#earthrunes

"I... I believe I appreciate your kith, Steward Delores." Respectfully.

Coradel nods...then says, "Hm."

"I think you do, Sir August. While sometimes you...well, we have disagreed, I think at your core you do appreciate boggans " She nods

A soft smile.

"Well...having been a boggan, however briefly...makes me an appropriate option as well, I suppose."

"Everyone should be so lucky as to be a boggan for a day" A smile

"It was certainly helpful and informative. And I still benefit from it." A sidelong glance and smile at August.

"But I do wonder if he should hve to share with another squire a knight's attention? I worry he might feel as if he was 'the spare'"

"It would not be ideal, unless two squires already had a close bond, I think."

"Neither of them are spares, Steward, they each..." He stops, looking at Coradel... the drops his eyes. "Ah."

"Go on?"

"But even if not ideal, still something we may need to consider."

Quietly, "It's fine, August...opinions welcome in this discussion." Her smile fades a bit.

He clears his throat. "I was never a squire, I don't know how to have a squire. I suppose two was ... ambitious."

"Ambition born of necessity."

He shakes his head. "There are other, better qualified knights. For both of them, really. I don't know that I'd be able to help Miss Velvet reach her goals, either."

A brief, frustrated sigh. "I should really just knight Zara and be done with it. Then she could mentor Velvet."

"Oh this is faldahralh, Sir August. Velvet is a sweet girl, your'e a good man. You both have things in common"

"Yes, ma'am."

"I agree with Delores, August. I think you'd be a fine mentor for her."

He nods.

"Thank you." He adds.

"Now, as for Knighting Zara" Delores looks at Coradel, "Baroness? May I speak candidly?"

Coradel seems about to say something else, but then redirects. "Of course, Delores. But know that I'm mostly not being serious, there."

"I hope not. I fear she'd offend you or you her. She's a modernist my lady, at least I suspect so. She respects individual knights but wouldn't want to be one. If you tried to knight her she might treat it like some attempt to control her, even though you meant it as an honor."

"Well, I don't think I can do much to make her happy, even when I have tried. She is your dear friend, August, and I don't begrudge you that friendship at all...but she doesn't like me." A bemused smile.

"Well, you both like Sir August and that unites you if nothing else does" Delores says

"Yes..." Coradel's voice trails off.

August shakes his head but says nothing.

"Oh dear..." She looks at them both "Have I made you both melancholy somehow?"

"Oh. No, Delores, it's fine." A look at August, then, "Well...at least Bazyl is settled. August, unless you have a stronger objection than fear of failure, I'd like you to mentor Velvet if she's willing to have you. It occurs to me that I've overlooked one likely mentor, as well."

August nods. "I'd be honored, if she'll have me."

"Oh? Who did you have in mind? "

Her smile returns at August's response.

"Well, Sir Bachdion has been steeped in mild debauchery since my fostering ended...he could do well with somebody to teach, again."

A faint frown, directed at the floor.

She catches the expression. "August?"

A tilt of the boggan's head

He looks up. "Yes?"

"You're frowning at...something."

"you two need to talk. I'm intruding I think, maybe it will come easier if I step aside"

"I, ah... just... that... Sir Bachdion should be... ah... not... " He stops. "... not... content. Here. Now."

A confused look, and almost offhand she says, "Yes, Delores, thank you."

"I don't understand what you mean, August."

Deloresbows and withdraws from view

August glances up and down the corridor. "You said he'd been steeped in mild debauchery since your fostering ended."

"Well...yes...?"

"Well... doesn't that suggest to you some kind of ... discontentment?"

"Mm...a bit of adjustment to grump-hood, I think. Plus, of course, satyr. And Fiona."

"I'm sure he's fine, August...but he could certainly be a mentor again without being overburdened."