The Dun Pennot Library

Hans shakes his head.

"Strategic disadvantage, the Aurikai would have had time to prepare fortifications, and even then they'd need to fight through the Aurikai fleet. We'd see them coming miles off. They'd land somewhere else, take the beachhead from the land and then force the Aurikai to retreat back into their ships, then starve them out, if they were intelligent."

He's given some thought to tactics, clearly.

"...andh wat eef dhe Aurikai- ay hope eet iz noht- buht- wat eef dhey arr running?"

"Then they will be sandwiched between the forces of the Dark and the nations of Xenos. I hope to unite us with them, if only to prevent the loss of life that would occur should they panic and attack us. An invasion could prove extremely costly to both sides in the long run."

"Dhen ay weesh yu lukk. Dhe Gods know yu weel need eet."

"I should hope they do. This threatens many races. I just hope I can stop what might come."

He sighs and shakes his head. Clearly feeling the weight on his shoulders.

"Du noht worry too heavfily. Yu weel noht be alon een dhis."

"No, but factoring in others makes it harder. It's not easy to predict what others will do in response to events out of my control. Everything becomes relative."

"Divah andh dhe Library weel hang back. Dhe Wolves weel tilt. Dhe rest weel eidhr follow, ohr freeze...uhnles yu deed noht mean dhe Seekrs?"

"I meant anything and anyone present. Factors are difficult to account for, people especially, and I do not know how anyone other than the seekers will react to separate matters."

"Deal widh dhat when eet happns. Eef yu try tu calculayt every leetle dhing, yu won't haf tyme tu reakt."

He nods

"Yes, but then there's an area of uncertainty. It's difficult finding a balance."

"Lyfe iz diffikult. Death iz eazi. Ay rekkomendh yu keep eet diffikult."

Hans chuckles and smiles, the joke about her nature lightening the conversation.

"Well, I'll endevour to not crash into the underworld again, I think."

"Dhat wuud be guud."

On the far side of the library, hidden in a side room, a dwarf with bright red curly hair is firmly ensconced on a huge pile of theology books. The one on her lap is currently open at 's' and she is jotting notes furiously in a small notebook. She suddenly stops writing, absorbed by the current paragraph "Oh, tha' is no' good." She mutters, selecting a book from her impromptu throne and flicking through it. She finds what she was looking for and cross-references with the first book "No' good at all..." She clicks her fingers and vanishes.
Minutes later, a librarian pokes her head around the door. She spots the pile of books and with darkly muttered curses begins the task of re-shelving them. Hidden at the bottom, she finds a small wrapped box with the words 'Thank You' written on it. She pockets the gift and, smiling to herself, finishes her task.