#earthrunes

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August finds himself exploring the hold again, not intentionally, he's just thoughtful. THe encounter with Vince has his mind occupied. He's no seer, but Da'an is funny, and it can't be just chance? Can it?

so he sees Dame Claire beating the hell out of a target dummy. The blonde Ailil seems to have a lot of frustration to work out, and he's come to the training area.

August comes out of his reflections, almost startled at his location. He watches the Ailil working out.

She's muttering, to herself, but August definitely hears Magnus' name being used.

August pauses, watching and listening.

"...i can't even... don't expect him to read minds but couldn't he... argh! " Yup, good hits in there.

August winces slightly on Magnus's rib's behalf.

She whirls and gives a full force and...breaks the poppinjay, but also cracks the sword

August sighs softly, understanding. He turns to go, giving the Dame her privacy again.

"Actually I'd prefer if you stayed." Comes the Ailil's voice, "I could use some..liam wisdom."

She sighs at the sword

He does stop, and is surprised. "My apologies; I didn't intend to eavesdrop. How can I be of assistance?"

"Am I being completely unfair to him? He.. and I, we've lived together for awhile now. Apartment, and looking for a house now. But ..it's all the same, nd yes, it's been a good same, but if we're going to do the 'he goes off to work' and 'I go off to work' and then later we meet and cuddle then I want him to...call it what it is, or at leawst, I want to know if it isn't what it looks like. Am I unfair?"

August gropes for his thoughts, then composes himself. "What would -you- call it? I know you've said you want him to call it what it is... and I'm unfamiliar with how things are, how they have been so... what would you call it?"

"Marriage, truehearts? Only... minus the ring, or oath..I'm just..." she says "I... it's what feels right but he... I can't make him... and wouldn't want to, but if he doesn't see it, maybe I'm not in what I should be and if we can't move forward maybe I need to move back? I..."

Footsteps someone approaching

"I'm sorry, Dame Claire." August offers. "I understand, to an extent. I... I really do. I think...." He pauses, looking for the source of the footsteps.

"Dame Claire," A troll thane comes up, "There's a request for a knight in the city. ... we have an incident that requires more than just a thane." He inclines his head to August.

August returns the nod to the thane. "Dame, do you wish assistance? Or just company?"

"Depends on details, why is a knight needed specifically but a thane would be useless?" She asks the Thane. "No offense."//"None taken. There's a dragon in the city, and the locals are convinced that a Knight is ..." //"The only title that works against dragons" Claire finishes eyes widen "Oh kaay. On it." A look to August, "Want to come see if this is a real dragon?"

August takes a deep breath and nods, touching the hilt of his sword at his side. "Thane, can you bring me a shield to the entry of the Freehold? Dame, do you have what you need?"

"Let me get my regular sword," She says putting this one in a scrap box.

"I will meet you at the door." And he does.

And shortly the two of them are outfitted and ready to go. "A dragon? It's very unlikely, there are very few great chimera dragons left and most do not enter mundane areas. Banality you know?" She is moving as they talk

He nods. "I have a friend who knows one that's visited Firnost."

"You're kidding ?Wait, liam, no sense of humor. " Then she adds, "That's a joke in case it both offends and oddly proves my point. If this is a true Dragon, I don't mean to disappoint the locales but no way are two knights likely to fight it and win so we better hope it wants to talk." Her dark eyes shine, "Still, besting a true dragon in anything? there's one for the old pride."

He clearly isn't sure how to react to the joke, so he says nothing but "... if it is a ... a false Dragon?"

She opens a car door a new Jaguar, but said in that snooty pretentious British way and he gets shot gun, "That depends. If it's dangerous and we think we can handle it....well, maybe we see if the hold has a taxidermist and I have a new hood ornament. If not dangerous? We let it roam about for kicks ?"

"Invite it to Carnivale?" Muttered.

A smile, "Why not? " Once he's in the car ,she drives off. " ihear you have a magic sword for fast slicing and dicing, that right?"

August nods. "A gift of the Dreaming."

"Gift, how about a hard won prize?" She says as they move to the directions given "Anyone ever told you Liam seem to lean into the modesty approach a bit too much? If you're trying to balance my own House and Gwydion out, I admire your quixotic quest."

After a moment. "That's me. Impossible dream, unreachable star."

She looks out of the side of her eyes at that at him for a moment, then "Okay, that explains a lot."

The Liam doesn't rise to the bait, grey eyes fixed calmly ahead on the street, looking for the foe.

He sees a dragon wandering through the streets of Jefferson City. It is roughtly 30 feet long, tail swaying, wings flat against back. It appears to be red scaled with flaring nostrils.

"Wow...." A rightfully awed whisper.

"Son of a..." She raises a brow and pulls over.

August kenns it, looking to see if it is chimerical or... not.

Coming out of the car, she draws her sword and shield and apporaoches

As does August.

August's senses ccan tell it's chimerical, and there's other glamour at work but he can't be sure of details.

"Chimerical." He says to Claire as they approach. "And something else. Please God, not another hydra...."

Claire says "Greetings, Dragon. I am Dame Claire ap Ailil. May I ask your business in this , the fief of Baroness Coradel Truthbranch ap Fiona? "

The Dragon turns, and in a choral voice, "I am Surivsepreh, all powerful Wyrm!' it's head sways wildly, "I demand tribute in exchange for my mercy."

August exchanges glances with Claire, and steps forward. "You are in the territory of another, nobel Surivsepreh. You have no right to demand here, but I will hear, on the Baroness's behalf, what you wish."

"I demand all attractive females of this fief immediately dress in alluring outfits, most scanty, and parade in front of me to honor the old custom of princesses being offered up, or at least strip bare."

August takes a deep breath and draws his blade. "No."