[ ...Is it odd if she protests, now, that she'd like some taste of not being your majesty day-in and day-out. So, drawing herself up to full height and squaring her shoulders, she nods. ]
Simple will suffice.
[ And then, perhaps touch less aloof: ] Could our tour start with the library?
[ Her silence — even as they walk together — stretches long enough that it threatens to slip into something like a no comment.
But, eventually: ] I'll practice self-restraint. [ One, two, three. ] But a shortlist of titles that might be informative or even helpful in understanding Albion, sir, would be appreciated.
[ She asks, curiosity a little less than idle as she cranes her neck and observes the architecture of the halls as they progress. Rugs are interesting, and she's unsure how she feels about the soft deadening of footsteps. And wooden panels! Wood is a rarer commodity, back on Roshar — unless it's been soulcast, but you can always tell. This stuff looks like the real deal. ]
Dialect? Handwriting? Subject matter?
[ The latter she suspects she can handle comfortably. But if it's an issue of archaic language, she can't necessarily rely on the same quirk of Connection that lets the two of them converse comfortably now. ]
[There is no shortage of wood here. It's used for walls, doors and furniture. There are statues and paintings, and even suits of armour to line the spacious hallways.]
The authors are not always the most concise in their explanations.
[A familiar issue for those in academia, but he doesn't know how much studying Jasnah has done. All he knows is that while he appreciates the knowledge gained, he's never found the most informative volumes to be the most enjoyable.]
[ Ha. She wonders whether she ought to take it personally — as she's certain the accusation could similarly be leveled against her works. Some of her works, at any rate. There are particular pieces built to be brief. Effective. But rather than feel sore or bruised, she swallows a thin private smile.
[There are a few turns to take, doors to go through. They pass soldiers who stiffen and salute as they walk by.]
I know the library well. It's also why I know that some books are easier to read than others, and that our more reliable histories are often among the latter.
[Finally they step through a set of doors that open to the unmistakable smell of old books. Ornate wooden bookshelves house a wealth of books, making an organised labyrinth and lining the walls. There are chairs and tables for use, and even armchairs close to a large fireplace.
Logan looks both proud and fond as he walks along it.]
The only larger library is in Brightwall, and that's due to my father's numerous donations.
[ An odd curiosity settles into her voice. It's not that she doesn't believe him — on Roshar, there are numerous nations where literacy isn't gendered. In the Azish empire, everyone is encouraged from a young age to learn their letters. To read and write. However, in Alethkar — in all the nations who follow the Vorin religion — literacy is exclusively a feminine art.
She walks inside, but her attention stays hooked on him a moment longer. It's interesting to imagine him in this vast library, sitting in these chairs, at these tables, reading these books. ]
And do you visit Brightwall's stacks, too?
[ Because she's suddenly more interested in him than in the books. ]
[Ah. Behind his back, his hands fidget and he makes sure to school his expression before he looks at Jasnah again.]
No... I'm not very welcome there.
[With good reason.
True, he could insist on visiting anyway, but he's trying to give people space to heal from what he's done. Insisting on visiting the academy he shut down is not the best way to do that.
He gestures to the shelves around them.]
And there are plenty of volumes to work through here.
[ She takes silent but particular note of his denial — no, I'm not very welcome there — and resolves to find out why at a later hour. Later day, perhaps. For now, she lets her attention follow his gesture, eyeing the shelves upon shelves upon shelves. Although it doesn't rival the Palanaeum of Kharbranth (what could?) it's certainly a more mature collection than the Kholinar palace held. ]
[There is no way he's telling Jasnah what he actually enjoys reading most. He doesn't tell anyone if he can help it, but a foreign dignitary? Not a chance. Even if she is from another world.]
I don't have as much call to research governance and economics as I used to. It leaves me more free time to research particular areas of interest. Myth and history being the most relevant topics for my personal projects.
[ Pleasant surprise steals over her a second time. Biting back even a mild smile, she breaks away from their formation to drag the bare thumb of her right hand across a shelf of spines. ]
Your personal projects? [ And because even she can tell when she's straining diplomacy a little too much, she adds: ] I was an historian before I was a queen. Gleaning truth from folklore — myth — was my personal project.
[ Interested in the embossing of a particular spine, she tugs the book off the shelf. ]
[As soon as she'd asked to see the library he'd expected her to get drawn into inspecting the titles. It's not surprising, then, when she steps away towards a shelf. One he knows is a collection of works from a specific author.
Jasnah's explanation, however, is more surprising. 'Historian' sounds suspiciously like a genuine job. Something he wasn't aware royalty had outside of being royalty if they were so close to the throne.]
Did you manage to make the contribution you intended before you were called to the throne?
[ She knows it's an unhelpful answer — and she does intend to clarify, but her attention drifts down to the random pair of pages to which she's opened the book. Despite the fact that her left hand is merely gloved, no longer sleeved, she still handles it one-handed. Like habit.
Her eyes scan the page. Remarkable, how she can read the words. Capital-C Connection is a truly fascinating thing. ]
I'd like to think contributions across my career have been helpful. The great ones and the small ones, [ she had a small handful of expertises. Some taken seriously by her peers; others less so. ] And it's led to some useful discoveries.
[ Her people would have died at the Battle of Narak if not for her ward's quick thinking, using Jasnah's body of research to lead the way to Urithiru. ]
But I've also been terribly wrong. On occasion.
[ Thin lipped, severe, but she manages not to show too much bruised ego. ]
It's hard to sort the fact from the fiction when most of what remains is myth. I'm certain you understand.
[Truthful answers are often too complex to be reduced to a simple yes or no. Yes and no is to be expected on occasion.
Logan watches as interest flashes across Jasnah's face as she lets herself be distracted by the book in her hand. He stays silent as she explains her yes, and her no. It's not difficult to sympathise with making a terrible mistake. It's easily done, even when you aren't in a position of power.]
I understand.
[His gaze shifts as a thought occurs, and then he steps away. Of all the shelves in the library, the one he heads to might be the one he knows best. He scans the spines for titles that filled his formative years, which he read time and time again. Long fingers pull out one book, and then another. Despite being cared for they've both been handled often, but this is the first time in a while they've been taken from the shelves.]
Here.
[Turning to Jasnah, he offers the books.]
If you're a historian staying in Albion, you'll want to read these. They'll introduce you to the two most important topics of our country's history: The Archons and the Heroes.
[ Hesitating just a little, she reshelves her initial, random choice. Making room in her grip for the two additional books now vouched for by Logan. Jasnah tucks one under her elbow so she can leaf through the other. ]
Excellent, [ she expresses genuine gratitude for his suggestions. It can't be easy to try and distill a nation's everything down to one starter path. She knows she'd have a hard time knowing what to assign someone to familiarize themselves with Alethkar, let alone the whole of the Rosharan planet. ]
— Should they be perused only in the library, or may I bring them back to my quarters to read?
[The Archons were Albion's first kings, rulers of the Old Kingdom. A history so old and ruined that it might have become nothing more than myth if the ruins weren't still visible in certain locations. The Heroes were their descendants. After their apparent loss, Albion's history is more recent. It's a good starting point.]
You may bring them to your quarters. Keep them on the castle grounds and be sure to take care of them. This is the queen's favourite section.
[ A simple, understanding nod. Jasnah might put her personal collection — back home — through the proverbial wringer, but she intends to treat someone else's with the utmost respect. ]
...Does your sister also have an interest in history?
In a sense... She has an interest in Heroes, which are an important part of our history.
[While Logan was learning all about the territories and leaders shaping and remaking Albion over centuries, his sister was more concerned with adventures. She asked about myths and legends, and Logan was never as good as storyteller as their father or his friends.]
[ Well. Useful information to be tucked away should she ever find herself once again in an audience with the queen — patting the book in question, and then also tucking it under her arm, Jasnah resolves to start with the Heroes. ]
Heroes. Sounds very...on the nose. [ A quirk of her mouth. ] Although I suppose I shouldn't throw stones, considering a not insignificant faction in our history involves Knight Radiants.
'Knight Radiants'? [Logan lifts an eyebrow.] It's a shame you don't have your own library. That sounds like it would have been a fitting cultural exchange.
Perhaps we can discuss them instead. [Books are unrivalled, but conversation will do in its absence.]
[ A fitting cultural exchange. It would be a grand thing (she supposes) if proper diplomatic ties could be achieved — she knows it'll be far, far too much to ask another kingdom, another planet, to throw in with Roshar's lot. But a lot could be learned from one another, all the same.
She sets the two books down on the edge of a study desk, nodding. ]
It's complicated. [ She warns him not because she doesn't think him up to the task — although, frankly, she wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't. She's so so so unaccustomed to discussing academic matters with men. ] But I would tell you what I know — the bits we've confirmed, as some of it is still hearsay.
[Logan folds his hands and lifts his chin out of habit. A lifetime of being told to stand straight and tall. In contract to his stiff demeanour, his expression is one of curiosity.]
Is any history not complicated? Is it ever clear and unbiased?
[If anyone knows that it's the tyrant who was pardoned by the sister who overthrew him, though he doesn't say so aloud. He knows what history will say about him, and he knows the truth. Two things so different, but one will almost certainly be choked out by the other.
Jasnah must know this too, he thinks. Any decent ruler should, even without becoming a historian.]
[ A soft exhale through her nose — not a laugh, more like an apologetic huff. She can see how she might have misled the moment, and she's quick to clarify. ]
You're correct, of course. History is never so straightforward. Rather — I meant the very nature and function of the Radiants are complicated. More Realmatic Theory than history. More physics than folklore. And to explain them, I'd have to start us off with some very dry concepts.
[ She sounds like she's not opposed. ]
A little outside of my specialty — but I'm confident I'm up to the task.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Simple will suffice.
[ And then, perhaps touch less aloof: ] Could our tour start with the library?
no subject
Lady Jasnah it is.
[He hesitates then before he starts walking. All the better to hide the hint of a smile.]
We can. Are we likely to get stuck there?
[They would if he were in her position.]
no subject
But, eventually: ] I'll practice self-restraint. [ One, two, three. ] But a shortlist of titles that might be informative or even helpful in understanding Albion, sir, would be appreciated.
no subject
I will have a list drawn up. Though the most thorough books are often also the hardest to read.
[He leads them through long halls, their path paved with ornate rugs and the walls lined with wooden panels.]
Would you prefer the list to start with lighter comprehension first?
no subject
[ She asks, curiosity a little less than idle as she cranes her neck and observes the architecture of the halls as they progress. Rugs are interesting, and she's unsure how she feels about the soft deadening of footsteps. And wooden panels! Wood is a rarer commodity, back on Roshar — unless it's been soulcast, but you can always tell. This stuff looks like the real deal. ]
Dialect? Handwriting? Subject matter?
[ The latter she suspects she can handle comfortably. But if it's an issue of archaic language, she can't necessarily rely on the same quirk of Connection that lets the two of them converse comfortably now. ]
no subject
The authors are not always the most concise in their explanations.
[A familiar issue for those in academia, but he doesn't know how much studying Jasnah has done. All he knows is that while he appreciates the knowledge gained, he's never found the most informative volumes to be the most enjoyable.]
no subject
Instead, she asks: ]
—Do you read?
[ An odd question, on its face. ]
no subject
[There are a few turns to take, doors to go through. They pass soldiers who stiffen and salute as they walk by.]
I know the library well. It's also why I know that some books are easier to read than others, and that our more reliable histories are often among the latter.
[Finally they step through a set of doors that open to the unmistakable smell of old books. Ornate wooden bookshelves house a wealth of books, making an organised labyrinth and lining the walls. There are chairs and tables for use, and even armchairs close to a large fireplace.
Logan looks both proud and fond as he walks along it.]
The only larger library is in Brightwall, and that's due to my father's numerous donations.
no subject
[ An odd curiosity settles into her voice. It's not that she doesn't believe him — on Roshar, there are numerous nations where literacy isn't gendered. In the Azish empire, everyone is encouraged from a young age to learn their letters. To read and write. However, in Alethkar — in all the nations who follow the Vorin religion — literacy is exclusively a feminine art.
She walks inside, but her attention stays hooked on him a moment longer. It's interesting to imagine him in this vast library, sitting in these chairs, at these tables, reading these books. ]
And do you visit Brightwall's stacks, too?
[ Because she's suddenly more interested in him than in the books. ]
no subject
No... I'm not very welcome there.
[With good reason.
True, he could insist on visiting anyway, but he's trying to give people space to heal from what he's done. Insisting on visiting the academy he shut down is not the best way to do that.
He gestures to the shelves around them.]
And there are plenty of volumes to work through here.
no subject
...Do you have a favoured subject area?
no subject
[There is no way he's telling Jasnah what he actually enjoys reading most. He doesn't tell anyone if he can help it, but a foreign dignitary? Not a chance. Even if she is from another world.]
I don't have as much call to research governance and economics as I used to. It leaves me more free time to research particular areas of interest. Myth and history being the most relevant topics for my personal projects.
no subject
Your personal projects? [ And because even she can tell when she's straining diplomacy a little too much, she adds: ] I was an historian before I was a queen. Gleaning truth from folklore — myth — was my personal project.
[ Interested in the embossing of a particular spine, she tugs the book off the shelf. ]
no subject
Jasnah's explanation, however, is more surprising. 'Historian' sounds suspiciously like a genuine job. Something he wasn't aware royalty had outside of being royalty if they were so close to the throne.]
Did you manage to make the contribution you intended before you were called to the throne?
no subject
[ She knows it's an unhelpful answer — and she does intend to clarify, but her attention drifts down to the random pair of pages to which she's opened the book. Despite the fact that her left hand is merely gloved, no longer sleeved, she still handles it one-handed. Like habit.
Her eyes scan the page. Remarkable, how she can read the words. Capital-C Connection is a truly fascinating thing. ]
I'd like to think contributions across my career have been helpful. The great ones and the small ones, [ she had a small handful of expertises. Some taken seriously by her peers; others less so. ] And it's led to some useful discoveries.
[ Her people would have died at the Battle of Narak if not for her ward's quick thinking, using Jasnah's body of research to lead the way to Urithiru. ]
But I've also been terribly wrong. On occasion.
[ Thin lipped, severe, but she manages not to show too much bruised ego. ]
It's hard to sort the fact from the fiction when most of what remains is myth. I'm certain you understand.
[ If he too deals in folklore. ]
no subject
Logan watches as interest flashes across Jasnah's face as she lets herself be distracted by the book in her hand. He stays silent as she explains her yes, and her no. It's not difficult to sympathise with making a terrible mistake. It's easily done, even when you aren't in a position of power.]
I understand.
[His gaze shifts as a thought occurs, and then he steps away. Of all the shelves in the library, the one he heads to might be the one he knows best. He scans the spines for titles that filled his formative years, which he read time and time again. Long fingers pull out one book, and then another. Despite being cared for they've both been handled often, but this is the first time in a while they've been taken from the shelves.]
Here.
[Turning to Jasnah, he offers the books.]
If you're a historian staying in Albion, you'll want to read these. They'll introduce you to the two most important topics of our country's history: The Archons and the Heroes.
no subject
Excellent, [ she expresses genuine gratitude for his suggestions. It can't be easy to try and distill a nation's everything down to one starter path. She knows she'd have a hard time knowing what to assign someone to familiarize themselves with Alethkar, let alone the whole of the Rosharan planet. ]
— Should they be perused only in the library, or may I bring them back to my quarters to read?
no subject
You may bring them to your quarters. Keep them on the castle grounds and be sure to take care of them. This is the queen's favourite section.
no subject
...Does your sister also have an interest in history?
no subject
In a sense... She has an interest in Heroes, which are an important part of our history.
[While Logan was learning all about the territories and leaders shaping and remaking Albion over centuries, his sister was more concerned with adventures. She asked about myths and legends, and Logan was never as good as storyteller as their father or his friends.]
no subject
Heroes. Sounds very...on the nose. [ A quirk of her mouth. ] Although I suppose I shouldn't throw stones, considering a not insignificant faction in our history involves Knight Radiants.
no subject
Perhaps we can discuss them instead. [Books are unrivalled, but conversation will do in its absence.]
no subject
She sets the two books down on the edge of a study desk, nodding. ]
It's complicated. [ She warns him not because she doesn't think him up to the task — although, frankly, she wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't. She's so so so unaccustomed to discussing academic matters with men. ] But I would tell you what I know — the bits we've confirmed, as some of it is still hearsay.
no subject
Is any history not complicated? Is it ever clear and unbiased?
[If anyone knows that it's the tyrant who was pardoned by the sister who overthrew him, though he doesn't say so aloud. He knows what history will say about him, and he knows the truth. Two things so different, but one will almost certainly be choked out by the other.
Jasnah must know this too, he thinks. Any decent ruler should, even without becoming a historian.]
no subject
You're correct, of course. History is never so straightforward. Rather — I meant the very nature and function of the Radiants are complicated. More Realmatic Theory than history. More physics than folklore. And to explain them, I'd have to start us off with some very dry concepts.
[ She sounds like she's not opposed. ]
A little outside of my specialty — but I'm confident I'm up to the task.
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