#debukefarmhold

At some point, after the ceremony completes, Sylvi moves over to Clem and asks her quietly, "The fire's okay?"

CC gets an amused hand-squeeze.

"Do I get to serve drinks?" Emerson murmurs to CC.

"Not even a juice box" CC tells him

Clem nods "It'll be better once Kourntey joins in with it... and its grieving in it's own way. But it got to say farewell'

The boggan pouts at her.

"Yes. Good." She nods and gives Clem a hug, murmuring, "Thank you. You did the right thing."

Clem sighs "I hope so. This will bubble up, but she's safe now. Now, would you like your inheirtance tonight, or shall I bring it to goldfinch later?"

"My...my what?"

"She had a will. You and Zara are in it, as are numerous others" Clem explains

YEs, Zara's ears pick that up

"I..." She blinks, clearly stunned. "I never thought of that. That's...wow, that's really..." And she subsides into speechlessness.

Clem looks amused "Actually stunned you silent eh? Your father and mother may want to mark the calender. Now... did you want that tonight, or want me to bring it to goldfinch later?"

"I...uh..." She thinks, then winces. "It feels kind of tacky to do it tonight. So...Goldfinch later, I guess. If that's not too inconvenient for you."

"Never too much trouble to visit family" Clem assures, and gives her antoher hug in return

The hug is returned, and then she releases Clem to the others who wish to speak with her.

"....I'm in the will?" Baffled.

Earl says "of course you are. we're truehearted, and Agnesliked you . I know it's hard to tell because she had a kind of ..well, that expression that always seems ...seemed to say there was mustard to be cut and folks needed practice... but she adored you even if she considered you.. trouble. She said you were a lovable subset of pestilence, not as deadly, but bound to get folks itching and yet you were contagious"

And Sylvi has a brief moment out of the spot light, just sitting back, and watching while vaguely remembering that Agnes lives... and has love, and is happy. And...it's a secret she shouldn't tell. Yet it warms her to know.

That wins a smile.

And if she's subdued and quiet...well, it's the occasion.

"She said it in a folksy way but you would have liked it" Earl assures as he sees the smile

"Mama liked her."

"She liked your mother. Considered her a 'right honorable woman'... her words about your mom. would fuss at me when I visited but didn't ask how your parents were doing"

"Aye."

"She once asked why you were so into baseball, but not so much basketball. I looked her right in the eye and said 'well, Aunt Agnes, Zara is very short'. she agreed that made sense and took it as a good reason'

Zara dissolves into giggles.

And Earl chuckles back

Indeed, for such a somber time, it seems laughter and joy also have their part. Drinks fuel stories...make tongues loose and fond of good moments

Zara listens more than she speaks, but that isn't unusual.

And in listening, she gets some good stories about a much younger Hearth Agnes ,and her own triumphs and tragedies, and aout a middle aged agnes who raised many like her own sons and daughters, and yes, as an old grand aunt who stood watch over them all with a firm hand and a lot of love

How is Emmitt doing?

A bit drunk by the end of it, but not so much that it throws off Mountain duties

She does check in on him from time to time, lightly touching his arm to let him know she's about.

He looks over, and pats it, then says "young lady... we should talk' And motions her to follow him

"Should we?" She follows.

Emmit says "We should, student o mine. Did something... happen with Agnes beyond what Clem is telling?"

Big, wide, innocent eyes!

"You'll catch bugs like that" he observes "Too bullfrog"

Clearly some of the booze is making him rude to speak of a delicate lady so

"As Clementine said - she is no longer caged by her mortal form. Her fae soul is free now to seek happiness beyond this world."

"Words that would pass the Falcon test I'm sure" Emmit frowns "She cut the fire. Murray doesn't have my knoweldge of the fire. Neither does Clem come to think of it. But I've been bound as long as Agnes... and she cut it.. pretty smoothly for a sudden death"

A gentle shrug.

"Does the Fire seem upset?"

"Mmm it's missing her, so in a way, yes" he says "But you're evading my question. Zara, I don't know what you and Clem plotted, but this... this could backfire on her. On the farm. Even among the young there are some who think we've gotten too open too fast.'

"The Fire wished the best for Agnes, Mountain. I know that - and I think you do, too."

"It's very protective of the DeBukes. So many decades of troll influence, I suppose."

"Mmm yes, maybe even rubs off on young sluagh girls" A brow lift

"...Maybe."

"Earl is a terrible influence."