Mia peeked into the Professors’ Lounge on the second floor of the Reading Room and glanced around one last time before pulling her head back. A quick peek at the sign showed that it was still present and still straight. She turned around, put her back to the doorjamb and surveyed the second floor of the Reading Room. The chandelier was lit and the combination of pink glass and blue light cast a gentle purple glow over the room. The wall sconces were lit as well and the combination created a gentle, low, warm light. The result was a cozy atmosphere with enough light to be able to see clearly but dim enough to give a sense of intimacy, especially in the corners of the room. Perfect pub lighting.

Mia smoothed her hands down over her grey pinstripe vest, checked the time on her silver pocket watch and made sure the cuffs of her maroon undershirt were folded out of the way, just below her elbows. With a last pat for her hair she stepped up to the small gleaming wooden bar that lined one side of the balcony overlooking the first floor and leaned over slightly to look down. The dumbwaiter system was up and running and had been tested extensively. The bottles on the shelves behind the bars gleamed and winked, all filled with different types of liquor. The taps were ready, the beers ready for thirsty customers. There were enough supplies laid in to outlast a siege. Providing those under siege had a high tolerance for alcohol.

A smirk curved Mia’s lips and the interrupted curve of her left eyebrow quirked up. Pushing back from the bar, Mia strode firmly toward the stairs, the low heels of her boots clicking on the floor. Swinging around the post at the bottom of the stairs Mia stepped up to the door, unlocked it and called out to the four workers bustling about, “Alright everyone, we are now officially open!” Catching up a phosphor lamp that had been set by the door, Mia stepped outside and used a rod to lift the lantern up to the hook at the end of the sign. It was 21 O’clock and the sun was beginning to sink. The streets out in the Stacks were already mostly dark due to the height of the surrounding buildings and their rather extreme proximity to one another. The lantern lit the wooden sign with its book and pint. Mia’s smile grew as the sign swayed gently.

((Alright! Here we go. Finally. So, do I have a crowd? Success? Bust? Just something to get me started.))

Abe hadn't done something purely for fun in what seemed like ages. Sadly, tonight was not the night to break that pattern.

One would think that visiting an old acquaintance, supporting their surely delightful pub, and drinking a surely delicious cup of coffee would be fun. And it would be. Surely. But this was not the only reason she was here.

The fliers had intrigued her. In particular, one extraordinary line among the usual business of advertisement.


Oh, Mia. So openly progressive. The honest woman was a refreshing breeze in the stuffy confines of Brunnhold. Abe was quite thankful Mia existed, and hoped she would continue to do so. However...

The slanderous rumors regarding Professor Moore's research may well have made it to Mia's ears. If they had taken hold, Abe would have to dispel them as quickly as possible. The Reading Room could become a clearing house of information for progressive galdori and passives alike; the healer needed to ensure the correct -- ahem, the true -- information was there.

Thus, Abe laid in wait. Or, rather, she wanted to. Due to a last-minute knee scraping and unruly first year at the infirmary, she was running a bit late. The healer approached just in time to see the proprietor light the sign.

"Hello, Mia," she said, her hands hiding in her pockets. She added casually, as though asking a neighbor for a cup of sugar, "You wouldn't happen to have a dark roasted blend of Muluku beans, would you?"

Mia glanced up at the familiar voice and her smile broadened into a grin. “I do believe I might. Come on in, Abeline, and you can be the first official customer at the Reading Room.” Mia opened the door wide and gestured toward the bar with a flourish. “Would you prefer a table or the bar, Madam? Seeing as you’re the first here you get to pick. The rest get to grab whatever is open.”

Mia stepped back from the door to allow Abeline to enter, relieved that her first customer was someone she knew. Mia had no problem meeting new people-you couldn’t be a bartender if you did-but it was nice to ease into this being open for business…business. At least a little bit.

Mia ducked behind the bar and stuck her head through one of the doors into the kitchen. “Put on a pot of the dark Muluku, please.” She instructed the young man who was busy chopping potatoes for chips. “And put a kettle on for tea, just in case.” Turning back to Abeline, Mia snagged the polishing cloth off the bar and tucked it away before gesturing around the pub. "What do you think?"

"I think," Abe said, wandering in to survey the pub, "that it's marvelous."

Her eye was, of course, first drawn to the shelves at the back, saturated as they were with books. The varied size and color of the bindings hinted at a great breadth of knowledge and literature, and the cozy atmosphere meant they could be perused at one's leisure. Already, Abe could tell this could easily become a second home to her.

As if pulled by gravity, she slowly glided toward the shelves, but wasn't so ensorcelled as to not look up. "Oh! What a lovely chandelier."

At that point, she bumped into a table. After giving it an embarrassed pat, she turned to Mia and smiled meekly. "I think I'll join you at the bar."

The healer sat at the far end of the bar, where she could get a good view of the other patrons as they entered. She had to fight her natural attraction to books to get there, but she was on a mission. She could always look at them later... unless she botched this operation as thoroughly as she had the dinner with Moore.

Fairly sure the professor now hated her, Abe had been avoiding him since then, and planned to carry on doing so for as long as possible. Although, sooner or later, they'd have to meet again, either for the project or for Horation. Of such an eventuality, she could only envision the glare of those penetrating yellow eyes. Perhaps a peace offering would be in order...?

Abe pushed up her traitorously sliding glasses, frowning into her palm. The expression died by the time her hand moved, to be replaced by a thoughtful calm.

"If you don't get too busy, I thought it might be nice to have a chat."

She honestly looked like she could use one.

Mia let out a little huff of a laugh, mostly at herself and her own insecurities. She watched Abe and saw the instant her gaze reached the bookshelves. Mia recognized a fellow bibliophile and the almost visible pull the possibility of new books had on her. Letting her own gaze drift to the bookshelves, Mia lost herself for a moment in debating which book she wanted to take upstairs with her later. She hadn’t read a bibliography in quite a while and there were a few from her parent’s library that she had yet to read…



“Ah, yes.” Mia’s mouth quirked to the side a little bit. She craned her neck back to look at the rather large chandelier. “It’s growing on me. I saw it first in daylight and was mostly struck by how very pink it looked. With the blue from the phosphor, well, it’s a bit less intense now.”

Mia followed along, paralleling Abe behind the bar and leaned an elbow on her side of it when Abe hoisted herself onto one of the bar stools. Mia turned herself so that she could keep an eye on the door and Abe at the same time. The other woman seemed a bit troubled and Mia watched as Abeline pushed her glasses back up.

The blonde smiled just a bit, mostly with her eyes, as the gesture reminded her of her father when he was reading something. He didn’t need glasses for anything else but they drove him crazy when he did use them. He swore he was going to make a harness to keep them on his head.

I need to go have dinner with my parents soon. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had the time recently. It’s amazing how little you can see of someone even when you live with them. Of course, with the apartment upstairs nearly done, I’ll have to work even harder to see them. Mia intended to begin sleeping on the couch she had placed in the living area upstairs until the rest of the work was done. Wait, St. Grumble's is coming up soon! I need to get presents! Mia glanced behind her at the shelves of alcohol. Then again, I might have that taken care of, considering it's St. Grumble's.



Mia focused on Abeline again. “Certainly. I’d enjoy that.” Mia frowned slightly as she glanced at the door. “Although, I am hoping for a good turnout. Anyway, until I’m needed I’d love to talk.” Mia’s eyes returned to Abeline and she cocked her head to the side slightly. “Was there something in particular you wanted to talk about?”

Mia was certainly no stranger to polite chit-chat and could hold up her end of a “social nothings” conversation. However, she had a feeling there was a particular topic Abeline wanted to discuss and had never seen the sense in tip-toeing around a topic for five minutes before broaching it. Mia’s bluntness had gotten her into trouble before and probably would again but she still preferred to be straightforward about things.

Pulling a small stool out from underneath the corner of the bar, Mia perched on it, settling in to chat, but keeping one eye on the door as well.

Where Mia preferred to be direct, Abe preferred to consider all angles of approach. She paused, as this often took extra thought. It also made her very bad at social niceties, which seemed to only be a means for replacing thought for those who have none. So, even though her gaze squirmed for a moment, she was glad Mia dispensed with the nonsense.

"Actually, yes. Concerning your turnout, in fact." Direct as Mia was, Abe needed to lead up to her intended topic. The defense of one's hero was not something to be blurted out. Other facts had to be established first.

She produced a neatly folded piece of paper from her bag and carefully unfolded it flat on the bar. Mia would immediately recognize it as one of her own fliers.

"It says here that passives are welcome," Abe murmured, biting her lip pensively, "and that's all well and good.. er.. but there may be a hitch. You see, as far as I understand it, they aren't exactly free to wander the Stacks and enjoy themselves. And they don't get paid." She deposited her elbow on the bar with cynical bleakness.

"So, they may be welcome here, but I'm not sure very many will show up. I'm terribly sorry if they don't," she offered, shrugging supportively to the aspiring businesswoman.

Well. I've effectively told her I'm a sympathizer. Her expression grew distant as she realized she hadn't told anyone else that fact. Ever.

Clocks. She's going to be a phenomenal barkeeper.

Mia waited patiently while Abeline gathered her thoughts. That was something she had always admired about the other woman. She thought before she spoke.



“Oh?” Mia blinked when Abe pulled out a paper and unfolded it on the bar to reveal one of her fliers. She kept the rest of her face politely inquiring but her eyes darted down to the last line on the page. Oh, yeah.



Mia digested that statement. She particularly considered the attitude toward passives that was implied. If Abeline's feelings were anything like her own it would be nice to talk about the issue. And she might be a good person to talk to about another...project Mia was considering.

Mia drew air in through her nose and let it out in a slow, soft sigh. “Yeah. I know.” She lowered her head and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know how many will be able to come, if any, but I wanted everyone--them, I wanted them to know they are welcome.” Mia made a fist and dropped it to the bar with a thump. She looked out the window behind Abeline for a brief moment, her face drawn slightly. “Although, admittedly, with the restrictions and all, it’s more a formality--a declaration of my personal sentiments, if you will--than a practical invitation.” That's the official version anyway.

Mia opened her mouth, closed it and gazed at Abeline consideringly for a moment. Coming to a decision she drew breath to speak but stopped when the door to the kitchen opened. The young man she had spoken to before stepped out, glanced around briefly, then headed down toward the two women with a steaming mug in his hands.

“Ah! Thank you, Thomas. I’ll take that. Could you make sure we have enough ingredients for the meat pies? I don’t know how many we’ll need tonight, but I don’t want to run out. Ask Teritha to help you. It looks like it’ll be a little bit before we really get started.” Taking the mug from him, Mia smiled and nodded back toward the kitchen doors, then carried the mug back to the far end of the bar and set it down in front of Abeline. “Here you are.”

Sitting back down on the stool, Mia folded her hands in front of her and said, “I have a bit of a proposition for you, if you would like to hear it. Concerning the passives that may or may not come to the Reading Room.” Mia kept her steady gaze on Abeline, waiting for a reply. After all, the other woman might not want anything to do with her scheme.

When Mia's fist fell, Abe smiled minutely. This was definitely the right woman to contact.


Gathering the mug in her hands, she held it up and savored the smell of fresh coffee. As her spoon stirred the dark liquid, her thoughts swirled with it.

There were any number of things Mia could suggest, but what could the healer realistically commit herself to? She was already committed to Moore's project... but anything that helped passives would surely help his cause as well. However, she didn't want to get involved in anything too risky; it wouldn't do to ruin her career just yet.

Through the steam, her brown eyes watched Mia, calculating, but not aloof. "Hmm. Go on."

Mia kept her voice low as she spoke and kept an eye on the door. However, she didn’t lean in toward Abeline. Instead, she leaned to the side and rested her elbow on the bar, assuming the air of one engaged in casual, lighthearted conversation of no particular importance.

“As you can probably tell, one of my passions is reading. I adore books." Mia gestured to the various bookshelves around the room, then laid her free hand flat on the bar. "I don’t agree with the way passives are treated. I think that’s clear.” Mia nodded toward the flier. “But I’ve always thought that the law prohibiting passives from reading was the worst of the unjust treatment, worse than the restrictions on where they can go and what they can do. The rest are physical restrictions. Preventing them from reading is an attempt to limit their minds.” Mia’s fist clenched involuntarily before she controlled it and deliberately relaxed. “It’s an attempt to control them; to make them passive in more than just name. And it makes me angry.”

Mia paused, shifted, and glanced upward. “I don’t know if you noticed, but this building is three stories tall. The third story is where I will live once it’s finished, and most of the space is taken up by the apartment. But there is another room as well. I think it was a storage room of some kind. In any case, it’s separate from the rest of the third floor, with its own door from the landing. What I want to do is make that room a place where passives can come, if they have time, to read.”

Mia watched out of the corner of her eye for Abeline’s reaction to that illegal suggestion. “I know they may not have the time to come but I want it to be available. I moved a small stove and some comfortable chairs into the room, things I brought for the apartment, ostensibly. There’s a tea kettle and plenty of tea for brewing. I'll probably call it my office, and might even use it for that purpose. That would explain a bookcase or two.”

Mia sat back on her stool and looked directly at Abeline. The purple light from the chandelier laid lavender highlights over her hair and made her eyes look more blue than usual. “What do you think? The stairway is in the alley behind the building and there really isn’t anything else back there. It’s private. I don’t know if it would do any good, or if it helps, but I want to try.”

Mirroring the other woman's nonchalance, Abe did her best to appear bored, as though Mia were relating some story about an inconsequential nephew. She nodded the nod of a polite non-listener, and her finger tapped impatiently on the rim of her mug. The tempo was uneven, which was rather odd coming from Abeline; it undoubtedly betrayed the true intensity of her cogitation.

After taking a delicate sip of her coffee (it was still too hot), she glanced up at the blond woman. In her tight-lipped expression and subtle nod was the summation of her opinion. She agreed wholeheartedly, but could not say so.

"I think," she began, then put a finger to her lips. She abruptly shifted on the stool and leaned forward with what appeared to be subject-changing enthusiasm.

"Say, how would you like a few more books? I've got some extra laying around -- basic biological texts, some history, philosophy, that kind of thing. Enough I'll need someone to help me carry them.. and I know just the girl to do it." She paused to let that sink in.

"We'll take them up to your office, and you and I can catch up on old times while we sort through the books. The girl won't have much else to do, I suppose, but I'm sure we can leave her to her own devices..." Abe set down her beverage, almost apathetic, but her lively eyes caught a glint of the chandelier.

"How does some time next week sound? After Grumble's? There'll be fewer students around to get in the way," she said, and the conspiratorial arch of her eyebrow added, 'Fewer witnesses.'

The healer leaned back, drawing the mug to her with a bland smile. "Sound like a plan?"

She did so love a good scheme.

A smile spread slowly, easily across Mia’s face. She tapped her own lips as though considering the offer. “You know, I think that would be a good idea. You never know what kind of information you might need in an office. My mother has a bit of everything if I remember correctly. I have a box or two upstairs that I was considering putting up there as well.” Mia nodded firmly, visibly making a decision. Her own eyes glinted back at Abeline, and she shared a happy, mischievous look with her co-conspirator.

“I’ll get another bookshelf or two up there in the next couple days. I’ll send you a note at the infirmary when I’ve got it set up. It may take us a little while to get things sorted and shelved and then, we haven’t had time to talk in quite a while. I’ll make tea and we can take our time. Or, if you come around noon or so we could even have lunch up there. That’ll give us several hours before I’ll need to come down here to set up for the evening. Would that work?”

Eyebrows quirking in question, Mia sat back, satisfied that Abeline approved of her plan. And if she brought a trustworthy friend with her to bring the extra books, there would be a chance to talk about spreading the word about the new, smaller, private reading room.

Mia had been considering the possibility of a private, quiet room to allow passives to spend time reading in safety since she had seen the small room next to her apartment. She hadn’t expected to be able to talk to anyone about it for a while yet, if at all. She glanced down at the flier still spread across the bar. No longer simply a declaration of my private sentiments. I’m going to be able to do something about it.

Mia glanced around the pub again. Only one customer so far, open less than fifteen minutes, and she had already accomplished more than she had expected.

"Yes. Lunch. Splendid." She took a longer sip of the drink, eyes smiling.

Abe had been wondering how to repair relations with the young Miss Triston. Though the girl probably only disliked her on Moore's behalf, Abe thought it best to treat them as separate entities. Merely appeasing the professor should not be the end of her efforts to make it up to the passive.

All considered, this might work. If access to forbidden knowledge was not enough for the girl, food might be.

"Something spicy," she added.

Glancing at the door, Abe murmured, "I don't know how long I'll be able to borrow her. I'll have to clear that with her Matron. As a healer, it shouldn't be too difficult; I can concoct some kind of official-sounding excuse. Hrm, I'll also have to make sure she's not needed by Mister M-- Oh, that's right. I haven't told you about that."

A nervous chuckle tickled her diaphragm, but she promptly suppressed it. Mia now knew where the healer's fidelity lay; if she'd heard anything untoward, she would hopefully take Abe at her word.

"I'm working with Professor Moore on his research. Divining the nature of how our.. ah.. friends.. are the way they are. Very interesting stuff. The girl I'll be bringing is one of the volunteers, by the name of Triston."

Abe looked back to Mia with an apprehensive smile. The cat's out of the bag now.

Mia smiled and made a mental note to consider possible dishes to make for their lunch. She hadn’t had much time to cook recently and looked forward to it.


Mia’s attention was caught by the break in Abeline’s sentence and she raised an eyebrow questioningly. Mr. M--?


Mia considered that information, her face neutral, her eyes thoughtful. She had heard a very little bit about Professor Moore’s research, and none of it specific. She knew it involved passives and was viewed unfavorably by many.

He’s trying to figure out why passives are, well, passives; why they cannot do magic. That could be used either for their benefit or their detriment, depending on how the information is treated…and gathered.

If Abeline supported it, however…

The word "volunteer" bodes well, at least.

“I know very little about Professor Moore’s research, save that many object to it. How much do you know about the project? What are Professor Moore’s intentions beyond simply answering “why?” You approve of his methods?”

Mia had decided to trust Abeline when she explained her intentions to open a reading room for passives. There was no point withdrawing that trust now. If Abeline supported the research, Mia would as well. Besides, Mia believed she knew Abeline well enough to know she would not condone something harmful to others. She is a healer after all.

Still, Mia was a curious sort.

The Stacks was not normally bustling with activity late at night, but as it was the twenty-ninth and school was out the next day, there were several students about in the general area of the Reading Room.

The word "reading" had a certain effect on the studious youngsters at Brunnhold - a magnetic effect. Some of them assumed that it would be like a kind of library; some wondered if it was a lounge, something that would perhaps be quieter than the Library (which, at times, could be noisy; certain students chose it for a place of gossip). They gathered around the front of the shop in a small group, which grew a bit as more students joined them to gawk at the words:



"What is that supposed to mean?" said Susan Lerenolde, who had emerged from her shell that evening to go out with some friends. They shook their heads, puzzled.

"Can't you read?" said Gertrude crossly. She did not approve of drinking, and in any case was no great friend of Susan's; coming out with the other girls had been a last-ditch effort to make friends, and it was not going well.

"Clearly, the proprietor opens the Reading Room on certain nights to the townsfolk," said a boy nearby, the towheaded Simon. "Perhaps they have drinks there."

"I think it means all the time," answered Gertrude. "As in mixed company."

The students all whispered back and forth.

"I don't see anyone in there," someone said. "Anyway, humans don't read. Neither do wicks or passives. What is that, some sort of a quip?"

"It's not very clever if it is," said Susan snidely. "Come on, girls, let's go."

Gertrude hang behind.

"I think I'd like to get a hot cocoa," she said, walking up to the window and putting her nose against the glass. She saw one of the warmest, most comfortable rooms she'd ever seen. "It looks very pleasant. I don't see any townies. Perhaps it's a joke?"

"Your funeral," said one of Susan's other friends, rolling her eyes.

With a determined smile, Gertrude stepped up to the threshold and opened the door. The other students hung behind, staring at the building, still wondering what to make of the odd racial policy.

The healer nodded reassuringly. "I do. I've seen his methods myself, and I had a hand in one experiment." She tilted her head, squinting. "I say experiment, but it was really more of a.. diagnostic. The charting of ley lines. Nothing sinister." She offered a sardonic smirk, but it met a quick demise. "I don't know how or why those dreadful rumors started..."

The entrance of a student stole her attention. When Abe looked back at Mia, she shrugged. "I expect that's your second customer."

She nudged her glasses upward again, smirking with a small measure of gratitude. Any more talk of the virtuous professor and she might have started blushing. That would simply be unacceptable. It would call her objectivity into question, undermining her whole mission for the evening. Obviously, her judgment was not clouded by admiration. It couldn't possibly be. Right?

Or am I just imagining it all? He might not be the pure thing I think he is. Am I projecting my own closeted morals onto some poor, oblivious galdor?

Her expression went blank. She had been searching for a way to end her tender feelings for Harper. She might finally have found it.

Mia looked over toward the young woman who had just opened the door, then glanced back at Abeline. “Alright. I’ll see about those extra bookcases and see you sometime next week with those books.”

Mia nodded to the healer and hopped off her stool with a little push off the bar. She would continue to think about the situation with Professor Moore, but now was not the time.

Moving down toward the other end of the bar, Mia put herself firmly back into her barkeep’s shoes. An engaging smile spread across her face as she addressed the girl. “Welcome to the Reading Room. I’m Mia, proprietress and barkeep.” Mia executed a small bow, more a slight bend and dip of the head. “What can I get for you? We have coffee, tea, ale, and just about everything else.” Mia made a small gesture toward the shelves behind the counter and their rows of glittering bottles. She kept her expression open and friendly, hoping to reassure the girl, who looked rather determined, as if bracing herself.

Gertrude glanced behind her to the coven of girls and boys, all of whom were whispering furiously. She frowned, and turned back to Mia, returning the bow with a much lower one - after all, barkeep or not, she was an older galdori woman, and worthy of the utmost respect.

"Good evening, madam," she greeted her, with manners more a little stiff - not the product of a good upbringing, Mia guessed, but one of those 'how to behave amongst adults' guide books. "My name is Gertrude Dervish. Might I trouble you for a hot cocoa, er, please?"

Mia glanced behind the girl as she turned back and noticed the group of students milling just outside the door. There was a good bit of whispering although Mia couldn’t make out any words. Only the girl in the door had stepped forward and she had yet to move out of the entryway.

The girl bowed stiffly and Mia carefully concealed her amusement. The girl looked uncomfortable and her words confirmed it.


Mia made sure that she kept her face pleasant and open, giving no hint of the humor lurking beneath the façade. The girl sounds like she’s visiting the house of a friend for the first time and doesn’t want to impose. Suddenly, I feel like I’m hosting afternoon tea, not manning the bar at a pub. A quick glance around assured Mia that she was indeed still behind the bar of her pub. Well, at least she's polite.

“Of course. Take a seat. There are seats up above as well, and the Student Rooms if you want to go up there.” Mia turned as she talked, snagged a mug, and went about making the hot cocoa. “There’s also plenty of books if you want to read.” Never pausing in her constant, confident movements, Mia gestured toward the bookshelves at either end of the room.

In just a few moments Mia had a steaming cup of cocoa ready and sitting on the bar. “One hat for the cocoa. Anything else? Questions?” Mia figured she would have to spend some time answering questions. At least until the Reading Room was established and everyone knew the ropes.

Gertrude fished around in her pocketbook for a half tally, but the offer of questions answered was more tempting than the hot drink that had just been poured for her. Sliding onto a barstool and pushing the coin towards Mirena, she glanced around before asking in a hushed voice:

"Is this place really open to passives?" she whispered. "And others?"

Mia snagged the hat with one forefinger and slid it off the end of the bar and into the pocket of the small apron tied around her waist. She considered how best to answer the question. That rule was simultaneously the one that she was most insistent about, and the one that might cost her the most business, depending on the way she presented it and the way the first few patrons reacted.

Best to be matter of fact. Like it's no big deal. It shouldn't be after all.

Mia rested her elbows on the counter behind her, looked at the girl, and gave a slight, calm smile. "This pub is open to anyone who's got the coin for food or drink. Provided they follow the rules, of course." Mia pointed above her head to the sign with her three rules. She ticked them off on her fingers.

"All are welcome. You break, you buy. And respect the chandelier. The last is...well, don't worry about the last. The first two are the main two. Number one is self explanatory. Number two basically means no fighting. And if anyone is dumb enough to get into a fight, all participants pay for the damage. No matter who threw the first punch."

Mia laughed lightly. "I don't expect the brawlers will be terribly drawn to a place called The Reading Room. Probably not their thing. But other than that, anyone who wants to come is welcome. At least down here on the main floor and up on the balcony."

Mia gestured toward the back wall of the balcony. "Up there are three rooms that are not open to the public. One is for University faculty and their guests. The other two are for students. For you. There's a study room and a reading room. Both are for student use only and, as long as no one goes about practicing their spells up there," Mia cocked an eyebrow meaningfully, "no one will bother you."

Abe stared into her mug, deaf to the exchange between customer and bartender. Her musings had led her down a dark alley, mugged her brain, and stole its thoughts.

After an indeterminate amount of time, her mind stirred awake, only to find itself in a cold, hollow place. In the murky shadows lurked images of broken glass, dusty windows, and shattered mirrors. Which looked out and which looked in? It was impossible to tell. Both truths and ideals were shrouded, scattered. Lost.

Mere coffee could not warm that gloomy place in her mind, nor could conversation fill it, nor chandeliers light it. She would have to discover the way out on her own. But not here.

The healer glanced up, noticing the student rabble outside. For a second, she felt like a pinned bug on public display, but then an idea came to her. Those kids shouldn't be gawping around out there; they should be in here, eating, reading, and giving Mia loads of money for the privilege.

Abe quickly finished her drink, squirmed off the stool, and left a very generous tip -- recompense for the little prank she was about to play on her new friend.

"Good night, Ms. Shai." She walked to the entrance, bypassing Gertrude with a prim nod. When she opened the door, Abe twiddled her fingers and called back, just loud enough for the assembled crowd to hear, "Ta ta! Oh, and.. don't forget the free samples."

With that, she wandered off into the night, humming innocently.

“Good night, Ms. Ixbridge. I’ll see you next week...”

Free…samples? Mia blinked as Abeline stepped outside and her eyes widened slightly. What is she...? Mia’s eyes flicked toward the group of students outside. Oh, dear. Blue-gray eyes narrowed and a smile fixed itself onto her face. Abeline, my friend, I will find a way to pay you back for this bit of mischief!

With feigned dismay, Mia straightened from the counter. “Of course! How could I forget.” She smacked her palm into her forehead and turned toward the door into the kitchen. “Let me just get that plate of pies from Thomas.” Mia pushed the right-hand door open and peered into the kitchen. “Thomas? Have you got the meat pies ready? Could you ask Gabby to cut half a dozen up and bring them out on a platter please? And a bowl of chips if you have some ready.”

Mia turned back to Gertrude and smiled. “I’d forgotten about the samples. The recipe for the meat pies came from my family’s cook. It’s quite the best I’ve tasted. She made me promise not to share the recipe.”

A quick glance at the counter behind the bar revealed a smallish barrel of brown ale tapped and ready to go. That one’s not so dear that I can’t afford to part with it in the name of luring in customers. One pint per person should do.

“There’s also a pint of ale here for those that would like one. First one is on me. After that, well, this is a pub after all.”

Let’s see if that gets them in here. Mia hid her smirk as she turned and began to pull out glasses and set them on the counter, fully expecting to fill them soon.

Mia walked down to the other end of the bar where Abeline had left her mug. She snagged the mug and found a tip…quite a tip actually. In fact…there was more than enough to offset those meat pies and chips. Well. I guess I’ll have to thank her after all. Mia glanced at the students milling outside. Maybe. We'll see how this goes.

Gertrude seemed genuinely curious about the fact that the bar was open to everyone; as Mirena spoke, she listened politely and nodded. But inside, she felt a sort of dread - would the other students oppose this? Would they be curious, like she was? Would there be fighting, in spite of Mirena's clear rules against it?



"I don't know if they'll come in," said Gertrude uneasily, glancing outside. Susan and a few others remained, though most had gone on to other bars or back to their dormitories; the girls seemed to be waiting to see if Gertrude would come out. "They're not very nice people."

She said this with the air of a great confession.

"Miss, may I ask you something?" she said timidly. "Why'd you start a shop? A shop like this, I mean."

Mia reached up and scratched absently at the cleft in her left eyebrow as she considered the question. The girl seemed nice, but a little lonely. Mia thought she must be if she was hanging out with people even she thought were “not very nice.”

“The main reason is that, well…I always wished for a place like this when I was at the University. It’s only been two years since I finished and I remember wanting to get away and find somewhere I could relax, have a drink, chat with friends, or whatever. And somewhere I could study if I needed to. Most of the pubs aren’t conducive to studying. I can’t think of one that is, actually. And believe me, I looked.” Mia’s mouth quirked to the side as she remembered her rather odd version of bar-hopping. “So I decided to start a place of my own. Somewhere anyone who wants to come, have a beer and spend some time reading or whatever can do so. I love reading and think everyone should be able to. Not that I’ll be responsible for anyone reading in the pub who isn’t allowed to.” Mia shrugged.

That’s not even a lie. The passives’ reading room isn’t actually in the pub proper.

“I remember talking to my friends and hearing others expressing a similar wish for a quiet place outside University grounds so I figured there would be enough interest to make it a business. That’s another reason the pub’s open to everyone though. I doubt I could keep the place afloat on students and professors alone.”

Mia’s gaze drifted back to the door where the remaining girls loitered. Not that it’s looking very promising. I’m offering free food and free beer and most of them left. What student turns that down? Well, it’ll probably take a while for business to build up. Dad warned me of that. I shouldn’t get my hopes too high.

Mia looked back at the girl. “What do you think? Would you be interested in a place to study or get together off-campus?”

Gertrude watched Mirena closely as she spoke about her reasons for beginning the bar. The little girl's doleful, cowlike eyes and intense expression were a bit unsettling; Mirena got the sense that people didn't usually speak to her longer than they technically had to.



She opened her mouth to reply, but all at once there was a tinkling of bells as the front door snapped open. A tall, severe-looking girl entered the building and walked right up to the bar's counter, sensible shoes clicking on the floorboards, prompting a gasp from Gertrude. It was Susan.

"I'll have white wine, please," she said to Mirena, looking at her carefully with eyes the color of yellowed paper before turning to the younger student. "I had planned to retire shortly, Gertrude, and I thought I should come fetch your nose from whatever book you had buried yourself in. But here I find you enjoying cocoa." Turning her gaze to the younger girl, she frowned. "I thought you would be reading. You shouldn't be drinking that. It's unhealthy."

There was a strange protective quality in her voice behind the stony haughtiness.