knightsoflegend | It's just another slice of modern life. It's not a fairy tale to me.

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It's just another slice of modern life. It's not a fairy tale to me.

WHO || Mr. Gold vs. the Castle (aka OPEN)
WHAT || there's a guy in your library who has totally always been there. no really.
WHERE || the library
WHEN || like a week before the squiring ceremony.
HOW || either/or. i am flexible if you want more exp points.

The strange thing you might notice is that there's a crocodile curled up outside the library, not really bothering anyone. Just existing. As crocodiles do. Mostly, she's sleeping. Occasionally someone will walk by fairly loudly and she'll lift her crocish head and give generally displeased looks, but otherwise... Crocodile. Sleeping in the hall. Totally normal.

And a member of the Dragon's Fire presently flipping through atlases in the library will tell you as much. His atlas-hoarding is less normal, but he's not really going to comment on it, because he couldn't properly tell you why in the first place. Following leads on his own time, looking up information for missions- who knows. Maybe he liked maps in another life.

Plus they're more interesting than the pile of half-sorted legal documents he's been searching through, checking for loopholes and the like. He might be one of the few people in the damn castle who actually enjoys paperwork (he sort of insisted on taking that project), even if it's half abandoned right now in a fit of whimsy.

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[He waves a hand.] Well, as glamorous as being a small town pawnbroker is, it hardly compares to this. [He can't imagine giving up the power now that he has it to be a man with only power in the metaphorical sense. Owning an entire town and having everyone fear you is nice and all, but when you can break bones with your brain, it's kinda hard to go back to fear mongering any other way.]

It's the gaps in our memories that tend to grate a little.

Did you lose quite a bit? Or-- [ she seems on the verge of saying something but stops herself ]

[THAT... is a difficult question.]

It's hard to say, really. How do you judge the loss of something you never knew you had? It's not the small things that get to me- a first name I can't recall, a few hazy details about my childhood that might as well be someone else's. No, it's the things you can't quite rationalize- an emotional reaction to something you've never seen before, a name that comes to the forefront of your memory for seemingly no reason at all. [He looks at her and tilts his head.] Or a face you only just barely recognize, but you don't know why or where.

[He shakes it off, brushing all thoughts away with a wave of his hand.] I'm sorry, dear. I got carried away. You were saying?

[ She's staring back at him with a look very close to wonder for a moment, as he speaks, until he abruptly cuts off the subject, prompting her to blink and killing the moment ] No, no, I think... I think what you said just now. [ she gives a tiny, apologetic smile at her stammering, taking a moment to compose herself and carry on: ] Is rather like my own case. [ SIGNIFICANT LOOK ] Er, that is, I remember a great deal of my life, or seem to, compared to those who have lost nearly everything, but there's always this doubt that there was something more, something important, that I wouldn't even know was gone.

[HOW WONDERFUL LIFE ISSSS

NOW YOU'RE IN THE WORLD~

...No wait sorry. Serious tag. Except that might as well be what's going on in Gold's head with the way he's sorta staring back in wonder. Like wow, this librarian is super kawaii. It should be criminal how kawaii this librarian is.

Except Gold would never think the word "kawaii."] Could be worse, I suppose. We could be suffering alone, wondering if we're reading too much into it or if the Veil just made us a bit mad. [He looks down at his collection of maps.] That's why I spend so much time in here, really- I keep looking for a way to break the Veil's spell and contemplating over whether or not there really is one... or if we're just meant to wonder about who we really are for the rest of our lives. Never knowing. Just... accepting our fate as a half-life.

Oh, I don't know. I don't feel like any less of myself for having wound up somewhere I didn't belong. Even if there are bits and pieces missing. We still have all our lifetimes here stretching out ahead of us.

I wouldn't call that a half-life.

[Are you even real...] You're far more optimistic than I am, dear.

I just don't see what other option we have, if we want to be happy here.

[THAT... is a valid point. And it actually shuts him up for a second. Good one, Belle.] I've never actually considered that option. Remaining here and being content with it, that is.

[What is happy. I was under a curse. Happiness isn't real.]

No one else seems to think of much else. [ she looks thoughtful ] I don't suppose it's a bad thing to want to go home either, but if it should prove impossible, then why waste the opportunity we've been given for a life here?

A life in service to this organization. [He's trying so hard not to laugh at that.] Is that the life you'd picture for yourself, Ms...?

[He's been talking to her like twenty minutes and he does not know her name...]

Desrosiers. But that's merely a name I picked up in France. [ the sweetest smile of all time. ] I'm Belle.

Belle. [ANNNNNNND...

Nope. Nothing. Doesn't ring a bell. Yep.

Except he smiles back, because duuuuuur pretty girl smiling at him duuuuuur.] What a lovely name.

I don't think I caught yours. [ ~~/snaps in front of his face to wake him out of his dreamy trance~~ ] And as for your question...

Actually, yes. It's a life of guaranteed adventure. I'd say that sounds like all I can ever remember wanting.

Mr. Gold. [Yep. That's it. That's his name.

Wow. And she's an adventurous librarian. Move over Evey O'Connell.] And have you been on many so far?

[TELL ME YOUR STORIES, PRETTY LADY. Seriously, bro. You're going to make the crocodile throw up.]

Several. [ her whole face lights up at the memory ] Monsters, magic, distant and fascinating lands... It's almost too good to be true.

Mine likely pale in comparison to all that. [He scoffs, light-heartedly, because hey she sounds so enthusiastic and his missions pretty much about to "they did the thing."] Although, I suppose there's been a few noteworthy exceptions. Things do tend to get intense when you bring a crocodile along.

[Aforementioned crocodile is just glad to finally be noticed. She sort of waddles into view, because I have no idea how crocodiles move. Do they waddle? They waddle. Fuck it.]

[ her mouth falls open in a silent gasp and she raises a hand to her mouth, but to her credit she doesn't back up or scream or anything... like a natural reaction to oh hey, crocodile ] Oh!

[Milah just sits there. Because she's a fucking crocodile and crocodiles don't really do anything adorable, but she clearly has no interest in devouring faces.]

This is Milah. My familiar. And perfectly harmless, so long as no one poses an immediate threat to me. [He glances down at her.] I realize most people choose cats, but I could hardly be expected to be anything but original.

[ his words do seem to assure her a bit and he laughs nervously ] Does... does she mind living in a castle?

[He and the crocodile exchange a meaningful look. It would be romantic if the crocodile was anything more than a crocodile. Maybe they were communicating or maybe this is just a thing. Either way, Gold looks back at Belle and shrugs.] She hasn't complained to me any. And she usually only has to suffer one person a day being startled by her and threatening to make her into a pair of shoes, so I'm certain that pleases her.

Somehow I don't think you'll let that happen.

Not on my life. I don't get attached easily, but when I do, I can be a bit... [He chuckles.] I suppose protective is the nicest way to put it.

[You could also say he goes loco crazy when people touch his shit. Like The Duke. But that's pretty awful to point on during a first conversation.]

[ hot. ] So was she a wild crocodile that you bound to you? Or is she a magical creature you summoned? I've read about both types of familiar rituals, but it seems to be entirely at the discretion of the spellcaster.

[Way to make me commit to this fucking crocodile, Arden.] It was a summoning. Luckily for me, there hasn't been much call to send me to places where one might find them in the wild.

[What does he look like? A member of Team Failboat?] As for why her, of all creatures... It just felt right somehow.

[Almost like I had a nickname or something...]

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