#baronyofthesilverwolf

The garden still bears winter’s touch—bare branches, cool earth—but the promise of spring lingers in the crisp air, buds just beginning to peek through. Bluebell sprawls across a weathered bench as if it were a grand fainting couch, one arm draped over her forehead in dramatic fashion.

Gazing at Monobrow, the unicorn foal, she sighs with mock despair. "Where were you when I was new? When I was one of those innocent young maidens you always come to?"

"You still seem young to me," Monobrow assures her "Innocent" he sniffs, then gives an equine style shrug, "well, you're not DIRE. Cheer up"

His eyes bright "And I LOVE Molly Grue"

"Hi, I'm Monobrow, have we met?"

Bluebell bursts into giggles, the dramatic pose forgotten as she props herself up on one elbow.

"Not dire? High praise indeed," she teases, grinning as she swings her legs over the side of the bench.

"Monobrow? No, I don’t believe we’ve met," she says solemnly, then leans forward with a conspiratorial glint. "But I hear you have excellent taste in literature."

Bluebell tilts her head, tapping a finger against her chin as if deep in contemplation. She muses aloud, "Why Monobrow, when UNI-brow was right there?"

Monobrow says cheerily "I don't speak pooka well but I do like books and..." A startled look, "Oh man, I could have been UNIbrow"

"Perhaps it was too... corny?"

"Kernal of truth in that" He nods eyes bright

She claps with joy at the continued pun. "I'm all ears!" Perhaps truth in that, she DOES have very long ears.

The young unicorn bounces and laughs "Are you my Stalk- er"

Bluebell grins widely, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "If you manage to go on, that would be a-maize-ing!" she says.

"Oo oo give me a moment" the young unicorn ponders, then tilting his head bleats "AW, SHUCKS!"

"Because you SHUCK corn" he explains like a kid would, and giggles

Bluebell is quiet for a long moment, long enough that the poor foal may think he misstepped. Then she grins and claps.

"How did you meet dear Daisy? Was it through your music? I see of course, you're in the horn section."

"Noínín and I came into this world together" he toots happily, horn playing in fact! "I mean, his Chryalis helped me form"

"It was a few years ago" A nod 'But unicorns live long. I won't be an adult till 100 or so. I think I existed before but he helped me put my dream together? It's hazy"

"How long have you lived here? It seems nice" Monobrow rambles both in speech and movement, little pounces "Noínín is going to be a great troubadour"

"Oh, I've lived here for hundreds of years. Maybe thousands!" She nods. "I'm very well preserved."

"Well preserved? Well, Jam on" Monobrow smiles, then says gently "Thank you for being a friend. Noínín told me how you stood up for him and supported him. He's an orphan and doesn't get that much"

"Orphan?" She sighs a little. "I wouldn't know anything about that." But, a small smile lingers on her face, if a bit sad. "Tell me, do Unicorns graze, or eat cookies like clurichauns?"

"Oh we can multi munch" Monobrow assures her "I graze AND eat cookies. " He admits "Some folks think I'm a horse and try to give me carrots but I'm not a fan.." he looks at her ears "No offense meant"

A grin. "More for me! I do know where there is a most secret patch of early spring clover..." Her nose gives a delighted twitch.

"Really?? " He perks "I do like Spring. Everything feels wild and new"

"Oh, yes! And it's early enough in the spring that Briar will not have sprinkled hot pepper on it yet."

"Hot pepper? On fresh clover? " The unicorn looks offended "Why would she DO that?"

"It's like Ketchup on Spaghetti!"

A little bit of a sour look, "To pre-season the meat, of course."

Bluebell glances at her own haunches and gives her rump a little pinch. "Luckily for me, I am very spry and do not have enough plumpness to be very tempting." It's unclear if she's joking or not, but she does smile again.

"Oh, I don't eat meat" Monobrow tuts "Some meat might have been my friends. Noínín does like hamburgers though" A tisk

Her nose wrinkles up a bit. "You may sup at my side, friend notahorse, and together we shall avoid BOTH pepper and poultry."

"thank you" And the unicorn gives an elegant bow

And soon the pair are happily in Bluebell's hidden grove - really just a pocket in the nearby woods where sunlight filters through and a bit of clover is sprouting - but still, it's delicious!

(Scene?)

(Scene!)

Elsewhere, Briar HUFFS.

"I just like seeing her jump when she gets a bite of pepper! GAWD DAMN! Y'all are too sensitive!"

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