Rei nods slowly, swallowing and washing down his mouthful before replying to something the prince said earlier about family. “I understand about predispositions. I do not recall my family in the slightest, however I still felt compelled to seek revenge for their murders.” Looking down at the bone in his fingers he adds, “As to being a knight, I do not think that will ever happen.” He does not sound sad at the announcement, that same detached tone he always has setting back into his voice like a well fitting glove. The look on the prince's face after he places his request that they stay in the castle for the night reminds the fae of a human child who has been denied candy and wonders if he should have kept his mouth shut, however as the prince replies he returns his focus to the meal.

With a loud snap he breaks off a bit of the bone and begins eating it as if it were no harder than a cracker or hard nut. He finishes the bite quickly and turns to look at the prince when he announces that he'll be going to bed early, wondering if his thoughts on secret passages and the like are true. [i]'I do not see a reason for so many things to be connected to the library, though that may be the very point of having them. If the people in the castle were attacked and they all escaped into the passageway riddle library then the attackers may think as I do and not rush to capture them, thinking them trapped'[/i] Nodding slowly he watches the prince move around the room, his eyes once more taking in those scars at the young man's back is revealed.

[i]'He seems to be in a much lighter mood now. . .I wonder why? I practically deny him his evening fun out right, and he has hardly eaten anything. I do not understand how he shifts moods like this'[/i] It does not even cross the little fae's mind that it is he himself who has brought up the prince's mood. He has no idea how his words and actions amuse the young man, and given his normal mental workings he may never come to realize just how much the youth enjoys his company. He's an assassin after all. Most people are terrified when he's around, even if they wish to hire him. He downs the rest of the bone as the prince is brushing his hair, something Rei himself has never had to do due to the nature of his hair, and grabs the last little bit of food, stuffing it in a cloth napkin before tucking it into a pocket for later consumption.

Heading to the door he offers a nod towards Alessandro before taking his leave of the man. Outside a little ways down the hall he spots the youth from the morning who'd given him that odd look. He closes the door quietly and walks off towards the young man. [i]'He is the one I saw in the prince's window. I believe he is some kind of personal servant. . . .'[/i] He stares openly at the guy as he passes and the young man responds the same way everyone else does when he stares. [i]'He is no real threat. At least not for now'[/i] Rei continues down the main stairs and heads off to the library wing. His magic snakes out around him, taking in every little bit of information as usual.

When he finally steps through the large double doors into the vast expanse that is the hall of tomes Rei stops, his countenance changing ever so slightly. The change would go unnoticed by anyone who does not know him well, and that means almost everyone. His eyes take in every minute detail available for them to see, his body still as his head moves this way and that like a raptor seeking out it's prey. He stands like this for a full minute until a slight movement catches his attention. [i]'The prince said there is a keeper of the books here. . .'[/i] He muses, stepping into the room proper and closing the doors behind him.

The movement turns out to be who he thought it was and as soon as the fit elderly man spots him he looks ready to either scold him, or flee. Rei walks up the central dais, shaped like a stack of circles, with a large circular desk at the top where the keeper stands inside like his own little fortress. He eyes the boy for a time before speaking up. “You. . . You're that new bodyguard of the prince's aren't you?” His voice is a bit wheezy, like a man too long on the pipe. Rei nods. He shakes a hand. “A little runt like you, eh? As well, wouldn't expect any better from that one.” He points to the shelves as Rei suppresses an unconscious growl at the way the man speaks of the prince. “This is the largest library in the whole kingdom, and a lot of these books are irreplaceable, you hear? I don't want you just tearing your way through this place and leaving things about all willy nilly, got it? You put things back where you found them, and you treat these books with respect, or else orders or no orders, I'll kick you out unless you have the brat himself with you, understand?”

Rei tilts his head tot he side, understanding the man's words, but at the same time wondering at how a servant could have the right to usurp the prince's orders. A part of him even doubts that he can even do it, and the words are on the tip of his tongue before he recalls that the prince wants him to avoid conflict unless absolutely necessary. [i]'Disagreeing with a man like this would likely end in a verbal fight'[/i] he concludes and simply nods. “I understand. I have never mistreated a book, and do not intend to start now.” His tone seems to bring back the urge to flee in the man and he steps away from the young fae.

“Well, so long as you understand that. . .” His voice is much quieter now, and that note of fear feels very familiar to the assassin. Without another word Rei looks once more around the room before heading for the nearest wall to begin his search. The entire library is round, the shelves curved, and the pillars likewise rounded. The dark red finish on the wood is off set by the white walls. The room is three stories high with balconies running along the walls, leaving the middle open so you can see the roof if standing in or near the center of the room. The areas not taken up by shelves, some of which are free standing turning the walkway between the wall and the next curves of shelves into a kind of tunnel with only the occasional break to exit the tunnels, are filled with various chairs and tables, no doubt not often used by the looks of things.