#baronyofthesilverwolf

Aiden grips Nadeen's hand as the pressure rises, practically tangible, like the air before a storm.

Nadeen looks at the girl who is doing anything but ask and watches the patterns break, snap, reform...

And waits

"I beg the Dreaming to open the Baron's heart and eyes to Arthur's worth." Softly. But the Dreaming can hear.

"Oh , Thistle" Nadeen says, "That boon is long granted. But you don't know as I do what goes on our private consultations with each other. You don't know that the reasons for his choices are not born for not recognizing your friend's worth, but rather seeing so much of it and striving tomake sure it is realized in fullness rather than haste. "

Sylvi watches, growing concerned. She looks about to see if there's a sluagh or a long-eared pooka (or Flopsy!) nearby that she could whisper to.

There are a couple sluagh under a pavilion in the back, a gaunt elder grump and a practically-wilder Childling. They are whispering quite animatedly to each other.

Sylvi carefully eases her way over. "Pardon...can you share what's happening?"

As soon as the words are out of her mouth, she realizes that 'share' is not likely to be persuasive...but she has little on hand to trade at the moment.

TO SYLVI:
Lizbet's black, sunken eyes are shining. "It is quite something, is it not? Pray, perhaps the Baron will be insulted and cut off someone's head. We have not had a good beheading in years."

Elias whispers in a dry, chiding tone, "Beheadings are more proper for Samhain, not for a Saining, dear girl." Lizbet makes a disappointed sound.

TO THE CROWD AND THISTLE!

Aiden is quiet for a LONG moment. Finally, he takes a step forward, and speaks out. "Art's worth is known. He is impulsive, irrational, and impatient."

A pause, before continuing. "But he is also clever, loyal, and ingenuitive. When I said he would not be sained..." A faint crease on his brow, "I spoke in anger, and in fear. Fear that he would overreach, and hurt himself. Fear that I would lose him as I have lost others. I still do not think he is ready..."

The Countess then, well, she doesn't interrupt, but she smoothly interjects. "As entertaining as this all is, I think I have a solution." She steps forward, and inclines her head to Thistle and Aiden, politely giving them the respect due as the local lieges.

Sylvi nods agreement. They didn't really give her helpful information, but she's not going to push.

Nadeen projects a look of calm support for Aiden, but gentle understanding for Thistle's feelings. All at once. She did have years worth of work at diplomacy at great courts and parliment

"Is... is anyone ready for this?"

"Sorry, your Excellency."

"If I may?" Politely, to the Baron and Baroness. Perhaps a polite fiction, but it is polite none the less!

"You may, your excellency" A nod

The Countess's companion has slid back into the crowd, and is murmuring to... Janice? But who is watching him anyways - the show is on the Dais.

"It IS quite a riddle to resolve. The Babe must be Rescued, the Nocker must be the one to go, the Fledge must be sained, and the Nocker will not go without him. However, there is no puzzle that cannot be solved, even if one must be creative with the solution.

Art, step forward."

The Fledge does, looking wide-eyed and uncertain.

Thistle's spirals are positively whirling with different colors.

"I hereby declare this to be the start of your Fior-Righ." Her voice has the air of a pronouncement. "Your Quest is to rescue the stolen child. You must be strong, and clever, and courageous. Live up to your potential, and you will complete this trial, and in doing so, prove your worth, to Fae, the Host and the Dreaming, and earn the right to your name. "

Magic is swirling around ART now.

Sylvi is wide-eyed at the spectacle. A double-feature! But what stolen child?

Brows LIFT. She reaches to take Art's hand.

Art is reaching up to her as well. They link hands, and then - he searches the crowd, looking for GWEN!

"Stop your spell!" Nadeen intrudes on the wayfare, a dictum

The bunk is quick, finger motion of pointiing and then palm towards the pretty boy who by all appearances appears to be casting when he ws not granted permission, and perhaps to the harm of her fledges

The magic is swirling, and Art reaches his free hand towards Gwen. A scent of salt-air on the breeze that dances on the threads of the magic.

"YO, ROCKY!" Noting Art's reach, she calls for the trolless - offering her free hand as well.

Gwen takes the hand

"Oh, boy...." Sylvi shudders a bit at the feel of the dictum happening.

The Magician in the back suddenly stops casting - the magic falters...

Until Aiden speaks up. The poor caster is now torn as the Baron cries, "CAST! While the moment is right, and the magic is strong!" The Dreaming itself echoes in his words, as he suddenly sees and understands, clarity gifted by the dreaming, by Thistle's heart-felt plea, her boon granted.

The magic swells, crescendos, and crashes down like a wave upon the three Wilders, and they Vanish!

Nadeen turns to see Aiden, confusion on her face

Duelling dictums. Ugh!

(twangy banjo music)

Then she her confusion seems to vanish, and she turns cold, her features frozen into skillful poise "Anyone for cake?"

...oh, boy. Sylvi knows that look on Nadeen's face.

She glides gently to the Countess side

whether AIden chooses to come along or not

Aiden blinks, then sees, and FEELS the snub, and.. for just a moment, he looks torn - then smoothly covers it up with a cooly pleasant facade.

"Dee, music."

"Yes, my lord" And the harp plays what is meant to be a mellowing happy tune

Nan is CACKLING. "Damn fine saining, normally these things are SO STUFFY..."

"Pardon me," she says to the sluagh. She moves towards the front, making herself available if Nadeen needs to vent to somebody outside the hold.

Nadeen looks tempted but first to the Countesss, "Your excellency, have you a moment for private converse?"

The Countess looks rather like the cat who has stolen the cream, and was found with whiskers dirty, but unrepentant.

"What, and miss cake?" She says, mildly, but smiles, moving to accompany the Baroness. "If someone could please see to my chauffeur?"

A nod towards where the sidhe has fainted. Actually, two someones are already "seeing to" him. Linnea and Danica each have one of his arms, the man hanging limply between them, and it's hard for non-trolls to read their expressions but it looks like they might be silently considering a game of tug of war.

Moving away from the Sluagh area, she converses quite guietly "Oh the cake is worth it I assure you..." And whispers

Madern the piskie finds himself in an interesting situation, Dee on music duties, the Nobles conversing...

Gwen Thistle and Art GONE?

So he socializes, blending just a bit with everyone and offering them food and following Marigold's lead in talking up the food and the hold and more

Sylvi watches Nadeen and the Countess go to the side, notices Aiden's stung expression...then opts to go to see if Linnae or Danica need help.

"Is there anything you'd like me to do, or do you have it?"