#earthrunes

"Well, good. No obviously foul demons...check." A smile.

Colton says "Maybe she somehow overheard you say you thought she was too closed off so was more open on purpose? She did seem a lot more talkative"

"Which is hard for a sluagh, isn't it? I don't think I've heard five words from August's, and we've quested together."

"Zara is like that with you, too? I thought she simply did not like me. Well...good to know."

"At any rate...you approve of the Countess, Deryn?"

"Miss Zara actually has a reputation for gregariousness compared to most of her kind, though it is hard to imagine, isnt' it?" Delores says "Oh her family has nockers, it said, the scarsdale area. Well off in their way. Respectable. I imagine courtly things don't always impress her because she already has social status of a different sort"

The boggans' eyes light up at the gossip she gets to share

She does for a moment look tempted to say more

"August has told me a bit about Zara's family." Then she catches Delores's look. "What else?" A smile, inviting her to continue.

"I..." A sigh "I'm not sure I should say, Baroness. There's gossip of good natured sort, and then there's..layin too much bare. I can tell you she would never let August come to harm"

Her wings perk. "Social status? I mean, I wouldn't hurt her - she's his friend."

"I mean she's sort of a noble, or at least gentry already...but in human circles" Delores says to Sparrow

A little surprised look...and a small, thoughtful nod. "Yes...I know she wouldn't."

"Human gentry? Zara?"

Colton's brow knits "I think I'm missing something here. " then he shrugs, he's used to missing things

"Human circles? How do you mean?"

"I mean, while not on the level of the DuBois for wealth, her family has heritage, respectability, and social respect with enough money that she need not want or even really work for anything as long as she doesn't live too immodestly. " The boggan says "Humans , particularly in America, try to pretend they don't have class stratifications, but they do. Miss Zara is not an aristocrat, but she is gentry."

"Oh, that makes more sense" Colton says

"Ah. Well, Scarsdale is ritzy, right? Hunh. I could believe she had money."

A smile. "That makes more sense. And good. I'm glad she's got resources to support herself."

"Now, back to the other sluagh the Countess?" Delores looks to sparrow "Regent, forgive, but is she your favorite?"

"Well... she ranks. I rather liked the Aesin, too."

"What about the Eiluned? I'm not sure how I felt about her."

"I think that's the point with Eiluned" Delores says "Pardon but I didn't get a look at her like you all did."

"That one was tightly wrapped."

"I understand the political reasons to elevate that house, but..."

"Well, yes, but I knew I liked the Baron pretty soon after I met him...this one was far more difficult to get a feel for."

"Agreed. We were in public..."

Colton says "Eiluned confuse me, I admit it, but then, I've been told only House Ailil really comes close to understanding them, and not even them entirely"

"Is it wrong to say I didn't like her boggan?"

Delores raises a brow "She had a boggan with her?"

"Yes. He was watching, and communicating to her in code."

"Finger-tapping. And...yes, something seemed off with him, didn't it?"

"I didn't like him. Gut reaction."

"Likewise."

"I think she got more about us than we did from her."

"mmm" Delores ssays "I... it's possible he shared insights with her, yes. If she's wise, she knows the value of my kith"

"And we call on your insight.. but.. it felt different."

"Almost as if she herself were a boggan, able to get information from us so smoothly."

Colton frowns

"Cole?"

"You know I value your insight."

"What are your thoughts, Squire?"

"I'm not really a smart guy, but.." he straightens "The Eiluned maybe a good countess for the Duchy. I'm not sure she will be a good for the Barony. I'm not sure which you should take more into account. But ... well, she's sounding like the sort who will seek to have more on others than they ever have on her, and one way that works is she might find ways to keep us busy, to keep the influence of this fief from reaching the Ducal ears too often. It's...not fair to say that, but remember, Baron Nemeasus was isolated, him against the world. This Eiluned, she's going to want to expand, not her geography, but her influence. She'll shrink this barony's influence to make her County more important."

He sounds as if he's quoting someone

She nods. "You talk to anyone about this, Cole?"

Coradel looks intrigued, considering his words.

"No, but... I knew some Leanhaun and Ailil and..they play hard ball Politics, and this sounds a lot like an Eiluened they were discussing. And... well, I may not be smart, but whatever I think of them, they were."

"But I could see that, yes."

"And frankly - she might put herself above the Duchy."