#dreaming

"You were Hera and Hestia, mother and hearth."

"Impossible. I am no troll, the Hearth was this bitter old woman, bitter as she'd given up everything for others. Her own dreams for the dreams and safety of others. She drew on the strength of her resentment of my kind..."

"But the Cookie has made you thus, for a day. But it is only breakfast."

"I think Da'an saw fit to shape you so."

"A day only?" Lord Exile says "How curious. I have heard of these. Ah. The Baker's goods" He recalls

"I was a nocker, once... what a delight, to try and be new things!"

"Who am I to fight Da'an then?" Aganthe frowns as she seems to remember "I ruled by my brother's side until his hatred near killed him. I ruled for a brief time handing iover to a younger one. Now I am young and of the Tuatha's favored. They did many crimes, we sidhe, but thta is NOT my fault I... she was an angry woman"

"And through experience, we learn. We grow."

"You fought hard, Hearth Agnes, no shame in that. The tides changed, you knew you had trouble changing with them, that is why you turned to Clem" The Gargoyle says "You enjoyed ccooking, so passion before a chiefly duty, though you did not call it that"

"Oh, I could enjoy your food properly now..."

"Then I might make some, for lunch" She looks at Lord Exile "Though we should enjoy your kind breakfast. We were strangers and you have treated us kindly, in your way. and I..."

Her eyes widen as she remembers something "oh, I am a monster"

"Nothing wrong with that" One of hte Rusalka says to her sister

"A monster? No. The sidhe are not monsters, though they can frustrate and aggravate and presume..."

"Oh no, no, not me the sidhe.. Hearth Agnes I.. I treated this little girl like..." A horrorfilled look. Even unseelie are not without empathy "I was a monster to her"

"Clem tried to tell me... tried to explain but I was so stubborn and could not see it from..." The Hearth turned troll shakes her hair "No I don't want to remember what I was. Let me dance, and hunt, and kiss who I will"

"You must remember the dark as well as the light."

"So much of my life seems dark, Zara" A sigh

"And change is good!"

"Yes!" She says "So why would I ever want to go back?" The sidhe woman shakes her head "Let us all remain here. Zara, you can join your new sisters in the black waters of the pools and tunnels below and about. Earl, paint from great heights. And I shall rule by my lord's side here. The farm has out grown who I was"

Earl says "You misunderstand" he says "Change is not a matter of just form. "

"But you could grow..." She offers.

"How could she.. I grow? I am a fossil, so old as I will likely die even with the bale soon" Aganthe /Agnes says "I Have made so many mistakes and so many suffer"

"Youhave cared for us, and looked after us, and so many of us thrive" Earl frowns "I may not have honor right now... but I can all bullshit when I smell it"

"With age is greatest wisdom. Sluagh venerate crones."

Lord Exile says "How..amazing. Do you all do this all the time?"

"Do what?"

"This banter, this life and death drama over matters of family, connections, and heart. Of regret, and the bitter sweet?" He asks Intrigued, not mocking

"Oh, aye. Tis life!"

"Family soaps" the sidhe says wryly, sounding a bit like the old Agnes there "yes, though trolls try not to air it"

"Nay, so stoic."

"Amazing" The Exile says again "For me, there are no surprises, and very little of even variance for I have done so much. Only guests and strangers, rare as they are, can catch me off guard. What a treasure you all are" He eats a bit of food

Earl says "There is something else, Aunt Agnes" he uses her troll name to reinforce now that she remembers "You and I, can never fully leave the farm. You more than I"

"Mayhaps a silver path could be laid..."

"Oh that? yes I can imagine one of those" Lord Exile says "Alas, it will not last long "

"Oh, Caspian could tell you stories, eshu and Fiona would jump at the risk..."

"Mm. But I could, perhaps, work with Fate. The bring luck that good travelers may pass through and enliven your halls..."

"If I could but name a trod on it's own," The Lord Exile sighs "Then it would be steady, but all names are my name here. " then he says "But I sense truth in Sir Earl's words. You can not stay. So I shall make a temporary trod for you. I would welcome the fate work if possible"

"Our oaths" The sidhe woman sighs, "I forgot. I made oaths to the farm. How could I forget?"

"You forgot everything for a time" earl reminds "yes, You took an Oath to the farm and it's folk. The one thing that didn't change."

"Foolish thing to do" The Unseelie woman says

"Oh..." wistful.

"I cannot undo an oath it is.. a thing of Da'an and Dreaming alike" The Lord In Exile says "But I can make it easier that you take it on"

And suddenly, it is summer. Death must be before Dishonor. Beauty is Life. Never forget a debt. Love, Love conquers all

And Agnes blushes "oh"

Zara is no longer haggard, but full and soft and sleek...

"You are kind. Yes, you deserve visitors."

Earl looks at his Rusalka lovingly

"I've been cruel," The Exile admits "I tired of it quickly"

"It is a hollow way to be." She agrees.