Falling
an excerpt

A man came forward, looking much like the rest, but caught Rina's attention because of the way he held himself, young and proud, and the ripple of excitement and murmuring that accompanied him. He wore a coal gray jacket with red buttons and triangular slits on the shoulders, showing the red fabric of the shirt he wore underneath. His slacks and shoes were black, and his long, silver hair was tied into a ponytail with a red tie. He wore square glasses, and his jacket was adorned with a golden cross and red tassels that looped around his back and pinned to the cross, the remaining length of the tassels dangling down his chest.
Red, she thought. The color worn by Librarians on their last Quest. Rina took a deep breath, and waited for him to speak. It was time to put her plan into action.
"My name is Alexander the Third of the Noble House of Viola, the eldest son of Alexander the Second and his wife the Lady Josephine. I am an Elder Journeyman, and I am looking for a Guardian and a companion in my last quests who is strong in mind and body as well as heart and soul. I wish her to accompany me to the end of my journeys. I know that it is unheard of for such a request, as most of the Guardians only stay for one journey with a Librarian, but I am on my last quests, and I do not want to waste time retraining a guardian after every quest I complete. I need to be able to trust her with my secrets and the secrets of the world, and I want to have someone that I can build that sort of relationship with. She needs to be the kind of woman who will not waver in the light of untold dangers that will haunt my path. It will be many, many years work, so I request--"
With a strangled cry, Rina flung herself onto the cold marble floor, and wept. She had to come across as a woman possessed, and she had every intention to. She struggled to her feet with the help of her sisters at arms, and leaned on one as she cried out again, falling out of the arms of the woman holding her and onto the floor, kneeling and weeping.
"I beg of you, Lord Viola," she cried. "The Spirit has moved me, that I must answer your call and go with thee. Let me attend to you as your guardian!"
Alexander moved over to her and helped her to her feet. She was surprised to find that she was alittle bit taller then him in her books, and he looked into her eyes for a moment, before speaking.
“You’re up to something,” he whispered. “I don’t believe any Spirit has moved you other than your own.”
“Who’s to say that’s not a spirit of it’s own accord?”
He looked at her with a mischievious grin, and nodded. “Indeed,” he said.