#anywhere

"To make someone family. Jaymes and Tove adopted me, and I took the oath back to be their daughter. It's.. like, you can feel it. It's like standing on rock instead of sand."

"ooo" And.. yeah, envy. Not enough to be mean or bitchy, but it's there. To just get the family that was already happening, and have the dreaming constantly telling you... "It tells you.. lets you know it really is real" Half question, half understanding

She nods. "So - if you find the right people, that's an option. But listen to Lin and Dani - you want to be sained first. I know, it feels like forever right now."

Colton stares out a window looking for..well, Sylvi

"Longest year of my life" Gwen admits under her breath

"Totally."

"Why a year and a day? Why not seven months? Seven is lucky? Three is magical. Three months. Boom Done. Magic"

She shrugs. "Tradition."

"Well, I didn't vote for it" but she smiles and surrenders to it

"Yeah, I feel ya. But it's good, because you get some leeway when you screw up as a fledge. I got sained and boom - I'm a Knight and a Gwydion and I got all these new expectations."

"yeah but.. it feels good to have a purpose. It's like...where .." Unsure "I guess Duty or at least purpose makes me feel centered?"

She nods. "Troll thing, yup."

"Like - if all you can be sure of is you're protecting, like, Marigold and Bluebell and the rest from harm, you're doing what you were born for."

Connor giggles from where he was grabbing another snack. “Duty is the WORST part of being Knights. Especially the horse duty.”

“You have so many more horses. It must be so much more duty.,”

"That's why I have a Squire." She grins.

His nose wrinkles with a grin.

"If anyone came near Marigold or Bluebell with harmful intent they better get used to counting in base zero because they won't be having anything to hold a weapon against htem again"

Gwen turns 'oh.. hi"

"Exactly. Gwen, this is Connor. My squire."

"Hello, Squire" She gives a troll salute

"Briar talks about you" She adds "I think she misses you. Oh, she got her teeth "

“Oooooooooh. Then we’re even, because I have lots of teeth too, and I found my bark. It’s on the trees.”

Gwen smiles

(And everyone gets shoved into The SIlver Wolf Room as panels collide)

The sound of laughter and music carries from the ballroom, but Dagmar has managed to escape notice. As she walks down the hallway, with paintings watching her with so-familiar eyes and that smile she sees on her squire's face. An echo of music comes from down another hallway - it sounds like Cassius did find the wine cellar, but is still there sampling rather than bringing back as directed.

Gwen can be heard by Dagmar going "That was close"

He doesn't LOOK irish, but the voice warbling from downstairs has picked up a touch of brogue in his cups.

"I saw Eve go pickin‟ apples off a tree,
She came over and she offered one to me; I said,
Now look here Madam, Go and try your luck with Adam.
And went home and had some fish & chips & tea."

Dagmar avoids the singer and the fledge.

If she can't find the horses, she can at least find outside.

For once, Dagmar might feel the stealthy one. Those footfalls of the stone girl are bit too heavy

Outside, the Horses are guarded by a wolfhound - what was his name - ah, Fort, his collar says. He watches Dagmar approach, but does not stir. He is a wise Fae hound, and knows guest from raider.

Dagmar props her elbows on the top rail, and rests her chin on folded arms to watch the horses. Most of them are drowsing, but that's alright.

Gwen peeks in on the drunkard..

Oh, there is an empty bottle of one of dusty top shelf wines empty at his hooves, and he has another that he is tugging at the cork to.
"Hic.... whiskey in the jar... No, that 'un's played out even for me..."

Gwen says "Are.. you okay?"

He grins up at her, happily muzzy-eyed. "Izzat you, Dani-darlin? Come down for a drink?"

"Ah, thanks no" She says wrinklinbg her nose "Not big on the firewater"

She's willing to sip, but this smell reminds of her ..well, her dad

(Dagmar) Dagmar might hear the dogs in the kennels getting excited about..something. Not like an intruder...the barks are more like eager confusion?

A frown, and she goes to see what it might be.

Cassius chuckles. "You never forgave me. Oh, what's the use? I'll be a maudlin mandolin... a mandolin maudlin... a singer of sad songs!" And he starts to warble another tune - seemingly intent on his bottle.

(Dagmar) There's a Tube in the kennel, like one might get in an agilty course. It seems to adjust side. The dogs enter in one side. .and should come out the other.. they nose around ..and somehow find themselves on the starting side... or even on top of it looking confused. They smell something they like IN the tube.. but seem to be unable to find it

"I'm sorry you lost her" Gwen says then "Forgave what?"

"Oh, lost can be found, but b- bi- big blue elephants never forget... called her Linn once, just once..." He chortles, then winces, then hiccups.

Dagmar kenns the tube.

"Linnae or.. oh no" Gwen says "YOu didn't ..seduce BOTH thanes?"

"Not... su... su... successfully." He croons ruefully.

(Dagmar) There is glamour, some kind of fuddle veil thing ... maybe a portal passage. but nothing malefic. Pranksome perhaps

(Dagmar) Nochka barks a bit at Alexei - out of her way! He backs off and she stalks into the tube... only to pop out again, looking confused. Her head tilts. Aroo?"