#debukefarmhold

"We both know you have more questions you hope to get answered" He pours more tea "can't promise I will give you answers to your satisfaction"

"So how much overlap is there between the society of Namers and the Crystal Circle?"

"How many other Namers were here? How long have you been in the Circle?"

A grin breaks out over the man's face "Been holding those in eh?" He takes a seat "Okay, first, the Society and Namers and the Crystal Circle. Society might be too strong a word.. nothing so formal quite exists really I wouldn't even call it a guild. The sidhe have a lock on that for the most part but yes, there are namers and I think its growing. Now... the Cyrstal Circle both polices and recruits from Namers... some might say we are the watchmen over those who bend true names, and before you ask yes, we have some supervision as well, mostly of our own choosing. There were 7 of course, very traditional number. I won't mention who they are.

"I sained my first fae... I had wanted to tell you..."

"Why did she seem so hostile? What did you tell her about me?"

"Whoa, one gush at a time, I'm still behind on the other questions. I'm a troll and a grump, slow pace is my pace" He takes a drop of the fun in his coffee

"Aye, pardon." Sip of tea.

"Now, how'd he saining go?" A curious tilt "How'd it feel for you?"

"Good! It felt good to help a kithmate. I believe I hid it from the Fiona, though the Namer himself may have felt me, I think I avoided his direct gaze."

"Velvet knows I am a Namer, now. But... she is kith."

A nod "You're fortunate to be of a kith that can keep it quiet. Satyr namers get SUNG about"

"Oh dear."

"Why some of them go around in costume"

Eyebrow.

"Now you asked how long I've been in the Circle, sometime after the war" he narrows it down some.

She rolls her eyes.

"Were you a grump?"

"As opposed to the daisy I am?" a sip "I Know what you mean, in point of fact I was still a wilder, near the Togail when the Circle took me in . We do have a few wilders but age doesn't mean wisdom it often helps so we tend to recruit a bit longer in the tooth. But it's not a must"

She nods. "And I am young to be a Namer, aye?"

"This old eyes see 30 years old as kids" He reminds

"I am nearly twenty."

"You're young for a namer, no the youngest to become a namer though that record belongs to someone else"

"Think you Zane will pursue it?"

"Eventually yes. Zane wants to be a wizard, with all that entails. He'll never get his fill of magic, fortunately, while he doesn' know it, he's got some Schmendrick in him.. and that's a good thing .He has met unicorn so to speak, and he wants to be not just a wizard, but a GOOD Wizard. Moral and skilled. "

A shake of his head "Doesn't mean he won't go off the wagon a bit. He misses his friend and blames himself needlessly for not seeing some things"

"Oh, how I would like to examine that situation more closely. Velvet would pin him under glass, methinks."

"mmph, Velvet might. Young lady's interests in the spiritual and souls may get her in trouble one day. Hope you'll be ready to help her out if need be" A sip "Now, let me say, I'm proud of you. You knew that, but you got to sain someone. That's a sign of mastery for most. You are a Namer now. You earned that. You are a part of that society you spoke of. True, there's one more power awaiting, the most dangerous, but if you stopped there, you would be a boon to your kith and those who are hidden from knowing themselves. "

She nods. "And every step now is longer, as the Raven said..." A soft sigh.

"What the Crone said - can a power be taken away? Would that be geas, or reweaving? Some advanced chicanery?"

"The method of taking that power away is not told to those outside the Circle. " he explains "And I'm sure you can guess why"

"I can, aye. But surely, you understand why I ask."

"The Crone said it was too late for me to turn back - was she here to see if I was... a threat, or trouble?"

"You asked why she was hostile earlier, didn't you?"

Zara nods.

"I say this with respect for the woman, you haven't seen Abethia hostile."

"Hostile was perhaps too strong a word, aye."

"But.. ah.. judging? I felt I was being evaluated."

"You were" he says "But I would think the answer would be obvious.. Why would an old sluagh namer evaluate a young one?

"

"Because I have mastered soothsay, and the fae realm, and have Sained. I am not what I show to most."

"You mentioned me as a Prospect."

"Well I did. And that was presumptive of me. My apologies"

"Nay. I... am pleased. That you are proud of me."

"Oh by troll standards I gush about you. Out of the three most admit you're the most promising"

At this, he takes another sip of his coffee

"The three?"

"Why do you keep us apart?"

"My goodness, not everythinng is a conspiracy, Zara. "

"You have been hiding your other Naming student for years now..."