#debukefarmhold

"Do not quote the folksy metaphors to me, witch, I was there when they was done thunk up" a hurmph, then a chhuckle, then a sigh

"Well, I am here to keep you honest. Ironic, nu?"

"More than a little, though in your defense, worse lies you do are merely omission thatt I've seen. Guess you could say you'rre a woman who values truth, right down to the last dollar's worth"

A nudge, good nattured

A grey gummy grin.

"I should be mad you set tthat up.. honey glazed Clementine oranges? really?" She doesn't sound mad, not at Zara

"Well, I suspected that centaurs were about as subtle as trolls..."

"Buck doesn't know subtle. He laughs large, talks straight, and works hard. He.." She looks at the farm "He loves it here"

"He works as hard as any of us, doesn't complain, is kind to kids, big kid himself sometimes" Clem looks to the smithing area

Her eyes grow very soft

"Aye?"

"Sometimes, when he hooks up the plow, and drags along, he sings. He's not that good, but he ain't bad, and he's so.. radiant. Unashamed to be who he is"

A touch of envy

"Aye? A good quality." Zara is almost as bad as a pooka, quietly nudging.

"But he works before he plays. Farmwork ain't easy. But he doesn't whine. Loves the soil. Takes pride in it. Works the smithy too. Cadman was my warrior poet, I loved that, but Buck's .. with him, the love is in the hands."

A sigh "If he dies I'll never forgive myself. I really thought he'd show sense"

"No, fighting for love is the most sensible thing in the world."

"Well dying for it is a risk I wish he would't take."

"I'm not worth it, the fool" A sigh

"Oh dear. Now, what did we say about lying to ourselves?"

"I'm not lying. His life is not worth less than mine, not worth risking for hope of my love. " A frustrated look "So here I sit , up a tree, with mixed feelings of worry and ... this tender hope I can't shake. "

"is that how you felt with Earl?" Curious

"I was terrified, aye."

"I also realized that.. that I could not be without him. That my life was less without him."

"But Clementine - you are worthy of love. And when love is true, it is beyond any price."

"You, my dear friend, are a sap." She tugs at the wings "Cupid's own, you are. Now, these may not last long. Go take flight while you can"

"Join me?"

"Oh why not" She transforms into a harpy, and says "Yes, you can smirk and thinnk of cheeky comments about this form, but that's all" And she swooops "Come on, first one to the stream gets to pick tea orr coffee when we're done!"

"Coffee!?! Feh!"

Zoom!

Zooom!

(End scene)