#debukefarmhold

"My place is here," DeVere responds

"But of course." Zara understands.

For several minutes, all is blissful silence safe for the soft clinking of spoon against cup, and and the oh so genteel sip. A non sluagh might find it dull, but if Earl thinks so he's far too well trained and appreciative to complain. It's the little pauses of silence between the whispers that make it almost meditative . Though talk does, of course, resume, "One hears rumors," A sip "of a squire in your care, Sir Earl?"

Earl blushes and looks about, glad Zara has chosen a quiet area of the farm with few ears to have this murky picnic, then he says with a whisper of his own "Dad, I'm in trouble enough for the knighthood hear if folks find out more. If they find out I have a sidhe squire..."

Mr. DeVere looks more amused than worried

"Nelson is amusing. He 'stole' a book the other day. Is rather proud of sneaking one past me."

"Now, when he discovers the note I left him in Chapter 4....."

"He already did" Earl smiles despite his concerns "To quote him 'aww man'"

A breezy rattle of laughter.

"I did congratulate him on his cleverness. But he must needs still sign the check-out ledger."

Devere gives a rasping laugh that sounds like an old man's last breath "Delightful. It is good both of you are giving him a robust education. We sluagh are teachers in our way, as Miss Zara knows but indulges me to repeat- he will be a better Eiluned for understanding title does not mean monopoly on cleverness"

"Indeed. And the spiders like him."

"Do they? Well, this lad shows much promise indeed" DeVere nods then adds "Do not worry, son. Obviously, I am a modernist, I work as I needs must to help this hold thrive in defiance of even the high king 's dictates, but my disdain for the noblity is systematic, individually some are quite worthwhile beings."

"This I know, but I'm glad you feel the same, " Earl nods "August and Coradel have proven to be true companions"

"He also helped save 1122..." And Zara, but she doesn't say that.

Neither does Earl, "The squire's proven himself"

"Ah, well then, I see when the boy becomes a wilder, 1122 will teach him the manly art of carousing with style" A sip from the old grump

Earl's eyebrows launch as he mulls that over then "He.. would do that wouldn't he?" A look to Zara

"1122 is a gentleman. Not a scoundrel." Sip.

"He's a little bit of a scoundrel" Earl mutters low, not that she can't hear it. "But mostly a gentleman"

A smile.

"Well, twere there no ounce of scoundrel, he would be boring."

"Let us be grateful he is an arachnid and not kithain then, for surely his many romances would be worthy of the works of Dumas" DeVere chuckles

Zara is a sluagh, there for, there is no chimerical lightbulb as the possibilities of a character based loosely on 1122 for her writings arise, perhaps an elegant candle, or a gaslamp? maybe a miniature full moon?

She salutes DeVere with her cup. "Indeed."

Maybe naught at all. But still, her own artistic might stir just a bit

"Agreed" earl smiles "Oh well, there are worst influences on some one that 1122. He's been a friend to me. I think he's tried to guide me properly. Father, do you have a chimera friend? I've.. I've never asked"

"oh dear, son, we slaugh do not always tell much about our chimerical friends, some of them, like us, are prone to secrecy, others are... more helpful when folks don't know e have them" he explains

Earl nods "Oh of course"

But a Tookish side of Zara feels her curiosity rise. Just what companions of chimerical nature DOES Mr. DeVere have?

"Mm.."

"Quite all right. The spiders, or our affiliation with them, are so out of the open that it actually works to our advantage. People see a spider, and then mind what they say or move away because the slaugh must be listening. of course, 9 times out of 10, it's just a spider on minding his or her own affair, but the behavior confirms to us that they have something they want to hide from sluagh, and so by their distrust, they positively invite investigation" DeVere explains to his son

Earl raises a brow "They bring it on themselves you say?" A dubious trollish moment and he looks to his trueheart

Innocent sip!

"mm that explains a lot" Earl sips

"I told you we sluagh were teachers" A graceful nod from Mr. DeVere "now you two must tell me of your books and art."

"I said naught." SO innocent.

That makes Earl's eyes sparkle with delight, then he says "Well, I did a cover for a book recently, not one of Za.. not that of my favorite author"

"mmm?" a sip of tea and a glance to Zara from the grump, silent attempt to coax

"Though Vali's work is also under a pen name..."

Oh, that 'also' slipped...

"Ah, yes, I understand many privacy loving writers indulge in such," A nod "Pray, Miss Zara, does it give you comfort?"

"Oh.. I.. wait...it.."

"Think of it as a father's day gift to your trueheart's patriarch if it helps?" Mr. Deverse coaxes

"Oh not fair, dad" Earl looks at his father

Mr. DeVere does not look entirely repentant

"Feh!"

"I do value my privacy. Do not all sluagh?"

"But you both know so much about me," the older man seems to look even older, amost pitably frail

"Oh, I do but wish. Nay, Mister DeVere, you hold many arcane secrets that defy this wilder."