+Author's note
Requested by Astrid4242!
Sorry for the slow updates, But I'm not going anywhere loves! Don't you worry!
The soft claps of footsteps smoothly made their way over the marble floor.
The Frenchman looked up, surely the library lived up to it's reputation.
Standing strong since the times of their forfathers, the Austrian library stood silent but grandly. The aged wood darkened with centeries, the dim and noble lights shined above, illuminating the baroque paintings of angels and other holy beings.
The high ceilings were almost unfathomably tall, and the books that sat neatly in their shelves looked almost eager for a wandering scholar to come and study it's contents.
The scent of honey and aged paper filled Spy's nose as he walked down the marble halls, many others doing the same as they continued their search to quench their thirst for knowledge.
And in the center of it all, stood a desk, no doubt as old as the library itself; dark mahogony with carved figures decorated the wooden furniture, and piles of books, paper and lamps stood on the desk.
Behind it, sat a man with whitened hair and a set of reading glasses perched on his nose. His brows were furrowed in concentration, no doubt over some documents of course.
Spy walked up calmly and cleared his throat, catching the old man's attention.
"Excusez-moi, but I require some assistance in finding a paticular book"
The old man stared at the Frenchman with a frown, and spoke in a low voice towards someone besides him.
"Ez egy beszél angolul"
A rustle of parchments was heard, and a tired girl with (h/c) hair and (e/c) eyes came up, drapped with shawls and scarves; rubbing her fingerless gloves together, as if she was trying to chase the cold from them as she muttered to herself.
"Olyan hideg..!"
She turned her attention to the Frenchman.
"Yes? Can I help you?"
Spy nodded, and gave her a small smile.
"Yes, I am looking for somezhing"
The girl gave a small sigh and rolled her eyes, and spoke as if her words was carefully memorized and recited on a daily basis.
"Here at the Austrian national library, we have an estimated amount of 7.4 million books, maps, posters and Broadsheets which have been carefully catagorized by their respectful subjects. Since we have more than several archives, it would be most helpful if you could be more specific"
The old man gave a small click of his tongue, muttering under his breath.
"Az emberek manapság.. jön anélkül, hogy tudnánk, mit akarnak..."
Spy raised an eyebrow and stared into the girl's eyes.
"A book on history"
The girl gave a skeptical look, hinting that she would need more.
"Of women"
The girl gave a tired look. The last thing she needed was another tourist who wants to poke around, acting as if they were a scholar of some sort.
Nonetheless, she had a job to do.
"Right this way please"
Spy strolled right after her, a look of amusement on his face.
+++
The two passed rows of books, lights of amber shining down on the almost blackened wooden shelves.
"We have an entire archive dedicated to women through out the ages, with books all the way back from the 4th century to the most recent bestsellers. Is there a paticular part you want to cover on women history?"
Spy narrowed his eyes as he followed her soft steps.
"Yes, I was looking for a history book on a paticular woman"
The girl stopped in her tracks, while Spy continued in a drawl.
"Her name is (Y/n), also known as the only living being to decipher the HERMUS.. quite an achievement I must
say.."
(Y/n) didn't even turn around from her tracks.
"How.. did you kno-"
"Zhat is hardly zhe problem my dear, I only came for one zhing"
(Y/n) glared up at the Frenchman, a mischiveous glint in his eyes as he smiled down at her.
It angered her so. She was the only one in this world who could dechipher the HERMUS. A code that had taken her to extrodinary lengths for her to crack. It was she, and she alone who knew what secrets lied within the cryptic messages left by an unknown organization 500 years ago.
And ever since then, she had been a target for many of the rats underground. Countless numbers of the Mafia, gangs and treasure hunters had chased her down all over the world for her data.
And clearly, this man was just like the many others that pestered her for information.
"And if I don't give it to you..?"
Spy smirked, and brought her face up with his gloved hand.
"Why, I'd be heart broken at zhe fact zhat zhis beautiful face..."
A small click was heard, and a butterfly knife announced it's presence.
"Might go under some unessessary changes..?"
(Y/n) glared up at the man, but knew what she had to do.
Angrily she turned from his hand that held her chin, and briskly walked away, and the Frenchman smiled that his empty threat had created the desired effect.
Following her, she walked down a corridor, down the marble halls and the reading rooms.
Statues of olden times stared blankly ahead, and the golden tinted lights passed by in a blur as (Y/n) and Spy headed towards a small shabby door on the left corridor, behind a staircase.
Opening the door with a key, (that looked even older than the girl herself) (Y/n) pulled out an old worn traveling suitcase.
Handing it to the Frenchman, she glared up at him.
"Take it, and leave me alone"
The man smiled and leaned into her ear, whispering.
"I appreciate 'our coroperation pétit.. perhaps I'll be seeing more of 'ou after zhis wild goose chase.."
She scowled and pushed him away, earning a laugh from Spy, and he was gone in a puff of smoke.
+++
Now back at the messy desk, (Y/n) started organizing her desk as she gathered her things together.
The old man didn't even look up from his work as he listened to her quiet shuffling of papers and books.
With a bored look, he scribbled on the parchment before him and spoke.
"Was it another one?"
(Y/n) smiled and said nothing.
The old man chuckled to himself as he flipped through the pages of his books.
"Where does the 'code' lead to?"
(Y/n) giggled and loaded another suitcase.
"This time, I wrote down that a treasure lies in the middle of the sewers in Mongolia. Whoever's looking for treasure, they'll be searching for months!"
The old man laughed and shook his head.
"And where are you headed this time?"
(Y/n) clamped her suitcase shut.
"I've been learning Spanish these days, so I think I'll stay at the library at El Escorial till things cool down"
The man smiled and waved her off.
"Wherever you go, just remember to bring back some gifts this time"
(Y/n) laughed as she carried her suitcase, walking out of the library.
She had managed to run from every petty little gang that was after the original instructions of the HERMUS.
And she was determined to keep it that way, even if she did have to jump from library to library all over the world.
She would protect the HERMUS, and it's secrets till the very end.