#ccsemberclub

Rumors spread fast. An attempt on Alabaster Hollow to raise the ire of the common folk? SO Close to progressing to the next level- thenn splat.. all undone in one night

Emerson may not be a Seelie boggan, but he is still a boggan, and gossip moves fast when you live close to a nexus of trods

Thus it is that CC has plenty of warning when she walks into the house and finds him sitting in his chair in his stocking feet, the lights dim, a thick highball glass of brown liquor at hand.

"Hi, honey, how are you?"

She does appraise the stockings and drink, the lights dim, but perhaps it's not what it seems? Best to try up beat and see how that goes

A deep sigh. "Oh.... fine, Isuppose."

"How was yoga in the park?"

She tries to NOT wince, and succeeds , "It was fine but I wasn't really feeling it. Perhaps I should have nama-stayed my ass at home?"

"Is something amiss? You've enjoyed yoga."

"OH I do, just distracted" She looks at the dim ligghts and drink choice, "You seem a bit distracted yourself. What's on your mind?"

He tells her what he's heard.

Her eyes widen , "I think I'll join you in that drink" And she gets herself a highball, "Someone was dreaming big"

"I'm not sure we'll both fit in the glass." he dad-jokes. "Yes." he sighs "Yes they were." in referrence to someone's dreams.

"How close do you think she got to making it work? You know the system..assuming the rumors are true, how close did she get to pulling it off?"

He stares into his glass moodily, sips.

"Close."

"If I had to guess.... and I am -only- guessing, I have not seen her operation nor talked to any confederates but....."

She takes a seat next to him, on the arm of his chair so she can snuggle a bit if possible

"I wonder if the ....metastization of the elves moving out from Alabaster Hollow to other seats was, as my writer friends say, a feature or a bug."

"Was it meant to happen as a measured part of the plan, or was it an unexpected consequence of their sense of entitlement?"

"Did it happen -when- it was supposed to happen, or happen too early? Was the game blown because other pieces were not yet ready?"

Sip.

"Mmm if it had stayed local only, it might have worked? "

One arm does absently slip around her waist to both balance and support her.

She looks thoughtful but enjoys the touch

A shrug. "Perhaps. Our own baroness Lundy......? That whole affair remained -local-. The common leaders there have not tried to bring enlightenment to their neighbors."

"Up and downsides there to" She admits

"But, consider. Let us say it's been long enough, and the neighboring baronies are complacent and accepting of any eccentricities there. -Could- they bring a new way of managing resources similar to what they have at Lundy's?"

"Mmm I want to say 'possibly' but it feels like I'm hedging my answer- which I guess I am"

"We'll never know for -certain-." he agrees glumly.

"Would you like to hear a speculation that might cheer you up?"

"Certainly!" his hearty cheerfullness might be a hair forced, but he's trying.

"This may not be her first hold. This MIGHT be the first hold where it got exposed. Think on that, for all we know, she's already done this in another hold in another kingdom and we didn't hear about it because she kept it local. didn't get cocky. Maybe it was merely at the barony level?"

"That means at leastt one, maybe more, success is possible and done, cemented enough that she could move on"

He looks a bit out of sorts. "I would have hoped I'd have heard ..... at least rumors of something like this."

"Maybe, but success that relies on secrecy is always slower to be discovered than failure to be secret is blabbed about" She says "That's not a failing on you, honey. It's just how it works"

"Hmmph."

She takes a sip of her own drink "If you want to nose around for evidence of same..." She says "I wouldn't stop you"

"What would -I- do with such information?"

"I don't know, I just thought it would cheer you up" She says

He sighs, sips. "Thank you, Dearest." a pause, then wryly "Is it obvious I should be cheered up?"

"Lights are dim and not in a romantic way?" A chuckle "Higghball drink... broody in the good eye. I played the odds"

"You always do." He growls. In a good way.

"I might ask a few questions."

She kisses his cheek "Good. I thinnk NOT knowing might gnaw at you"

He nuzzles her hip, with her perched on the arm of his chair. "I'll never know, for sure. But.... Thank you."

"Thank you, " She bumps back "Loving you means I never get bored"

"From a satyr, that means a great deal." he mumbles seriously.

"It does." She nods "And you're a wise man to see it" her eyes sparkle