Kanrik and the Secret Library

     "I can't believe she's sent me on a wild book chase," he muttered to himself. He stepped into the dark library, surprised to smell deep earth mixed with the scent of old books. Surprisingly, there was no scent of mold. Magic? Who knows.

     He found a light switch just to the side of the door. No way this works, he thought to himself as he flipped it. To his surprise, a few lamps across the room and in a few nooks flickered on. He started at a loud noise as the dome of the library pulled back, revealing a glass roof and allowing sunlight to flood into the library. Well, I stand corrected.

     He slowly walked inside, and what he saw was not what he expected. The floor was covered in a soft, fluffy grass, and there were flowers scattered throughout the shelves. There were reading nooks between each of the aisles, with pillows, flowers, and cosy, twinkling lights hanging overhead. Vines ran up the shelves, and a large tree grew in the middle of the library, its branches hanging over the shelves like a protective father.

     Though all of this foliage was wrapped inside this library, every book was pristine. Kanrik found no damage on a book, no matter where he looked. He pulled a book off one of the shelves and blew dust off of it, but the pages were in excellent condition. As he opened it, he was rewarded with the wonderful crack of a spine that hasn't been opened in years and the smell of freshly printed pages. How does that work? A new... old book? He thought.

     He started scanning the shelves, looking for what he'd come for. But how did Kanrik get here? That's a good story.

     Three days ago, Kanrik sat behind his desk in the secret hideout of the Thieves Guild, leaned back with his feet propped up, staring out the window.

     "Sir," said a voice, and Kanrik turned towards the voice, glaring.

     "What," he said flatly. He was thinking of brown hair and blue eyes...

     "You have a letter," said the lackey.

     Kanrik immediately jumped out of his chair and grabbed the letter from him. "Thank you, you can go," he said in a much nicer tone. This was something he was happy to be interrupted for. He took out his knife and cut open the letter carefully.

     I have something for you. I've left in a secret place, but I know you're good at finding hidden things. It's in a place I stumbled upon on one of my adventures that I've come to hold dear. I believe I'm the only one to step foot there in a very long time, and I've kept it to myself, my own little paradise. I'd like to share it with you. I'll write directions below, but you'll have to find what I've left for you on your own. It'll be like finding a needle in a hay stack, but I know you can do it. It has a piece of my heart, as you have a piece of it. Have fun.

     Kanrik's heart raced faster and faster as he read the letter, excited at this opportunity. She truly knew him well, Hannah. Though he was a thief, he was still a Gelert. Tracking and finding treasures will always be part of him. Thank you, my love, he thought.

     So after following Hannah's directions, he'd found himself in this mysterious, foliage-filled library. As he was wandering through it, he found one of the nooks to be clear of dust. The pillows had been used even within the last few days. He sat in the nook and could smell a slight hint of salt and wood. Hannah must have been on the seas again.

     As he was sitting and enjoying the smell - he's a Gelert, after all - a glint of light caught his eye. He immediately jumped and ran towards it, hoping it was what he was searching for. As he searched through the books, he found what he was searching for: a key. Of course, another hunt in the weird old library, he thought, but he smiled. Hannah was never going to make it easy for him.

     He decided not to rush, as he was starting to enjoy the library. The air was so close, yet it was pleasant. The smells were fresh and strong, and his lungs had never felt so full before. It was clear there was a magic in this library that was old and strong, though where it came from, he didn't know. Perhaps that was what Hannah was looking for - answers. She was good at finding those.

     But alas, Kanrik was good at finding things. Anything, really. After running his hands along the books of multiple shelves, he decided he'd need to get back to the guild soon. It couldn't run itself, unfortunately. So he began using his senses to find clues. With the strong smells of the books and the vines, it was hard to detect anything else, but the smell of salt and wood was one he'd pick out anywhere.

     After following a trail with his nose, he found a few vines that had been stepped on, though very lightly. He followed those, carefully observing his surroundings. Along one bookshelf, he found that all the books were covered in their light coating of dust except for one. Gotcha, he thought triumphantly. He pulled the book from the shelf and found it to be not a book at all, but a box. It was very light, though, feeling empty. If someone got here first, he thought. But that couldn't be, as he had the key in his hand.

     He decided to take the box to Hannah's nook to open it. He moved a couple pillows around to get comfortable and then carefully opened the box. Inside was a small handkerchief, a letter, and... Oh, she's outdone herself, Kanrik thought as he picked up the lightest and prettiest knife he'd ever seen. He pulled it from its sheath and smiled at its silence. After admiring it for a minute, he used the knife to open the letter.

     I know you'll be most excited about the knife, which I found on one of my longer adventures across the sea. It's light, it's quiet, and it's perfect for my thief. But I want you to carry this handkerchief with you as a reminder that you're not always a ruthless thief. You can be the hero of your own story, Kanrik. Remember that every time you see it, use it, fold it up and return it to your pocket. There's someone out there who thinks you're more than just the leader of the Thieves Guild. Thank you for helping me see I'm more than just a serving girl.

     Perhaps I'll see you in our little paradise soon. I hope our paths cross. Enjoy the knife.

     Kanrik folded up both the letter and the handkerchief and put them both in his pocket on his chest, next to his heart. He strapped the knife onto his belt, and sat for a few moments, thinking on her words. Was he a hero? She thought so, and that was all he needed. Then he got up and headed out of the library, already excited for his trip back to this little paradise and hoping he wouldn't be alone.

     The End.