#earthrunes

That catches Coradel in a laugh that makes her lose her pace a bit.

Claire takes the lead, Ailil cunning allows advantage as always

Coradel gets her rhythm back, but is closer to August than Claire for the moment. She calls ahead, "Nice one. Anyway, think telling your sister that would work?"

"I think it might. She'll say something snide, but might actually back off. Thanks for the idea." She does seem happier

Coradel takes a moment to reach over and swat August's butt and give him a wink before catching back up to Claire.

"My squire.. is.. keeping me busy "

The smile goes away. "How so?"

"She's a true Unseelie Ailil"

He gives Coradel a brief smile, before sobering and jogging along.

"Well...yes. Details, though?"

"Alright, she's been setting others against themselves to see if she can, nothing that anyone can firmly blame on her, but it's a test of power.

And yes, she's snooping on the lay out."

A few paces of just running along. "I know we had talked about rushing her knighthood, so we can get her out of our hair. Can we get her out in front of a challenge to justify it?"

"I thought about Pennons maybe"

"Ah! Yes! Good timing." A pause. "After we knight her, then what?"

"I think with a knighthood she might leave, hopefully we can send her to be the count's problem"

"Right. On the best terms possible, under the circumstances. We don't want her to have a reason to resent us further."

"I have found ways to keep her busy," A smug look.

"Wild goose chases, or extra chores?"

"More the former, chores for no reason build that hostitlity. On the other hand, daring her to muse voter turn out... that's been vexing for her"

"Oh! Quite the challenge. And you dared her into it...so of course she couldn't decline."

"Oh she could, but it would ate at her. Don't worry, I'm making sure she's not overwhelmed by Banality. "

"I'd expect nothing less. Now...how are you and Magnus?"

A smile breaks out "Busy, both of us, but weirdly, he's not freaking out like I thought he would . In fact he's... sat me down more than once and..handled things. I would stress out about this or that, and then find out he's handled the electric bills and already gotten the car's oil changed, little things...but..it's..." A fond look, " wonderful when he does that."

Coradel may look momentarily surprised, but then smiles as well. "That's wonderful."

August, faithfully, stays along behind the girls, keeping watch and listening.

"And the shoulder massages are keeping me sane" They move on... the subject turns to more day to day reports of patrols around the fief

(End Scene)

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