#anywhere

"Ah - but you are a Baron with a gift for song and many friends."

"Truly, if I thought 'title' had aught to do with power..." A little sniff.

"Oh Zara," Quinlan laughs "You're a delight but you are a bit of an elitist in your own way. I Suppose I could pass on a good word to the Bandiach.. the Duchess. She married a Gwydion, who knows what she might do next? But a song mmm maybe. But if I do a song, it will likely include your own exploits to balance it out"

"May I at least beg a pseudonym? Let it be the Raven who did aught. The Ghost. Let it be Manynames."

"And I think your Duchess and her Gwydion would not mind seeing Balor stymied."

"I promise to use an alternative name for you" He agrees, "It adds spice to the tale. ANd you're likely right, but House LIam is making enough advances as far as the DUchess is concerned. That principality..." He shakes his head.

Earl raises a brow to Zara. Looks like the Daireann is about to blab.

"What principality? Know you something a sluagh does not?"

"Oh, well, maybe more than a sluagh on the East Coast would know, forgive" He says "It turns out that the Kingdom of the Feathered Serpent has had some serious drama... and stepping into it? DUke Tierone ap Liam. Duke Topaz ap Gwydion, a fine troll, is facing great battles in the mainland... but the Baja peninsula had had problems of a different sort and Tijuana in particular. As it is important to pacifica, the nobles of this kingdom were getting antsy to say the least about it...

pressure was mounting, he could not afford to divide full forces. Thanks to an ally of House LIam in the region helping stablize it, well, House Liam was able to make an offer to govern it."

"My old friend Tierone? Aye.. "

"Well, your old friend, always a Duke, carved a Princiapality out of a kingdom and rules it now. "

Earl chokes "Good lord."

"Still - that is a far way from one county in Grass. Perhaps the tactic may be to speculate a Banner house may cause division in the Liam. They do not act outside of the House itself..."

"now come , my Duchess isn't dense. She's will aware the house is fairly united and a banner house won't change that. Still.... her dislike of Balor DOES far outstrip her distaste for the Oathbroken House." A low whisper "She finds Count Jude too smug but you didn't hear it from me."

Earl fights a smile at this 'news' about Jude, "Isn't that a shock, Zara?"

A snort.

"Jude is not a good host."

"ooo I see. He's always been polite to me ,a bit flaymboyant but mmm well, that's two women whose judgement I trust so..." The Baron says.

"Ah, so since you trust Zara's judgment, you see why it's not just in her interest to help Sir August?" Earl says

The Baron looks at Earl, then glances at Zara "He's quicker to leap on a loophole, but still not quite subtle enough I see. " A sip "Oh I'll talk to her. I just don't want to get your hopes up. And yes I'll make a song"

"Oh, I ask not for promises. Only charm. You are one of the most personable sidhe that I know."

"You're too kind," he says "Troubadour training has its perks as does hosting. One needs must learn to read an audiance. Well, of course you have what charm I have to give at your service. Old time's sake. YOu know I STILL get request for the Ode To Loksyr ? After all these years?"

A blush. "After he himself has been lost..."

"I'm glad to have met far more agreeable Aesin since then" he says "now, Earl...about your part in my song..."

"Oh.. please don't... my family, most of them don't know I'm a knight and... if word got out" he says

"Ah, but Sir Herne, the Hunter of the Ivory Hind..."

Earl blushes furiously.

"I see what you mean about your purple phase, Earl" The Baron smiles but also reassures "Sir Herne, Hunter of the Ivory Hind. You have a way with words, Zara."

"Is it not the loveliest shade?" Fondly.

"My lady" the purple troll says

"I would not argue on that" Quinlan says but is kind enough not to press the poor troll "You two seem more relaxed about your relationship. I'm glad you've lasted."

"Aye." A smile, and she reaches to take Earl's hand.

That has Earl nod "So am I. We..well.. she is the reflected moonlight on the river that guides me." And he takes her hand in return.

"Even the beanbag could not sever us."

"Beanbag? Oh there's a story, please..."

"Oh, it is..." And so, tea and stories - this a most epic saga of a trivial subject...

Earl insists on getting at least a few minutes for rebuttal

Quinlan is delighted, particularly at how the situation snowballed.

Zara has pictures!

The Baron looks at the pictures then says "Earl. I want to support you. But I have to tell you, the women of my house have killed people for less."

Smug!

Earl sighs resigned.

A kiss.

"Now a nice papasan chair maybe... in a sun room .. or in your case a moon room maybe"

Earl smiles as Zara is gracious in her victory with a kiss.

And he shows pictures of the house

"Oh my, Zara this is... this is ideal, it's so very proper a house and yet winsome." the Baron says admiring it.

"Is it not a delight? As is school..."

Time is lost in the most pleasant of ways as old friends catch up and exchange stories. Quinlann reveals a few tidbits he probably shouldn't, but Zara knows just what to do with that knowledge.. The tea is wonderful, and before they must part Earl ends up selling two paintings (Ones on the smartphone that he will have delivered) for upcoming samhain celebrations later, Zara will be gifted with a book wrtiten by a sluagh Doctor Franklin and I... oh, it's a slaugh who claims to have befriended Ben Franklin's ghost and is a copy of their conversations! Is it fiction? is it real? Oh discussions abound. And yes, he will talk to his duchess about this chance to nettle House Balor.