[center][color=e21400][h1]A L E X A N D E R [/h1][/color][/center]
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To say he was surprised to have a child approach him would be an understatement, but upon being spoken to Alexander raised his head. The boy seemed young, perhaps not yet at double-digits in age. However, the way he carried himself and the way he spoke made the blond think he was closer to the age of a first-year student at the Institute than a true child.

Thus, he narrowed his eyes more in confusion than in skepticism. Something felt off about this boy. There was a heavy sensation of metal about him, as if he were not even [i]real[/i], or perhaps as if most of him were reinforced with metalworkings. This confused him far more, but he did not let it cross his face. Instead he glanced at the title of the book being requested, then back at the boy. Surely he wasn’t genuinely interested in [i]fairy tales[/i]; this was likely some kind of test. Thus Alexander smiled pleasantly at him.

“Perhaps something of a different nature would be more interesting to you?” he asked politely as he stood. He turned to study the titles of the books nearest them. “Someone with a vocabulary such as yours [i]must[/i] be interested in a more advanced reading. Have you intentions of joining the Scholar Guild when you come of age? Or have you another gift?”

He gestured to another title. It was another pleasure read instead of an informative piece like the one he was reading (after all, the one he was looking at was turning out to be [i]incredibly[/i] boring), but it was much more advanced than the original suggestion, and yet still contained fantastical elements. It had been a favorite of Alexander’s when he was first in the Institute. “How about this one instead?” he inquired. “It was one of my favorites when I was younger, and I still hold a piece of it dearly in my heart.”

His attention was diverted briefly when he recognized a voice. He turned to see Finnegan Oaks enter the library, and Alexander could not help but smile. Oh good, so there was another friend involved in this…whatever this was. He returned his attention to the child, knowing Finnegan had a few rounds of his own to do (Alexander did not understand how such a man could be friends with Lady Alyssana Grey, whom Alexander could only regard with tolerance and distance; after all, she was quite a joy-killer it seemed). “Will this be a better fit for you, or would you prefer the ah, shall I say, [i]younger[/i] reading? For appearance’s sake.”

After all, if this child was in the library, there was a chance he was here for the same reason as Alexander himself, and therefore Finnegan and Rowena and Alyssana and whoever else was here. And if he was, then perhaps he would want to be as unassuming as possible, and Alexander would not wish to betray such a desire.

He set his own book aside and retrieved the book, handing it to the boy as he said, “My name is Amidale. Alexander Damien Amidale. Should you need assistance again, with anything at all, for the remainder of this evening, I shall likely be with the blond, mustached gentleman for a bit, though I shall remain in this library should I leave his side, seeing as it is the…least…drab, out of the rest of the decorated estate.”

With that, he picked up his cane, adjusted his cape, and made his way to Finnegan, ever the smile on his lips.