#earthrunes

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August jogs up the stairs to the manner, well-wrapped in sweats, hoodie, gloves, and no doubt more layers under that. There's a cold sheen of sweat on his brow, never mind the chill. He pushes in through the doors and pauses in the grand foyer to stretch a bit at the end of his workout.

Stevie the satyreesss troubadour walkss by, notices the sidhe butt on display "Gawd, I love this job"

"Huh?" He straightens and smiles politely. "Hello Stevie."

"Looking good, Sir August. Just honing the body to hone the body or training?"

He pushes the hoodie back and removes the gloves, his face pinked by the cold. "Healthy body, healthy mind."

"There's truth to that" she nods, "Got to burn a little to earn a little"

He nods "Exactly." Pleased. "I like to stretch my mind, but I feel it's important to get and stay combat-ready."

"So for you it's running, for Coradel horseback riding. "

He nods. "We, ah, we both run. Sometimes." Yep, pink from the run.

"And sometimes I ride with her."

"I bet she likes that" A smile, then a glance down at his hips "I hear it helps your balance"

He nods. "Sure. Builds empathy, develops balance and strength, gives you a good seat."

"It sure does" Stevie says

"Of course, now I'm over-warm." He strips the hoodie up over his head; the thermal shirt underneath rides up just a bit on his trim stomach, but he straightens that out. "Whew."

"mm..." A sigh of appreciation.

August blinks at her. "What?"

"You really don't get flirting do you, August?" A smile

"Ahhh... oh. Were you flirting?" Still pink. "Oh. Ah. Yes. I see."

"A little" A smile

"I'm sorry, Stevie. You're very attractive. I should pay better attention."

She laughs "You don't OWE a woman your... oh August. You're your own person. Let's say your attention is appreciated"

"I... " He stops and takes a breath, then really -looks- at her.

The blonde country girl has a fit sexuality, her hooves and horns a dark amber but her goat legs start below the knee caps and are as blonde as her hair. She has a tabard of the freehold but altered to show flashes of her fetching torso. She's..sensual, sexual, and yet oddly wholesome , bringing to mind phrases like 'roll in the hay' or 'down by the footbridge'.

He smiles gently, taking in her curls, the gentle sweep of her horns, her fit figure, the polish on her hooves.... "You're very attractive." He states as empirical fact. "You have a beautiful voice, and amazing talent."

A pleased look, "You've been practicing, sir. I admit, my voice is a vanity. I work hard for it. You do know the old rule right?"

"Never get involved in a land war in Southeast Asia?"

She laughs "Good rule. I mean one hint about flattering women? Compliment a woman who is smart and knows she's smart about her looks, and compliment a wwoman who looks good and knows she looks good about her smarts. It's a flank attack they're no expecting but appreciate"

He blinks. "I don't think I've heard that one. I'll remember it."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, and like any rule there are exceptions. .Also.." She glances at him, "You're an honest fellow, so obviously flat out lying isn't your style. And we girls catch on eventually ...now lies we ask for? that's different. Like the song says 'tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies'. I knew an Eshu fellow who could paint a tapestry of a romantic story with me as the lead. whisked my imagination away to places I've never been. "

".... Asked to be lied to?" He puzzles on that, thinking. "Like... Does this dress look good on me?"

"It's..hard to explain. Sometimes you want your fellow to KNOW how far to lie...like 'You'll be the most beautiful woman as we walk by the shores of the Adriatic' Not true, but a very nice image. sometimes you need it , like 'you're strong, you will get through this, youu're the strongest woman I know' " A sigh "A girl finding a man who knows when and where to say those lies? She's... pleased. "

"Oh." His face falls.

"I mean, I've learned a lot of these rules but ... I don't remember to practice. It's so much easier just to be polite and tell the truth."

"Annd that's okay too" She straightens his outfit, "Because I can tell you've learned to tell the truths that are kind and warming"

"It's your style, Augusst, and that's fine. Besides, you see things in our Baroness others don't"

He sighs. "Ido want to get... well, more observant. More... clueful." He blinks at the comment about Coradel. "Well... ah... it's... she's.... it's obvious, isn't it?"

"Not always to her," She says "We all miss things about ourselves, August. You sometimes seeem clueless to how attractive you are for example, and you a sidhe"

He shrugs, looking down. "To look at, maybe." He looks back up. "It's easy for me to see Coradel, I guess. I think there's a reason we can't see ourselves fully in a mirror if we're holding it; someone else has to hold it, or have a holder for it."

"See, that's very romantic in its way and thoughtful too" She kisses his cheek.

He.... rather timidly..... inhales the scent of her hair?

It smells ..nice. Pine?

He blinks a bit self-consciously. "So, um, thanks for reminding me about that. I'm trying to be more aware."

"You're welcome. August? " A smile "It's okay to buildd up your appetite out and about as long as you eat at home" She pats his cheek and flounces off.

"Bachdion said the same thing...." He mutters as she does. He glances, but doesn't stare. Then he sighs. "This is more difficult than it should be." He heads off to shower up, then hit the library.

Must be a satyr comment. Mmph

_*_*_*

Sometime later.....

August opens the door softly and slips inside, glancing around.

He pauses thoughtfully and then, with another glance around, goes to 'his' drawer in the Librarian's Desk and gets a few thin volumes out; some are notebooks, some texts. He settles in behind the desk (protected) and starts to review.

Something spies on the Liam. moving closer stealthy... hidden

He makes a few notes, but mostly reads, looking for something....