#debukefarmhold

Sometime before Beltaine, a sad procession begins.... guests come in to find wheel shaped wood designs everywhere. When the wind blows they give soft melancholy moans

Zara made it to the farm - delivering a dozen apple cakes, but then she disappeared.

The Chieftain called out a thank you, but she was gone so quickly... did Zara hear it?

Zara has very good ears.

And a (perhaps not so) secretly soft heart.

Earl remains behind, braced and ready to pay his respects. He is finely dressed, not for his own sake, for a nod to his elder. Black, a touch of color about the neck to show hope for a safe return on the wheel

"Earl, you made it. Zara was here but shee..." Clem starts to say

"I know, I know" Earl gives a gentle hug "She sends her love and regards for Agnes." He does not say the same for the ritual to come

Even the spiders taht dwell here have put up patterns in the webs that resemble the wheel of life, death and rebirth.

"How is she?" Earl asks low

"Waiting" Clem says "I try to tell myself this is a relief for her, a release"

"Try to tell?" he arches a brow "Clem? Do you have doubts?"

"I know it's both, " Clem says "But it feels at times like we should tend just a bit beyond the forgetting. Still, it's done worked this way for plum near a century" she shakes her head "And it is what she agreed to."

Buck snorts, and says "Excuse me. " And trots off

Clem winces

Earl raises a brow and watches him go "I take it Buck disagrees with this?"

Zara observes, gears spinning.

"he's a gentle heart in some ways, rough n ready in some, but he thinks it cheapens the joys of the world to... to depart them voluntarily so. I tried to explain it to him" Clem tells Earl "But he says ...well, he feels a bit like you do"

"It shows that much?" Earl says

"Earl, your thoughts on the farm you protect are known to me" Clem says "But for once, I HAVE to look at the greater good, particularly when Agnes herself pushes for it. It scares her to walk from the flame and forget, to feel weak in body, mind and spirit. She feels trapped"

Earl frowns

And Buck? Buck trots right past Zara muttering under his breath "I love her. I love her. I love her. She has to let her aunt do this. Gonna happen anyway. " He does not seem to believe the latter. But he's trying "I knew this farm had it's creepy side but damn damn damn... centaurs were nearly wiped out forever. I have a hard time accepting balefire is more important than fae life. Balefire was put here to help Fae life, not the other way around"

A huff!

Buck turns, confused, he thought he heard something, a gust of wind? of course, it was Zara's huff which he cannot place. And he doesn't see her, unless she shows herself

"You are right, you are not mad."

"Damned hidebound boulders."

A weak smile crosses his features to see her, hear support, but it melts off Buck's face quickly "I love Clem, but she wants my support and I can't lie and act like I'm okay with this. Run till you drop , maybe that's a centaur thing, but you don't drop until you're out of run. And you sure don't open your chest up to feed the village. This feels...canibalistic"

"It's a sin." The sluagh drops to a lower branch, dangling her feet.

"I wish... there is a place, I would take her. But I know not if I could find my way there a second time. Or if she would go."

A somber nod then curious "Where's that? "

"Deep in the Dreaming. The court of a Lost One."

"Once found by fate, nu? And fate is fickle."

His brow knits. Centaurs are not dim, and while Buck is a back slapping boiisteriou and big fellow he seems to grasp "Heard about lost ones, sidhe lords bound to ancient bales I thought? I... didn't hear Agnes mention him when I talked to her in private."

"It is difficult to remember aught from so far in the mist. Even for fae."

"I had to get her drunk to get her talking at all" The big man admits

The idea of AGNES being drunk is... well... it is an odd comparison

"Only when she was really sauced did i even hear another idea besides 'the way it should be' and 'giving back'.. and that idea made no sense either. I asked what other option would tempt her? She said 'exile' . I said 'you want to be banished?' and she shook her head and fell asleep"

"No! The Exile!"

Confusion crosses his features then focus

"The lost guy you were talking about?"

"I had... the name had... Aye."

"The Exile."

"His palace, with the River..." She almost sighs with longing over the word.

"A dangerous place, if you wish to leave it. A place where you change."

It does come back to her, the word Exile making scattered dust of memories not whole, but yes, more cohesive, like fingers drawing pictures in the dust of once great statuary

"But Agnes, she could live there... for who knows how long."

"Or she could be allowed to forget, to be cared for as her mortal self..." Zara closes her eyes. "Feh."

"How do I get her there?" Buck asks

"I don't know."

"sorry" he says "I just... " A hapless helpless look