#debukefarmhold

"But what I remember is what holds her."

"There were... good monsters. We helped them" Earl says "Wait, you're not her father but your blood will help?"

Emmit grunts, and goes near zara, "You want to do the piercing or shall I?"

"I... believe there is power in your pain, forgive." She rummages through the packs. "Earl, why is my teapot corked?" She sets it aside, and claims one of the cups.

"Oh something about the tea pot... For Emmit"

"Later." She holds out the cup to Emmit. "Bleed in this."

And he does, a pin prick of blood , three drops

Earl says "She's got to be DeBuke, she's not your daughter, but she is related to you, to us"

"Earl, you're a smart young man," Emmit says "And I should have taken you under my wing to be the next mountain.. regret I didn't. But please. For a moment, stop thinking. "

"Banneath. Wild of Heart. Daughter of the Land. Hawk-eyed. Defender of Sluagh and Children."

"Banneath. Student to my teacher. A sister unknown."

Oh she sees the hated symbols...snake and sun interposed.... but she pushes past it...

"Aye, I am the Ghost... I am not there, I pass...."

She gathers shadows, forming shapes so the others may see...

a female troll, her blue skin showing the lines of methodical torture... teeth snapping at shackles... she falls into rough hands...

"Redcaps? Redcaps are freeing her?" Emmit says.

"So that was the monster.. monsters" Earl corrects to plural

"Oh! Brun and Brunna!"

Cold castle...death everywhere, but the redcaps are like their name sakes, raiders.. freeing their prisoners, and setting fires as they go!

Maximum chaos

"Methinks they shall earn that bounty..."

"I hope they get out alive..." Earl says.

"They will," Emmit says "I may not be able to help her direct..." And he flings a fair fortune through Zara's cantrip to grace the Corby

"Who is her mother?" As she watches the battle.

"An innocent woman of great beauty" Emmit says

The lucky break comes relatively sooner than later... the smoke has gotten to the stables, but fortunately not flames, and the guards in the courtyard are nearly stampeded as the warhorses panic and break out of their stalls

"And her father?"

"A man who shamed himself." Emmit says

"Nay. I ask who her father was."

"And I answered " Emmit says "DeBuke business."

"And I'm A DeBuke" Earl reminds "Last I checked, and Zara and I are... she is with me. And, YOUR apprentice."

Emmit and Earl lock eyes. Earl of 2 years ago would have blinked. But this time it is the old man

Emmit turns his attention back to the vision, "A crime was done. She knows only a DeBuke did it..so I let her think it was me."

She considers, watching the chaos quietly.

"Aaron is my father."

"You don't have to be a balor to take a woman," Emmit says "Please don't make me draw a picture."

"you let her think you raped her mother?" Earl says flabberghasted

"...I think you misunderstand my question, Teacher."

"If you want a name, I'm not outing him" Emmit says

"That is not what I asked."

"You asked who her father was. Maybe you can clairify because I thought I answered even if not as much as you might like" Emmit says

"Aaron is my father. Has she one?"

"Ah, forgive me Zara, yes I was thick. No. She has had no father." Emmit says apologetically.

The troll woman feels a touch of glamour, raw, bloody... redcap glamour, she revives and looks "Someone's watching..."

"A lonely path, then."

"Yes. I taught her enough naming to get started on it. It was.. the price "

Earl stares at the man like he doesn't know him

"She asked to learn naming and you just.. taught her? " He says surprised at the older man.

"I tried to talk her out of it," Emmit said, "Trust me"

"And did he pay a price?"