#debukefarmhold

"Why do you think she has the same last name? And, pray - how do you think she, of all people, was led to you? I tell you this, sluagh are unmatched at stealth. Think you it chance?"

"is.. is she my .. mom? my real mom?"

A soft, sad smile. "Did I not say you were clever?"

He forgets about the tea "Why..why did she take so long?"

"Because she was not able to go to thee. The Balor held her in bondage, and hid you from her knowledge. I tell you - she learned of you not even ten hours ago, and naught in heaven nor hell would hold her back from seeking thee."

a thoughtful look in his tea then a slow, angry hiss that sounds like it belongs in a stephen king movie " i hate balor from the deepest part of me"

"I.. should tell you it is wrong to hate. I should. But..." A sigh. "I hate them too. When I was younger, I wondered often... why she was gone, why she did not want me. But... but to learn that she did, and that they had stolen her, and hurt her? I hate them, and I do not, can not, forgive them."

"wait, she's your mom too you said? Then.." A curious look, "Are you my sister? "

She nods. "Aye."

"I did not know of you before today, but aye. You had been hidden very well from us."

"I had to.. they.. the balor... they were scared of someone in Baltimore... the white streaked lady... so I went closer to it, you know?"

"Aye. The Countess there is formidable. That was also clever."

"it was they were evil wasps, and i was this tiny little spider.... and there was this web with an even bigger spider... so if I took to her web... well, they didn't dare land but I have to be careful. some spiders do eat other spiders"

She nods. "Accurate."

"but... now I hear about rules and. .I almost... " he says "I tried to take the glow, the glamour wrong. I almost did.. there was this mortal girl..." He looks to clem guilty "She stopped me, so did Miria..mother"

"You didn't want to do it anyway" Clem says "I could tell"

She nods. "Tis a crime to steal bread, but.... when starving, aye. So. We teach you other ways to stay fed."

"that's what she said, mother I mean she..." he looks at zara "You are my sister. That's weird. Does this mean I get to sneak into your room and mess with your stuff? "

A surprised rasp of almost-laughter. "Nay! Toucheth not my stuff!"

"but i've seen shows, it's expected of me" an appeal to logic (By 7 year old standards) "it's ..like a tradition"

CLem had to put her drink down

"Then you know it is my duty to protest such an invasion. Furthermore - sluagh seek secrets, aye, but territory is inviolate."

"... toucheth not mine, and I shall not touch thine. Deal?"

"mmmumble.." a pause " but i don't have a mine to touch?"

"Yet."

"so i ..might get to share a room with someone ? a bed and ..maybe a trunk where i can hide my things?"

"Well, of course, " Clem says

She nods. "We will find a place for you, where you can learn our ways and grow."

"Aren't we going to live with mom?" He says after a bit

"I do not know."

"Oh"

He looks at his food as if it's less enthralling, but he does still eat

The tea remains miracle juice

"She... I live yet with my adoptive family. Miriam is still healing, and has many important tasks she must do."

"But... she comes when she may, oh, she does..."

"oh." he says "but I just found her. she just found me." the childling's voice echoes something zara herself has said "its'.. not fair"

"No. It is not."

"What was done to her and us was a grievous crime. A tragedy. But from sorrow, there can be joy."

"and more tea?" He says hopefully

"Please," Clem adds

"Please," he says promptly

"Aye. More tea." She pours him another cup.

He starts to put it to his lips then pauses to say "Thank you"

A smile. "You're welcome."

He sips then thinks "Maybe we can help her?"

"you can help her best, by studying hard to learn changeling rules," Clem says gently "It's important, and it reflects on her as well as you now"

"Maybe we can, aye. And being patient is part of it... sluagh are patient."

A huff. "But yes, it can be hard to be patient."

"i'm not sure I'll be a very good sluagh" he admits "But I'd rather be a bad sluagh than scared boy"

Clem does not whisper, that would likely be heard by the boy, but she does mouth 'he's a bright little thing, isn't he?'