving into the warm sunny smile that is characteristic of the girl. "Ain't seen you in an age! How're you?" Oblivious to Alistair's sympathetic blush, her own is fading as the change in topic gives her relief.
Desmond nods his head, though the name used doesn't register for him. "Vyv?" he asks in casual curiosity. It will be then that he looks towards Alistair and the direction of hte prior argument, though only finding a lone individual, he offers a simple not of his head in greeting before looking back towards Abigail and Cali. "This is true. I trust you have been well?" Asked of the former as he considers her in a brief inspection, as if to see if anything has changed since she was last about.
The greeting brings a smile to Abigail's face, and she walks the last few feet over to join Caliopa and Desmond. "Still working with your machines, Cali?" She smiles as she asks the question. "Yeah," she says to Desmond and Cali both, though in answer to Desmond's question. "I've been well. Just working far more than I probably should. All of us are, now that Kalvin's gone," she comments.
Chatting amicably with one of the other staff, Sage pauses at the entrance to the garden. "Maybe we can meet later on your break. Okay. Take care." She says, before humming softly as she walks into the garden with a bucket and her backpack in tow. She pauses at a display, fingering a particular display. "I missed you all." She assures the plant before she turns to consider the garden at large.
Alistair relaxes a little, that is until he hears yet another familiar voice - seeing Sage, he starts to back into the door; the escape plan is hatched! Besides, the book is probably getting cold. Yes, that's how it is.
"Vyvian, she is a real nice lady... " Caliopa replies, perhaps missing out vital information about Vyv. Abigail's question brings the sunny smile out once more, and she nods, her eyes lighting up. "I am, got the garage goin' still, 'n' ..." She hesitates, realising that, fascinating as machines are, not all share the obsession. "I ain't thought that Kalvin left you all short there." She bites her lower lip, her forehead wrinkling in thought. "Sage!" The other woman's arrival is greeting with warmth and friendliness.
"I see. Yes, his departure has been a concern for me as well, though not on a personal basis," Desmond rumbles in response to Abigail, his thoughtful frown given a displeased lean. But it's light and passes as he acknowledges Cali's brief description of Vyvian. "I see. It's good to know you expand your associations well," he tells her. His attention then shifts towards Sage, and by the same coin Alistair who is in the area still. Sage gets a dip of his head, a more subtle, but no less polite greeting for the woman.
Abigail nods. "Kalvin was one of the main doctors," she comments. "We'll get by, but it's rather busy and we're all on call a lot." Truth, Abigail is almost certainly on call right now. She doesn't comment on the departure itself. Nor feelings of personal nature. "How've you been, Desmond?" Sage gets a nod, and a curious look.
"Hey Alistair..." Sage says when her gaze pauses on the man, but the call from a friendly familiar voice draws her attention away easily enough. "Cali!" She calls back, a warm smile blossoming on her lips as she sets the bucket down and begins to move towards her friend. Her gaze flickers to the feline and returns his nod, before nodding another greeting from another person. A brief nod given to the female doctor as well, before her attention returns to Cali. "How have things gone while I was gone?" She asks, curiously.
Alistair pauses! He smiles at Sage, and then ... she's disctracted. Freedom! Alistair slips away into the door, rubbing at one of his cheeks. The book is held in his free hand as he vanishes in the library.
Caliopa glances from Sage to Alistair, giving him a puzzled look as he bolts. "I got to go. Reckon I can get another few hours workin' done before close..." She rises to her feet, "I'll tell you tonight, Sage..." The colour of Caliopa's cheeks, as ever an emotion barometer for her, are scarlet before she gives all a quick smile and begins to make her way towards the exit.
