#brightwindsbarony

"I think you're right" A smile

"Oh I hope she likes the lilac room it's a bit.. " A pause "Well, flowery"

"She'll love it, but also insist on improving it."

"Well, I won't stop her " Hope says "I'll fetch the chancellior. I get the feeling you're about to be dragged out shopping in Fort Davis."

"Well... we'll make sure we hit our friends' shops. Bea first."

"Bea will appreciate that" A nod "And she's your Clurichaun rep so you might talk court things too"

"Possibly. And she might have some fun rocks for Grete."

"Grete loves those"

"Bless. She's easy to shop for, at least."

"Bea has actually upped her stone related purchases and search for her"

"Aww."

"SPARROW" Dio's gush can be heard down the hallway

Yuri comes forward , the poor bear dog has a bow around his collar, enough to rob him of his dignity

Ladybird bounces along, too, tail awag. Dignity? Labs?

Ladybird has a bow too, but she's just too adorbs

"You have two puppies now?" Dio bounds in "LOVELY. I need to go shopping. Not for a dog, though sometimes I wonder."

"Yuri was a gift from Sir Sergei."

"And I know just the shops..."

"LOVELY" She gushes again

"I'll go tell sir Dubh to be ready" Hope says

And soon, Dio and Sparrow are going out to shop. Somehow Dio manages to just spread enthusiasm as she goes

(Fade to shopping)

"...Miss Nessa?"

"Not here" A voice calls out. Rose?

"Ohhh. Sorry, Miss Rose!"

She peeks out "She's camping with Dame Otha.... oh, Baroness. Pardon. I have to remember titles"

More and more Rose seems to be molding into the warrioress dream. Then, according to Ross, she's always been a fighter. Even the trolls treat her more as a fellow combatant than someone to be protected first

Not the Baroness! It's a little girl with a hairbrush.

"Oh.. sorry" she looks down

"Miss Nessa lost this." She offers it out.

"Mmm so she did. Thank you," A pause "i'm sorry , sweetie I forget your name. I'm Mrs. Philips, or Mrs Rose if you prefer"

"Mrs. Rose." A firm little nod. "I'm Irene. I'm a piskie."

"Irene, nice to meet you" She puts the brush up then turns again "oh, the girl who is so good at braiding. Yes, Nessa mentioned you. Thank you for helping her out. She loved it"

"She has SUCH a long tail!"

"...Do you need braids?"

"I..." She ponders this. "I normally just keep my hair in a pony tail when I'm working..." A beat. She realizes if her husband were here there would be a comment about the inadvertent pun

"Viking warrior ladies wore braids. Like Lagertha!"

"She's in a TV show. Do you like TV?"

"Did they?" She says then admits "I haven't had time to watch TV for a .. awhile" She admits "I think Centaurs are more Greek." A thought enters her head "Irene, if I had you do my hair or tail, how could I pay you for the service?"

"Mmm..."

"Could you show me how to shoot arrows?"

"I can try" She says "Mm.. we'll need a smaller bow I think... come now. Let's step out away from Nessa's room. " A pause then "Would you like a ride on my back?" if anyone else asked, they'd get a kick! Or at least a glare. But for a child? Well. She'll offer.

BIG eyes and a silent nod.

"Well, let me help you up. " She reaches down ready to pick the girl up, then stops "May I pick you up?" Important to teach young girls that THEY set the boundaries. To be fair, there were times she pulled the boundaries smounderies I'm your mom card on Nessa, but this isn't her kid

"Yes please!" Arms up!

And up she goes before being set back "Now, I don't have a harness and wouldn't want one, but I do have a quiver strap and if you want to hold onto that, I will take it slow"

"You're up so high!"

"I heard about how you helped save the nockers, too. With your arrows. Pew pew pew."

"Ah that, to be fair, I had speed and range, the brave ones were the nockers and those there with them" She moves at an easy pace with the girl, as much for herself as the girl, it takes time to get used to the weight. She remembers when Vanessa was this age. "But I DO take pride in accuracy while I was moving. What got you interested in Archery?"

"Oh, Minecraft has archery!"