#anywhere

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Salma asks the boggans but they says "Zane? The Jersey boy?"

"Si, he is lost and forlorn, and must go to pay the piper." She nods, eyeing the fresh bread cooling for supper.

"We did not see him, but we shall look" The fresh bread smells SO good while it's still just a litttle bit hot

"Maybe I could help you out? I am good at slicing, they call me Salma 10-Fingers, because I never cut even one."

Maria says "Sometimes, the bread seems JUST a bit shorter when we let others help"

Rosa fusses "maria, what a thing to say ,she is just a child."

Salma blinks, all innocence. "If such a thing were to occur, we can only blame the baker, if it is so irresistible that it brings in thieves off the street, so good does it smell." Forlorn.

"Mmm" Maria says "Flattery should not be rewarded"

"Oh but Maria, look at that face" Rosa protests

"Oh fine... "
Maria surrenders "Help and you will earn a piece Of it for your pay mm?"

A bright smile. "Si!" And she will help, and take the bread to go when done, to keep looking - bolstered by fresh bread for energy!

Her strategy seems to work

"She's going to kill me, you can't tell" A voice says.. Zane's voice!

A long ear pricked, she follows the voice...

"She might" A nod Ashe's voice "Really, why on Earth did you do it?"

"I wanted to see if it could be done.. the erngy of the hold.. the healing springs.. it made sense it could work on more than just flesh"

Silent steps, she watches Ahpuch to learn from the best... and a peek around the corner.

Zane looks low on glamour ,and he seems to be carrying a small staff, or a cane... it has and odd scarring on the center of it as if took a hard hit there

"The treasure wasn't evil, it was how it was used. " Zane says "This can be used for some good things"

A treasure? She pricks her other ear, listening curiously.

"Only there's a wwitch who might not like you unbreaking what she broke" Ash says

"YUP.. and I'm like a third leveler working behind a 12th leveler's back"

"Then a word of advice for you" Dame Ash says

"Sure" he says

"Don't speak at a normal volume if you're worried a sluagh might over hear you" Ash says

"Crap" Zane mutters

Then hoof beats, small ones

Salma ducks back behind the corner and looks around - that sounds like Ariel!

Ariel! About to 'find' Zane and claim victory!

A finger held to her lips and she gestures to Ariel, her ears tilted towards the corner...

Twitch, twitch, like two antennae.

Sadly, Ariel notices her.. ahd she NOT noticed she could have claimed victory, instead she makes a sour face admiting she lost and scoot slides next to the pooka "Darn it. I went to the wrong side first" a whisper

But now Zane is whispering, and it is MUCH harder to hear him

A sigh, and she says aloud to Ariel, "I don't know, Amiga, maybe Dama Ash will know where he went off to?"

"IF youre looking for Zane I found him" Dame Ash says

"Sorry, girls didn't know you were looking for me" Zane says

"The Princesca's music tutor sent us." Salma nods solemnly. "She says that you ran off. But she didn't say you had a treasure. Por favor, what does it do? Will you show us?"

"No" he says honestly "It is not a treasure for Spring, it is a Treasure for SUmmer and while it might BE summer, it is not your summer..." Zane says

Ariel says "What's THAT supposta mean"

"Is it a summer of discontent?"

A frown, "I thought that was winter."

"It's a summer heat and I will not risk burning the innocent" Zane says then makes a gesture with his hand to the side "The brujo has spoken"

Ariel huffs

A glance to Ariel, and a small frown. "It is not very nice to keep secrets. In our own home! You were to be -our- brujo."

"Perhaps I am your brujo and keep this secret to protect you, perhaps, sometimes, a witch , a good witch, owes not just his or her lore, but when it is wiser and kinder, they owe silence"

He says, hoping he sounds like it makes sense

A donkeyish snort. "If it is so dangerous, it should be locked away and not played with." A sage nod. "Right, Dama Ash?"

Zane says "Wrong" ANd looks at Dame Ash, "I got this, Dame Ash. I have a little sister" And he looks down at both girls "I'm going to tell you two something you don't want to hear. Sometimes, when folks tell you no, when you are held from something, what folks are saying is 'they care for you, and will not let you come to harm' and 'you are not ready for this YET'. There is a wheel, a cycle, a turning, and you are not at the right part of it for somethings. I am. That is not a plot against you, or even unfair. It is what we all go through. It is life. It is time. It is the way. And all our protests, or complaints, or even barbs, do not change that. You will learn this, Salma of the Thistle tongue, when you yourself take up the tasks of being a wizardress. You will understand."

Dame Ash WAS about to speak, but stops