#earthrunes

She squeezes Colton's hand - jovial tone not entirely hiding her worry.

He squeezes back firm, but then he is a troll. //"I see that," Delores says "Colton, here. You too miss.. uhm, I'm sorry, I don't know your name?" She says to Honoria but still hands a cookie over

"It's me, Squire Honoria" Honoria assures her, "It's a long story, well, maybe shorter the more i forget about it"

"Speak while it's there..."

"oh my" Delores says/ The wounds are diminished though not removed by the cookie healing

"I should probably report to the Baroness Coradel" the Dougal says "I have her item, restored, and better than ever."

"Then you will have to wait, and I fear memories will be lost. The Baroness has left on her own quest."

"Oh...oh" She blinks and seems truly stunned "I missed her I... Oh "

"We were not expecting you back for another few weeks, at least... Honoria, don't be distressed..."

Colton no longer looks like he might fall over "I remember the sea of ages vaguely, mostly I remember her slipping from my grip. She was washed away. And then I was thrown as well when they realized she was the one with the pearl. A troll dragonship pulled me out... "

"A dragonship? How long have you been gone, from your perspective?"

Honoria says "I was carried by different currents. I remember clutching a turtle's back... and then being dropped off on an island where golems had run amok. It's where I constructed Steamwing" She looks at her gryph.

"Only a few days..." He says "I think."

"years" she answers, "It felt like years"

"It looks like years... Honoria, you look my age."

"Well, that would make sense, I didn't just learn how to build a griffin overnight. I had a mentor there, oh.." She looks distraught "Poor Kitchell. He.. was so scared all the time, but he showed real courage in teaching me"

"Kitchell?"

"He was a nocker, there when the golems went wild. Oh he was a genius. I used to tell him how Id get him into House Dougal. He'd been trapped on that island foreer it seemed. He died. Making sure Steamwing and I got to safety. He...they were firing things at us. would have taken us down... if he hadn't rammed their siege gear. "

Her feathers slick. "Oh..."

"Who attacked?"

"The Golems themselves, most were rampaging, mindless, but a few had become evil...sworn to Fomorian lords" A shudder on her part

Colton says ""For me, it felt much shorter. the Dragonship helped me... i managed to find the Keeper of Means." He takes a deep breath "The tests were grueling. But pretty rapid. I hope I remember that riddle's answer in case I have to face it again"

"The Keeper of Means?"

"he is like a ..short cut, a way or means to get anything... a means to a way, and a way to a means. that is his baliwick."

"So, a short cut to fixing the treasure. Ever practical, my squire."

"Actually, his short cut was getting to me " Honoria says with a glare at him "you risked your life to recover me instead of the mission."

"Troll. Deal with it." he says

A bit familiarly. Then again, quests have ways of making ties

THAT makes her grin. "People are worth more than objects."

"So very Liam," the Dougal sighs

"To be fair, he was the one who found the ashes of the sacred fire I needed" Honoria adds

"Yeah but you were the one who figured out how to relight the Phoenix forge" Colton says

Delores has...well, pulled out a pen and paper and is taking notes

A nod and a covert thumbs-up at the boggan. She's still holding Colton's hand.

"Oh, I almost forgot about the Phoenix forge...and that's weird because it was key to the whole thing" she mutters. "Oh, and your duel with the redcap. That was risky as you well know"

An eyebrow. "A redcap."

He winces and glares at Honoria "i wasn't going to mention that part."

"oops" Honoria says not sounding repentant at all

"It's all getting VERY fuzzy, my liege" COlton says with a look that's almost TOO innocent

"So you better tell it with urgency, my squire."

"I may need to polish up my lying face" He mutters then says "Well, uhm... Da'an is a funny thing. I got a rematch with someone. I was more careful this time" A pleased lookk "And I won"

"With THAT one?

"Well, you better fight hard to remember it."

He nods trying not to look TOO pleased

"He might be glossing over how close he came to death" Honoria says

"Could you stop helping?" Colton shoots her a look

"Well, sometimes we have to take risks... but no, Colton, you are not allowed to die. That's an order."

"well, I obeyed it"Colton says after looking down at himself

"Despite your efforts to the contrary."

"Let's not bore Sylvi with all this" He requests hopeful