#anywhere

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Dagmar's phone rings.

An unholy sound unfamiliar to millennials and zoomers - or if blessedly the sound is off, it vibrates - but doesn't STOP as it should after a single text alert.

The buzzing... or ringing... it continues.

Grumble. Answer. "'llo?"

"Hey." It's Symon! Not one who ever makes phone calls if he can avoid it. At least over the tech, he's only soft spoken and not truly whispering.

"Got a minute?" He sounds serious.

"Sure. What's up?"

"You're not going to like it." He says bluntly.

"Okay?"

She can practically hear him gumming at his lip.

"Nadeen's finally lost it." He finally says. "She's convinced that the only way to 'save' the Baron of Silverwolf is to sacrifice herself to some chimerical poltergeist so he can be happy? Or some shit like that. I think you might need to come up here and knock some sense into her."

"Sylvi's up here." He mentions. "But.. she's not you."

"Uh... she... right, I'll be up."

"Wait... there's something else."

"She did some sort of augury, to see what was needed for her to succeed at beating this thing." He pauses, and adds, "Apparently, it's your squire. He's the key. And since she wasn't willing to use him as a pawn, that's why she decided she needs to go full martyr."

A long, deadly quiet.

"Yeah. Yeah, I know." He reads what she's not saying. "Dagmar - you know me. I'm the last one who would say to put anyone out of their way for a Varich's grasp at power. I'm not saying what you should, or shouldn't do." He exhales. "But if anyone could keep him safe - keep them BOTH safe? It would be you."

"I have sworn to protect him, Symon."

“If.. IF what she said is right, though? If it is Fate. Is it protecting him, or hurting him to keep him from whatever is destined?”

A dry cough. “That’s the million dollar question.”

'Uhg. Magic. Why can't I hit something really hard?"

A dry huff of laughter. “Cuz then you wouldn't need me.”

"I don't... I... you think we need Connor?"

He relates the omen to her, as Nadeen told it to him. "Sun, and Son. Unless... do you think he has other kids out there?"

"I don't think so..."

"You could ask him what he thinks. I mean, he's a squire, not a toddler, right?"

"He's... he's still a kid."

"And he'll want to please me, and please his father, and..." Symon can HEAR the frown.

"Hey, it's your call. Just don't tell him then." Symon whispers. "That's why I came to you, and not to the kid."

"Dammit."

“Yeah. Hey- I’m not going to go. Not unless you need me there. I think being around would just make things harder on her. But I'll stay nearby?”

"Symon, I don't know what to do. We've got Silverwolf folk here, can't Nadeen just wait a few damn days?"

“Shit, I don’t know. She sounded like it was urgent. I mean, would she call me if it wasn't? You could ask her. But she didn't want you to know, so she might lie.”

"Uhg."

“You’re worth any half dozen Silverwolfers anyways. Silver…wolves? Whatever they go by.”

"But I mean, I got obligations with them here, I can't just... dammit, they're probably here because SilverWolf is in trouble..."

“I thought they were dog pimps.”

"Yeah, and why be dog pimps right NOW?"

"Who came with them? A bum legged knight and a fledge. They’re offloading their weak links, you ask me.”

"Yeah, exactly - protecting the fledge."

“So something must be going down now.” He shrugs, though she can't hear it.

"Goddamn it."

A bit of silence. "You want me along? I can stay out of sight. I'm not gonna drop a turd on your doorstep and not..." A pause. "Okay, I don't know where I was going with that analogy."

"Gotcha. Gonna text Nadeen to WAIT A DAMN DAY."

"Good luck."

Half sarcastic, but half sincere. She knows his tone.

"Thanks."

"I'm up at Dee Gee, they'll give me a three day. You need me somewhere, just text. K?"

"Can do."

A few moments, unsure if he's going to say anything else, then just. "Night, Might."

"Night, Symon. Thank you for letting me in the loop."