#earthrunes

--------

Earl comes to visit August, wherever August maybe

On a Monday? In KC for school....

ANd so Earl meets him there between classes

"Earl?" Startled.

"Hey, got a moment? This was a bit big for Text"

"Of course, of course...." he hustles them off aside. "Do you have word? Terms?" Eager.

"Maybe. How do you feel about swearing an Oath never to ignore an order from her again ?" He says 'not quite the words she gave, but... I think that's the starting point"

"I am willing to formally apologize and tell her I won't again... but what weight is an oath from me?"

"Her problem isn't with your House, it's with your behavior and how you over ride her authority even when doing so ultimately over rides the Baroness' wishes. And the endangering of fellow kithain was the last straw. I got to say, August. I do see her as having a legit gripe. The problem is, she doesn't believe that your apology will do any good. Oh she believes you'll give one. You might even mean it when you say it- but she thinks next time something comes up where you think you know better than anyone else, it'll happen all over again."

He deflates. "Yes."

"Honestly, her Gwydion friend thinks she's this close to quitting." Ahem "Though, her Gwydion friend had an idea."

August leans away, distraught... he looks around. "An idea?"

"You could push to be a baron...you see, August, your problem is you tell everyone you're a scribe. It's what you are good at ...but then you throw your weight around, make choices that affect everyone... like the time you went after Archibald without a warning to us ... on a recon mission" A sigh "And I had to sit on you. For a guy who is intellectually brillaint, sometimes you don't think of ramifications. And I saw that as a friend. If you were a co ruler, maybe it would annoy the Steawrd to have her orders not matter, but she's tired of being ignored by the scribe. To put it another way, how would you feel if say Jack the Satyr repeatedly told the baroness sure, and then did the opposite of what she wanted anyway where everyone could see?"

Several thoughts collide within his mind and are obvious in his eyes.

Earl has no choice but to wait. Though oddly, compared to other negotiations, so far this is not as hard as he thought it would be

"I... I understand, Earl. I do. But I've done nothing to be a Baron. I can't.... I can't.:

"Nothing, tra la la?" He says "Look, I think the whole feudal system is dangerous. I took the knighthood to try to work in the system to protect my family and loved ones. But are you or are you not a man who has quested into dangerous dreams, stopped ravagers, and more?"

"I tried." He agrees.

"Earl, so have you. And Zara. And... how many others?"

"Yup. I'm not saying the system is perfect, I'm saying there are plenty of barons who have done less and got the title." He says "ANyway, it was Nansaidh's idea not mine. Pardon, DAME Nansaidh, she's firm on that, or lady" He sighs "Kept calling me Sir Earl"

A deep breath, and a pause. Earl can tell he's trying. "Earl... Please let her know I thought about it and... I tried. But even if I begged Coradel to take me as...... more..... I .... I have not satisfied my own standards to the title."

A pause. "Wait, dangerous?"

"Well, I think they weree... you were along on a rescue mission for Miriam, that was dangerous. Caspian says you've rescued him once or twice I forget." A pause "Okay, about the oath... how would that work if you went that way?"

"Earl." patiently "I'm already Oathbroken. No one... well, few, trust me." he shrugs "Earl, if it were Zara... would you suffer to be denied the vision of her? Even in hospital? I had to see her. Coradel."

"It depends...if you were there, or someone I really trusted telling me she was safe, or soon would be and she was right there? Maybe. If I could hear her whisper... probably... especially she told me it was okay. ANd I wouldn't have come back when others were on a rescue mission and nearly ruined the plan. You and Hirim, man... " A sigh at a memory "But on the other hand, I see your point. And I tried to plead with it. That Coradel is your baroness and wife... and that's a different kind of ranking system. BUUUT apparently that wasn't the case at a carnival? "

August flushes. "So.... there's no way out. Aside from duel."

"Well the duel or the oath, but I'm still working on it and yes I know we're getting close"

OOC: Time being willy nibbly wonky in game

BIC: "Maybe I can still negotiate a bit more... get her to recognize the trueheart exception"

"No. Nothing to do with Coradel." FIRM.

"But that still wouldn't excuse you going after Magnus without telling your wife and nearly ruining THAT Part of the mission so maybe not.. I mean' he's not your truheart"

"Huh?" A blink "Sorry, I'm not sure if you were telling ME no, or affirming that you wanted a trueheart exception and insisted on it?"

"Please, don't bring Coradel into it."

"I was wrong on a few levels and I am willing to admit to that and apologize."

Earl rubs the bridge of his nose "I wasn't talking about Coradel getting involved directly, jsut that you have rights as a husband /trueheart. Okay. What 'few levels' do you think you were wrong on?"

"I am willing to formally apologize and tell her I won't again."

"Okay.. yeah, I don't think that's enough" He says "Not even a public apology. It's becoming something of a joke on her to be honest....or so she sees it. I asked around, asked your squires for help, since they are not mine to command- good kids by the way. You do know that some of the boggans are saying you get away with this because you're the Baroness trueheart? Right? "

"I am not... surprised." Deep shame.

"It's okay, most of the boggans are miffed on her behalf... the way theyr'e treating your squire Tylar" He shakes his head "Brave kid. Feel for him."

Quietly. "He's in KC with me. And Velvet."

"Yup. But I mean when he's here ... " A surprised look "August, have you not noticed changes? the food worse, your scribe study left messier? maybe red tape?"

"I did."

"Well, apparently, for just two people, the boggans are on strike. Not at Delores' orders but in comradirie with her. One of those people is YOU. And it's not because you're a Liam. The other person is Tylar, who they see as a traitor to his kith sucking up to a noble knight. Tylar is a kid cooking his own meals, cleaning his own areas, and has been given the silent treatment at every gossip circle"

August winces. "I will take care of him."

"You didn't know he was going through that did you? Mmm He's hiding it from you then. Trying to be brave." A pause "Like I said, good kids. "

August glares at Earl. "How do you know about it?"

"i'm a highly empathic person gifted with the natural alertness of a guardain kith" He states loftily "Also Velvet told me about it"

August glares without a lot of power behind it.

"hey, don't glare, you asked" he says "As for Velvet, I think Tylar asked her not to tell you, which is why she 'let it slip' to me for free. Sluagh can wriggle their way out of anything as you know. "