#earthrunes

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Shailamar juggles pickles as he makes his way through the halls

"Oh, that's a sour act," Coradel's voice says some distance behind him.

"AH yes, thrills and dills aplenty" He turns still juggling "Care for one?"

"I wouldn't want to split up the act." She approaches him, smiling gently. "Is this for a particular occasion, or just the mood of the moment?"

He flips them behind his back, "I saw a troll empty a jar of them with a glance to impress a lady, when theyh talked, I did him one better and emptied the jar"

She gives him a puzzled and bemused look at that, trying to unravel it. "I...."

"Tis no matter, lady, may haps my jibs and jests of tongue grow empty of late so I seek to dazzle with my paws. " He catches them one by one and lets them stop "How can your humble white and black knight serve thee? A few jokes? A tune of key? "

"Well, a chat and a favor, in that order, if you have a few minutes. Shall we stroll?"

"Of course," He tosses the pickles to various thanes as they stroll

"Careful with that, it's your holiday bonus" He assures one

She smiles as the thanes fumble the lobbed pickles. "I've been trying to avoid prying, but even I grow curious after a while...are you well, Shalimar? Your tail has been drooping."

"Grumphood already?" He gasps looking back at his tail "Perhaps a little blue suppository?"

"I think that's unlikely. Come...tell me?"

"A large one might be painful, lady. I'm not a satyr" Alarmed look

She smirks a bit. "I think you could manage with the proper assistance. "

"Ha...well, Sir August has certainly grown adventuresome if he's to offer... but nay lady, such knowledge is not for me. Tis like that joke about ignorance...

People who confuse the words "burro" and "burrow" don't know their ass from a hole in the ground."

She knows him well enough that he is trying to rally, but yes his mood is dim.

"Ha! Oh, I like that." A few steps. "But if you think that will throw me off the hunt, you underestimate me."

"I thought I'd go with the crowd, lady fair" He says affectionately, then sighs "Is the season, lady. "

"The season? You mean Carnivale coming? I thought you enjoyed that. You certainly seemed to, last year."

"I loved it, lady, but nay, I am done by a saint going in.. it's over, of course, but I find myself heartless." He makes a valentine heart symbol with his fingers "I miss the lub to my dub"

She pouts sympathetically, and brushes a hand against his cheek. "I'm so sorry, my dear friend. What happened?"

He sighs, and shrugs "A snail was making his way through the rough part of town when he accidentally turned down a dark alley, where he was mugged by two turtles.



When he met with the police later on, they asked him, "Exactly what happened in there?"



"I don't know, Officer," the snail replied. "It all happened so fast.""

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Somehow, not knowing why makes it worse, doesn't it?"

"I doted every i, crossed very t, and some of those positions were exhausting. but.. she said she sought greater adventures...and...that that black and white was not what she wanted her world to be"

She shakes her head. "She's not seeing your true colors, then. Do you know where she is now?"

"I try to dwell on it, to imagine what hues serve her better, whose arms hold her?" A sigh "Yes, the thoughts flow to me like a welcome stream"

A frown. "Do you know who she turned to, when she turned from you? Are you sure there is someone else?"

"Only fools are certain, and since I'm a jester..." Another shrug

A sigh. "I need to respect that she has a right to make such decisions in her life, but I hate that it hurts you."

"My lady, the greatest clowns cry on the inside. It's why so many comedians suffer from depression, they have an enemy and they've chosen to go on the offensive. It's like having a fear of heights and skydiving perhaps, but it has made some of them great. Perhaps I will see my Vashti again and say 'thank you, I am funnier because of you'" a brief nudge "Perhaps I'll stick myself in one of Jack's barrels"

She sighs a bit. "Well, I'd be happy to join you there for a bit if you like the company...or I could ask for help that might prove a distraction. Or both."

"Baroness, how are you? Are you happy?"

"Oh, yes! I'm fine, Shalimar, all is well...but I've set myself a bit of a challenge for Carnivale. Instead of fetching up any old drunken mortal on the night of, I'd like to do at least a few days of...of grooming, I suppose we might call it. I want to find a truly awful mortal that we can lure in for our revels. What do you think?"

He admits "I had thought Bess the Revenge, but awe full she might be but awful she is not..." He ponders "A wretch, a scalawag, a neer do well.... one D. Bagg? Eh?"

"Oh, not Queen Bess, no...she was lovely and I am so glad that we could give her what she craved...but it is time for fresh meat, don't you think?"

"Hast thou anyone in mind?"

"No, and that's where you come in. You've more experience with mortals than I, I think. Would you help me hunt one down, one I might entice and coax and inflame until he cannot help but follow where I lead?"

He smiles, "Lady, are you trying to distract me from my upside down smiles?"

"Well, yes, but I was going to ask you anyway." She smiles back.

"Ha. Mmm I think my schedule is full of calorie free dates. Yes. I shall start hunting tonight..tally ho and all that!"

"Thank you, my dear one." She kisses his cheek. "What would you like for a finder's fee?"

"Fee?" He touches his cheek where she kissed "My lady, I find myself in hock"

She laughs gently. "Well, hardly that, but thank you. Oh, there is one other thing...."

"Yes?"

"I need to decide on this year's Fool outfit. I'm thinking an enormous fat suit." She puffs out her cheeks by way of illustration. "What do you think?"

He laughs hard "oh there will just be more of you to love"

"Perahps a fool's scepter initialed THICC?"