#anywhere

'it quite shows, Miss Schwartz. oh to have time for a proper tea. your reputation precedes you, of course. young jacob is not loosel ipped, but he is stilla childling and likely to share where a wilder might not. "

"Ah!"

'Yes, though you are somewhat famous, and better yet, infamous, within certain conversations."

"I was, indeed, thinking of hosting a tea now that I have properly arrived. Would it not be a way to show respect?"

"..ah.. infamous?"

"in the best way, I assure you." he says of the infamous term. "And oh, if you invite anyone, you must invite first and foremost Madame Ana Biosis . You may have noticed her on the Catwalk. She is something of the grandame of our kith here."

"With the stole? Aye."

"Oh yes, quite ...it is so dreadfully out of fashion, and thus perfect. Fur is murder.. not for her, a murderER maybe. Wonderful woman, quite insane without the tedium of bedlam you know?"

"Insane, or visionary -nu?"

"Ah, yes, it is a faded squiggly line. she was once quite the hellraiser, scandalous really. it is said during the accordance war she once stopped a sidhe general by whispering two words, which caused him to withdraw his forces. to this day no one knows what"

"A heroine." She nods. "Now... who holds the fire here? One of our own?"

"not a 'one' of anything, rather a small Motley. Three of them. " he says

"Aye?"

"Forgive me, miss Zara, but I am highly interested in stories I hear of you? One hears stories of ..balor lamentations?"

"I am no friend of snake and serpent. But this place? How many ears abide?"

'oh, not so many.. you see that pot seemingly bubbling for no purpose?" he gestures to one with a smile "It veils the voices of those I wish. "

Veiling SOUND itself? How novel

A nod. "So.. aye. The Balor earned my wrath."

'oh lovely. What an interesting coversation that might turn to be... as for the three, no one knows who they are. You see... they each have masks...magical ones. they could be anyone here.it's... delicious."

Eyebrow. Nod.

"why i could be one... were it not my ability to vouch for myself. The masks are beyond fuddles... even sluagh sight cannot seem to identify kith, nor gender"

"You jest, sir..."

"about myself ? Oh yes. About the masks? no. Most amazing. "

"I am intrigued."

" indeed, why sluagh with a pulse, no matter how slow and cool, would not be? Madame Ana Biosis has offered a prize to the first sluagh who uncovers the mystery. Of course," A low whisper "There are some who say what better way for her to keep tabs if She herself is one of them?"

A wry smile. "Indeed."

"Others wonder if the three aren't eshu who take turns? it is a very Eshu like place..." He gestures beyond his shaded booth where one Eshu woman dances inside flames untouched.

"And still others..ah but now we wax far from known truth and instead go into raw conjecture. Frustrating as it isi ntriguing"

She nods. "And the Eiluned?"

"ah, the baron knows better than to rule with an iron hand... at least one that does not come with a velvet glove."

"Yet he watches."

"He and his spymaster, aye" A sigh

"The boggan."

"Ah, you've met the professor I see? You work rapidly, Miss Zara"

"Tis necessary. I must survive here, and I am new."

"Aye, yes. You are living in that lovely Queen Anne, yes?"

She nods.

"As Jacob said, I'm sure?"

"not so bluntly, you'll beh appy to know, but he did ask for advice in how to penetrate 'the upper level'"

A long-suffering sigh.

"Siblings."

"Ah yes..." A few more secrets are shared, traded... and the gent offers a oil that smells to childlings as their least favorite food.

Hm. Fresh cotton candy. Jacob shan't go near it.

Earl returns "honey, sorry to bother you, but there's a guy who says I can become the worlds' greatest painter but I need to take classes at the crossroads. For a reasonable fee."

Oh yes. He's in troll brain mode tonight. Sigh

The doctor hands her the prized oil, and the nods sympathetically "Another time. Miss Schwartz."

And Zara will remind her troll, (Hopefully) that this is a Bad idea and lead him to enjoy other parts of the Pocket.

(End scene)