video | 01

[pharmaka]

[ For a brief moment after the camera flickers on, Circe appears uncertain, and then her expression at once resolves into a calm, unstirred facade, cool as a plane of water. She has unglamorous auburn hair set back in a tousled braid, eyes of an odd, subtly gold sheen, and a plain, even voice. ]

Well. I do not know whether it is for the better that most of the plants and animals and the like are familiar to me here. It would surely be a better preoccupation than what I was assigned, to acquaint myself with the local wildlife, so perhaps I will do it nonetheless. It has been made clear to me that there is an almost impossibly large amount of land to be seen.

Given I am unfamiliar with travel and with this country, I thought I would seek suggestions. In particular... [ a short pause ] I find I miss the sea. I had heard of deserts, but they are not so lovely a place to live as they are to hear tales of. And the same can be said of cities of men.

[ That is it. She says nothing about the confusion, the mingled hope and fear, that all this freedom and newness has set about in her. She is quite possibly the only divine being here. It is impossible to tell. Is that her father, keeping eye on her in the sky? If it is, she doubts he is about to say hello. In some respects she is as alone as she ever was.

In others... There are more people, more mortals, and more land than she has ever given thought to in her long life. It is thrilling and terrifying at the same time, and Circe dares to betray as little of it as she can manage. ]

Comments

[pharmaka]

[ Her naiad heritage is undoubtedly showing itself. She has never been close to her father's side of the family -- the myriad Titans that survived the fighting with Olympians before her birth -- but she grew up surrounded by nymphs and water gods. ]

A 'local library' -- are there so many of them? I have noticed I am able to read the script used here, although I have never been educated in it. I can only believe it a gift of Lachesis at my arrival.

[setmatch]

Lachesis has blessed all of us to be able to understand each other. A little infuriating, honestly, having spent years learning the language of this land from my own.

[ There's a soft laugh, and he smiles at her. ]

But yes, there is. One in every city or county- and often multiple branches besides. I mean, there's close to 100 different branches in the city I'm from- although it's a rather large city itself.

[pharmaka]

A strange thing for her to bless us with, but useful. Even if it makes some scholarly pursuits obsolete. [ There is a lighter, teasing note at the end. ]

Close to a hundred in one city? One could read for years and not reach the end of it in such a place. I have heard of the library of Alexandria and hoped to visit one day, but not even it can boast of so many works.

[setmatch]

Alas and alack, several years of my life wasted!

[ He smiles at that, obviously teasing his own 'misfortunes'. ]

... Unfortunately, the library of Alexandria was lost some time ago. A shame, what we could have learned from that collection.

All the same, there are thousands upon thousands of books at your disposal. History, philosophy, art, culture-

Even your myth and legend.

[pharmaka]

[ By this time she's heard something about her own notoriety, and Circe expresses her opinion of that by crinkling her nose. ]

It could not possess me to read tales of my own deeds as yet undone, or worse, to read of those few noteworthy enough that I have done already. [ None of them were shining moments of character, and she's aware of it. ]

Is there not a less egotistical place to start in my studies?