flemmings | (no subject)

When you write nothing for four years (well, three and a half if you count squibs) you forget how to write. So I'm sorry for the feebleness of this; it had a much better ending when I was telling it to myself at the laundromat, but I forgot that by the time I got home.

However,

31_days is using that list of 'foreign words that don't have English counterparts but should' and today's prompt is mamihlapinatapei-- supposedly Tierra del Fuegan for 'the look shared by two who desire to start something yet are reluctant to.' Hence the following, which happens after book two.

"Why not? I'm very experienced, very skilled, and you'll admit, very easy on the eyes--"

"You're my subordinate; I'm your mentor. No matter how--" she checked before the words 'you people' could slip out-- "your culture may regard such relationships, the Library disapproves."

"We're not in the Library here."

"I carry the Library with me. I'm sorry, it's impossible."

He regarded her under his eyebrows-- those elegant arching black wings above dark liquid eyes-- no, *stop*. "And you're quite sure it's nothing to do with my-- culture?"

"No, of course not!" Did she say that too quickly? "I mean-- Well, possibly. There's your rank--"

"I'm an apprentice of the Library."

"Yes, but beside that. You're a prince." I assume. "That would make me--" she floundered for words-- "a favourite. Of yours. I can't be that, *and* your superior. You must see that."

He brightened. "But I could be *your* favourite. Makes sense, in my culture or yours. The duty of a subordinate is to serve his superior in everything, and I'm quite ready to do that, in any way you please--" He moved closer, smiling a million promises.

"And what would your father say?"

He froze. "My father?"

"Your uncles. Your brothers. About you being a human's favourite. Would they approve if they knew? Or would they be..." tsunami-making furious?

He swallowed. "They needn't find out."

She said nothing. He drooped. "Well, they needn't, you know. But- oh well. If it bothers you that much..." After a moment he turned and trailed out her bedroom door. She sat down abruptly.

Won that round.

Damn it.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You may be out of practice, but it's still lovely.

Thank you. The gap as ever between what's in the head and what's on the screen.

Thank you so very much. I am grinning my head off over here (quite inappropriately for work) and think this is excellent.

Thank you. I notice that in book 2 Irene doesn't in fact mind being assumed to be Kai's favourite. But she might well balk at getting too close to Kai's family, given the little she's seen of them.

She is generally the type (or at least, likes to think she is) to avoid highly dangerous people. She also tends to dislike getting in too deep and to a point where she can't back out.

And she really doesn't know where that point is, if one sleeps with a dragon and is assumed to be his favourite.

(To be honest, in book 3 all three of them - Vale, Kai, and Irene - are having Issues. Fortunately Li Ming/Tsuuran actually has some emotional intelligence and has experience in counselling the young and stupid.)

That was awesome - though I feel I've missed a lot of backstory. Must go hunting!

BTW, love the ending; it's better to make 'em work for it! ;3

Thank you very much. It's from

incandescens' Invisible Library series, possibly accessible at her LJ but I think friends-locked, on account of it being published next year, tada!

I'm afraid it's friends-locked on my lj, but the first book is scheduled for January 2015 from Tor. The first book is titled _The Invisible Library_, the second is tentatively titled _The Masked City_, and the third is currently in progress.

I'm patiently waiting for the print version. Love printed books.

So do my Librarians. ;) I hope it will please.

You are awesomely cool. ^_^

(blushes) Thank you! You're very kind.

Honey, just tell me when it's out and I will buy it! Always happy to have some new fic to read ;)

Thank you! :) And trust me, it's going to be more a case of not being able to stop me telling people when it's out.

... and this is very pretty even though I'm clueless.

Thank you. Hopefully all will be explained next January.

(Spoiler: the 'he' she's talking to is one of Goukou's younger sons, in that universe.)

I had guessed at that somehow. ^_^