#anywhere

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The Teaneck hold is very much bound to the Baron, and resembles a tower covered in ivy and shadows, but there is a grandeur about it. A large troll guards the entrance, and this is quite typical of many a hold. Less typical is the abundance of ravens and crows flying about.

Sylvi puts some thought into what to wear to see Baron Kealan, and she goes with a simple summer dress...with swooping golden birds embroidered around the hem and at the neck. It was a very lucky find, and she's glad she has it in reserve for such an occasion.

She approaches the guards and gives them a smile. "Hi. I need to speak with the Baron. Is he available?" Disarming cheerleader tone, to start anyway.

The biggest troll guard says "Do you have an appointment?"

"I didn't have time to make one, but I'm sure he'd like to see me. It's a matter that concerns him."

The troll looks down, "A moment, you're Chief Kerri's girl, aren't you? I haven't been to Rivervale in years good grief, you were a foot shorter last I saw you."

She bristles internally but doesn't let it show on the outside. "Chief Kerri is my mother, yes, but I'm now the freeholder of Goldfinch. Sorry, I...think I've forgotten your name?"

"We barely met, Wilder," the Troll says, "I'm Bram Heartspear. Goldfinch? I do recall SOMETHING about that. Well, if you come here as a holder to holder I shall say so. Your mother stays in my memory for the amazing soup she made my own daughter when she was sick. She would barely keep other things down ,but that restored her."

Sylvi's been condescended to by the best of them. Her smile twinkles. "I'm very glad she was able to help your daughter. I'll be sure to tell her you mentioned her." She moves toward the entry with an air of confidence, as if she's already been invited in.

"A moment," Heartspear tuts. "Wait here, please. I'll see if the Baron is available."

She pauses a moment and looks him up and down...then smiles. "Of course."

He nods and heads within. She waits... and waits. A good ten minutes, which is not so long that it would be an insult.

This is something else that her mother will be hearing about.

And then down comes, Baron Kealan himself! He's dressed in stately grays and blacks. The graybeard has aged well , but he is a sidhe and they tend to do that, "Holder Sylvi, this is a pleasant surprise. Please, come on in, unless you prefer to talk outside in the garden grounds? I'm currently blessed with a bit of extra free time."

She gives Heartspear a brief told-you-so glance, then focuses on Baron Kealan. "Baron Kealan, I'm so glad that I caught you at a good moment. Ideally, I'd like to speak with you someplace fairly private, if possible?"

She might be channeling a bit of her mother's tone, just to bolster her stance with a sidhe, whether or not he's known her since she was in diapers.

"Then we'll try the study," The scathach says and he names her favorite drink, "or would you prefer coffee?"

"Pomegranate spritzer, if that's possible."

She goes with him to his study.

"possible," he nods and motions to a boggan "Clark, if you would? " Clark goes to get some. And they gather in the study, "Now, Heartspear tells me you wanted to talk to me but you were tight on the details?"

"I think you'll appreciate that when I tell you the topic." She settles into one of the more troll-proportioned chairs. When the boggan returns with the drink, she thanks him with another bright smile.

"First, though, I hope you are doing well, Baron?"

"Well as can be expected for a Scathach elevated to a needful but not always beloved position," He sips his own drink, "Thank you for asking. My people thrive and that pleases me. They hope to win at Pennons against Rivervale this year."

"Best of luck to them," she says, and it's hard to tell whether or not she means it ironically. She takes a sip.

"Thank you, and like wise to any Goldfinch sponsored folks" He looks about, "No one is listening in."

"Well, thanks for that. So...I actually need to speak with you about Goldfinch. And Teaneck."

"AND teaneck. Interesting. Please, go on." His face betrays very little save curiosity.

She grins at his expression. "I'm wondering what you think I'm about to say."

"I am no Gwydion, if I tell folks what i guess, they don't have to answer honestly if I was on the mark or not, and while I am not saying you would do that, I am saying it has weaned me off that method a bit," A smile "if you insist I'll try ,but then I might guess wrong and you'll wonder if I'm playing dumb, or truly ignorant."

"I'd never think you were either of those things," she says with a laugh. "Go on, one guess."

"Well, I suspect it's intelligence related, that is, in the business of spying, which is one of the only reasons any other freeholder visits me," He doesn't say it bitterly "Barring perhaps a few holiday talks. You want to discuss any intelligence operations I may or may not have going at Goldfinch I suspect. Of course, you can't expect me to confess to anything up front, so you'll have to lay your cards on the table with what you do know to save time and we can progress."

She nods, takes another sip, then puts her glass down. "I'm glad we're on the same page. So...I know you have a job to do, and I respect that. But there are limits to what I'm comfortable with. Specifically, I'm not liking how some of your people are treating some of my people."

"Let's say I knew of these people you speak of, just as a theoretical situation, if you were offended by deception I might counter that that IS what Spies do. With the exception of young Vali the Spy, few go in and announce themselves," He says "And Vali was a chldling when he did that. Is physical harm, torture, or magical coercion occuring in this theoretical situation? Because if it's just deceit, might as well protest that fish swim and frustrate birds in doing so."

His expression is not mocking, rather he seems to be looking over HER expression for clues.

Her smile is gone. "Toying with the emotions of a kinain is not, in my opinion, fair play."

"Anyway...as I said, I understand that you have a job to do. So I'll make you a compromise: Sneed can stay and continue doing what he does. The others need to stop." A pause. "In the name of inter-hold peace, right?"

He doesn't betray surprise, "I would agree it isn't. But fair play, like a fair fight, is not something I can reduce my people too as a rule or they'll risk their lives. I care for my people even if they may seem unsavory," But he chuckles, "Really, so you found out all of them? Who put the finger on them?"

"Oh, come on. You can't expect me to tell you that. As for whether or not all of them have been discovered, I don't know. But I'm telling you that I'd appreciate you backing off a little on the number of snoops. After all... we're a small hold."

"You're an openly democratic commoner hold. We both know how the traditionalists feel about THAT," he smiles "How about this. I'll keep Sneed on the mission, but I only remove the other spies if you can name them. In exchange, I want YOU to leave notes for Sneed of anything suspicious YOU find going on. Balor activities, prodigals, etc. Fair-er?"

"Balor activities, definitely. Same with Leanhaun. Prodigals...that depends on the situation. As for your other spies, will they be harmed for having been caught out?"

"Good god, I realize my house has dark colors but do you think we go around Darth Vadering our subjects just because someone else outwits them? That's.. that's Ailil shit," He says moderately offended, "No. They'll be reassigned and maybe get a touch up period to hone their skills so they won't get caught at their new places."

She considers for a moment, then says, "Tyson and Sinly, and I want your word that ONLY Sneed will be snooping on us. You're not just going to restock when those two are gone."

"You have my word you have three month grace before I consider restocking, we will negotiate further in the future, but for now, only Sneed is my eyes and ears in your hold unless of course I pay it a visit myself. I HAVE heard nice things." He informs her, "And I want information on commoner rebels and the like too but understand that's on your judgement, but let's face it, there are some who use cold iron and the like and you don't stand by those radicals anyway."

She shakes her head. "It's hard to define what counts as a 'rebel' or a 'radical' so I'm not going to agree to that. But I know it's in my hold's best interest as well as yours if we all know where the cold iron is."

He nods "All right. Now, we'll work on some details but first, please, let me get you a real meal. We can resume later if you like. I may be a Scathach but we DO respect hospitality."

And it turns out there will be a meal, a nice one, provided, while they set talk of spies aside for a t least a bit. It might be a LITTLE unnerving they know Sylvi's favorite food.

(End Scene/Pause maybe)