#anywhere

"A scathach hold?" Adedlaide gives a 'you can't be serious look' "Besides, I like Thane Tiffany. She's dedicated, innovative, and could murder a bus of rebel scum with 10 minutes or less of time for demolitions."

"Well, I like her too, and Vali REALLY likes her... but I'm not ready for him to move out of Rivervale. Maybe I can come up with another trade?"

"Like what? Most of your peers seem to dislike my countess.. short sighted of them."

"I agree it's short sighted, that said, there are others. How would she feel about a snake pooka prime for training? Eden might like it here, it fits the motiff of pseudo sinister." She looks at the dark marble of New Agengard.

"How dare you," Adelaide says imperiously looking around " This is home.. .and there's nothing pseudo about our sinister" a nod.

"My apologies," Gerd smiles just a bit, "but sometimes I think she longs for a touch of the darker side and no one could teach her better and she'd learn skills offered rapidly. She's bright."

"I don't know," Cards are checked, "Got anything in sluagh girls with a penchant for spying and witchcraft?"

"Go fish" Gerd says "We've got a boy but.well.. boy."

"Right" A sigh from the childling of House Eiluned. "Pity, My mentor isn't really trusting of sluagh boys."

"Oh... right, a history" Gerd says.

"I'm not at liberty to say," Adelaide continues "What if we offer you a troll? Thane Moritz is fine man, and Sally Mae seemed QUITE taken with him... give us Vali, you get him, and maybe I'll throw in a boggan who can help with gardening?"

"Sally Mae's family would FREAK If they ever heard she'd gone near an Eiluned Thane ,she should know better, no offense," Gerd says

"None taken, but she's a wilder kinian, and wilders are automatically drawn to the forbidden, particularly the forbidden romantic interest. They're hormonal that way" a smile behind cards "No offense."

"ha ha, none taken" She says "I doubt very much any of them would appreciate us trading them over cards. You sure this is good practice for rulership?"

"Certain aspects of it." The sidhe confirms, "It may seem cruel, but you have to step back and honestly access people not JUST as people, but resources... resources for your hold, your home, and your land and the people on it. Then you step forward again and take the person part back in again. "

"Seems awfully cold blooded at times," Gerd sighs.

"it absolutely is. Did you think we lived in warm times?" The younger girl raises a brow.

"I suppose not. Mmm.. how about Eden for Thane Moritz?"

"now that's interesting... tell me more on what Eden's interests are..."

And the girls play 'Go Fish', sip tea, and hone skills of intrigue.

(End scene)