#baronyofthesilverwolf

And Lady Nadeen says "Pardon me all.. I have tto catch a rabbit"

Julius looks at the key...

Nadeen has a hunt on her hands...

And Arty and Katrina both are given their fill of gossip AND spaghetti before heading home!

(end, for now!)

"It was on the underside of Calanthe's bed... WHICH by the way, had a snap trap that could have broken someone's arm or leg under it as well. I was going to try to willow whisper and see what lock it opened, and where that lock was, unless you know?" Gwen explains to Julius

He accepts the key and looks over it. "Well, it definitely has her aesthetic. A bit ostentatious if you ask me. Almost too obvious, it seems to scream, 'look at me, I'm a secret key!'"

"I'm guessing it unlocks her workshop - she always kept that under key. Or maybe something inside it. If it were a normal, mortal-looking key, I'd recommend checking out her office. About that..." He mutters and shuffles some paperwork. "Have to make sure that is properly closed off, alert her patients that she's on a leave of absence... get someone to unlock her phone..." The Steward is distracted with a NEW mound of papers now. "I half wish that Fate had given her a couple days to put her affairs in order." He says, mostly kidding.

"Well, I figured with enouh dross I could get some clues"

"Mind you, my willow whisper is hit or miss, but it might warn me of traps or the like?"

"You could certainly try that." He considers. "Though the key would only know what a key knows. I'd be surprised if it had any insight to what's inside. Now, a doorknob, on the other hand, that sees both ends of the room..." Still distractedly looking through paperwork.

"Oh! Dross." He sets down the papers and digs into a drawer instead.

"Yes" Relieved. If she had to ask for dross one more time she was about to get snnippy, "Thank you"

He comes up with three pieces of dross. A sigh. "We're not swimming in extra dross right now. Calanthe brought in some, so does Bluebell, sometimes Briar, but we're pretty insular. We can spare this much though."

A gold ring - it's plain and worn, looks like a wedding band, that has a sorrowful feel to it.

A pair of ballet slippers, worn out, of a small child's size. Excitement, and joy.

And, a bone - with some tiny teeth on it - the lower jaw of some small animal. Skittish fear.

"Oh" She looks a bit troubled "I didn't know we were low. "

"You need dreamers for dross, or folk willing and with the time free to go searching." He runs a hand through his rumpled hair. "I'll see if I can assign that out. Bluebell has some availability, and I can call on the Thanes, though it may cut into their free time a bit."

"It's getting into Fall, though. Soon it will be hunting season, and we'll restock that way."

"Please, Julius, I feel like I made an arrogant presumption that we had more than we did, keep it. I wanted to handle this on my own, but someone might need that dross more so save it," She has to admit to herself, a part of her still remembers feeling wrong by Julius once, but he was in a dangerous dance at the time and she ses that now. She can't seem to forget it, but it's not worth avenging because it wasnn't about her, was it? "I'll find someone we trust who migght have an easier time using cantrips on it"

"Linnea said she spotted a white deer in the woods." A Grin. "If it's a stag, and fully antlered, it might make for a fine hunt. You could take Ivan as well, he's bred as a trod guardian, and see what you might find in the near dreaming. Any creature foolish enough to attack the silver deserves to become dross."

"A hunt? Get my own dross? Mmm, yes. That might solve both my wish to do it myself, and not strip our supplies too low. Thank you" A pause "Ah, Julius are you officially Steward or Chancellior now? Folks are calling me Dame, but I don't know how formal I'm supposed to be with others. "

He looks startled. "Chancellor? ME?"

"well, with Dame Calanthe gone..."

"I'm just a steward, and technically Marigold's junior, though I take on a lot of the paperwork to free her up for the household... we share in duties that fit us best. But no, I don't RUN anything, not like that... I mean, I've never thought..."

"We might want to hire someone in. The Baroness hasn't complained, but she's got a lot on her plate right now. It's going to start weighing on her..." Frowning a little.

"that's going to be tricky, she's almost as headstrong proud as the Baron," The newest Dame says "And no way is a Sluaggh getting considered for a position of power."

"A sluagh?" He looks a bit surprised at the suggestion. "Did you know one looking for a management position? Normally they prefer behind the scenes stuff, I figured. But no, I'd not suggest that. But she needs to enjoy her role, not be overwhelmed by it. Lord Aiden, you know, no offense, all respect to him, but he's not one to see beyond his own nose sometimes. I could point it out to him and he'd insist on hiring someone immediately, but if it will annoy the Baroness, I'd rather she be ticked at me that at him."

A brow, "Given the last Chancellior we had pulled a Jafar, I can see why either might be skittish. that's why I thought maybe you got promoted, you're.. trusted. Both respect you.. "

He blushes a little, embarrassed. "I'd never assume anything like that, and no, neither mentioned. The title, I gotta say, is a bit tainted now. Maybe we don't need a Chancellor again. Maybe a chief advisor or... something. For all Calanthe's flaws, she did plenty of work. Though..." A sour look. "Her documentation is slim to negative. Things got done, but I'm not sure of the details. This is going to haunt us for some time, I'm sure. I don't know how she managed without ledgers. Ledgers!" He exclaims, throwing up his hands in exasperation.

"Maybe the ledgers are in her workshop?" A thought

A flicker of hope in his eyes. "Maybe? That would be a godsend. Bluebell only found a few notes in her chambers, and I haven't had a chance to check her mortal office yet..."

"I think given the trap she put under the bed, I Should take the risk there" The knnight observes

"Why was she under the bed?"

"Bluebell was dusting, asked me to lift the bed."

He shakes his head. "Under the bed is where you put the dust... "

Clearly, a good reason why he handles paperwork and not housework

"Well, there was a steel trap therre so.." realization "I wonder if that was to guard this key?"

"Calanthe loathed anyone in her business. You can't get rid of dust bunnies in any hold, but she hated them getting into her things and making a mess, but she also didn't like any of us going to clean her rooms. Even Marigold had to get permission. She may have been trying to keep the dust down, but... there's no seeing into her psyche. She complained once that glue traps caused too much commotion and that the squeaking was 'bothersome'." Shaking his head.

"WOW.." A frown "Is it wrong I hope she stays a dove forever?"

"It's nice seeing Nevers around again, even if Mari doesn't like them in her kitchen. Calanthe once commented on getting a nocker to put together a prototype based on a mosquito zapper..."

He nods a bit at Gwen. "Wouldn't blame you."

"In her defense - god, listen to me - the little buzzers did like to tease the hawks, knowing that they were jessed and couldn't chase them."

"Oh boy... I'll warn the Baroness about that, the hawks I mean.... never seen so many chimera outside a dream dance as I have lately" Gwen ponders "maybe a weaverward only on Chimera?"

"It could work." He agrees, "If you are willing to put in the extra work and juice. Not everyone would bother for what they consider, you know - they are of the dreaming, but a lot of these lil' critters are just considered barely more than pests. It's like setting up a fence and moat to keep out mice, rather than putting out traps."

"Oh, that reminds me, I have to talk to Briarr and ask her not to eat them"

Her tone inndicates she's not sure THAT will work

"Speaking of mice, that little scamp of Linnea's might be handy in keeping those down. In the stables certainly, they love to get at the grain. Or if you could train her to chase after Nevers, and NOT bother the birds, in the mews. I'm not sure that Pearl is smart enough to know the difference, though. A fae beast would be more clever, but the dogs aren't agile enough to help with flying critters."

"Me? I'd see if one of the birds may take on the job. Nadeen's own Vespa could scare off Nevers, if she was given free range of the mews." He reasons. "Calanthe never quite trusted them not to fly off. It's valid - Raptors are kept, but never quite tamed. Wild through and through."

"that's.. that's a good idea. If I see the baroness before you do, I'll mention it"

Realization then a sly grin

"Sure thing. And if you find those ledgers, I'd owe you plenty. Gotta make a note... restock dross... check her office... but I haven't finished the invoicing yet..." Already half forgetting that Gwen is there.

"Thanks. I have another idea with the nevers too... at least at ground level" She nods "I'll look for the ledgers"

"Thanks, Gwen." A quick smile, forgetting it seems her title informally for the moment.

"Welcome" She's not offended, Julius has given her a lot to think about. She looks either for the door to tthe workshop, or Brriar, whichever comes first