#dreaming

And with cane in hand, she slips past the guardian.

She flows as mist, letting Zane debate as she beelines for the intersection of the two great rivers.

And she is there, oh the swirl is as if some giant witch used the water to make a rune of a spiral where they meet

She is careful, dipping the CANE into the water, but not herself.

It swirls and sprays and threatens to splash her.

And she realizes the danger here.. what if, what IF, the very gift she got about returning the Rusalka by blood in the future, be it near or far, be undone?

But she is Zara manynames, and among those names, Spiderfingers.. aware, watchful, quick! the drops spray up, but she moves just enough to avoid even as she watches the cane's gem grow empty of color and feels... oh.. it was a part of her. Increasingly, it's just a stick. A magic stick to be sure, but not a part of her

Relief. She kens it to be sure before carefully withdrawing.

Not a smidgen of HER Glamour remains in it.

And who knows it better?

Good. No reason to tarry. She picks her way back to the trio.

"So, a duel then," the guardian says "if you wish to earn the right to come this way, and to answer for the insults this satyr has given?"

Oh dear! Her artist, a stubborn tilt to his jaw. She's slipped back just in time. .maybe.. for he looks tempted to accept!

She swoops up to Earl, a hand on his chest - stop, lover!

And .. he does looking down at her, relief fills his features, not at avoiding the fight. She is here. With him again. Safe. Oh such insecure things these giants, and yet, his love makes it almost warming. One day she will trap him in a garret in the middle of a small island of a dark river perhaps... but for now, he attends as a paramour should

Zara holds the cane out to Zane. It no longer interests her.

"We are done here, Guardian. I take the Satyr with me, but perhaps you should think on his words not as an insult, but as an indication we should think of the tyranny when we would imprison others in an effort to keep them safe. " Earl says

"Ah, there it is" Zane takes it and inclines his head "My thanks, Miss Manynames"

SHE has a BROOM.

Which, as any witch knows, is FAR better than some tacky cane.

"Begone then, ingrates, know I have protected you this day" The Knight Troll unaware that Zara has used the waters behind him

Tiny smirk.

And off they go... oh there are more adventures on the way, but that will be forgotten sad to say. They step off a trod and find themselves... at Bergen

And a troll champion resumes his watch of the crux where rivers wipe away all

(End Scene)