#debukefarmhold

"Aye."

Clem is very glad she can hide a blush as she thinks back on at least one Gwydion she didn't mind.

"Do not mention my library, you overgrown bird. I do not wish them to find my name..."

"Which one is blabbing?" Earl asks

"Gwydion have no sense of discretion."

"Yup. That's Dagmar," Clem says

"She's a good girl though, fine warrior."

"Strong like ox, smart like tractor?"

Clem says "Now now... you'd be surprised some of the advanced soft ware intractors these days. Sides... she's not dim. Folks tend to assume she is. She's just straight forward."

"No shame in that," Agnes says "Honesty is the best policy most times."

Clem raises a brow "You and the other elders had us keep this place secret for decades"

"I did say MOST times, Chief," Agnes hurumphs

Earl however, smirked at the tractor part

"Aye, aye.."

"Troll subtlety."

"Okay... a computerized tractor."

"Actually I hate most computerized tractors. The big corporations use them to make it so only THEY can fix your tractor, and who can wait for 2 weeks for one of their boys to finally show up?" Clem says "Mara being a nocker has certainly helped in keeping the old one's running."

"if only she'd stop trying to 'improve them all the time' " Agnes sighs "WHy can't she just leave them good as is?"

"She's a nocker, Aunt Agnes, you don't let her make things 'better' and she's going to leave the farm one day, mark my words" Earl warns

"Nockers mean well, usually."

"Tis their nature. They are like their engines, always firing."

"So. The mercs swore."

"Letting them off light" Clem notes

"She's trying to cut down on inteference from her chieftain I think," Agnes says "Seen it afore'

"Aye, a guest soon. Gerd has promise."

"Gerd's gone a touch oddbodkins," Clem says "Not sure where the sweet little girl I knew went."

"She is quite sweet. Good appreciation of tea and literature."

"SHe's had a hard life" Agnes says "Let her find her way."

Earl asks "So...a guest soon. how soon?"

"Quite."

"I think you two have been through a lot and ought to stay here" Agnes says "For an eve"

Zara fusses.

Clem says "It's an offer and it's open. But we understand if you want to go to the lodge given what's gone down"

"I did relinquish claim on that book... but... Rivervale must needs know what threatens them over it."

"Well, I didn't reqlinquish claim yet." earl says faux snootily

"Correct. And given her choice to poison thee..."

"Well, I think I have every reason to ask about it." he says

Clem says "We both know Zara's gonna be reading over your shoulder the whole time."

"Not the point" Earl says

"Well, yes..."

"Fine fine, give her an hour or two then go. I don't know if you've heard, Zara, but some witches are really protective of their reading time"

That from Clem, teasingly

"Feh."

Zane enters in, "Hi, Hearth. I have to offer to help you with cleaning the pots if you need it because ..." A pause as he sees Zara and Earl "oh. I've intruded."

The Mountain comes in after "Sorry about the delay, we had an incident." Brow at Zane.

"Mountain. Master Wayburton." Hand on her chest, nodding to both.

"Zara," Zane says than gets nudged, "miss Zara" he corrects, "Good to see you. I wanted to thank you for the ..well, the endorsement."

Grey lips quirk into a smile. "Twas your merits, nu?"

"If you call crafting a passion bomb a merit" He grins, then sobers "Mountain Emmit knows more about... well, magic than.. did you know there's a place in the Dreaming where Gods from various pantheons challenge each other? We got to see Zeus and Thor fight, and it was not an epic rap battle"

"He was team Greek, of course," Emmit says taking his hat off, "Now, What did I miss?"