Somehow, the tower seemed bigger on the inside than it did on the outside. The walls of the tower were filled completely with books and a long twisting staircase reaching only to the 7th floor of the building.
They were greeted by a young, olive-skinned man with short curly hair and brown eyes. He wore what every other member of the tower was wearing. A white cloak with a grey hood. The Aestyr symbol (An open book on a bed of feathers) was stitched in the shoulder of the cloak. He welcomed the father and son with a warm smile
"welcome to the 213th branch of the Aestyr tower. I'll be your guide for today. My name is Earnest."
Earnest looked at Arthur from top to bottom, studying him, as if he was some kind of rare relic. He then Turned to Aster with a very calming smile, "shall I show you around the tower." Aster looked at his father who gave him a curt nod.
Earnest, guiding Aster through the maze of books that made up the Tower's second floor, took a good look at the boy beside him. The resemblance to his father was unmistakable. Both shared an ebony skin tone and obsidian-black hair. Features rarely seen on this continent, where most people were blonde or silver-haired. Arthur's reddish eyes were even rarer, a trait known only among the Torrens, a family from the distant continent of Tigor across the Sea of Hooson.
It made one wonder: what business did a family like theirs have in Darber, half a world away?
"So, little one." Earnest said, "what is your name, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Aster."
"Oh, a truly beautiful name. And what brings you to the Tower, little one?"
Not knowing how to handle the Keeper's attention, Aster blurted out the first explanation that came to mind.
"I heard this place is the center of all the world's knowledge, so I wanted to check it out."
Earnest fought the urge to laugh. He wondered if the boy knew anything about the world at all.
"Oh? Really?" he said, amused. "Tell me boy what do you actually know about the Tower?"
At this point Aster's mind wasn't on the scholar's questions, instead drawn to the myriad of books surrounding him. Not being able to decide which book to read first, he picked all his hands could carry and turned to the scholar asking to be directed to the reading area.
Earnest couldn't help but be amused by this child in front of him. Not only did the boy straight up ignore his question, but was also planning to read a pile of books that was arguably bigger than him. He smiled leading the boy to the reading area then took his leave back to the door of the tower to greet more guests.