#anywhere

Zara feels , of late, almost giddily Seelie. Beltaine approaching seems to be pulling at her like a lodestone! She finds herself reading romances, spying on Earl in flirtatious ways.

Zara DELIGHTS in watching Her Love paint, and could do so for hours without tiring.

While her troubadour side sings, she is still a sluagh, so some might mistake her watching him secretly for stakling, they might find her sighs over stories of lovers leaping over a cliff together to escape those who part morbid... non sluagh are so missing the point.

Currently Earl is painting, and she is hiding as she watches.

When, footsteps, a third party, approaches.

Eyebrows lift, head tilts...

Soon, she picks out the pattern of feet, very DeBuke. yes, she's studied them that much

"Earl?' Clem calls, confirming it "where are you in the ..oh" She peeks in the gallery "Why are you painting in the darkest part of this place?"

"it's not that dark" he says

He looks over "Clem? " He puts his paints away "What are you doing here?"

Zara can see the sorrow on Clem's face clearly, no, it's not that dark- wouldnt matter if it was

"Earl, it's getting time for ..." A sad look "Agnes is ready to give herself over to the fire. '

"Oh" Earl replies.

Zara quietly grimaces.

"Yeah" Clem nods "Be before Beltaine. She doesn't want to drag that down, and besides, she... she's not able to walk 20 feet from the fire without starting to forget. that blanket from fenix kept her holding out for a month but it's done used up."

"It's been that bad?" Earl winces "I... should have visited more"

Zara squirms deeper into her hidey-hole.

"None of that" Clem says "you see her plenty enough and she's a private woman who don't like to show her weakness. Just it's finally done gone past her ability to hide it. You've shown most of the family far more loyalty than we shown you back in the day. I hope that's evened up somewhat?"

"It has" he nods "So this is.. an invite then?"

"Family obligation of a sorrowful kind" she nods "but yes, we'd want you there and... well, if you could direct me to Zara, I'd like to invite her. She and you quested with Agnes, and she knows us, and she's family through you now"

No. Nope, no, no... Zara is hidden.

Earl may not know Zara is there. Or he may very much suspect it, but if he does, he doesn't say it "I don't know. She maybe out to tea. But I'll pass it on"

"Oh" Clem says "She won't see that as disrespectful of me? Hearing second hand?"

"Not from me" he says "what i know, she knows..well, almost everthing"

She wraps her arms tightly around her torso. She 'knew' this was coming.

"But you don't know what she knows," Clem says "Seems unbalanced"

"It's very balanced" Earl smiles sadly "A star feels at its brightest when it's left in the dark"

"You two are both romantic peas in a pod" Clem shakes her head but smiles, then says "Wish I had happier news"

Zara is not sure if she can escape to her room from her hidey spot...

"It's okay. " Earl says "well, as okay as these things get. Thank you, Clem. You holding up?"

"Have to. I'm the Chief" She says then takes a breath "Well, tell her, please."

Zara knows how sluagh are 'supposed' to feel about death.

Zara could try to slip by, but Clem's literally in the way, but then Earl says "I will"

and Clem nods and slips away

Zara can hide now, or slip away herself, but she can see Earl looking about wondering if she's there

"Love?" he whispers

...

"aye?"

"You heard" More of a statement than a question "You okay?"

"...aye." Is she?

He's not sure "You don't have to go. i can go for us both" he says

Zara closes her eyes, shoulders slumped. "Nay."

She knows she should go.

Earl's her trueheart.

He takes a step to her voice and holds out a hand, an offer, not a demand "This is going to suck."

Muffled. "Aye."

"You want some tea? "

"Aye."

He nods "Library or would you prefer one of our rooms? I'll some for you"

A soft, indecisive noise.