#srquw

The scroll slipped from the top of the pile. It's wooden binder hitting him squarely on the shoulder before clattering noisily to the floor and unraveling in it's roll towards the wall. He grit his teeth and drew a heavy breath. "Do you even care about keeping your post, Alari. Or would you rather take up as a people watcher. I hear the pay is significantly less." Another scroll toppled, this one clearly aimed, he caught it before it stuck his head.

A drawn out note of unmistakable female irritation came from the other side of the pile "I really don't care about summoning spells and these were all written by dry, boring old men from the cloisters. Can you honestly understand half of what's in these?"

He put his notes to one side and stood up to speak to her over the stack, she was head down upon the desk surrounded by piles of neat little notes in her own hand "I cannot."

Alari looked up at him with a weary expression. He continued "But if you had not set Maester Yulia's robe on fire we would not be here."

The cool and shady streets of the village of Teiba were a welcoming relief from the baking heat of the temple valley. Even with the cooling effect of the water temple's many aqueducts and cascades, the sun was not tempered. He rested against the central pillar of the entrance way for a moment, letting his skin drink in the coolness of the shadows and his eyes adjust to the gloom. The village was exactly the way he remembered it. The houses carved into the living stone of the cliffs, the needlessly curved tavern roof, the little winding pathways and of course the imposing entrance to the school high above.

"I saw two city guard stop a Gavia earlier. Went through all his bags and possessions and yet they let others walk straight by. Gavians I mean. I think it was because of his plumage, they always seem to stop the pale ones…" she commented whilst idling on the window seat and gazing out across the city "I mean I know they have a reputation but I do wonder how much is true, I mean, I don’t even know anyone from Caparia so I can’t say I’ve heard from a direct source but they can’t all be bad."

She was answered by an exasperated sigh. It did not deter her “I’ve been watching them for a while now. The two guards I mean. They only stop pale Gavia and the occasional apprentice, I wish they’d actually go and do their jobs rather than lazing around up here where there is no crime.” "Much as I commend your concern as a citizen," he replied from behind a pile of tomes and scrolls "You’re supposed to be researching this ritual."