#anywhere

"No, no, my dear." his voice is soft, even weak "This is work I can do!"

"Oh, oh," A concernned sympathetic look

"Well, if you.. are willing to take a litle help. I'm Alexi.. Are you new here too?"

"Yes. I'm ever so grateful to have found a position, -any- position."

"Hard times for all sorts of folks" She agrees

"Thankfully we have people like the Duke and Duchess, hm?"

"Oh yes, mind you, they can't do it all have to work through folks... heralds, namers, knights, lesser nobles, agents of all stripes"

"Providing needful employment." his dear graying head wobbles in a nod.

"That's surely the case"

"And of course they have resources we all need." he points out "Without nobility caretaking where would we be?"

"well, yes, I suppose..." she nods obligingly "itt's a jungle out there with out them, and I like to think they need we boggans for the day to day"

"You are too young to remember the Resurgence, mm?"

"Much too young " Alexi admits "My parents are of Adam and Eve so it took a fostering just to get the stories. Wonderful times turned horrible but all's well that ends well I'm told"

"Oh, without question." he agrees warmly "You were fostered here?"

"Well, in the area, yes, by a boggan mentor of course who worked here. But I'm only newly positioned"

"I'm sure you do him credit." he pats her hand, pausing in his sweeping "But you see, that is exactly what I mean. How could you have been fostered, who would have Sained you, if not for this court?"

"Oh, of course, Master Jeomry..." A nod "He handles a lot of the saining here A very dignified sidhe. He goes all about the Duchy if needed to sain. That's why he's not full time Seer..."

"I have heard his name spoken of with great respect." he nods "Are there than many here in need of a Namer, indeed?" he's impressed.

"Well, it is duchy wide.. and we're blessed with a surprisng number of fledges

"That is an excellent sign, though!"

"Yes, thouggh, well, now and then things do go wrong.."

"Wrong? What could possibly go wrong?" bewildered.

"Well, some Fiona lad went quite mad in Earth Runes, Master Jeomry thinks it had something to do with their fledging techniques or others trying magic on him"

"Mad? Oh my. From a Gwydion, yes, you might expect that....."

"Gwydion?" She looks confused "What Gwyddion? The lad was Fiona" She repeats "As was the hold"

"Yes, yes, my dear.... from a Gwydion, yes, you might expect madness. Or Balor, of course." a distainful sniff "But Fiona, generally, no."

"OHHHH" she blushes "yes, well, wanted to declare war on all willworkers... denied love while the lion was on him.. I mean really, what were they teaching him there is what I'd like to know? Caused some doubts about Baroness Coradel I'm sure. But fortunately, precautions are in place. Mostly at Master Jeomry's suggestion"

"Really? What precautions could possibly be taken?"

"Well, they've been assigned an Heir to amke sure precautions are taken if harm comes to her" a whisper "The only other option would be her huband but he's an L-I-A-M"

"Ugh." a shudder.

"Yes. I hear they've reformed, straightened up, but it just seems like bad luck to me.. ever wonder why so many of THEIR Holds are in urban decay areas?"

a bit primly

"They -say- they're trying to improve those areas, but what if they are -causing- such blight?"

"I know right? Suspicious is what i say. Give me a solid Gwydion lord any day, temper or no"

"Or, Beaumayn? I haven't much experience; is she as strange as you hear about the House being?"

"Oh I like her as a person but I dont' know what to make of that house.." She admits "Sees the future they say...makes one act odd. But so far so good" She knocks on wood

The dear old man repeats the gesture.

"Were there other precautions? Other than assigning an heir?"

"For Earth Runes? Not that I know of... some say things got busy here"

"But I don't know what about per se. Master Jeomry may avoid that place until he's sure there won't be any more mishaps on their end I can tell you that"

"Battening down the hatches, hm?"

"But... won't they need Saining there?"confused.

"They might, and soon but I'm just thinking it might be assigned to a newer sainer.. his apprentice, perhaps. ANother sidhe, of course"

"Oh, of course. I know common Namers got us through the Interegum, but -I- think what's good enough for the Sidhe is good enough for me. I'd want a -proper- Namer for myself."

"His apprentice has experience?"

"Should be ready by Mid Fall I hear"

"Course, there maybe others out there" she ponders "That Fiona boy.. there were others, I hear. One sluagh declined, went to find someone else I suppose?"

"I suppose so. Sluagh." another distainful sniff.

"Well, they're good at what they do but they are odd , aren't they? Give me the creeps" Alexi sighs "But, we're all the Dreaming's children I suppose"

"Nightmares -are- Dreams." reluctantly.