#brightwindsbarony

"Anything else I can do for you?" She asks "And, would you be willing to do some of these drawings for our official records? More accurate"

“Of course! I’ll work on them right away. If I can find some watercolors or colored pencils they'll be more accurate.”

"That I can get you the Baroness has a whole storage room of art supplies for anyone of the hold' Indeed the childlings go nuts with it

"Oh this is going to look beautiful"

She beams! “Glad to help, even if it's really just a textbook more than an art piece. I’ll be sure to replace whatever supplies I use!”

"You're doing this for the hold, not yourself, so you won't have to do that" She says "the Barones doesn't make the thanes replace and pay for every target dummy they damage either"

The Satyress thinks about it "If I had to pay for every paper i write on or vial of chimeric ink. oh I'd be broke"

She laughs! “Fair enough.”

"Now, is there anything else I can do for you? As Scribe I find myseelf often overlooked save by the Baroness"

“Just sending on that letter will Be great, thanks again.” A sigh. “I worry about them. For a county seat, it’s very poorly managed. At least, compared to here. I mean, in my opinion”

"You're not alone in that opinion. I think the Count almost relied on the old Balor Baron to make him look good. Now, Sparrow is here, and he's list his 'if you don't like it, go the slaver balor' option"

A FROWN. "Aren't Fiona supposed to be Seelie? How could he just ignore what was going on?"

"Fiona is a Seelie House, but they have unseelie members. Unseelie not being evil, this usually isn't a problem " Clio says

"Yes, but that Balor was just... evil." FROWN.

"Yes. yes he was. However I ccan show you records of Evil Seelie too. Zealots who think the ends justify their so noble means"

"Then I apologize for my phrasing, but the question remains on how he could ignore things, like, the right of rescue." A sigh. "I know I'm preaching to the choir, but it really sounds like weaponized ignorance."

"It does. I Share your outrage, and the Baroness is livid. It's especially dangerous because he has a Pennons flag"

"A flag?"

"Oh yes, a pennons flag an be used to demand a challenge of a lower noble, and if their champion beats hers... the hold can be seized"

BLINK. "Did Sparrow need one of those to beat Baron Harkness?"

"I have to check my records on that" she says sheepishly

"But the point remains, Pom can offer his on loan to a baron who is more servile to him, and that Baron can come challenge. Sparrow is very good, but theree's always someone better"

"I suppose Sparrow wasn't a lower noble than Harkness, but of his rank. I'm sorry, I don't understand a lot of how this works."

She FROWNS. "Do you think that he plans to try to challenge her?"

Then she brightens. "There's someone about Count Trispeax, isn't there? A duke? Could someone do the same? Find another person of proper rank with the Duke's permission, and have them challenge HIM first?"

"Well, YES. It can be done" A nod

"I don't suppose there are many counts about at loose ends."

"The Duke could elevate someone, in need, I assume." Thougthful. "What do we KNOW about the Duke?"

"Not much, there is actually a lot of tension about the Arch Duchy of the Lone Star, for a time it was almost shoved into one great Duchy, but LONE Or not, the various differences in Climate, terrain, mortal politics and more divided things up and no less than FIVE Dukes claimed a section . King or Chief Blackhawk had to organize all sorts of matters and finally elevated it to an 'arch duchy' formally, allowing for lesser Dukes. "

"Lesser.... Dukes?" She blinks, trying to keep track.

"Well, they wouldn't consider themselves that" she says "But the nearest Duke would be in El Paso. I can look up more details but it will take a bit"

"El Paso? No WONDER he... or she.. is an absentee of sorts. That's hours away."

"Just so" A nod "A lot of little then a big city"

"I'm sure reports were sent there when Sparrow took over... but maybe he - or she - is unaware of the extent of Count Trispeax's neglect."

Then, she bites her lip a little. "Unless... I guess, maybe it's not considered neglect, to them. if the count has the authority to do such, then... we can dislike it, on moral grounds, but have no real room to object." Nessa sighs, "Politics gives me a headache."

"Wait till we learn more about the Duke before we make assumptions mmm?"

Nessa reddens in embarrassment. "I... I'm sorry. It's not even my place to begin to judge the lieges of lands I know nothing of."

She turns back to the half forgotten worktable, and stirs a small pot that steams on a hot plate, then strains it into the jar of oil and emollients. A strong scent of lavender and mint...

"It's your place to wonder, I just wnat time to give you the right details" Clio smiles

Nessa stirs carefully, humming to herself, as she eyeballs the measure of the ingredients... a bit of glamour flickers and flows into the jar.

"You'll want to let this cool, and steep for at least twenty-four hours..."

She watches "Amazing"

"I think that half the effectiveness comes from these jars. BeaTk must source these from a dreamer, they make me happy just to hold them."

"She's got good stuff," A nod "Oh that's very nice"

"I'd have used a Purple jar for the Lavender, but.... well, I thought you might have to spend time fetching it from Irene's room, if so."

"I think I might make her some lotion with scent. A bit young for perfume, but who doesn't like smelling nice?"

"You know irene well" A smile

"I hide my purple ink from her" She admits

"I leave out some things I think she may like." Nessa admits.

Though, she carefully locks the cabinet when done where she keeps her herb extracts and tinctures. To Clio she explains, "A lot of the stuff in here looks or smells nice, but as with any chemical or medicine... I just feel safer this way."

"I understand.. and you know, i may leave some purple ink out for Irene separate from my regular stash. Not that she'll be a worry. She is going out with her mother and Sir morthwyl and Felicity for a week,a trip to an amusement park"