The Worlds of Katherine Kurtz

*pops the cork*

And now, every player has strode upon the stage! This calls for celebration.

Happy birthday, Demercia! I hope you have the greatest birthday you've ever had today!

Happiest of birthdays Revanne! Here's to another year in the rearview mirror!

Airich O'Flynn set down the book he'd been studying and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Another dead end. Natural Magiques had been no more useful than The Heretical Heritage. His quest so far was an utter failure.

He pushed back the stool he sat on and stood, stretching his back and neck; his body was accustomed to saddle and sword, not stool and book, and after two days in the library, it was loudly voicing its displeasure.

Airich turned and surveyed the stacks, wondering where he was going to find this needle in the haystack that was the Grecotha library, the oldest and largest depository of knowledge in the whole of the Eleven Kingdoms. He'd briefly considered asking the rector in charge of the library, but in truth, what would he tell the man? I'm trying to find the lost secrets of the Deryni so I can reject my heritage and possibly be disowned by my family as a result, would I find that near the Poetry section? As if he could hear Airich's thoughts, the old man glanced over at him, his eyes almost begging for a task to relieve the boredom and provide a little gossip.

No, Airich was not desperate enough to ask the rector. Yet.

Airich scanned the other patrons scattered around the room, few enough as there were in these days before the beginning of Term; perhaps one of them might be more familiar with this library. A group of squire-aged boys argued quietly among themselves in the corner after having been shushed by the rector twice already and threatened with expulsion from the library. Their debate? Of course it was "the Deryni question."

Also a pass. No sense getting involved with strangers who might want to string you up, even if you did agree with most of their complaints.

It had seemed so obvious in the Spring. Deryni Studies was not an uncommon topic for a student to research, despite the current troubles down south. Airich had been sure Grecotha's library would be robust with books and scrolls and old parchments about any topic a man might be interested in. But Deryni Studies? No, the library in the schola at Rhemuth had far more to say on the subject of Deryni abilities and their limitations than Grecotha's grand university. Searching through history books wasn't any more fruitful since any mention of Deryni as anything other than demons had been wiped from the records centuries previous.

Another young man wandered slowly across Airich's field of vision, his nose firmly planted in the book he was studying while ignoring everyone else in the room. Airich recalled noticing him a time or two these past days. His scholarly robe hung open over his spare frame, revealing a well-tailored shirt of quality linen paired with brown wool hose and forest-green cotte. The man himself wore his chestnut-brown hair in a proper border braid, if a bit short. As the student took his seat without lifting his eyes, Airich decided he looked to be just the type of man to seek advice from.

As Airich approached him, the young man looked up at him, a sunny but slightly wary smile on his face. "Pardon me," Airich said, "Could you perchance help me find some reference materials? You look like you're familiar with this library."

Edwin pursed his lips, wondering the best way to shoo away this nobleman without causing offense. "My studies run toward the unexceptional. If you need help with Grammar or Rhetoric, then I'm your man. Otherwise..." Edwin shrugged and smiled helplessly.

Now, go away, I need to study my Latin.

The other man looked consternated, brows furrowed. "My research is a little more specialized," he admitted. "Truth, man, you don't know this library any further than these base categories?"

He was not going to take a hint. Furthermore, Edwin felt his own chin rise at this challenge to his own knowledge of the library. "What are you researching?" he asked. He could figure out what this fellow needed, then send him on his way.

"It's a delicate topic." The man glanced back at the group of rowdies in the far corner, then lowered his voice. "It's a theoretical matter regarding the Deryni and their supposed abilities."

Well, now he certainly had Edwin's full attention. "Are you Deryni?" he asked. He didn't necessarily look Deryni, although Edwin knew by experience that appearance had little to do with it. He seemed a straightforward nobleman, perhaps a touch older than Edwin himself. His tooled leather jerkin and embroidered silk shirt spoke of a modest wealth, at least, and his weapons belt—sans weapons left with the Rector—looked serviceable and well-cared-for. The light-brown hair was twisted and clubbed in the back.

"Human," the other said, looking down, then looked back at Edwin. "This is just research I'm doing to help out... a friend."

This man was no more a scholar than Edwin was a king. But he had been wondering about what it meant to be Deryni, and fate or God had dropped this man into his lap; he might have answers. Edwin decided the Latin could wait while he picked the brain of someone who could conceivably know more about the subject than he did.

"I might be able to help you," he said, then put out his hand. "The name's Edwin Scrivener, by the way."

"Eric Banner," the other man said, placing an odd stress on his first name.

"Very well, Eric," Edwin said, "If I were you, I'd probably start my search with the Derynianus scrolls by Aubert."

"Naturally," Eric said, "That's where I started, but that's all pretty basic."

"Then let's find Deryni Studies and see where that takes us..."

Happy and blessed birthdays be yours!

Thank you.  Wonderful cake☺️

Happy birthday to you both, any many happy returns

Happy birthday, Revanne and Demercia!

A very happy birthday to you both.  Hope you have a wonderful day!