#earthrunes

Meanwhile, the text returns _I'm on a case, hotel room. _

She's about to put her phone away when the text comes in. She replies, Somebody is here pretending to be Claire. Find Claire.

Then she puts her phone away with a look to not-Claire.

the phone texts back Don't let Lesleah know it's not me!

"Are you wearing a new perfume, Claire?"

"uhm, yes, I am. I didn't think it was that heavy" She says

Then a sigh as she gets another text. "Honestly, men!" She reads, and then gives a quick reply OK and deletes the messages.

The Squire returns with the bow, "My liege." to Dame Claire.

"Is that what you're wearing, Squire Lesleah?" Coradel looks the girl over. Then.... "Wait, Claire...this isn't the bow I gave you. Don't you want to try that?"

the not claire holds still for a moment then ssays "How ungrateful of me"

"Squire, go get that bow, you know the one" She says to the younger sidhe.

The squire bows and withdraws

If the squire is upset at the running back and forth she hides it well

Leonora fingers her bow. At the Baroness word, she'll draw and shoot

Coradel sighs with impatience and irritation, and paces off a few feet from not-Claire, apparently idly...then turns and nods at Leonora, simultaneously flicking her wrist....bow in hand, she also draws and shoots so the attack comes from two angles.

The Not claire holds up her hands "Before you fire, what gave me away? Besides the Chimera I mean?"

And yes, Leo was set to let loose

"Much. Resume your own form."

Coradel only just managed not to let the arrow fly.

Indeed, Coradel might have had to deliberately miss at the last second.

A subtle tilt of the bow....but the arrow whizzes by close enough for all that.

"Fiona" the woman mutters

"Hey" Leonor says at that comment

"RESUME YOUR OWN FORM" Coradel says, entirely the Baroness.

The dictum hits her like a wave, and the woman reaches for her throat and ...a broach appears, as does another redhead. A sidhe redhead at that, wearing black and silver.

That said , her eyes are are brown with sparkles. Rather than blue or purple or green

"Come with me, now," Coradel directs, bow still aimed. "That way," she nods towards the entrance that will take them to the dungeons. To Leonora she says, "Don't let Lesleah know it wasn't Claire. Take her hunting. Tell her Claire and I were called to an urgent meeting."

"I'm not Eiluned but I'm bursting with curiousity.. understood, Sire." a nod, "Dont' worry, I'll put the 'vapid Fiona' act on. folks are always underestimating us."

"Tell me about it," the spy mutters as she heads towards the dungeons "I can explain this."

"You can, and you will. Keep walking." There is nothing kind or hesitant in her voice at all. When they get to the dungeons, she doesn't lower her bow until the guard has relieved the prisoner of her amulet and searched her thoroughly.

Well, she stops when she sees someone else coming into view "Please don't expose me any further, you're destroying Dame Claire's plans

"

That does make Coradel hesitate. "You had better be able to prove that."

The guard further in calls otu "Who's there?"

The lady says "I can, or more accurately, others can. Please. I realize most folks don't trust Eiluned, but I am Dame Claire's friend"

Coradel calls out to the guard, "It's Coradel. Stand down, I'll be there in a minute." Then she tugs the woman into an alcove. "Explain, completely, now." A flick of both wrists, and now there's a blade tip held just below the Eiluned's throat. "I am not in a trusting mood."

"Prudent," She would nod but, knife at throat "I'm Dame Gloriosa ap Eiluned, a friend to Dame Claire ap Ailil. I am on assignment to mimic her because i can lie and dame claire cannot, not well- terrible failing in an Ailil. Further, I can work against House Ailil if I deem it needful, where as she cannot. My mission was to let Lesleah 'lure me to the darkside' to see if she had any lingering connections to those working against this hold or even for the Shadow Court. We switched during Yule while celebrations distracted. Sir Magnus IS aware. Indeed, I suspect she's with him but can't prove it." Then "Okay, really, what are some of these 'manythings' that gave me away? I thought I had her voice right"

She has that same look of consternation the Baron used to get when a solution eluded him

A skeptical look and a frown...then she steps out of the alcove to wave with her free hand and smile down the hall to the guard. "All's well, thank you!" She turns back to Gloriosa and her smile vanishes again...and the tip of the blade never moved. "I need to confirm this. You will come with me to my private audience chamber. Then I will contact Claire. And if you do anything that I don't care for, I will happily stab you. Understood?"

She adds, "And I will only answer that question after I'm satisfied of your story."

"The stabbing I can understand, the lack of answers, well, that's just rude" a mutter then more clearly "Yes, Baroness. Lead on. I am , quite literally, at your disposal" GLoriosa says

Coradel flickers the blade away. "Resume your disguise if you wish. Walk with me, quickly."

She touches the broach and is Claire again "Thank you for that. I hate to let someone down" She walks the rest of the way in silence. And they make their way int othe private parlor

Coradel shuts the door most of the way, but not completely. Then her phone is in her hands again. One quick text, and then she's dialing Claire.

the phone on the Eiluned's side rings

"Try Sir Magnus perhaps?"

A sigh. "Of course." And she does.

the phone picks up, and it is indeed Claire on the other hey "Hey , tell me the squire didn't see her exposed? ?"

"She didn't. Now, do you want to explain why exactly you didn't think to let ME in on this?" This is an angry Fiona.