#baronyofthesilverwolf

Gwen seeks out The Baron or Baroness

Baron Aiden is actually looking for Lavender...

And so, Aiden finds Lavender first

"Dame Lavender. I thought I might find you here." Coming upon the Satyr knight in the stables.

"My favorite part of the hold, my lord" She admits and bows low

"I've been meaning to speak to you. Normally this is something I might have covered as part of your Knighting ceremony, were it just yourself taking oath." He has some paperwork in hand. "However, with it being Gwen's Sainday, and two other oaths as well - not Knights, granted... and then I did not get a chance to speak to you after, for obvious reasons..."

"It was rather hectic, yes." A nod "Speak on, Baron. I'm quite curious"

"Well. When I first granted you Knighthood, it was as a boon in return for your action. When I accepted your oath, it was fealty that you are granting to me. As such, I feel that as your liege, there are certain dues owed. That which you have already earned many times over."

A surprised look "I cannot say I did nothing, my lord, but... manytimes over? That's.. flattering . What dues would you feel are owed?"

A small smile, and he hands her a piece of paperwork. It looks official....

Equine Acquisition Agreement?

It's ownership papers... for Snowthorn!

Sadly, this is not a troll knight, so as she reads the papers, her eyes light up, and she grabs her liege's head and kisses him deeply, fortunately, she does have the sense to plant it on the cheek!

The details go into minutiae - housing and board to be provided for as long as steed is in Residence at said stables... hitherforto, steed will only be ridden into competition under Silverwolf banners while in residence of such... whenceforth if steed is transferred to new stable arrangements, stud rights remain solely retained by Silverwolf...

But the jist of it she understands - the horse is now hers officially!

Aiden does NOT expect this, and is squarely grabbed and smooched! "Erm!" Startled!

"Sorry sorry but you're just the best baron in the world!"

"Ah, well." He focuses on the paperwork to escape his fluster. "You'll see that I did reserve the rights for breeding, should this upcoming foal out of Eregloss breed true, I may wish to continue his line, you see."

"Of course" She nods "And who wouldn't want this line to prosper, mroe than fair, Baron" She's deleriously happy "Where do I sign?"

"Just here... and here. There, it's official, both for the mortal stables and for Silverwolf."

"It was already very clear that Snowthorn has been your steed for some time now." He adds. "This is simply a formality."

"We're a good team, he and i. We're going to really wow folks at Pennons"

"I expect no less. Rivervale has led the pack for long enough." A slight smile.

"Well, Teaneck's Doomwind and Rivervale's Chieftain are the hardest comers, but Dame Dagmar is not far behind. I think a rolling defense is the best way to counter their strength, but that still counts as a hit. But I'm damn hard to displace. I think whittling them down, point by point, is my best bet for victory with any of them"

"The crowd may not like it as much as that helmet flying off headshot... but a win is a win and no less triumph or glory if I bring the prize home"

"The trolls will have you dead to rights when it comes to sheer weight and mass. That's why you need to outmaneuver them, and use dexterity. Speak to Lady Nadeen, she may have some tips from watching them in the past. Any pattern of movement, hesitations or tendencies, those all will help you plan the perfect defense and offense for each opponent."

She nods "I think you have the point of it my lord. Just making them miss once can throw them off their game a bit.. or so I hope. I shall ask the Baroness as you advise," then she grins "And tell Snowthorn he and I are officially a partnership"

"The best news in the world in one hand, and an apple in the other, you let me know if you're surprised which way he turns." Aiden says with a smile. "I'll leave you to him, then."

That gets a laugh and a bow, and the satyr trots off

And he heads over to check in on the hounds.

And finds a certain troll knight of stone skin "Baron?"

"Ah, Gwen... Dame Gladiola. Pardon."

Gladiola smiles a bit at that, "it's taking some getting used to for me as well, Baron, but, some traditions are good ones, and I've wanted to be part of the garden here since I first laid eyes on it" She motions to ne of the Glens "Muppet" She makes and motion ,and he..sits.. the GLEN sit. and Gwen feeds him "Good Muppet."

"Muppet?" Brow raised.

"Ah, it was Thistle's suggestion, we both agreed he looked a bit like one of the Late Jim Henson's more realistic dogs. Now that guy, big dreamer. Muppet's just his call name, of course. He seems to have a fondness for Thistle. Speaking of her... Willy believes I am coddling and has said she can teach the girl better what it is to be a nocker. This happened after an altercation where Thistle investigated her workshop. I blame myself for that- I clearly did not stress which areas were off limits enough"

"I see." He thinks on this for a moment.

"That said, I don't know nockers, and Willy claims exepertise I don't have. I was going to reccomend Willy be made one of her mentors, though Katrina may resent her for the nonce, and other mentors would be up to you as well, naturally. I've mostly focused on guarding THistle in my way. I.. feel like I Should have caught this...months ago"

"I can imagine that perhaps Willy was displeased about an intrusion into her personal space. That said, you are correct, that it should be in part her responsibility to help out a fledge of her kith."

Baron Aiden shakes his head. "You were a fledge yourself. If anyone is to blame, it is myself, for not being more diligent in seeking out potential Chrysalids in my barony."

"You had your own.. challenges," The knight reminds, "I know it would hurt Marigold for me to bad mouth her too loudly, but .. truthfuly? Dame Calanthe's idea of doing more for the barony was throwing a gala celebrating how wonderful and posh she was, not helping the people be they new chrysalids or old hands. I Think, Baron, now that you're back fully, with the baroness to help, your people may thrive a bit more. Sir Ivory says you have more dreamers than you realize." Then she realizes she may have gone too far "Begging your pardon. He did come over many a monday to the mailbox trod"

“Did he, now?” A small frown. “Well. Be that as it may, now that you are a fledge no longer, I see no reason for his continued intrusions into the nature of our dreamers. Surely there are mortals enough to concern him in Jefferson City, that the Truthbranches need not extend their reach into my lands.”

"I... " She stops "Baron, I do consider him a friend"

This not what she meant to happen, to black list Sir Ivory

"I believe he meant the comment about our dreamers to give hope " she wonders if it was taken as an insult

He leans down to scratch 'Muppet' on the ears for a bit. "Gwen, I do not blame you. Nor do I mean to deny your friendship. However, there are political nuances, undertones, that must be accounted for in even the most innocuous seeming statement. Yes, it may be a simple comment. But it can also be interpreted as saying that we have been lapse in our duties to our dreamers and our barony." Which is as much as he had just said, and he nods as she listens.

"The difference between what -I- might admit in confidence, and what an outsider, even a friend, may say, is vast. Repeat that once, and it is repeated thrice more in casual converse. Repeated in a boggan's hearing, five fold or more."

He is solemn as he continues. "Soon, it reaches the County. Then, the Duchy. What is next? An inquisitor to seek into the proper running of this freehold? A higher-ranking Noble with a pennon to claim the Fire as improperly cared for?"

"I... the fault is mine if I was too free with him, Baron. He taught me more about musing, much like Bluebell. Please, allow me to convince him to still any such talk lest folks misunderstand him . Besides, if he is prevented from coming back, it will just draw attention to Earth Runes own Baron and Baroness and then word will spread even faster as unintended gossip. I'll text him right now and ask him to meet me, or you.. and put this on hold hopefully be fore it can begin?"

Aiden continues scratching the dog for a moment longer. "Secrets are like water. Once a handful starts to drip free, trying to grasp tighter will just cause it to spill more freely. We are lucky, in a way, that our Barony was left to our own devices for so long." He frowns a bit at this. "Perhaps surprisingly so. One has to wonder if it was in the County, or Duchy's, best interest to allow for... relaxed rule."

"No, I needn't speak with your Ivory. But... perhaps you might visit him at Earthrunes. They do not know you as Gladiola, the Daireann Knight, perhaps. See if there is any gossip that we should be aware of."

Gladiola wants to protest, ,to remove the ban SHE brought about, instead she steadies herself in trollish style and nods, "I'll go see him, and inform him of my error....though, at the very least they must already know about Dame Calanthe's fate. Even if Ser Sergei isn't talking, a mourning dove given to a lord of raptors will raise interest. No doubt that will be spawning many rumors by itself." A beat "Are all from Earth RUnes to be blocked then, or just my friend and musing mentor?"

"Do not admit to any error. To protest is to give credence to rumors." He sighs. He hadn't wanted to think of Dame Calanthe.

"Perhaps, instead, a visit. You are now fully sained and able to travel the trods unescorted... though I would advise that you keep Ivan by your side. Give new gossip to any that would wag their tongues on Silverwolf matters. You, Knighted by grace of the dreaming itself. Not one, but two new Fledges acquired in one day. Now that is something to be proud of, and worth bragging on."

Realizing that perhaps he had erred in asking his newest Knight to spy... when he may instead play to her strengths. Daireann are known for their delight in going on about their strengths, after all.

Less gloomy, "You want me to do a boast? I'm told it's both a Dairann and a nordic tradition, tribes vary in thier opinions on it... but I could try sure"

"Let us not block. Instead, let us prove that any rumours as to weakness or failure are false." He straightens up a bit proudly.

They cannot change the past, but they can certainly shut down any such rumours going forward.

The gloom vanishes entirely, "Yes, Baron. I do tend to draw the eye anyway, the skin? It makes even other trolls stare a bit. Getting attention won't be a problem. I'll take Ivan with me and tell my tale, and perhaps see the library there? Learn more about House Daireann from those sources first. If folks assume that's why I went there, that's their assumption isn't it?" She HAS paid attention to some Ailil ways