#baronyofthesilverwolf

Nadeen has approached , when there is a chance, Dame Calanthe

It has taken her a while to pin the Dame down. She's been busy, perhaps, or just scarce. Finally, Nadeen manages to catch her returning from town, her luxury car purring smoothly as she pulls it around to park.

And she waits, "Chancellor, have you a moment?"

A pause in retrieving her bags - quite a few, and she glances around to see if anyone else is nearby.

However, of the general staff, no one is around, so she slides bags onto her arms and closes the trunk with a soft click. "Yes, Reeve?"

"First allow me to assist you, if you like. Secondly, I have something that may interest you, and I hope it is of use to the hold. After you're inside, would you wish to take a look at a chalice from the last exploit we fought side by side on?"

A brow goes up and the corner of her mouth quirks. "Layering on the butter a little thick today?" But she does let Nadeen take a couple bags - a few with the logo of a local upscale Children's boutique.

"Does the chalice pose some issue, or more that you need to discover the underlying nature?"

"Oh Calanthe, not everything is a ploy or ruse" She does take the bags, and her tone is not hostile or even condescending, "In truth, I have other sources to study the item, but they are out of hold and that's not something I feel I should rely on too much. We may disagree on somethings, but neither , I hope , can consider the other as lacking in competence?" And she nods "More the latter. It kens strongly enough, but it's nature has been difficult to discern. At least for me" Nadeen concedes, "And , side note, I rather enjoyed fightingg by you side. It taught me somethings about you, and before you ask, good things."

"If you believe that, you've not truly experienced an Ailil court. At least, a proper one." She responds, but also without hostility. "I do appreciate the request. Not as much as a backpat for my own abilities which are considerable, but that any new treasure that Silverwolf has earned should remain within the hold. Even well meaning confidants may gossip, and there is perhaps still the chance of the hunters - or more likely those from which these items were stolen - seeking to recover 'their' goods. They are ours now by right of conquest, but still, it would be... a headache."

"Yes, I trust Bridge Sylvi with my life, but she makes no pretense that her loyalties are to Rivervale and Darkgate, and we're in agreement that a certain discretion is required. Mmm perhaps a mostly Gwydion court, under his Excellency Hemlock, has left me a touch lacking in Winter court experiences," A nose wrinkle. She does not like admitting that, "Something I can and will compensate for. " She moves with the bags to help set them down where Calanthe wishes.

"It is a shame." She says, with perhaps a touch of wistfulness. "Proper court intrigue... the soft, seelie sorts think it is all backstabbing and cruelty, but they do not see the underplay, the loveliness of the dance, and how a barbed word can cut as cleanly as any sword, or a careful couched request can bind, or a single look avert an entire war..." A sigh. "Neither here nor there. Yes, I will look at the chalice."

"While I admire more than one of them, rare is the Gwydion that I will accuse of Nuance," She feels a bit wistful herself, and pulls from her satchel a challice

"More of a goblet really" She admits. The wooden goblet IS finely crafted, the shape as elegant as any wine glass.

Calanthe looks it over carefully in Nadeen's grasp. "I am assuming no one has tried to drink from it. That would be direly foolish, almost as much so as trying on a cantripped collar, or, say, wishing on an unknown amulet."

"Goodnness no, that would be reckless beyond all sense" She agrees, "The goblet could have as much to do with poison as curative"

She hesitates a moment, then says, "I would take it to my workshop to examine, if I may."

"Of course, but may I watch you work? Two reasons, one, should something go wrong, aid, or one who can go get aid, is always handy. And Two, natural curioisty and an attempt to hone my own skills. If you prefer not, I quite understand."

"Though I would sugggest you at least have a thane outside the door of your workshop during it if you decline me" She hands it over

A silk handkerchief is wrapped around it when she accepts the goblet, and, perhaps despite herself, agrees. "This way. I do not recommend coming into these chambers uninvited. There are wards, and it may not be pleasant." She adds, "Both for security, and for the safety of any foolish and curious who may fall into, or cause harm, unwittingly. Or witlessly."

Leading Nadeen down a seldom used hallway, footfalls muffled by the plush rugs and voices muffled by the lush tapestries hanging on the walls. The Baroness starts to take another step, and then realizes that Calanthe has paused, and is carefully sliding aside one of the wall hangings to show a door. And that door, she takes a key from an inner pocket, kisses it, and unlocks with a soft click!

"Of course, I use wards myself, it's wise," Nadeen moves along. The mention of wards has her curious. If Sovereign born she can ignore them, but she doubts it is so simple. Nor would she be so foolish as to risk it. She observes the kissing of the key and wonders if it is part of the requirement to bypass the ward.

It could be, or it could just be theatrics... Calanthe doesn't seem about to tell.

Stepping in, she moves to turn on small gas lanterns set about on surfaces. As they flicker to life, they cast a soft glow over the chamber. Surprisingly Spartan compared to Calanthe's other accommodations. "Candles have the best ambiance, but carry the risk of fire." She remarks.

Quality but not overly ostentatious. workspaces with notebooks carefully stacked, a bookshelf that gleams with glamour and seems to be filled with small pieces of dross, vases with dried flowers on display - no live blooms would survive here, without even a window for natural light.

A small chess table is set to one side, marble pieces set at attention but lightly coated with dust. An orb covered with a silk opaque cloth, recognizable only by shape. Candles, both pristine and half burned, little bottles that may hold perfume, oils, or deadly poison. Extending back into a storage space, there are boxes stacked neatly, and shapes that may be large picture frames, carefully wrapped.

There is no clutter, it is very neat, but some parts of the workroom... one of many perhaps, as there may be a door in the back there... seem disused. The main workspace is carefully maintained, and the heavy wooden table, stained inky black, has a silver circle pattern inset into it. It is within this circle that she places the goblet.

Nadeen, true to statement, observes rather than comments. Nodding merely at the mention of Candle risk. She takes the room in, but mostly observes the ritual and kens, yes she is looking ready to protectect Calanthe if something should go wrong. Damn trollish influence

Kenning in such a place gives a rush of glamour sources. Years - decades, or lifetimes of cantrips have been laid here, spells wrought and treasures revealed.

Calanthe is carefully arranging the goblet, and gives a small smirk. "You'll give yourself a headache trying to perceive the mysteries here. This space has been my workshop, and that of my mentor, and many sorcerers - Ailil or not - before him. Even Aiden worked here, before he gave up his studies in favor of his creatures."

If she keeps reaching out, sensing, kenning, it's almost an overpowering feeling. Many of the threads of cantrips originate from here, but not all - some stretching outward, some further inward.

The Ailil knight ponders the goblet, circling the table it sits upon. "It rarely is so simple as a willow whisper to divine a true purpose. Many medicines are poisonous in the right doses.. and many poisons, helpful in different situations. One is as likely to be mislead as not, even if the treasure 'speaks' truly."

A feather dipped in floral scented oil draws a circle around the goblet, working slowly and methodically as she sets up, the act itself not unlike a bunk.

"A little pain is worth the price of knowledge I think" She observes quietly and does keep kenning. The roots of the magic intrigue her, there are patterns to this... and she begins to wonder if the hold is bigger than she knows, perhaps she should look deeper than the wine cellar itself sometime. But she listens also and watches the work of Calanthe, and nods at the warning of using whisper too casually "One person's cure is another person's venom"

"A whisper is a request. We are the ruling ladies of the fair folk, it is not for us to request, but to state that which should be, and for our will to be done. Once, mortals would dance to our songs until their very feet wore away, or fiddle fingers to the bone just for the sight of an approving smile." She circles the table, like a cat - or rather, like a hawk, eyes on her prey as she trails the feather around it a third time.

As the third circle completes, she reaches the feather into the flame of one of the flickering lamps, and now has to work swiftly - the oil-soaked plume immediately lighting brightly. Holding it in the air until the flames flick down and singe her fingers, without flinching, and it turns to ash that drift down onto the table and goblet together, like snow - or like flecks of silver stars upon the black surface.

She murmurs softly, her voice rising as she continues. "By the power I control, by the power of those who came before and those who are yet to come, by oil and flame, blood and ash. I do not beseech, I do not implore. I tell you now, make your secrets known to me."

The dictum flows, and she kens intently. Using kenning as she now lifts the goblet in both hands, tilting it so that the light seems to pour into it and pool within, then the other way, drenched in darkness, and sensing with her gremayre skills and knowledge to try to determine what power this object holds."

Her eyes fly open, and she takes a step backwards, before quickly regaining her composure. "Well, well, well. That IS interesting." Calanthe murmurs as she carefully smudges away the circle of oil and ash that surrounds the treasure.

"Surely be that simple? Or that accurateely? No, it said CLUES, not concrete, still, what a find" nadeen beams

"Did it claim to reveal the future as set in stone, I would suspect a trick or a plant."

For someone who Nadeen has never seen do an ounce of housework or so much as wash a single dish, she is very diligently wiping away every trace from the table, after the working.

And it is noted, and even approved to some degree. Caution is a watch word and respect for the magical workings. "I think the Baron will be pleased by this latest discovery, don't you?"

A soft snort. "I do not need the gift of prophesy to see that."

"Yes, it might be understatement," nadeen says "He does rely on omens and the like greatly. Still, happy lord, happy hold"

"Or so I hope. I hope he doesn't grow too reliant on it, there are tales of such things gone awry as I'm sure you know" She is very relieved. Dice were handy the lighter scandalous, at last a treasure worth while

A small smile, directed inward. "Shall you take it to him, then? I must cleanse this area and reset my wards."

"Of course. I've taken up enough of your time." A pause 'Chancellior? If i might say?"

She looks at Nadeen, curious.

"I think there is a chance we have clashed when it was not intended. We are both strong willed women, and the times I might have verbally jabbed at you, it was because at the time it seemed you were leaning towards condescension and I merely intended to show I too needed respect and was no delicate thornless flower. However, diplomatic training is not perfect. If I went over board in such attempts, I apologize. Varich are prone to rising to perceived challenges. Ailil are very assertive in their views. This perhaps has lead to testing of each other gone too far. I will try to rectify my side of things. And while it may seem strange to you, I think fighting by your side has put me thinking more positilively of you than before. You are a woman of action, when you need to be."

Her tone is respectful, but in no way fawning. Clashing, testing each other is one thing, but only when it is intended.

Calanthe considers this. On one hand, it is an apology... of sorts. On the other hand, it could be taken as a backhanded jab. Still flushed with the glow of her successful cantrip, however, she is feeling magnanimous. "I suppose it may be said that I have done the same. If I overlooked or underestimated you in your youth, I will endeavor to not do so again in the future."

A warning might be read in that, but also, oddly, high praise, "Perhaps we're more alike than either of us are quite comfortable with" a smile though, "I should leave you be and inform the Baron. Thank you again for your help with the goblet"

"I may wish to explore it's capabilities further at some point. It did not, you see, claim true prophesy."

"Keen ear" A nod "And yes, wise. I'll inform the Baron of your warning there about that possible catch."

"Mm." Noncommittal, and she returns to clearing her table, an unspoken dismissal.

She goes. We'll, that went better than it could have, but I'm still not looking forward to having to invite her to the wedding

Back around the corner, she can hear Marigold calling for Blossom, out in the garden, her arms filled with bags of new clothing Calanthe brough.

Bluebell is showing Rochallor how to stand on his head - or rather, how SHE can stand on her head, and explaining that his ears are very nice and almost as long as hers, so he might be able to as well.

Julius and Aiden are quietly talking business... it sounds like the satyr is on about that upstate Winery again.

Briar is arguing with Gwen - or at Gwen, perhaps. "I'm just going to get dirty again when I go out after dinner! It doesn't make SENSE to wash now!"

All in all, a bustling afternoon!

Rochallor tries, but might thump over "For a moment I felt Australian"

Lavender listens to the talk of wine

Blossom races out excitedly "Oh my ggosh you guys are the best!"

"Because sometimes you pass me food, annd I am NOT eating stuff your dirty hands touch and before you ask, no you cann' have my share" Gwen huffs