#earthrunes

A blink to Claire. "I...of course, but...is something wrong?"

"Everything's fine," She says

Eyebrow.

August looks confused.

A frown...and she looks to Magnus.

"Well, obviously not fine with those kids, but... fine, fine with me." A smile, a bit wobbly.

Magnus looks at her, "Claire?"

"Of course it is. So - being fine, why don't you stay a bit?"

"I'd like to get the drop on something, while I can, chancellior" MORE teeth

"Is there...Do you need to say something, Claire? I mean...your voice is valued here."

August rises and bows with his hand on his heart to Coradel, and withdraws.

"And I did not mean to drive... August away?" Okay, now the Ailil lady is confused.

A startled look as August abruptly vanishes. "Well...it looks as though you are not the only one who feels the need to depart, Claire. Do what you must."

"thank you, Baroness" She bows and withdraws.

Magnus mutterss under his breath, frustrated for a moment.

"I'm.... what?"

"She's been acting really odd lately, but that one took even me off guard," Magnus says

"....right."

Nansaidh says "I suppose it goes without saying that she set my boon to jarring more than once there," The Gwydion announces almost apologetically.

'She's the worst liar I've ever seen in the house," Neachdainn says "It happens sometimes, but I'd not seen it before now. Possibly why she focuses on the sword."

She frowns.

Coradel listens to each, her frown increasing. "I hope she is okay. Magnus? Any ideas on why she's acting oddly?"

"Well, I.." A look at the non family members "Nothing I'm willing to dicuss in front of those who aren't truthbranches or very close friends. Apologies."

"After dinner, then?"

"Well, that won't get old" Agincourt says "It's pretty obvious she's angry with you, and you're starting to return it. Tension ... Delores can vouch. But We'll butt out. Let us know if you two need help"

A slight quirk of a grin at Agincourt, and a look back at Magnus. "I really did figure out some of that on my own, but it's good to have boggan confirmation."

August returns and soberly takes his seat.

Magnus sighs

"I think then we should finish up," Nansaidh says rising "At least now that Sir August has returned. Pardon. Come brother"//"Oh, of course" He follows

August pokes at his food.

"Bye, you two."

Soon it's just the truthbranches, and Magnus says "well, as soon as shalimar gets out from under the table?" The skunk leaves. NOW it's just them.

August clears his throat.

Coradel nods, a bit baffled, to the others as they troop out, then looks to Magnus. "You do know how to clear a room."

"I and the skunk pooka. Sorry, but do any of you want to discuss your love lives and romances with an entire court?"

"No."

"What set her off?"

A sidelong glance to August.

"And where did you vanish to just then, anyway?"

"Oh, lots of things. Apparently I lack ambition"

"Is that what it was from the start tonight? You two were already upset with each other before we started dinner."

"That, and picking the house, she almost fought me when I told her that I didn't really much care about the backsplash on the kitchen. She's been really... I don't know? And I'm sorry it's affecting our work. I was listening her talk about this purple vs a fireblue backsplash and and I said something like it didn't matter, and she asked if anything did? And then she said 'I need you to...' and then she got really quiet, and clameed up. The silence was more confusing than the fussing over the damn backsplash"

Quietly. "Magnus. It's not the house. It's... " He looks at Coradel.

She picks up the glance from August and nods, finishing, "It's her. It's how she wants you to feel about her. She wants to know she's...not as replaceable as a backsplash that doesn't matter."

Sparrow looks between the others, listening.

"And then she doesn't talk to me...and worse, she starts doing everything. I nearly bounced a check because she didn't tell me she'd paid off a bill early."

"I love her, I thought that was enough." Irritated.

Her turn to glance to August.

"It can be. But you ... you have to follow through...." He looks, helpless, at Coradel.

"And how does she go from wanting me to juggle back splashes one minute, and then fixing the car and paying bills without telling me? we do those things together. Heck, she's told me that if it weren't for me with the paper work, she'd be lost. And.. argh."