#dreaming

The satyr, what is he, 13? fourteen tops? Drops to his knees and sword goes not out to fight, but to lay before her "I do hearby offer my body and blade to the rightful heir of Lord Paler"

Earl's hand stops it's motion and his jaw drops

If a face could be an ellipses, Zara's does an admirable job. "..."

Vashti tilts her head as if to say 'what a strange little bug'

Earl, after all this, loses a otuch of decorum "you've got to be shitting me"

"What is your name, boy?"

"Dumuzi" he says "Some.." he blushes "Call me Dumdum but... whatever pleases"

"The ancient Sumarians were big on loyalty" Vashti mutters mangling a movie quote

"Well, Dumuzi - go from this place. Find one who was wronged by Paler, and deal fairly - balance the wrong with right. Then, seek me, and we shall see."

Dumuzi rises "It shall be done" and he bows, and moves off.

Shalimar chortles "I knew your sister collected oddities but this is most intriguing"

Where the skunk pooka came from, even Zara isnt' sure

Vashti swats her lover "tease not my sister, taht is MY province"

She shakes her head. "Pity the child, aye?"

"Now - we go?"

Shalimar nods and has a large backpack from somewhere jingling "Aye , let us go. this place is full of thieves, scoundrels, and congressmen"

"Three or more, three or more are a congress..."

Vali chuckles at that.

Vashti kisses Shalimar deeply, then turns "Aye, let us go to our happilhy ever..."

That's when the catapult blows a wall open

"oh poop" Vashti finishes

And she might be on Shalimar's lap, the skunk on his own ass after the force of that. Earl has drawn his blade and is ready to protect Zara..thoug how he's going to stop another BOULDER if it gets closer is iffy

"Yes, it is Time to GO."

They flee.. there's no more delicate way to put it. As they get out, they see the banner of House Balor! Laying seige to the cavern, more than that, they seem to seek to purge it utterly from the face of the dreaming!

Shalimar blinks "Something we said?" As no less than two seige engines, 10 knights on nightmare steeds, and twice as many infantry hold their position while bombardment continues

"Well, I did call upon Da'an. It seems it answered..."

"Even Thanatos' grip they do not trust the pale line" Vashti gapes.

"Well, SOMEONE certainly snapped their fingers" Shalimar agrees

"And so we go." Down the red path, away from the cursed place...

They make their way down that path, and see a lady knight of House Balor. The hunch on her back detracts not from her beauty but she is cclearly meant to block this way, she draws a blade as they come into view "You are of Paler?"

Zara draws herself up. "We have slain him, and done your dirty work. Leave us pass."

"Well, slain eh? Hah" A grin "Best news I've heard all year. I'm Dame Marcinea." She puts her sword away, reaches into her pocket, and throws a bag at their feet "There, a reward for the deed, and your silence. Go on"

Zara narrows her ayes. "So it goes. I hope you leave not even two stones standing."

AHem the skunk looks at the bag then at zara as if to ask 'shall I?"

"Less than that," Marcinea grins like a shark to feeding

A nod to Shalimar.

Shalimar picks it up, clearly kenns it, then nods trusting it, and they move on.

Dame Marcinea seems to let them pass in good faith. Which, by Balor standards means not betraying them or stabbing them in the back. Will wonders never cease

Zara stalks forward, not looking back.

"To the farm" Earl asks

"Yes. Please. Shalimar, have you seen it yet?"

"Ah yes, the farm, I do all my shopping there" He says

Earl rolls his eyes "Let's get off this death trap of a not trod then... gather around." And he rubs his hands as if making fire without a stick... there is a burst and they find themselves safe on SILVER.

And right at the entry to the farm's cornfield

Zara exhales, a sigh of relief.

Earl normally would be a gent, but he goes first saying "Whoever is ther,e don't shoot!"

(And to the farm they go)