#anywhere

It's done easily enough. He doctors the interior of the glasses, and the wine itself under the guise of cleaning and pouring.

It goes so smoothly.

The boggan hums as he putters back and forth, and then out. He nods to CC but doesn't draw attention to himself.

UNfortunately, there's always some risk in these situations of a third party.

A third party not as talented as you.

Possibly the thinnest boggan he's ever seen, more like a street urchin from a Dicken's story than the hearth spirits that birthed them, a childling tries to slip behind a throne set up. Set up or not, the gemstone implanted is valuable, and the childling boggan is going after it, bold as brass

William hesitates; he looks around to determine who is watching.

As of yet? NO one. But in about a five count, the troll thane who patrols will turn corner and find the child

and having seen this thane's lickspittle nature, there is going to be no mercy

"Psst. Get down from there at once. Shoo!"

Good lord, that little scarecrow of a boggan is a girl. Spotted by him, she grows fearful, then she mouths something at him and scrambles for it faster... he's learned enough to read lps, and the phrase muttered is dear to his heart "Sic semper tyrannis"

"Hmph." Still, he is tempted to follow.....

And the Thane turns the corner. The idiot girl is about to be seen. Damn.. allow it, don't allow it?

"Good Thane!" the one-eyed boggan calls him, gets his attention.

And it works. The urchin fights a gasp , she has ,she thinks, been betrayed

"Yes?" the Thane turns to him "Is all well for our lords and ladies?"

He leads the troll away. "Actually, I need your help for a moment....."

"Good boggan I am afraid I must continue on my rounds" But he follows "if you need help with the refreshments.. I would suggest talking to the steward"

"Yes, could you just point that good person to me? Over there, somewhere, are they?"

"Surely you remember from the interview? " He huffs "I fear they rushed this. " And he gestures to another boggan

Meanwhile, the imp has realized she just got saved, and... used it to get away.

But not before taking that gem from the throne!

"Ah! I see now, thank you so much." And he bustles away, cursing himself.

Soon this place will go bonkers if even ONE Person notices that missing stone. Persons can be very unobservant, but the more folks, the more chances someone will catch on! He must hope the wine is drank first.

Ah, good news. One Noble woman takes a drink

The wine is praised ,and others approach.

CC has definitely starting guiding folks there, her part a humble troubadour

And stums some old timey medieval music to play to their sensibilities

After a few sips, the drinkers will begin to simply pass out, incapacitated.

And when they start fainting... the guards get confused and...

CC is by his side whispering "Drugging I knew about, but stealing their gemstone? You realize it's only a matter of time before some thane realizes you took that. Let's get out of here"

"Not me, but I saw it done. And was seen. Yes, we should go."

And they slip out, the guards so unsure what to do in a MEDICAL situation that they don't see the two party crashers getting out.

They step out into the hedge rows outside the hold.

The rustling in the hedges is slight, very quiet

but then, William has worked with sluagh. The girl boggan is nearby trying to trace them, perhaps for a way out. She's got good stealth skills, but she's forgetting to make the hedges work for her sound wise, not just visibly

He reaches into the hedge to fish her out.

And YURP..he's got her

CC says "Well well, so this is the not me" A blink "Good lord the girl is half starved"

"And stupid." grimly.

"I am not stupid" She tries for a kick at him despite being hoisted up. While she's working on that, CC defly picks the stolen gem from her hand.

"HEY, that's mine, I stole it fair and squre" The girl hisses

"Well, it's stupid to loosen your grip on the prize, or for that matter to hold it in one hand when you should tuck it somewhere unseen" CC says "And stop trying to kick him. He's useful to me"

"What do we do with her?

"That stone is worth enough to feed the DUCHY in glamour, you gottan give it to me so I can feed it to the people" The boggan says "Come on. Don't be Sheriff of nottingham"

"She's up on her stories" CC says "And she has stopped trying to kick him. I'm for shushing her geently and taking her some place we can learn more about this gem. " She eyes him "She's not wrong. It's BUSTING with energy"

"Will you come along with us?" he glowers; the alternative doesn't look good.

"Fine. You tried to help me so I guess, but not every boggan buys into that seelie 'repay all debts' trap"

William shakes her slightly, sets her on her feet. "Mind your manners." he keeps a hand on her.