TAKE A LOOK, IT'S IN A BOOK

[stagstrong]

Who: Robert Baratheon and PEOPLE
Where: The LIBRARY
When: The Event! So... lots of days.
Rating: E for EDUCATIONAL
Summary: Robert is hungry... FOR JUSTICE KNOWLEDGE.
The Story:

Robert Baratheon had never cared for books. What could be learned in dusty old text that could not be learned outside, living life to its fullest? And so, he'd never bothered with books. But somehow, it was different now. He was trapped in Wonderland and he was struck with the urge to investigate. And so, when he passed the library, he decided to poke his head in. And then he decided to pick up a book and just take a look at it. Just to see what it was like.

Before he knew it, morning was evening and he was still reading. By Gods was it interesting! Apparently, as he was finding out that apparently in 1946, Chinese stamps were overprinted in sen and for use in Taiwan only. While Robert did not really know what stamps were, who the Chinese were, where Taiwan was, what a sen was, or even the dating system that led to 1946. But by Gods was it fascinating as hell. And when he was done with the book at long last, because he was not a terribly quick reader, he was eager for the next. Sure, he would need to sleep soon and eat, but he had one about mushrooms now and he'd always been interested in mushrooms!

Hadn't he?

In fact, Robert was aware he was actually fairly miserable. He wanted to go out and fight something, fuck something, or drink copious amounts of wine! But He couldn't tear himself away from the books. There were just too many books and he felt like he might die if he didn't read about fungus. The misery was apparent on his face. He looked worn, tired, and listless. His stomach ached from neglecting to eat anything. But he could not tear himself away. Not when he was only just about to find out what a Hypomyces lactifluorum was, which was a mystery that had plagued him ever since he had seen the table of contents.

Comments

[stagstrong]

He snorted. "Knowledge? Power is power. Anyone with any sense knows that. Books are best left to withered old maesters." He shook his head and stared at the pages. "Gods, but I might end up one if this carries on."

[selfrespecting]

What a single-minded response. Martha dragged a hand over her face and then leaned back, pulling her book into her lap. Praying mantis mating cycles were much more interesting than the same old bullheaded drivel.

"And then maybe you'll actually learn a thing or two," she muttered. "I take it you're used to being in a position of power back home?" He'd said he was part of some sort of House, which definitely implied it.

[stagstrong]

"Lord Paramount," he said vaguely. "Lord of the Stormlands, with gods only know how many high lords and lower lords who pay their allegiance to me."

[selfrespecting]

No wonder he was so self-absorbed and dismissive of anything he didn't find personally appealing. Maybe it would sound impressive to some, but Martha only shrugged her shoulders. "Not sure that means anything here in Wonderland," she said as she turned a page in her book.

[stagstrong]

"Nothing means anything in this damnable land. So what should I care of what it means here?" Robert hated and resented this land, even if it had reunited him with his betrothed. But that was all it did and he would be glad to be rid of it.

[selfrespecting]

"Because you are a prisoner of this place, whether you like it or not. What good will it do for you to dismiss it?" The more that Martha spoke to Robert, the more she could see that she was the sort of person that she usually didn't give the light of day. Instead of looking more deeply at an issue, he brushed aside anything he didn't consider important, and that could far too easily lead to blindness.

[stagstrong]

He looked up at her, a sudden pride evident in his eyes. "What good does it do you to dismiss who I am? When I am gone from this place, I will not return a peasant. I will be Baratheon still."

[selfrespecting]

"That may be true, but your high standing back home doesn't stand for much here." Even Buckingham wasn't as bullheaded as this Robert. Martha could tell he hadn't wanted for much, and he'd probably had people waiting on him hand and foot on top of it all. Coming to a place like Wonderland must have been quite the shock, but she didn't necessarily feel bad for him. He was making it rather difficult for even someone like Martha to empathize.

[stagstrong]

"Then you know little, in spite of your books." It was not that Robert desired servants to attend to his needs or that he wished to be treated with My Lords or be spoke to with reverence. In truth, he had a rather perverse enjoyment in reveling among the common folk. But his title and his high standing was what made him what it was. It made him a great warrior, it made him educated, it made him someone of sense and reputability. And so it seemed ever a strange thing that these things that made him what he was were ever rejected. A strange thing that annoyed him, because he demanded so little.

[selfrespecting]

Oh, that was enough of that. Martha regretted ever thinking that she and this Robert would have anything of interest to discuss. "Feel free to assume that, if you want," she said firmly as she stood up from the table, taking her books right along with her.

If he were to ever get injured, she would -- of course -- treat him, but she would also feel some small amount of triumph in that moment. Because there was plenty that Martha knew, things she had learned from both books and practical experience, and she hadn't needed some high title to achieve that knowledge.

"Enjoy your reading," she said as she took off to sit somewhere on the other end of the library, where she could enjoy her books in peace.