Freya opened her eyes as she
stepped out of the Coffee House cafeteria and looked across the Plaza at the
Library. She saw that the varied architectural styles of the various sections
that she could see didn’t clash. ‘That’s something I can talk to Alexia about,’
she decided. “Interesting,” she said.
“What is?” Daniela asked.
“The way the varied styles of
the Library don’t clash.”
“They must have considered
that.”
“It is certainly, yet another
thing to look into,” Freya considered.
“There are certainly a lot of
things to find out here.”
Freya nodded. “I guess most are
too busy with their studies to do more than scratch the surface.”
“Four or more thousand years of
history,” Daniela considered.
Freya took out her tablet and
took a photo of the Library as seen from that vantage point. “Another thing to
sketch,” she said with a smile.
“So, you do a lot different
kinds of art?”
“Of course. I use all sorts of
mediums.”
“Very versatile,” Daniela
commented.
“I’ve had to be adaptable,”
Freya said as she headed off towards the Library.
Olivia looked out over the
university and the city from the rooftop café after finishing her meal. ‘I have
called Urbs Aeterna home all my life, and yet I hardly understand it.’ That was
one reason why she was studying Aurora’s history. It was the history of her
home.
Freya looked at the directory in
the Grand Atrium again. “Renaissance Art of Aurora, should be in the
Renaissance Section.” She found that it was. “Of course.” But, was Alexia still
in the Information Science Section?
She decided to see if Alexia was
still there or not first.
She found that Alexia had left.
‘Not surprising, she had to go to lunch herself.’ She then headed to the
Renaissance section.
The afternoon passed, Freya read
about various Auroran artists from the Renaissance, many of whom she had known
about, but she learned more about the context of their works. But she soon
found some mysteries. Some of them had mysteriously stopped their work, and others
works had been lost over time, even from the University’s art gallery.
She wondered about those
mysteries as she headed back to Sigrun Sigurdottir Hall late in the afternoon.
It was obvious to her that there was a link between them. ‘But what?’ She
didn’t want to get involved in conspiracy theories. ‘I’ll have to be very
careful.’
Olivia also found some
discrepancies in some of the records following the Capture of Urbs Aeterna.
‘But some of the records could have been lost over time, despite the University
as it existed at that time meticulously recording events.’ She looked at the
time. 4.53. ‘I better get back,’ she decided.
She headed back to Janus Hadrian
Lodge on a ground level path, as she didn’t want to get the sun in her eyes.
At dinner, Freya joined Dana and
a few others. She filled Dana in on what the professors said.
“See, you were worried about
nothing,” Dana said.
Freya nodded. “But it’s natural
to be worried, given how difficult some years of school were.”
“That’s true. But I see there’s
something else on your mind.”
“There are some mysteries from
the Renaissance I have found.”
“And what are those?” Dana
asked.
Freya then explained what she
had found about the artists and missing works.
“That’s certainly something,”
Dana said.
“But I’ll need to be careful. I
don’t want to be involved in conspiracy theories.”
“Of course not.”
“So, I’ll need to research
carefully. Try not to make spurious connections, and ask for second opinions on
everything,” Freya said.
“That’s the best you can do.”
“So, you want to help me?”
“Me? You know I’m studying
Entomology. I only know the outline of Auroran history and most of what I do
know is after Munnsland was added to Aurora,” Dana answered.
“Maybe it’s an opportunity for
you to learn more.”
“I’ll consider it.”
“Thanks.”
At the same time, Olivia
returned to Janus Hadrian Hall. She had spent the afternoon looking at more
records from the Capture of Urbs Aeterna, as well as the analyses by historians
in later centuries. Most of the later historians, especially those in the
Renaissance had only hinted at the inconsistencies. There was one thing she was
thinking of. That people within the University had hidden the information. ‘But
there is no proof, and I don’t want to go down a rabbit hole that leads to
conspiracy theories.’ She decided to seek out others who would help. ‘At least
I will talk to Janara about it.’
Janara saw Olivia enter the room.
“What’s up?”
“Oh, What we talked about at
lunch.”
“You found more?”
Olivia nodded. “Yes. I would
like help.”
“That’s not my area. You would
be better off with classmates.”
“I have met one today, Flavia,
but you would have a different viewpoint.”
“I’ll think about it,” Janara
responded.
“Thanks.”
