Looking for books

[Isra Varousse]

Continuation of Getting Out

“No, my lord,” I said, shaking my head slightly as we came to a stop in front of Armand’s. “It’s half complete.”

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I nodded.
"Please, just call me Azriel, I have no title and wish to keep it that way." I smiled. "I suppose you have some time then before you have to decide what you're going to do." I said trying to make what seemed like the beginnings of a possibly sad conversation seem lighter.

"This must be it." I said looking up to the sign and then to her. I opened the door and held it for her. "After you." I gestured.

[Isra Varousse]

Smiling, I walked through the open door and looked around a little. There were a couple other customers, but not many.

“What type of things do you like to read?” I asked Azriel.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I followed after and looked around to get my barrings.
"Anything," I said with a bit of a shrug. "What ever peaks my interest really." I thought for a moment. "Do you have any books you'd suggest I read?"

[Isra Varousse]

“Nothing that comes to mind right away,” I said, laughing softly. “Most of what I’ve read lately have been histories.”

[Azriel Shahrizai]

"Do they interest you more then anything else....histories I mean." I asked with a raised brow, curious at what she had interest in.

[Isra Varousse]

“No, they’ve been a part of my training, so I can converse on topics my patrons may bring up,” I said, smiling. “For pleasure, I tend towards poetry.”

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I nodded in understanding.
"Ah, no poetry I can grasp." I said giving her a smile. "Who's your favourite poet?"

[Isra Varousse]

“Rabin Tagore,” I answered readily, smiling. “I even have a few of his works that are just mine.”

[Azriel Shahrizai]

"Never heard of him, perhaps you can show me one of his works." I suggested.

[Isra Varousse]

Smiling still, I reached out and took his hand without even thinking about it and led him back towards the poetry section.

“He’s Bhodistani, but his work translates beautifully into d’Angeline,” I said as we walked.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I pulled my hand back instinctively, gasping slightly as though she had burned me with her touch, and I stopped moving. The hand she had held I ran through my hair and gave her an apologetic look.
"Forgive me." I said stuttering a little. "I'm...You're very kind and I..."

What Azriel, afraid, afraid to be with a woman? Afraid to fall in love? Pained by any form of intimate contact?

"You just startled me." I swallowed and turned around on my heal, circling fully before looking back at her, giving her a lopsided grin.
"I'm not good with people."

[Isra Varousse]

I did something I hardly ever did and blushed deeply at his reaction. I really hadn’t even realized what I’d done until he pulled away.

“No, it’s me that should apologize,” I said softly. “I didn’t mean to…I didn’t even think what I was doing. I just got carried away by the thought of sharing the poems with you.” my gaze fell and I could still feel the heat in my cheeks. “Please forgive me.”

I laced my fingers together to keep my hands to myself. “They’re this way,” I said, heading to the poetry section once more.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I followed her.
"You didn't do anything wrong," I said as we walked. "Believe me, if I was any other person I'd have been flattered, over joyed really." I scoffed to myself.
"If I was any other person I'd tell you that you were beautiful and kind and... I'm just very bad with people, especially women." I stayed a step behind.
"I'm not normal." I said with a teasing grin.

[Isra Varousse]

“Everyone is normal, for everyone is who they are and that is normal,” I said, turning around the last corner before the poetry. “And I really should have watched what I was doing.”

“Here we are,” I said, stopping in the middle of the poetry section.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

"No, it was really nice of you." I said stopping too. "It really was, like I said, if I was any other person they would have taken it as a compliment, not been an horses ass and pulled away."

[Isra Varousse]

“It’s alright, really,” I said.

I reached out and selected a book of poetry. “This is Rabin Tagore,” I told him. It was a book I already had, so I knew a page to open to.

The night is black and the forest has no end;
a million people thread it in a million ways.
We have trysts to keep in the darkness, but where
or with whom - of that we are unaware.
But we have this faith - that a lifetime's bliss
will appear any minute, with a smile upon its lips

[Azriel Shahrizai]

Quite brillant you idiot, she hates you now.

"Thats very nice." I said smiling. "I like it."

[Isra Varousse]

I smiled and flipped to another page.

“This is one of my favorites,” I told him.

I touch God in my song
as the hill touches the far-away sea
with its waterfall.
The butterfly counts not months but moments,
and has time enough

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I listened and smiled.
"Beautiful." I said softly. "I really like his work so far."

[Isra Varousse]

“All of his work is like that, so inspired and beautiful,” I said, closing the book. “They say he was a seer and could write of beauty no one else could even imagine.”

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I smiled again.
"I really like it." I said softly. "Is there a biography of him, I'd like to read it too."

[Isra Varousse]

“I know one’s been written, for my mother has a copy, but I don’t know if they have it here I’ve never looked,” I answered. I was pleased to have found something he seemed to like, though I could still feel the warmth in my cheeks from the slowly fading blush.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I nodded.
"May hap we can look." I suggested with a shrug. "If they don't may hap your mother will lend me her copy." I said with a teasing smile, determined to make up for my stupidity.

[Isra Varousse]

“If you don’t mind a borrowed book in this case, I know she’d be more than happy to,” I said, smiling.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I smiled.
"Only if she doesn't mind me borrowing it." I said looking around. "But just in case, lets have a peek and see if we can't find one here."

[Isra Varousse]

I looked around. “I’m not sure where the biographies are….”

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I caught the arm of a passing man, not sure if he worked there or not.
"Excuse me, do you know where the biographies are?" I asked with a polite smile.

"Just over there." He said pointing. I inclined my head to him and thanked him before turning back to Isra.

"All you have to do is ask." I said with a shrug and a grin.

[Isra Varousse]

I laughed softly, smiling. “But then you know just where to go and don’t have the chance to get lost,” I replied.

[Azriel Shahrizai]

I chuckled.
"True." I said pointing my finger at her observance. "I suppose I just don't like getting lost that much." I offered.