#baronyofthesilverwolf

"Janice, this guy is a kidnapper..." Gwen ges an idea, movie to her, she enchants Janice

And Thistle launches herself at the Spriggan, to slam into him and claw at his face and arms with all the grace of a schoolyard brawl.

A)
Stilz, smugly monologuing, was NOT expecting an outright frontal attack! He shrieks and slams down the button on his watch - FLASH!

All three of them - Spriggan, Nocker, and mortal child - DISAPPEAR!

The teal never is left behind, and CHIMES shrilly in dismay!

B)
Gwen shoves glamour into Janice, and she gasps, magic flooding her! For a moment, she lights up, gleaming with the same energy as a fae would - but then it fades, as if only an echo, leaving only a trace behind, that mingles with the Fuddle cantrip that she still struggles to break free from.

She spins to face the Troll, looking up into her full height. Janice's eyes are huge and dark, watery and deep as the ocean, and spilling with tears that flood in a stream down each cheek. She grasps at Gwen's arm to steady herself, hands with fingers that have just the slightest trace of webbing. Even as the reek of the Spriggan fades, there is a faint smell of salt water in the air.

"Why?! Why did he take my children??"

The realization stabs her like a knife I've failed again. I put her in danger again

For a moment, even to echanted eyes, the stone skinned giant seems smaller, more like a teenage girl who has no obligations beyond lacrosse , grades, and maybe feeding some dogs

then she ffocuses, and revives "He's a child napper ma'am, and I am very sorry, none of this went like it was supposed to." If she had spirals they'd flickerr gray

"I know what a Spriggan is, Dame! Why has he come for mine? Oh, Frankie, my dear heart..."

"Because he commited crimes and the pressure was on. Your step daughter is a fledge to the baron and baroness here. to strike indirectly, he targetted Frankie. Hoping to have a hostage. I thought he'd have to leave by cab..." I was a fool. it was for NOTHING "He didn't mean to take thistle. She suprised him. I'm going to get her help " competent help. Help that does'nt just make her life worse by fucking up again and again she starts to text

TXT : SW EMERGENCY! THISLE AND BRO WITH SPRIG! FF-ED.. NOT SURE WHERE!

She doesn't get immediate responses from Thane Danica OR Knight DeLorean. What could they be DOING?!

Finally though, Linnea responds! RECEIVED. SEARCH ON. RETURN TO BASE

Janice, meanwhile, is struggling to not collapse into sobs.

"Who enchanted you before, Janice?" She moves to the woman and puts an arm on her

At her touch, Gwen can feel her kenning sense tingle in a confusion fashion. How can someone feel like both kinain and changeling, fae and not, at the same time?

She's never seen any changeling quite like this.

"A hunt to find them is on" She assures

She turns to look at Gwen, wiping at cheeks that persist in flowing with tears. "We must. They are my family. They are all I HAVE."

"Your nature is.. unknown to me. I thought you kinian, but you're ..something closer to me"

She wipes at her face. "Once, I was. Now, I am not."

She texts TXT: I have a situation here, Janice a glow. will explain later. must stay and sortt to preserve right of I

Besides she thinks, I would just fuck up a rescue, clearly

"What were you then?" She asks

"A child of the sea."

"Oh sweet Great spirit. you're a selkie? Were..." She remembers thhe old stories "Someone took your skin. I am sorry"

She shakes her head. "It is Frankie and Katrina that need our help. Do you have the seer's wisp to seek them?"

Then she blinks, realizing. "Katrina... she is fae."

"Yes. unsained yet, but we call her thistle. she has had a hard journey. And no. no seer's wisp"

"Thistle..." She says, in wonder.

Gwen's phone bleeps!

She winces and looks at it

It rings, Linnea is on the line.

She picks it up "Linn, it's weirder than we thought. Janice is a selkie, was a selkie..."

A moment of silence as the thane takes that in.

"We are fae - nothing should ever surprise us... and yet, something always does. Janice aside - are you okay? Did you get injured? Do you require backup?"

"Lin I..." She is rready to cry and she chokes a bit "I screwed up, but that's not important now. I think I'll take Janice to the hold. Others need to find Thistle. I.. i'm bad luck to her. Right of rescue, go save her."

"Gladiola. Listen to me. You did not fail anyone. Delorean and Danica have caught the pooka, thanks to your report. They've also apprehended an Ogre, which we would never have found without you.

You have discovered Janice, which is... by Dagda, weird, but must been seen as a hidden blessing. Any fae soul recovered is a triumph.

We WILL find Thistle. You have not lost. The game is not over. Would you give up in the 3rd inning because you are behind?"

Wrong sport, but bless her, she tries.

"No, but when a player can't cut it, you cut her, for the good of the team" A breath "I'm taking Janice to the lodge now. I'm pulling rank unless the barons say ther wise, use all scryin and tracking. I know you want to help save me, but I am not the priority now. Our fledge and her brother are. Seek them)"

"The Baron is not here. Baroness Nadeen just ran off in a hurry. But we will mobilize all hands.

Gwen, either you are the Captain and you must rally and bring us to victory, or you are a player and you WILL obey and fight. It cannot be both ways." The phone clicks.

"Always got to get the last word, so annoying" Wouldnn't be nearly as annoying if the woman didn't have a point. She turns to Janice "I'm taking you to the hold. that's where they'd be taken if found"

Janice hesitates, but then nods. "Then we must go to them."

"At least I have the right vehicle for it" She guides her to the carriage, pumpkin shaped

Wide eyed. "Did Trina make this?"

"No, but you should see what she's made.... I know she resents you, and that's not your fault, but if you take pride in her now, wait until you see her pottery, it is beautiful and whimsical... " She opens the passenger door "I... there's much to tell you of your step daughter, but I am afraid it would twist into me treating you like a confessor priest or something ... and this is not about me or my failures to help. While we ride, if you will allow? I want to learnn what happenned to your skin. Maybe we can get it back"

She also calls out, eyes still on the thallian "Pscyka found him!" and says "Keep him pinned, Psychka. "

Quietly, "I will go to find and help Katrina, and my son. I will not speak of my skin. Do not ask it of me."

"But we might be able to find it" She says "but I'll drop that subject, for now" She fights to stay herself. her own doubts rising up again you fucked up and her son is missing. why would she trust you to wipe your ass let alone help with her skin?"

Gwen's phone buzzes

TXT: Home, safe, Lady N after him

TXT: I think Muppet bit his dick

as the vehhicle zooms along, she can't read and text

Janice is tries to call Katrina, she has to look up the number in her contacts...