The first rule of the library was simple; books never left the building. The time it took to reproduce one of the works made risking even rain unconscionable. The second rule was never to touch the sconces which provided the light. Oil lamps burned in cubbies cut into the stone walls and the pillars that supported the end of the shelves. They were covered with a glass that separated the flame from anything else that desired to feed it, especially books. On each floor, there were topless wooden crates filled with sand placed evenly about.

"The sand is used to douse fire," Vasco instructed as Kelton and he walked along the second level of the law tower. "Water would do as much damage as flame, at least the sand has the chance to preserve the pages."

"A wise precaution," Kelton said. A ridiculous fear grew. He imagined the library burning down just as he discovered it. A horrible thought.

"You must always remain in my sight here. My sanction burdens me with your actions. If you were found out of my reach, we would be both be punished."

"The knowledge must be protected," Kelton said. Another wise precaution. You can't have uncaring people running about. He was thankful there was more than one library. He wondered how many years it would take to reproduce all the books he could see, much less the ones in the four other towers.

"These are the shelves that contain commerce laws," Vasco said, indicating four sections of shelves. "Our house, and all other houses are bound by them. Property, such as us, are governed by the words in these books. The King binds himself as well. He could change them, yet doing so often hinders his rule."

"Who can question the actions of the King?" Kelton asked.

"No one," Vasco said, then smiled. "Yet everyone."

"That makes no sense."

"Who rules your room, who decides what goes where?"

"Yanda," Kelton replied. He wondered why the truth didn't bother him. There was no desire in him to set himself above her.

"If she were to decree that you store your clothes in a bucket of water, how long would she rule?"

"Ah," Kelton said, nodding. "She is queen because she does not do silly things."

"She is queen because you allow it." Vasco chuckled. "She remains queen by being consistent. Not deploying changes on a whim. And by doing as she decrees you should do."

"The King abides by the laws he decrees," Kelton summarized.

"Aye, the important ones. He takes liberties where his subjects allow and adheres when it is deemed proper to do so. Profits and advantages are the keys. If he were to damage a houses right to achieve profit without good cause, his rule would be weakened. He cannot be seen as self-serving or choosing favorites." Vasco shrugged. "At least not openly."

"Master wants me to learn these rules?" Kelton asked.

"Aye. We will start here, in the rules of trade. Like the King's Truth, you will find laws referencing other laws. It will take time to understand how they all connect."

"Do you not know these already?"

"Aye and nay," Vasco replied. "We think your mind will find advantage in these laws. Ways of doing things that will enhance house Tarvakian's profit. Laws are nothing but boundaries, and they tend to overlap. It is in these overlaps we hope you will find advantages not seen by others."

Vasco handed a book to Kelton, and he found a cushioned chair. Laws were not as exciting as the King's Truth. They were tedious and tended to use too many words to describe simple concepts. Some of them were old, encompassing specific things that Kelton suspected no longer applied. The idea of the right to profit littered the texts. When a law encroached upon that right, the reason why was detailed ad nauseam. The regulations were designed to perpetuate coin and only deviated for reasons that crossed defined moral boundaries. Wealth as a polite ruler.

The laws of human property were incongruous with the moral code that permeated the rest of the decrees. The owned did not have the rights of the unowned, especially when it came to profit. Those rights were assumed by the owners. The owners, in turn, had liabilities for the care of the owned. These liabilities were sprinkled with morals that were significantly modified from the previous listings. The reason for due care was to avert insurrection, which in turn hindered profits for all. The requirements of due care were well described with permanency of damage being the threshold in which it was measured.

Purposeful long-term damage to human property was strictly forbidden. Kelton noticed that what constituted damage and purposeful was not well defined. There were examples of horrendous acts, yet no subtleties were explored. Given the broad nature of the laws, property could be beaten as long as there were no enduring harm or insurrection incited. Exceptions were listed where the risk of damage was outweighed by profit. The example of mining was described, allowing it to stray from the due care rules as a necessity of the work.

Kelton's general conclusion was that property was given enough care to insure the long term viability of profits for all. Master Tarvakian took many steps beyond what was necessary in the laws. All things considered, if they had to be owned, he and Yanda were blessed by the Goddess that it was in House Tarvakian.

~~~~~

"It is strange, those laws on property such as us," Kelton said. He and Vasco were walking behind the wagon on the way home. A welcome stretch after a day on their backsides reading.

"It feels the normal way of things to me. Years have long since washed away the oddity." Vasco clasped his hands behind his back. "It is not a bad way in House Tarvakian. There is much we don't have to worry about. Food, clothing, and a bed are given. Starving will never be a worry."

"Aye."

"It is your beginnings that I find strange." Vasco's voice lowered. "You haven't spoken to anyone about your homeland?"

"Nay. You said not to, and no one has asked."

"Master won't inquire fearing the memories will make your mind wander toward freedom. Our pasts are rarely discussed even among ourselves. It is best for the house that we are here and not dreaming of elsewhere." Vasco smiled, then whispered, "Yet I would hear of the Dark Isle if you will tell me of it. There is so little in the library, and only in tales of demons and such. That ships travel there makes demons unlikely, but even the captains are tight-lipped about the land."

"They risk their flags to speak of it," Kelton said. "The land is cut off from the normal way of things, if you can call this place normal. Much of what you take for granted does not exist in Aragonia."

"Quiet some," Vasco whispered, using his hand to signal for Kelton to lower his voice. "There are laws about ones such as you. They are deep in the library and mostly forgotten. I can only guess that your ancestors had done something that isolated them. It is enforced by all the lands. It is rare to see such agreement, and even rarer for it to last."

Kelton said in a quiet voice. "If we are being punished, they have failed for we know not why. And like your years here, our years there makes it all normal. Wrong, but normal."

"The Dark Isle has a King?" Vasco asked.

"Aye, though I think he is not true. There are those that speak for the Goddess who set the laws. They would be the owners of all if you were to compare to here."

"The king is weak?"

"Never met the king." Kelton shrugged.

"I mean, is the king in name only?"

"The King's Own don't act like it." Kelton shrugged again. "They soldier around like they are kings themselves."

"The ones who speak for the goddess..."

"Brethren," Kelton offered.

"These Brethren, they are your priests?"

"Aye, they say this or that is what the Goddess desires, and everyone follows as they must."

"The King backs their words?"

"Aye, though they need no backing. No one can stand against them..." Kelton's attention shifted to an alleyway that bordered a shuttered building. A man lay on the ground in a foul puddle that also engulfed part of a woman who was reposed in the same manner. Her mouth was open and drool leaked out the corner and pillared to the ground. "They are hurt!" Kelton said as he started for them. Vasco grabbed Kelton's arm and held him back.

"Nay, they are in the throes of the vine," Vasco corrected.

"Leave them be," Taggert called back from the buckboard. He had heard Kelton's call and barked out the order with confidence. "It is best if you two join us on the wagon." Kelton looked at the two viners. The woman's mouth closed and moved like a babe seeking a teat.

"They wish to be like that?" Kelton asked as he and Vasco climbed onto the wagon.

"It is the vine's wish. They no longer think right and seek only to be numbed from the world." Vasco sighed and sat with his back to the wagon wall. "When they wake from the dream, they will wish only to find it again. It is no different for those you thwarted on the road with Master Zello."

"They weren't dead to the word," Kelton said. The lying man's lips curled into a smile as he lay in the filth. The smile Kelton remembered. It was the same as the viners on the road, as if it were unowned by the lips that formed it. Kelton sat down as the wagon was urged on by the driver.

"It is the way of the vine," Taggert said. "It tricks the mind with false pleasure, then demands all." Kelton noticed that Taggert's sword had been relieved of his sheath and lay across his lap. Taggert meant to prove himself if necessary. It was good to see, yet odd on a man who cringed at a fight a few days ago. Maybe every man needed a bit of combat before he became a true soldier.

"Is there no helping them?" Kelton asked.

"They don't wish help," Vasco replied. "The vine holds on to them and curses them with a great sickness if they try to forgo it."

"No place is perfect," Kelton decided out loud. The world was flawed in many ways. Some scars are more visible than others.

"Aye," Vasco agreed. His voice lowered so that Taggert couldn't hear. "I wish to continue our talk of the Dark Isle when we are alone again." Kelton nodded. It was comforting knowing that Vasco was as much in the dark about Aragonia as Kelton had been about the rest of the world. He had something to trade for all that Vasco was teaching him.

~~~~~

Once returned, Kelton waited for Yanda to enter their room. After a long stretch with the laws, Vasco allowed Kelton to find something that interested him. A section on Sorinnian culture in the foreign tower was his desire. Vasco helped him with the pronunciation of a formal greeting they found there. Kelton then spent some time adding to his knowledge of the language, though he was sure only practice would help with the speaking of it.

Yanda entered, her head tilting as she considered Kelton. He was having trouble not grinning. Holding his hands out, palms up, he recited the words. "Saurinica buruna abalz dor farlana." It was how a man greeted a respected woman. Its translation was difficult in Kelton's tongue but was close to 'I serve the cradle of the future.' It was more nuanced than that since their word for 'serve' had more meaning to it. Not obligated, but driven by way of things. The greeting reflected the man's knowledge of a woman's ability to give birth, and the importance it meant to the perpetuity of everything.

Kelton hadn't expected the tear that ran down Yanda's cheek. He began to think he had misunderstood the text, or perhaps the author of it had gotten it wrong. He was about to beg for forgiveness when she closed the distance between them and wrapped him in her arms. She was crying and squeezing him. It wasn't until she broke the embrace and kissed his forehead, tears framing her smile, that he knew he had done well.

"Yaaruna varai libella a dvainya," Yanda replied. It was the reply Kelton had expected. 'And you are the stone by which I live.' Kelton grinned. The library was a wondrous place.