#anywhere

"There are Scathach like me?"

Siv is surprised

"With a similar...uniqueness..very rare. And the Scathach don't talk about it," Jude ponders, "Olaitha ap Leanhaun... yes, I know of her rep. I'll definitely alert more about her activities. Maybe we can bring something official to this, carnival is not carte blanche for such a trail of blood."

"Thank you, Excellency." Frank bows.

"You're welcome, Sir Knight" Jude smiles "How's the wife? she still likes slushies?"

A grin behind the beard. "She does."

"Slushies?"

Siv is baffled, "mom doesn't seem the slushie type"

"Oh your mother has depth," Jude says "Only your father knows all her layers, but she's an amazing woman no doubt."

"Well, what'd you expect?" Siv says "my mother's the shacklebreaker"

Check yourself before ya Brekke yourself

Siv jumps as the walls echo "What was that?"

"Oh we take the 4th wall a little less seriously here, you get used to it" Jude smiles, "Now, about that cutlass. You took it in battle. But I think I might have a plan to use it as bait to get that baroness... but it's not my bait to use. So... would you be interested in a trade?"

*ROTF*

"I doubt I know all the layers, Excellency... but I am honored that I know what I do."

"Trade? I.. I don't know, Trade ddoesn't seem as .... impressive as taking it in battle..." Siv says. "I want to say not as honorable, but vanity probably is involved...."

"Loan?"

Jude glances over to the wall of flame on his left "Armory" And the passage opens , a tunnel "Follow me, for a bit will you? Both of you, of course"

Frank mptions Siv to follow the Count, and then Frank follows her.

She follows after "What if the walls collapse on us? I mean... are we crushed, or burned?"

"Why not both ? Never settle for one thing when you can have a whole swath of experience." Jude smiles.

Siv gives her dad a look and mouths 'he's a weirdo'

Frank frowns at Siv.

"It's okay Frank, I am a weirdo" Jude says

Siv turns purple 'how did..."

"We're in my hold, dear girl, and I've been a part of it so long little happens that I don't feel, see, hear, ..and god help me, smell. Thank you both for showering at the trucker stops"

DEFINITELY blush on Siv's face at that. And then she forgets to be embarrassed. There are rows of weapons, but theo ne Jude leads her to is cutlasses, Rapiers, sabres! Weapons known for use by sailors, buccaneers and privateers.

"It's... you could outfit a whole crew with this" she blurts

"We are by the sea, Siv." The Count says, "I even have a ship , the flying Dutchman ride? Don't use it much."

"Yes, if the Count allows." Frank answer premptively.

A grin, then Siv looks at the weapons "Wait, the trade, one of thse for the cutlass?"

"Either forever, or temporarily..." Jude says "Each one of these has a story too. Quill, this rapier here, once owned by the Bard Dyol. Upon that weapon, he wrote the end of evil more times than I can count. This cutlass, held by the pirate Sharinna Redpearl, a seductress and swordswoman extroidnaire... and the thief of the lamp of Aladdin. That sabre? Wielded by Lady Tideharvest ap Fiona, a privateer for the Queen of Pacifica."

Siv gapes.

Frank is expressionless, watching.

"I... " Siv looks at her father "I'd like your advice, father."

"The rapier."

"I ..yes, I have enough piratical thoughts without Redpearl's influence" She jokes

"Though the seductress gifts sounds fun if anything passed on" Siv looks tempted "And privateers are honorable pirates... Tideharvest. Good name" But her eyes go back to the rapier, "May I hold each ? See which fits? I have ah..bigger hands being a troll and ..."

"Understood" Jude says "Go ahead. Most adust for size"

"Or you'd not offer" Siv realizes, "Clever. "

Siv tries each weapon in turn, she likes Quill's elegance. The Cutlass' heft, and the Sabre's speed. "They're each so fine..."