Stringent adj. 1: tight, constricted, 2: marked by rigor, strictness, or severity, 3: marked by money scarcity and credit strictness
Diana shoved her nose farther into her book, hoping the proximity would help her concentrate.
It did not. While it did shield the targets of her ire from view, but not their vapid conversation from her ears.
She fumed. This was the library, for the sake of all that was good and holy! There were faith, which, given the offenders were living in the Solari they must at least make motions toward, and then there were the sacred rules of human civilization, like not talking in the library.
And especially not when they were making crap up about the little birds around the compound, when they could find out the truth so easily because they were in the freaking library!
She should go say something to them, Diana knew, instead of just glaring. Her stomach flipped even at the thought. Her glares tended not to have the desired effect, but then, neither did talking to people.
She wished Irene was here. She would shut those stupid girls up. But no, she was back in the depths of the library somewhere, far away and blissfully ignorant of what was happening in their sanctuary.
Then they burst out into a particularly obnoxious bout of laughter, and she simply couldn't bear it any longer.
By the time she stood she could feel her ears reddening. Still, she was in the right, and she kept telling herself that as she marched on leaden legs to tell off the wrong-doers.
"Um…excuse me," she muttered, trying her best to be authoritative while not quite looking either of them in the eye. She recognized both of them, but she wasn't sure whether that made it better or worse. "You're being…uh…a little loud. Would you mind talking somewhere else?"
They stared at her, their faces half twisted into sneers.
Why couldn't she just smite them with her words the way she did in her head, she wondered desperately as her face heated even farther. They were obviously in the wrong; why was she the one who was scared?
One of the girls leaned in to the other one and whispered something in her ear. They both giggled.
Diana's face burned hotter, though whether with rage or embarrassment she wasn't entirely sure. But she steeled herself. "If you're not going to leave, could you at least keep it down? So of us are trying to work."
"Don't worry, heretic," the whisperer drawled, condescending grin wide on her face. "We were just leaving."
The two got up and left, snickering to each other the entire way out of the library.
Diana returned to her seat. When she reached for the page, her hand was shaking.
But she was defender of what was right and good, and now she could get back to her reading. It was a good thing.
It was.