"How long have you been….Well?"
Turning, Fable gave him a closed mouth smile that didn't seem to reach her eyes. "290 years, 20 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes, and 32 seconds."
That said she went back to ignoring him. At last, the pair made it to what appeared to be a break in the endless line of bookshelves. It was like a clearing in a forest or something along those lines. It was like a living room, a fire was roaring in an ancient grate. There was also a series of moth eaten chairs and sofas. Bunny had managed to take up a spot close to the fire; Tooth was flitting around the room, while her fairies took her orders and flew off every five or so seconds. North was occupying himself in decorating the drab mantle with stockings. Sandy was simply float sleeping again.
Fable gestured to an open spot away from the fire, and then sped out of the living room, disappearing in the labyrinth of books yet again. Shaking his head, Jack threw himself into a leather sofa. Turning, North took notice of the stunned look on the winter spirit's face. "What's wrong Jack….. Oh, you saw books huh?"
Slowly he nodded. "Yeah, I saw books…. Do they all walk?"
Glancing over her shoulder, Tooth answered his question. "Yep, makes it easier for one spirit to manage such a big library. Humans never stop printing books, and Fable is charged with collecting every single one of them."
Leaning, forward Jack laughed. "This place can't be that big."
There was clink of porcelain, and the Guardians looked up. Fable stood before them, bearing a rather large wooden tray laden with an assortment of cups. "My domain is always growing Snow cone. Every book ever published is given a home here. I even take in homeless books, so I have extra copies of just about everything."
Putting the tray onto the coffee table, the knowledge spirit began to distribute the tea. "Bunny, I have a carrot tea infused with some cinnamon. It's a bit reminiscent of carrot cake."
That said, she handed Bunny the tie-dye tea cup. Turning to North she explained his beverage. "I managed to make a sort of gingerbread infusion with hints of peppermint. I think it does the Christmas holiday justice."
North took the largest of the cups she offered and he drank from it, smiling appreciatively. "Tooth, I made you a simple Green tea, I've read many articles that say this particular kind of tea is good for the teeth."
Nodding her approval, Tooth accepted her cup and took a delicate sip. Fable looked at Sandman and shrugged, leaving his cup of tea on the table for when he woke up. Turning to Jack, what little cheeriness she had seemed to blanch. "I took a wild guess and figured you weren't one for hot tea. So I made some iced breakfast tea with some mint in it."
She handed Jack the only glass out of the bunch, shrugging, he took a sip and shuddered. "Sugars on the tray have at it."