#anywhere

"The Baron thinks he'd do okay in a small apartment." Worry.

"If it's too small, he can always visit here to have his space to run. Just like you, dear."

"Heh. Kind of! COuldn't fit that many projects at home, and school's a no go, too."

"Well we have no end of space here. If you need to expand your studio, just let us know. Now, the wee one. Does he need a.. a kennel, or a bird cage? Or a bed?"

"A nest?"

A pause.

"Maybe I could make one..."

"I'm not sure if he needs something soft, like a bird would line with down and fluff. He still seems to have a little trouble holding up his head, and you don't want him to fall and suffocate. But smooth edges, I'd say, so he doesn't scratch or bump himself." She ponders. "I wonder if it's true that dragons prefer to sleep on gold? Or is it just a habit? Maybe not a good one to form." She chuckles.

Then, a thought. "Do you still have that special clay you were working with from the DeBukes? If they grow soil as fine as they grow squash, it might be something special."

"I do..."

"Like, kind of a bowl, maybe, and then we could line it with fluff?"

"I have some fabric that I used for a dress for Nadeen. It's gold lame', do you think it might be suitable?"

"Ha, yeah! Kind of gold. And his egg was clay, so porcelain for the bowl is ritzy..."

"You'll spoil the wee git... but after what he went through, maybe he could use a little spoiling."

"Yeah. I think... I think he helped me, with the Nervosa."

"When it was really cold, I felt him."

She finds herself suddenly being squeezed in a hug - belatedly, Marigold lessens her grip, and the draconet gives sleepy peep of protest from her pocket, unharmed. "However it happened, I'm glad you made it out safe. All three of you."

"Yeah... it.. yeah."

"I feel... different? It's hard to explain."

A pause. "The Baron ain't gonna be mad if Fornax isn't perfect, right?"

Marigold cups her chin in a hand and turns her head left and right gently, examining. "Well, you look the same. Mostly. Perhaps a little brighter in the cheekbones." A pat on the cheek as she lets go.

"What'd I say, let's not go chasing problems we don't have yet, mm?" Not quite an answer, but Marigold has turned to tidy away the plates.

"I'll put that fabric on your work bench, you let me know if you need aught else."

"Great!"

"I'll leave more of that fortified milk on the top shelf for you. You might want to warm it." A smile, and soon Thistle is left to her work.

"Thank you, you're the best!"

A soft chuckle, but Marigold doesn't deny it!

Wudlig enters in " I Heard there were milkshakes?"

"Hey." A wave, but she has sammiches to eat!

Wudling remains a snappy dresser an ugly in great clothes , "You been reading on the Bes Din like I told you? WHen you sain you may want to protect your works"

"Right, maker's mark an' dreck."

"Yup. The Bes Din is the one political structure that all Nockers recognize. Noble, Common, Seelie, Unseelie... you're gonna want the basics of it at least to get through." He takes a spot near her, and says "Make anything recently?"

"Mm."

"Experiments."

A grin "HEy, I didn't say to protect your works from Me. What Experiments? "

"Like... there's this fancy clay?"

"So, seeing what it DOES. But I might have to go back to the Farm to get more if I'm not careful."

"How open is access to the material? Any risk the skybangers are going to cut you off from it?"

"Probably not?"

"I might need something to trade for more."

"Huh... seem like decent sort. See that's one area you being title less works in your favor. So the clay's properties, random drek or is there a poetry to it?"

"It's... there's glamour to it, but it's not chimerical."

"So I'm trying to figure out how to utilize that."

"Chimerical Alchemy is your best bet there I'm thinking"

"...Alchemy?"

"Like turning straw into gold stuff?"

"Sweet Heisenberg's coin toss, We hadn't started lessons in Chimerical Alchemy yet?"

Wide eyes, headshake.

"Ah kid" Says the slightly younger Nocker "I am so sorry yeah, you're ready for some of the advanced stuff. "

"I'm not a kid. I'm almost as old as you!"