#earthrunes

"Jack knows a lot about a lot, here. Come on...let's go talk to him."

"Oh... kay?" He follows, with one last glance around and a look at the Lioness mask.

They make their way towards the tavern/pub that is positioned a bit off to side and a touch under the main floor, cozy and warm.

"I'd like a drink before dinner, anyway." She leads him to the Tavern...but her pace slackens as they enter, a hesitation.

"You... ok." with a patient sigh.

He avoids walking into her.

"Um...sorry." She continues into the tavern, taking his hand again. "Jack?"

Jack's voice can be heard, "Well, she found someone it seems. Huh. Just not sure I've ever seen this brand of-" A turn "Baroness? What can I do you for?"

August smiles softly, happy to be holding her hand.

"Oh, I'd love a light cocktail, but mostly I'd like some advice. August, what would you like?"

"Ah. Well. Water? With... a slice of lemon?"

A fond look at his sober request.

"Water? You wound me, some days, Sir August," he sighs, "Would you ask Stevie to just hum a song?" But he does get the water with a slice of lemon out, and then puts his talents to work preparing a stylish cocktail for the Baroness and asks "Advice regarding?"

"Well... no." He mumbles in answer to the satyr's question , and sips his water. Safe. Good.

"Carnivale. It's my first, so I'm wondering what the Baron's done for this in the past."

"Oh right, your saining was so slick I forgot there's a lot you don't know.." He considers, "Well, in his earlier years? He honored his liege and attended Carnival at the county or Ducal level... which had a bonus for him."

"A bonus?" She indicates that August should take a seat, then settles lightly on his lap.

He sits, and then grins with quiet pleasure as she perches.

A grin, "Oh , think it through and you'll probably guess what the bonus of going to some superior's freehold on Carnivale is."

"Oh...you mean...not having to be the Fool himself? I see..." A smile.

"What about in his later years?"

"Exactly that," He says, "The later years? Well, with the Count in the Shadow Court's pocket and we on stand by, he played the fool. More or less. He hated it. He was a quiet man, a private man. And frankly, after one year trying it straight, he ... well, meaning no disrespect, he ... got creative to the point of cheating."

A very interested look as she listens and watches the final steps of the cocktail prep. "Cheating?"

"Sure, Tradition said he had to be the fool. Didn't say he had to be the only fool or at least the only one that looked like a fool. One time he cast magic that made everyone except the Carnival King look like him in his foolscap and motley. Now imagine that if you will, not know who to throw a tomato at or laugh at? Nearly caused chaos! the king, being mortal and enchanted, was too amazed and usually too drunk to order it ended."

Coradel laughs, "Oh, I can just picture him doing that. What a scene! Well...how'd he choose the mortal?"

"He didn't always, sometimes it was who the people brought in. I won't lie to you, in some holds mortals that are queen or king for the night are often dealt with a bit rudely afterwards... their word is law for the night, but in the morning they can find themselves robbed blind. I hear it's worse in Balor and Leanhaun holds...but the Baron, while no Liam, always made sure that the mortal had a prize if they did a good job. A bit of jewelry worth something, a rare vinyl record, a stuffed animal. The people tended to grab a drunk out of the city, and that was one of the local traditions, always grab someone whose at least a little buzzed already. Helps protect the right of ignorance."

August is frowning.

"Why the frown, Sir August? I thought you'd be pleased he treated said mortal well?" Jack inquires

"I am." Quietly. "That part of Carnivale... nevermind."

Coradel listens, nodding, then looks back at August. She slips an arm around his shoulders and kisses his temple. "He doesn't like seeing mortals harmed. But this isn't harm, August. I won't let it be."

He nods.

"Well, Coradel is our freeholder now. If anything folks are expecting it to get livelier, so I imagine if you asked her really nice while she's in your lap, she might make more changes"He chuckles, "Doesn't even have to be a mortal I suppose."

He looks at Jack. "As you said... not everyone was as fair as the old Baron."

A frown. "Oh...August...was it worse at the Hollow?"

Jack raises a brow

"No. Mortals were well treated there, too."

A sigh. "Then...trust me that we'll try to do right by them?"

"Of course."

A flicker of a look of concern, but then she looks back to Jack. "Well...then it comes to sending somebody out to find a tipsy mortal of appropriate qualities."

"Well, technically the people did that, but you know , oddly, Shalimar often ended up seeming to have a knack for finding the right king. Not saying there was any collusion" He pours himself a drink "Possibly because we're all very bright people."

A happy sigh. "Shallimar to the rescue, of course. I'll speak with him. I need fool-tips, anyway."

Jack chuckles, "Woman as pretty as yourself? They won't likely throw many tomatoes at you, the'll be too busy calling you one. You might get some wolf whistles and the like they wouldn't dare any other night." Fair warning

August sighs.

And Coradel preens. "Well, I certainly won't mind that."

Jack chuckles, "Sure you don't want that drink, August?"

"Yes, thank you. Pretty sure I'm going to need my wits about me." Perfectly serious.

by now, Coradel should be sampling her cocktail OOC: to clarify

She sips and sighs, pleased. Then another look to August. "It's Carnivale, August. Not...not a death match."

"Of course not. That's not until Highsummer." Perfectly straightfaced.

A surprised look from August to Jack.