#baronyofthesilverwolf

"Dame Dagmar - is she one of your vassals? I don't think I've met her yet."

"Thistle had a hard start. But she's tough. She'll come out the other side of her Fledging all the stronger for it. Like... like tempering a blade."

"Dame Dagmar is vassal to Chieftain Brekke Shacklebreaker, and a good friend. I have known her in two lives, and each time she has helped save either myself or those close to me. If you have a higher title, you will have a chance for vassals, you maybe tempted to cultivate many of them. but as important, more important some would say, is cultivating friendships with people you trust and vice versa. Quality over quantity there mind you. A vassal may tell you what you want to hear. A friend will tell you what you need to know "

"And then, that friend will help you reach that need"

"As for Thistle" She ponderss "Thank you. Gwen worries she's a bit fragile, but you point out she is BEING tempered, she is not finished yet"

He nods. "Baroness... do you know anything about..." He struggles, looking for the words. "Waking dreams, or nightmares?"

"Not as much as some, you've had some?"

He nods a little. "Just once. But it was unpleasant."

"Tell me, when did it happen?"

"In the library - the one in town, where we chrysalized. Not that night - that night is a bit fuzzy." He admits. "When we went back to look at the books." A hand reaches to touch a book cover.

She looks to see which book it is

One of many pieces on a stack, this one appears to be something my Madeleine L'Engle, but the title is missing. More of a fond gesture towards the books in general, than indication of a specific piece...

"Was this the book that you looked at when the waking dream came?" She kens it

A glimmer of glamour about it... not a treasure, not chimerical, but a touch of magic from those who have read and treasured the book before. Alas, with the damage, it is no longer even functional as dross, but a hint remains.

"One of the pages was falling out." Art answers.

Carefully sorting through the mess, he finds the section - a small stack of pages still held to each other by glue on the edges, and offers to Nadeen. "I think it can be put back in?"

"Possibly, may I study this?" SHe asks, looking for the title page or hint to the title, she suspects it's a Wrinkle in TIme

The torn paper corner shows part of a design of a winged horse - no, a unicorn, with a rider.

There is a poem on the top page of the stack, or part of one, being recited by a character in the book.

....the sun with its brightness,
And the snow with its whiteness,
And the fire with all the strength it hath,
And the lightning with its rapid wrath,
And the winds with their swiftness along its path,
And the sea with its deepness,
And the rocks with their steepness,
And the Earth with its starkness
All these I place by God's almighty help and grace
Between myself and the powers of darkness.

"This isn't a wrinkle in time.." SHe makes a note of the lines "I'll need to search it but it isn't random, or it doesn't FEEL random"

"What nightmare did you see? Can you tell me?" She asks

"It was night... no, not night." He corrects. "I mean, it was night, but that wasn't all... there was a darkness, a.. darker, darkness? Something blacker than the night sky, and it was going to eat the stars from the sky. There was a dragon, on the ground. But it was dead.. or sleeping? I think maybe it would have been swallowed too." The teen looks a bit rattled.

She puts a hand on his shoulder, "Arthur, I can see why you were alarmed. I wqon't tell you it's nothing. But I will tell you we will do all we can to shelter you and the hold and what we can do is..considerable"

"Why me? What does it mean?"

"I don't know" She admits fully, "But I can guess some.. it does sound like a warning to you or to us in mass. Darkness is tied to changelings in .. often a mention of the Fel, the Fomori, the Elder Dark... but it can be other things. The Dragon is a symbol of House Ailil, and House Danaan... if they speak of the baron, then he was asleep, of sorts, but wakes. What part you play in this I do not know. You could be gifted in some way, or perhaps were just the handiest person to deliver a message too"

He nods, and straightens up, carefully returning the pages to the stack. "If it means the dragon of Silverwolf, then of course we will protect it." A slight guilty flush, remembering how recently he was asking to be transferred away.

"It maybe , Arthur, that both you and Thistle are a gift to us beyond the usual though still wonderful fledges, it's possible the two of you came together not just by chance, but with purpose to help us thrive. " She notes the flush, "Something recalled?"

"Nothing, Baroness. Nothing worth mentioning. Um. Thank you for the library space. I hope to find a way to recover enough of these books to make it at least a start..."

"I'm sure you'll make good use of it," She inclines her head

He bows to her. "Thank you for the lesson. I'll share these notes with Thistle."

"Please do, I want her to realize she's quite important to us as well, not some 'also that other fledge' situation. " Gwen had hinted at that, and Nadeen hopes to use Art to quelch it, as Art seems to already have found a friend in the nocker girl. "At Silverwolf, you can never tell who will have their moment in the sun. "

"Is this my moment in the Sun?" He gives her a smile.

"Charming, you may yet break a few hearts with that gift for quick banter if you use it right," She informs him, "And you shared this warning with me. I think you'll have more than one moment, Arthur. I know much here isn't as you hoped it would be, and by here, I mean the world, but we are still sidhe, shining hosts, and while we must be cautious of our own ambitions getting too far out of hand, we do have advantages and gifts and we should not be ashamed of them." A thought "Tell me, your mortal family? Are any of them kinder to you than others?"

He shrugs a little. "They are fine. I wouldn't expect much from them. They don't seem to expect much from me, or from their 'Arty', that is. It's actually rather appreciated." He says, "A silver lining. I have the freedom to do as I wish. Though, I would prefer if the elder son would branch out in the world. Is it normal for one who is not seeking vocation nor education to remain in his parent's home? His Mother dotes on him, but I cannot myself say I see the appeal. His boredom falls upon me in pettiness at times."

"I see" She ponders "Well, mortals do have more economic challenges of late, 90 percent of them," She ponders "How old is this oldest brother?"

"Old enough that he can drink, though Mother - his mother - draws the line at purchasing his cans of choice. I believe - he celebrated his drinking birthday not too long ago." A slightly distant look as he checks memories. "Not that he didn't carouse with friends before said date. It does not seem to be highly enforced here."

"It may come to be that your brother may prove a useful example," She ponders "obviously you wish no lasting harm, but there are many ways to inspire. Have you met Briar?"

"pardon, you must have met her, but do you know her well yet?"

"Actually, I have not... Gwen spoke of her as a sister, and that she works with the dogs as well.. Is she also of House Daireann? Or is it a mortal tie?" He seems a bit dubious on the idea of a redcap noble.

"More an impromptu adoption. Briar is a true redcap, fierce, frightening, and a bit of a bully. THAT said, we need our kith of horror and hunger now and then. I think she might like the idea of enchanting your brother, and encouraging him to change his ways. Would you like me to introduce you two? Now might not be a good time for you"

He looks intrigued. "She wouldn't dispose of him outright, no? I think that might be beyond my ability to conceal." He doesn't seem to have an particular familial bond with these folk.

"Art? I got junk from the store!" Thistle calls from the hallway.

"No, if we do it right she'll..." She turns "Hello, Thistle, come in"

The nocker enters, arms full of bags and followed by a half-dozen Nevers.

"Oh! Did you find the..." He checks his notes. "The glue, and the tape, and the press to keep things in place?"

A small paperclip bounces in the air at her side. "It looks like you're trying to repair a book! Would you like to learn more?" Text appears in the very air!

"Yeah. And I have some ideas about how to set it up so some of the... what th'(*^%?"

She swats at the paperclip.

It has large eyes that seem to float upon it somehow. "It looks like you're trying to click. Would you like help with that?"

"Uh." Art eyes the chimera. "New friend?"

Nadeen's lips curl a bit

"Not." Swat. "A." Swat. "Friend."