Greek Togas and Cabbages

Kiana flipped the sign on the door over, from open to closed, and let out a huge sigh of relief. 

She turned around and started walking through the aisles, running her fingers across the weathered spines of the books. 

The Kettlefore Library was the oldest library in town, tucked in and neatly hidden between several new and updated buildings that had been added over the years. It was a small library, but full of thousands of books, mostly old, stacked up onto the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, surrounding the entire room. There was a cozy little nook in the far corner, with tables and chairs where people could sit down and pass the time by diving into a new story. The welcoming and relaxing smell of old books-leather, paper, ink-filled the library, and Kiana took a deep breath, relishing the fact that she was here alone. Usually, even after hours, the small staff was still here, bustling about and putting everything back in order for the next day. But not tonight. Jenny had the day off, Becca had gone home with a headache, and Mrs. Wendall had a doctor’s appointment. So, tonight, Kiana had the whole wonderful place to herself. 

She dimmed a few of the lights, giving the library an even cozier, warmer feel. Humming softly, Kiana straightened chairs, tables, books, occasionally sliding one out and flipping it open to see what it was about. 

A stack of books in her arms, she walked behind the desk to continue her work and then stopped. She looked up at the calendar on the wall, at the date neatly circled. August 7th. Kiana bit her lip. Thomas Anders would be here tomorrow, early, to look over the library. Since the library was so old, there were several companies who were trying to buy it, destroy it, and build a newer building in its place. Thomas Anders was the one who would decide whether the library would stay or go. 

Working at the library had been Kiana’s first job, and two years later, at eighteen years old, she was still at it and loving it. It had become her home away from home. She knew every shelf, every rug, chair, desk, and she had read so many of the books it was almost alarming. Almost. 

And so Kiana was going to do everything she could to make the library look its absolute best for tomorrow. The library would not be replaced. Not if she could help it. 

She set the stack of books neatly down on the desk and was about to start organizing another shelf when she heard a loud thump. 

Kiana froze. It had come from the back of the library. She turned slowly, warily, stepping forward, looking through the aisles to see what it had been. Then, two voices. 

“You clumsy goose, look what you did!”

“Me? I didn’t touch it!”

Kiana frowned and rounded the last aisle. 

Before her stood two young men- around her age. The first was dark-haired and tall, and otherwise completely normal looking. The second was a bit shorter, had lighter hair, and was wearing a Greek toga. A fallen stack of books lay on the floor between them, explaining the loud thump.

Kiana’s eyes drifted to the first man, the second man, the stack of books, and then back to the Greek toga. “Um.” 

Both young men whirled around to face her, their eyes widening in shock. The first one, staring at her, said to his companion, “Dang it.”

The man in the Greek toga turned to the first. “She’s still here. I told you. I told you this wouldn’t work-”

“No, no, no! It’ll work! We just have to skip to Plan B.” 

“Who are you?” Kiana finally got over the shock and asked the question in a sharp voice. 

The first man turned to face her and gave her a charming smile. “Forgive me. My name is Alva. This here is York, and I apologize for his clumsiness. He knocked all those beautiful books to the floor-”

“Me?” York said, incredulous. “You-”

Alva glared at him. “Alright, alright. It was me. Now...Plan B. Go.” He gestured toward Kiana with his head. When York didn’t move, Alva hissed, “Plan B! Woo her!”

York glared but then stepped forward, holding his arms out. He coughed. “Noble… lady...I come from a faraway land to ask a great favor of you…”

Kiana’s eyebrows rose. 

“Will you…go with me to… purchase...a goat?”

Kiana leaned back, frowning. From behind York, Alva peeped his head over York’s shoulder and gave her a nod, a grin on his face, and then a double thumbs up. 

Kiana was not impressed. “A goat.”

“Yes?” York’s response sounded like a question. 

Alva, clearly sensing that his friend needed help, walked up to Kiana. “You know, ladies come from far and wide to purchase goats with him. It’s an honor.” He nodded solemnly. 

Kiana pasted a false smile on her face. “Thank you, but I’m not interested.”

Alva stared at her. Then, to York- “Okay, Plan C.”

“Listen,” Kiana said, her amusement gone. “I have a lot to do tonight and I need you to tell me why you’re here. Or you can just leave, which is more preferred.” She shot a glare at both of them. 

Alva sucked in a breath. “Alright. We’ll tell you why we’re here.” He leaned in, as if he were telling her a huge secret, and then whispered, “We need a book.”

“You don’t say,” Kiana said, her voice flat. 

“To clarify,” York said, stepping up, “We’re here to steal a book. Would you mind helping us? We’ll give you...a...goat!” 

Kiana looked at him in disbelief. “This is a library. You can borrow books for free.”

Alva swung around to York. “You didn’t tell me that.”

York shrugged. “I didn’t know!”

“Alright,” Alva said, turning back to Kiana, “We would like to borrow a book.”

Her voice brightened. “Well, I can help with that!”

Alva smiled. “Wonderful!”

Smiling, she continued, “We open at ten tomorrow morning. I’ll see you then. As of now, you have to leave, because we’re closed.”

Alva stared at her. “You’re being really difficult.”

She smiled sweetly in response. 

“Listen,” York said, his voice growing sincere. “We need the book tonight. It’s very important. Please. It’s serious.”

She eyed him. “To be frank, it’s a little hard to take anything you say seriously when you’re in that toga.”

He pointed at her. “Yes! Exactly! See what I did to get this book? See what I sacrificed? I am a musician. Not some Greek who can woo women-”

“Would we say musician?” Alva said, cutting in. He glanced at Kiana. “He’s been playing the piccolo for about a month now. That is the extent of his musical quality.”

“The piccolo is a very dignified instrument,” York said. 

Kiana flashed him a smile. “My great-uncle played the piccolo.”

“We are getting off track,” Alva said, bringing them back to the subject. “Now. Kiana.”

She reared back. “How did you know my name?”

Alva’s mouth dropped open, and he snapped it shut. “Um...your nametag?”

She tilted her head at him. “I’m not wearing a nametag.”

“Really? I could’ve sworn-”

York coughed loudly. Alva cleared his throat. “We’ll talk about that later. So. About this book…” 

“Come back tomorrow.” Kiana turned her back on him. 

“Plan D,” Alva said under his breath. He raised his voice. “You don’t happen to know about a Mr. Thomas Anders, do you?”

Kiana stopped. “Maybe. Why?”

“Well. I know him, quite well, in fact, and...well, you could say I...influence his decisions a bit.” Alva seemed bored and disinterested as he said, “I heard he was considering knocking this little shack down and putting a-”

Kiana whirled around. “It’s not a little shack.” She glared at him a few moments longer, then said, “What book do you need?”

Alva pumped a fist in the air. “Yes!” He sighed in relief. “Thank you. Alright. This book…” he began to describe it to her. 

They searched the library for half an hour. Alva didn’t know the name of the book, only what it looked like, so it took longer than expected. 

Finally, though, Kiana pulled something off the shelf- the third shelf down on the fifth aisle, right in the middle. “Aha!”

York was there first. “You found it!”

The book was large and heavy, with a light gray cover. On the front, there was a strange golden symbol that Kiana had never seen before, no doubt some ancient letter. Kiana handed the book to York, and they walked to a table. 

“So, what is it?” Kiana asked. 

Alva shrugged. “No idea.”

“No-what?” 

“We have no idea what’s inside,” York said, his voice low, “Only that it will change everything.”

“Vague,” Kiana commented, but leaned in as Alva flipped open the front cover to the first weathered page. “Well?”

Alva read the first page in silence. Then he burst out, “What?”

“What?” York and Kiana asked together. 

Alva glanced at them. “It’s about cabbages.”

They stared at him for several silent moments. “Pardon?” Kiana asked. 

“Cabbages,” Alva said, gesturing to the book. “You know, the fruit.”

Kiana’s eyes narrowed. “Cabbage is a vegetable.” 

“Right.” 

Any sane person would know that. In a swift move, Kiana pulled the book into her arms and glared at both York and Alva. “Sit down. I need an explanation.” 

“Of what?” Alva said incredulously. 

Kiana raised an eyebrow at him. “I want to know exactly who you are, I want to know why you thought York could ‘woo’ me in that hideous toga, I want to know how you know Thomas Anders, I want to know why you need this book, I want to know how you knew my name, and for goodness sake, I want to know why you thought cabbage was a fruit!”

Alva looked at York. “Plan E.”

Kiana hugged the book closer to her. “What’s Plan E?”

Alva shrugged innocently. “We have to kidnap you.”

ALVA’S PLANS:

Plan A- Sneak into the library, steal the book, and leave. Piece of cake!

Plan B- York, in his Greek toga, will woo Kiana if she happens to be working still, using the classic Let’s-Go-Buy-Some-Goats move. 

Plan C: Tell Kiana in a very small nutshell what’s going on.

Plan D: Bring up Thomas Anders, and how I (Alva) can influence his decisions. NO MORE DETAILS! 

Plan E: If she’s being stubborn, kidnap her.