#brightwindsbarony

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Irene is at the kitchen table, carefully cutting out shapes from sheets of fun foam!

"How goes it, page?" Chancellor Dubh the Grey moves so quietly he might accidentally startle her

"I'm making a costume! Ashlee helped draw it out."

"The baroness mentioned she had artistic skills. What are you going as, or is it a surprise?"

"Robin Hood!"

A smile "That's a classic, a lot of kids don't even know about Robin Hood and his Merry Men..."

"I saw the movie, have you seen it?" And Dubh, like it or not, is getting a run down of foxes, and bears, and crying lions.

"Ah" As he realizes WHICH Robin Hood it is. A smile crosses his face anyway. Better to learn it from funny animal movies than not at all, and besides, Sparrow tells him the movie is quite good

And it certainly makes Irene happy - Robin Hood helps people!

At this, Dubh nods. Having Catir come back as a child herself has proven... educational. He's learned more about children. Clearly, he needs to encourage somethings about here.

"I have another archer friend you might want to meet sometime. She's even better than Rose, but then, Rose is new"

"Yeah?" She brightens, sneakered feet swinging. "I'd like that!"

"Her name is Leonora, she's a Fiona... though of a diffferent cut than Dio..." A pause "Maybe not too different, they both love shopping"

"Miss Dio is funny."

"She played makeup with me and I looked like a movie star."

"She's good at that" He nods. In truth, Dio has been a perplexing addition. Everyone seems to like the fiona fluff, and being a Fiona, she flirts and frolics then moves on. Suddenly it's like Earth Runes all in one package. He had dropped his guard

"She is! I hope she stays." But then, Irene does well at getting along with just about everyone - finding a spark of common interest to connect.

"I'm not sure we can pry her away" He says with some dry amusement, "Even the Baroness herself considers Dio a force to be reckoned with"

Nod-nod.

"Hello?" A voice, Dio's.. "Are my ears burning?"

"Hello Miss Dio!"

She has a bag in her hand with a bow on it, "Hello, darling, just the person I was looking for... I have something I thought you might like, I Hope it's no trouble?" A look to the Chancellior "Hello, Chancellor, am I intruding?"

"No no, I don't believe so" Dubh says "Irene was telling me all about Robin hood"

"No trouble. Want to see my mask?"

"ABSOLUTELY" She says

She holds it up to her face - cut out bits of orange, white, and black craft foam layered to make a little fox-face.

"OH I love it!" She says

"Ashlee helped. And Hope is going to sew a white patch on my t-shirt. So all I need now is a tail.

"I might have a stole, faux I promise, that might help" She says "I'll have to see if it's what you need. Oh, there is ONE more thing you might want to add to your costume" Dio offers the bag

Eyebrows lift before she takes the bag, reaching in to see!

Tiny little clothes.. Irene would never fit in these. Little Merry Man outfit in green, another in red, and there's a gray tunic...

"I thought you might like a sidekick" Dio says "So... I had Rhonda measured.... and these SHOULD fit her"

"Rhonda?" Alas, Dubh sometimes forgets IMPORTANT facts, like Rhino names

"OH!"

"Rhonda can be Little John!"

"Mmm hhmm" Dio nods

"or Friar Tuck... or Will Scarlett... or, ohhh..." She delights at the tiny purple dress. "Maid Marian!"

"...I forgot Maid Marian was purple..."

"Did you want another color for her outfit?" She asks

"No, purple is the best!"

"Well, Maid Marion was QUITE the Fashionista" She nods approvingly

"I'm not sure I remember Marion ever being described in the stories as a fashion-" Dubh starts to say

Dio holds up a finger at him, wags it as if wiping away his mouth so he won't do that talking sillyness thing

Dubh blinks and shushes

She nods. "Rhonda likes pretty dresses, too."

"You know who likes pretty dresses most?" Conspiratorial.

"WHO?" Dio leans in

"Ashlee!"

"Does she?" A smile "How lovely. You know, I think every girl who likes pretty dresses should get at least two."