#brightwindsbarony

Sparrow considers, and nods.

"If you don't mind sharing, of course."

A grin. "She's not very BIG, not like this."

"I would like to meet Neera - she didn't just come to the barony, but she invited herself to the freehold."

"Maybe a safe? Something heavy that can't be carried away? Dad has a bunch of them. He has one that's easy to find, and then others hidden." Thoughtful. "Or maybe just a hiding spot. She said it's important. It's an anchor? It's not very heavy, though. ...it is and it isn't."

"Maybe a safe. Probably somewhere hidden and warded."

"Inanimae are fae souls like us, but they go into objects. And.. and if you hurt the object, if I recall, it can hurt them."

"I don't know how to ward things..."

"But I do."

"Oh! Can you teach me? One of the books I was reading said that different stones have different abilities, like.. auras? A lot of it sounded like nonsense. But I think maybe some do."

Sparrow shakes her head. "It is an art for those with titles. Now, if you wanted to earn a title? We could talk about that first."

She frowns. "I don't think so? It sounds like it would be a lot of formality and bowing and etiquette and stuff. Isn't there any other way?"

She shakes her head. "There might be other ways to ward - I know nockers have some kind of system - but the one I know is part of sovereign. And sovereign is an art that requires a lot of responsibility."

"Responsibility AND accountability. If I misuse it, I must answer to the Count, to the Duke, and to the King."

"Or.... fight, when my abuses are challenged. Harkson abused his power."

A frown at the mention of the art, she can't help it. "Yeah. I don't think folk here like that one much."

a flicker of glamour from the stone and a woman appears seeming to rise from the floor. She's quite lovely, like a sculpture worked upon by a master, and some would confuse her stone skin for flesh and blood at least at first glance. Her eyes are very much like the stone that she calls home

She bows, as she beholds the winged sidhe

"Oh! You were in there! Did I know you were in there? Hi, Neera!"

"Hello, Grete" A smile of perfect teeth.

"This is the Baroness I told you about. I showed her your stone, and she says she'll help keep it safe."

"Spa- Baroness Dery-yn-wydd, this is Neera."

"Welcome to Bright Winds, Neera."

"Baroness, an honor," Neera says "And please excuse my abrupt entry into your hold. I sought a transition and hearing of your lands took a chance. I am a glome of the krofted type, very young by our standards. I don't know what all that means to you, but I hope my offering up of my anchor to the power of Grete, and yourself, proves I am here with peaceful intention?"

She raises an elegant eyebrow.

"And what do you hope to find in this 'transition'?"

"Would that be like a selkie giving you their skin?" She sounds impressed. Perhaps more so than a selkie skin. After all, that just lets you swim. Rocks are more important.

"My own destiny, my own path, free of a well meaning guardian who taught me well, but would keep me in his shadow whether he realized it or not. I have not always been a good woman, Baroness, but I also have done some good. But I'd like a chance to learn who I am free of worrying how it reflected on my mentor or having to live up the expectations others have of him instead of me," She looks troubled "I must sound nonsensical to you, but that is the way of it . I was a dream who became a glome, and while Klump of Rivervale taught me what being a glome meant to him, I want to now learn what being a glome means for me."

"Rivervale? Indeed."

"Yes, perhaps I speak too freely there. Klump is not a SECRET there, but neither is he very social. Well, he does talk to the trolls. Particularly one Dame Dagmar. I do not know if you've heard of her?"

Grete shakes her head. "That's where Lady Siv is from, though. I met her. Her sister is a countess who has the coolest hammer."

"Lady CAPTAIN."

"Does she now?" A smile there "Items of magic are of interest to me. In another life, they were the cause of great activity and interest. yes, i've met the Lady Captain. Though not her more famous sister"

"I've met Dagmar - Gwydion, reminds me of the Baroness, in truth."

"Yes, they do seem to be cut from a similar ore.." then she sighs "You see what I mean? I never used to talk like this. Klump uses that phrase all the time"

"It makes sense though." Grete approves

"But you said you were not a glme before?"

"You'd like Klump, Grete" She nods "He's a lot more.. natural than I am and knows things about Earth, Stone, and soil than most would gain in a dozen life times"

"And no, Baroness.. I was a figmennt in the Dreaming, until a motely of Rivervale intruded on the story I was in, and ..well I wanted a chance to see this other world. The Da'an, having a sense of humor, made me a glome. I was once what I'm told is an 'NPC'. Symon tells me at least I didn't have a large exclamation point over my head and an urge to hand out quests"

"Ah, Symon." A smile.

"Ah, you know him?" She ponders, "he's a brilliant mind, and oh, of course, he came here didn't he? that explains some holes in Lady Captain Siv's story. Oh my. Seems to stir up things whever he goes "

"So... a chimera of the Dreaming, turned Glome? I know some magic types who would be fascinated."

"Yes, I was one of those types " She says "In some ways, my abilities were limited by my new form, but in others, gains were made. "

"There are always trade offs..."

"Just so. I'm strong, that's one that has some advantages, and I do have some magics. I offer myself as yet another guardian of the hold if it comes to that, though it is not my life calling"

"What is your life calling? How did you know when you found it?"

"I don't , not yet, that's one of the reasons I came here" She answers honestly

"Fair enough. Are you familiar with the escheat?"

"By rote yes, Rights of Dreaming, Life, Ignorance, Demesne and Haven.. .not always meant for my kind, you have the right to refuse me Haven as I am not a true changeling, but I do follow the rules. They're sensible"

She nods. "To reside here, you must abide by the law of the Escheat. You must not harm any mortals, for they are protected by the right to Dream and I take it most seriously."