#anywhere

"I mean, it still furkin' sucks and you have to fix a lot, but you gotta be free to make art!"

"Oh boy" she says in a tone that indicates this could be a stickler "Well, then what happens is you stay with us a year and a day until you pass your citizenship test... you leave the hold after learning how to lawfully harvest glamour so you can keep your spriit from being grayed out, or at least have a better chance. You abide by the Escheat Gwen told you and otherwise are left alone. Maybe you go to another barony or even another kingdom, but you will be better prepared. And we have a new kitahin in the world which is a cause for rejoicing whehter one is a modernist, reformer, or traditionalist"

"A year and a day!?"

"Nope, no way. No. I gotta go home. My mom is probably already worried." She stands up, looking for her shoes.

"Tell the pretty elves thanks but no thanks, I'm not staying here!"

"Pardon, I should be clearer, you'll LEARN from us for a year and a day. It's possible you'll be staying with your parents of course. SOme changelings don't get to.. but unless your family life is banal.. or some other form of self harm I think you'll be fine"

She finds one (Belled, curl-toed, and bright purple) boot and shoves it on her foot.

"But remember that right of ignorance? You can't tell anyone who isn't one of us about this. "

"Or rubber room, yeah yeah, I get THAT part."

"What about Arty?"

"Arty is a sidhe.. S-I-D-H-E... and thus one of the ruling class even before we know his title...that may complicate things, but hopefully he'll be able to stay art Arty's family anyway. " A troubled look for a second

A little scowl. "So that's why Gwen got all weird around him?"

"Like... the elves are important and nockers aren't?"

"It's not all or nothing.. and trust me, ask any fellow nocker and they'll probably tell yo uthat wihout you guys we'd be settling for crap. Nockers are the PRIMO crafters of the kithain kind. See my sword? Arms, armor? 80% chance a nocker made each. I know my horse's horse shoes were done by Willy. It's not just metal work either. I know a glass worker, I know a carpenter.. now boggans also get into that, but the Nockers are usually the ones we all turn to for quality stuff.. be it steam punk computers that some how work, or chandaliers that store moonlight to cast again later. The sidhe may be on top, as a rule, but each kith is vital ...for one reason or another. That's why you ARE being celebrated, and not JUST arty. Because you, Katrina matter. "

"So I can make wine jugs? And you - are satyrs for fighting?"

"Like, we're all special kinds of servants?"

"You can make whatever you like. I think the wine jugs would really help Julius and the hold though and would help you earn that kiln. That's not servant, that's barter economy. " then she smiles "ANd most satyrs I know are singers, some are troubadours, others are musicans who work the mortal side of thing.. a few are actors. I am living proof that while your kith gives you advantages, it's a lot broader than you think. Some Satyrs have a passion for athletics, running, javelin, football.. or in my case? Equestionism and Jousting. "

"Shit... yeah, this is the big Lowell horse farm, isn't it?"

"Looked like a castle last night..." She looks around. "Today."

"Yes, it is a castle AND a ranch, and a mews, and a kennel.. but it's magical...and I love it. Here i get to be the real me, A knight, an equestrian, a rider. " Her eyes light up "Fae horses are .. even smarter than regular ones. To ride on one of them is to learn to race like the wind over the grass."

"Sure?"

"You want to learn? how to ride I mean?" SHe offers "Be happy to teach you and we have some horses that are of gentle nature"

"I dunno. I'm not really a sports girl."

"Well you can ride for enjoyment, it's not all about prizes and trophies.. "

"Also, sports."

"The sport of KINGS in my case " A smile "But.. kind of like , you can like swimming without making a sport of it"

"I've never ridden a horse."

"Well, I'll teach you, and you'll find out if you like it." She offers "No big." A look at the tray "Did you eat?"

She did not.

"You're missing out... have a bite"

"Will I fall asleep for a hundred years if I do? Or be bound here like Persephone?"

"Is it real food?"

"It's real food, and no you won't fall asleep for a hundred years that's way too hard to explain, and there are no pomenranetes I don't think"

"And I can go home if I want to."

"I don't see why not. I don't think you want Gwenn carved open or anything... you come back for lessons now and then"

"Am I allowed to look around?"

"In the hold?"

"No, the mall!" She scoffs.

"Okay, you parle sarcasm." She says dryly

"Some rooms are off limits , like private bedrooms, areas where you could get hurt, but sure.. want me to give you a tour?"

"Well, I guess you might know the place, goat-legs."

"Sure do, Tiger Jaw" A smile "Come on..."

She leads the nocker around, first showing her the Stables "i'm rather biased, my favorite part of the hold"

"Why do you call me that?" Katrina pokes at things, looking at tools and shelves and tack...

"Not required but a lot of folks have a flower name thing going here... has to do with honoring a lady who once lived here . And ...well, you kind of have a snap to your mouth, and your name is Kat-rina so Tiger Jaw seemed to fit. No harm meant, but you have called me goat legs I remind"

"You HAVE goat legs."

"I also have gorgeous lashes" She flutters her eyelashes. As Katrina keeps looking over the tools, she points somethinggs out "that's Willy's work right there"

"The other 'nocker' person."

She takes the tack off the hook and examines it.

"Well, there are other nockers in the area."