#baronyofthesilverwolf

"Indeed." Seemingly satisfied to just sit and be present in her company. He is still for long enough that a grackle flitters in, and starts curiously pecking at particularly sparkly vein in his marble pattern, near the curve of one sculpted ear.

His eyes turn to try to see, but he cannot quite glimpse it without moving more, which would disturb the visitor. A quandary.

Dru smiles brightly. "You have a friend."

"Little friend, I am not for eating."

"Hail to the grove," A voice says, one that is not that of a stranger for Nadeen values Inaminae allies as most Varich do.

His eyes trail over towards the voice, but he does not speak, it is not, after all, HIS grove

"Ah! Young friend! Hello, enter, sit!"

Nadeen enters, "How are you, Dru I... oh, you already have a guest. Hello to you as well, David," The Baroness inclines her head. She has a gift in her hand a glass jar, sealed, but containing snacks small and numerous within of a sort the Kubera likes. Something for her to count AND snack on.

She offers Dru the gift, "I thought you might enjoy these ,Marigold's work, of course."

"Oh - chocolates?" She greedily examines the jar, gently shaking it and turning it over.

"Oh yes, well, some of them are chocolate covered and so on," A smile.

Gift delivered she takes her seat, "I hope I haven't come at a bad time?"

"Mm? No, no. Apparently it is - what is the meat phrase? - time for tea!"

She lightly taps the glass before setting the jar on the large rock which is also serving as an impromptu table - fruits, nuts, a wax comb dripping with honey...

"How lovely, may I join you then?" Tea is fine with Nadeen. The sluagh act like they made it, but Nadeen holds with those that say it must have been boggans.

"Yes, little one."

The Baroness would never put up with such little one talk from a fellow kithain unless they greatly outranked her in deed, title, and perhaps age, but Inaminae are different. Many of them truly are ancient and any kithain, being half human, is a blip in the passage of histroy to them. Nadeen is aware and so from Dru she takes it as a term of affection, "Thank you." WHen tea is poured and served, Nadeen savors "I hope you and your animals are doing well?" It's too rude just to ask for a favor right not at first.

"I have five nests!"

That IS good news, "Wonderful, I'll make sure hawking continues to stay away from the area," A nod . Indeed Blossom has been warned.

"Oh, good. Wild hawks are a bit different, of course."

"Yes, Nature will have her way," A nod.

After a moment she decides to broach the subject, "I confess, I was hoping for a bit of advice on a matter."

"Oh, I know little of meat matters, but... oh! Is it romance?"

"No actually, though my husband and I did go for a moonlit ride not so long ago, and a picnic that was delightfully romantic," She recalls fondly, then says "It actually involves an attempt to create a cuillinary trend. It is currently fashionable to add rare or forgotten fruits of edible quality to one's meals at least for guests. We hoped to revive or create such a trend ourself for Silver Wolf."

She claps her hands. "Oh! A party!"

She shakes her hair out and taps her chin thoughtfully. "Something rare, and luxurious, and which delights the senses... no earthly fruit would do, no."

At that Nadeen grows intrigued, "you sound as if you know just the thing?"

"Well, there are options. It isn't really the season for Spicepumpkins - they are at full flavor in the fall, of course. Best harvested between Lughnasadh and Samhain. A pity - they can be pressed to create a juice the color of fall leaves with truly complex flavors. The humans have attempted to mimic this - I know not how they first learned it, perhaps one was taken under a hollow hill - by creating a delicacy known as a 'latte'. It's a poor imitation - cardamom and clove and cinnamon, but similiar."

"There are a-seasonal glades in the Dreaming, though."

"Intriguing, is there something more seasonal in your view?" She does not dismiss the spice pumpkin though, "And please, tell me more of Spicepumpkins while you are at it." No knowledge here is without worth.

David has slowly, slowly turned his head, so as not to disturb the bird, and is observing the conversation.

"Oh, in early spring, like this?" She looks up, studying the sunlight filtering through the foliage. "Amberheart, of course."

Nadeen looks intrigued.

"Very fragile, but they capture that brisk catch of frost as the dawn burns away the rime and dew. Their flesh is the color of sunrise, but the rind is white as snow."

"Amber." David rumbles softly, "A false stone."

"Amber, a tree-stone!"

"It is of the green realms." He agrees.

"I..adore the tree stone you mention," Nadeen confesses, "But I did not know there was a fruit or food related to it that was edible to kithain."

"It is easy to damage, so rarely travels far from its tree."

"I believe, named for the color rather than any true stone, or stone-pretender, nature."

David says slowly.

"Lumenberries, are also something I have not heard of in the mortal realms in many an age. Do you have those in your orchards?"

"Ohhh, they are said to be special. I wonder what happens when they are eaten by meatfolk?"

"I've never had the pleasure of Lumenberries, though I have heard the term of those," She admits, "Ironicly said to have grown near a Nocker factory which frankly surprised me. I think it made lanterns, the factory that is."

"I do not think they grow in mortal realms, not in this cycle of mine at least."

Slow pondering, as David takes on the slow cadence of an old tale-teller, drawing up words that have not echoed through his stone heart in many an age.

“Legend says a great beast once terrorized the lands beyond the Dreaming’s edge, and could not be slain by blade or spell. In the end, it was struck down by nothing more than a simple walking stick carried by a wandering traveler.”

A pause long enough for birdsong to resume.

“When the beast at last faded, the stick had taken root beneath it. By dawn, it had grown into a tree unlike any other, laden with pale berries said to carry remnants of that old miracle within them.”

Another thoughtful stillness. “Some claim the fruit shines brighter near honest hearts. Others say it grants clarity, courage, or steadfastness in oath and purpose. Stories differ. Such things often do.”

He falls silent after such an immense speech!

She nods then looks at Dru and David "And the Amberheart? Where would they go for this?"

David looks to Dru, and then ventures a reply.

"They are said to grow where winter still lingers beneath the soil while spring has already claimed the air above. Border places. Frost hollows. Valleys that see first dawn."

Long pause.

“I do not know where one might presently be found. Such fruits tend to grow where conditions are correct, not where it is convenient. Perhaps, Dru may know more.”

"Thank you, David," She makes a note of both fruits.

She tilts her head back, humming softly. "The valley beyond the river, for it is always thus."

He nods slowly, "Just so."