#brightwindsbarony

At first, Nessa tried to be polite, afraid that her appetite, quite a bit heartier with more of herself to feed, would be an imposition. But as the small ones - boggans, she repeats in her head - not brownies or gnomes - keep insisting, she finally gets a hearty meal after weeks of rationing and foraging. Quick notes made to help her keep track... it's like being back in school, so much information flying around. She is tempted to ask "will this be on the test?" more than once.

Her mother is not shy, asking for clarifications, and yes, sometimes 'why' for a rule as well as what the rule is.

To her credit, Clio is happy to answer all questions in depth

"I don't want to sound ungrateful." Nessa murmurs when she gets a moment to breath in between bombardment of information. "But... why are you all being so kind? Is there something you want, or need from us? Everyone here seems to have a place and a purpose... but I'm not sure how we can fit in." A glance up as yet another unknown face peeks in through a window or cracked door, trying to catch a glimpse of the mysterious new guests. Her tail swishes, uncertainly.

"Oh my goodness, so many reasons. For one thing, new chrysalids such as yourselves count under Right of Rescue. It's just plain survival .. when one of us is lost, all of us are diminished . For me, and others, I'm afraid there is also that whole academic fascination- You three are the first documented centaurs returned in centuries! I don't mean to make you feel like you're a tourist attraction but think how amazing everything must seem to you three, that's how you three are to us. You're a sign of hope. "

"And I've already learned when there is Hope, there is cocoa.... so I can be okay with that." A smile!

"Ha" Clio smiles "The steward would be flattered. "

"Oh right, her name is hope" Ross says

"I very much would" A voice chimes up , steward Hope comes into view "How's dinner?"

"It was really nice!" She responds. "If you ever want any local forage, I've had some luck finding nice things out beyond the trails and in the parks. " Still feeling a little guilty over the hospitality. "I think I have more of an appetite these days. I don't want to put you out..."

"We feed trolls and if need be redcaps, and no one eats more than a redcap" The Steward says "Actually, I may take you up on the local forage sometime. Don't worry, everyone does SOMETHING here. I'm a local, I know how it needs to be. I've met your father before" A smile "Hi, again Ross."

"Hi" He grins "I didn't remember you looking like that" Almost surprised but smiling "Then again, I don't remember me lilke this. Barista right?"

"That small coffee shop" She says "And tea house" with a nod "Now, who wants to see their room first?"

"Oh!" She blushes a bit, embarrassed, and ducks her head, at some inner thought.

"Nessi?" Rose asks her daughter "You want to go first?"

She looks up with a small smile. "I guess I kinda thought we might be in a stable somewhere." Embarrassed, but she laughs it off. "Sure, of course."

"Oh I must confess, your anatomy made me wonder what was best but I never would..well, you're clearly NOT horses" She says

"I don't think I can really do a bed any more, but, like a futon or pallet, something I can fold my legs up on? That would be nice."

"Actually, that's kind of what we went with" She says and guides her

She follows, gazing around in awe. Pausing a moment to look at a mural in progress along one hallway - a small smile as she sees small, child sized handprints in paint.

"Oh yes, childlings. Wait till you meet the young ones. Good kids."

Oh, there's the silver-haired girl again... peeking around the corner! What was her name?

"Irene?" A glance back "Hello, dear. I was just showing Nessi her room"

"Wait til you see the windows. You got an outer wall."

A pause, one hoof raised, and she peers over at her! "Oh, hello..." A small smile. "I don't bite, I promise. Or kick." Added as an afterthought.

Irene scoots a bit further out. "Hi."

"Irene has been a real help around here. One of our best Pages. She's a piskie"

And they enter the room, which clearly has been adapted not just to take centaur form in mind, but also to engage her love of the green and growing

"Pleasure to meet you, I've never met a Pixie before. But I also had never met anything like any of you... us." A smile, that turns into a gasp as she surveys the room. "It's so beautiful! All this space, and... and everything? Just for me?" Unsure.

"You should see the troll rooms! Ashlee's bed is the size of a truck!"

"Yes, we're sorry we couldn't get a bigger one but I thought your parents would need that. This room gets a lot of light, perhaps too much. We can get thicker curtains if you need it. It used to be used, or so Grete tells me.. for studies of rather nasty plant chimera and even some poisons but we cleared that out and turned this into a room"

"Oh, I wasn't complaining! I've never had a room this big!"

Irene sees so many touches to the room, little touches.

things a piskie might want to feel in her hands

Leaning out over the low wall. "The light is perfect, and with the windows open, oh, it's almost like being outside. Do you think..." She trails off but just smiles. "It's lovely."

She... oh, she's just going to pick up this tiiiiiny succulent in a pretty blue pot.

"It's part of the magic of some holds. They adjust to fit their rulers. And you've seen the Baroness wings yes? Why in the first week when she took over it's like the rooms decided to scoot out more .. hallways too"

It just fits in her hand.

"Oh, what were you going to say dear?" To Nessi, not yet noticing the piskie is... seeing with fingers

A glance over at Irene, and she smiles. "Do you like plants?"

"Oh, I was just going to say, if this was a doorway out... but I certainly am not going to ask you to do construction." Aghast at her rudeness. "You've offered so much already."

"I like cacti. And sunflowers."

"Oh, your room is next to one of the exit halls. Just to your left when you leave it."

"Cacti are lovely, and people talk about how they hold water, but the softer, tender paddles are actually tasty as veggies too... and sunflowers are bright and lovely, but also have seeds."

A nod to the Steward, though it does seem like she is sizing up that window, wondering if she would fit through if she tried.

She might!

"Oh, I've had nopales!"

She sets down the little pot, but seeking hands pick up a pretty hairbrush next.

"Irene, try to keep track" the steward says. Track of the things she borrows, but not SAYING That

(in another part of the hold) Ross and Ross are being shown their bedroom

"Oh!" She puts the brush down.

A smile on Hope's face. "Its is a pretty brush"