#anywhere

Ash seems to get the reference but frowns "YOu must be mistaken"

"Nope... jerk ass troll came in with a finder's fee situation..was going to turn over a whipping girl.. guess she was supposed to take the licks for when little Ellie was bad. Seems stupid to me, but what do I know about how noble kids are raised. " He shrugs "So I let him have his say to the boss. She didn't like it.. took him outside ready for a scuffle... and then put me to work on him"

Big eyes.

"So no finder's fee, and we got ourselves a whipping girl for ellie there" He says

"I don't think the Countess would DO that," Fontaine frowns "The whipping girl part i mean"

Ash's voice goes a bit crisp "I'll talk to the countess and clear this up. "

"You guys calling me liar?" Sir Phobos 's eyes flicker with something dangerous

Ariel scoots behind Ellie

well, scoo splosh, they're in the water

"She is not!"

"No one is, Sir Phobos.. I believe every word of what you saw happened" Ash says "I do think that perhaps the Freeholder's intentions are not to hand a whipping girl over for ..well, some sort of scape goat"

"Nope, Burro... little donkey girl" he says but simmers down as no one is calling him a liar

"Another little girl?" She seems to be calculating a third bed in the princess room...

"Is she our age?" Ariel seems to be thinking she may end up in a bunk

"Looked it.. didn't much care" Phobos says, his eyes having a proud gleam "I got to be champion again."

"Oh, you're very strong. Except you have to be careful for when you need the other kind of strength."

"Huh?" He grunts

Ariel whispers "Careful..he's a redcap" she says as if that isn't obvious. "They can get mean"

"He'll need the springs, so we have to go. Thank you, Mister Fontaine, for letting us play."

"Any time ..." he says "Well, any time someone doesn't need healing..." Fontaine shrugs apologetically

"yes, thank you, Mister Fontaine" And Ariel scoots out

The little Countess follows, pausing to retrieve the ball.

Ash rises to go as well...though perhaps to go check on her liege "You girls okay?"

"He is gonna be in trouble when he can't just bite his way out..." Concerned.

"Mmm maybe," Dame Ash says "But he IS Champion here, and he earned at pennons and battle. He chimerically died once to help the Countess, I'm told. And he stays loyal. Whatever may think of him, we should respect that he has been most effective."

"He died? Like winter took a chunk of his soul and he can't never get it back?" Ariel's eyes are huge.

"Soemthing like that" she nods

"I know, but I sa-..." She stops, looking from Ash to Ariel and back.

"Go ahead," Ash says gently "I shouldn't have interrupted and I want to understand"

"I saw it."

"Saw what?" Ariel asks confused

Ash's brows go up "Ah. "

"Ariel, why don't we get one dry stuff and go find the new little girl?"

"Sure, sounds like she could use a friend or at least nice folks" Ariel rises

"Exactly."

The two girls go to change into something dry. Leaving Ash behind. I'm getting rusty with childlings

***************************************************
Zara's phone rings.

"...Hello?"

On the phone, she doesn't whisper - though still soft spoken, with a hint of an accent.

"Hello. This is Jessica King. May I speak with Zara, please?"

"Aye, this is her. It seems fortune is on my side, I had need to contact you..."

"You did?" puzzled.

"Aye..."

"It seems.. pray, forgive, I know only a part of this... I believe there is a trafficking problem, and Renaissance seems to be part of the chain."

"Add in that a Paler-spawn has cropped up..."

"How did you know about that??"

"Jessica, you know what I am. I have sources."

"But... I wish to know more. May I come visit?"

A pause. "Yes." Firm, sure.

"I will make some haste."