#earthrunes

Delores rubs her eyes. It's been very busy of late, at least where her duties are concerned.

"Well, everything here is just dandy... holidays planned, Sparrow has her studies uninterrupted... the Baroness and her knight are well..." She staggers a bit "oh."

"Why can't I..." Everything blurs. Twisting.

and she collapses to the floor.

a set of pale hands comes out of the shadows, joined by another in dark gloves. A whisper "Gently, gently...no one should know she's missing"

and her body slides slowly into the shadows.

The sound of boots in the hallway, accompanied by the scrape of claws on stone.

"hurry" the whisper... and the body starts to move faster, but a groan, very faint from the downed boggan

A soft ruff from the dog, who bolts ahead. "Ladybird? What is it?"

Ladybird's nose is not fooled by shadows..

and she is streaking towards a darkend hallway. That's when someone might notice one of the sconces has been snuffed to dim the lights

Sparrow frowns and follows - drawing her blade. "Hello?"

Two figures , she makes out shapes, one taller than the other, carrying something, or someone, try to race ahead. Ladybird barks furiously. Sparrow is quicker still...ever agile, and not carrying anything beyond her sword she can gain. WHoever she's called out to? They're not answering

"HALT!" The single word rings with command. She is a baroness, the regent of this place, and in her authority - with the arts to back it up.

And a wave of glamour flows...

One is gripped firmly, and halts completely, the other halts, but then starts to run again. She sees the sluagh has frozen, yes, pale skin. The troll? Almost on the runty side for his kith, more of a green blue..., gloves... and on the ground dropped? Delores!

Ladybird leaps onto the troll, trying to tangle his legs

Sparrow launches herself at the troll, sword-first. "Villain!"

The troll tries to swat at her, a meaty fist under that leather glove, but strength, even trollish strength does nothing if you cannot strike your foe. Sparrow evades it easily flying under. He does not evade her blade! It cuts along his outstretched arm, ribboning his seeming's flesh

"GUARDS! Ladybird, bay!" A shout, a clash of her sword to raise noise... even IF the troll can defeat her, she is raising a ruckus.

Ladybird, as trained, lets loose a loud, mournful howl. "Aroooooooo!"

A punch dagger appears in the troll's left hand, even as Ladybird lets loose her alarm! New footsteps approach! The thanes are coming! Meanwhile , the dagger grazes along sparrow's side but strikes nothing vital

A bared-teeth grin at the troll. "Harm me, but you will fail in your goal, cur." A cutting slash, striping him with red.

He snarls, her sword digging much deeper than his own attempt did. "Oh that's it" He tries to use his bulk to pin her against a wall.

But it's no good, because Oswald slams HIM before he can, and throws him off. A shorter thane, Rollo, charges up, and slams the intruder in the nuts!

A flash of.. something.. fear?... as she dodges the attempt.

"Thanks, guys!" A grateful smile at the thanes.

She remembers the Ogre, the thallian.. no, this is a troll, unseelie ogre perhaps, but not what she faced... nor what she SLEW. She reminds herself

"No prob, boss" Rollo says "Take the shot if you see one. Sucker's a pain"

"We'll grill them once they're in the dungeon." Another bleeding flick.

"I give, I give.." The invader says as the flick weakens him further. Oswald has one of his arms in a chicken wing. The normally sweet blue thane's eyes are dark and furious. Most trolls, Sparrow knows, are just the best sort of people when it comes to protecting their charges, and Oswald is suited to his task

"Dungeons. We will need a guard on the sluagh."

Rollo nods "you got it, boss" Rollo can be informal, but the respecct is real. the boggan works hard to tangle with trolls, and moves to the sluagh informing him "A sluagh with a broken leg cannot squirm. You want to give me reason to test that theory buddy?" Weapon on him. Delores is still very out of it

Oswald says "Is, is the Steward okay?"

"I'm not sure yet. I will take her to Emmaline and then meet you down below."

"They were trying to take her."

Oswald's eyes darken again and he says harshly to the invading troll "Thank your most fortunate stars for the Code of Dagda and the Regent's mercy, bastard. Or I'd break your arm off and beat you with it" ANd he starts to move the fellow ot the dungeon "I have him, Regent."/Rollo has the sluagh and they make their way to the dungeons

"My gratitude, Thane Oswald, Thane Rollo." She gently scoops up the boggan.

"We live to serve" She hears ... //Delores is no light weight, she's a full figured lass like many of her kith. Fortunately, Sparrow is no mere wispy damsel and she gathers Delores up and walks her along. Ladybird trots behind, her mood still excited..she is still very young

"Good girl, Ladybird. Pork chops, I promise."

She takes the boggan to the room claimed by the pooka - it has been overtaken by wintering plants and bright posters and stuffed animals.

There are a lot of terms for this room 'Medbay' 'Healer's hut' , 'Patchup Corner' and 'the Boo Boo Bunker'. It's hard to tell what Emma prefers it be called

But Sparrow sets the boggan down on the bed to the open room, and Delores' eyes open again, focus coming back a little

"Delores! Oh, good - I'm going to find the healer, but you're awake..."

"i.. yes... what ..what happened?" she say numbly "Still can't focus"

"You were attacked. A sluagh and a troll. I think they slipped you something..."

"Yes, must have... can't place it..." She says tasting her tongue "I... mm not minty... I had a drink earlier.. cup of cofffee. MIght have been that"

"....How versed are you in poisons!?"

"Mildly, studied up a bit with the job. I food taste for your mother sometimes. Have to"

"That... makes sense, yes. Do you remember anything from the attack?"