#earthrunes

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(Timebubble, but an evening...)

August sits on the edge of the bed in the chambers of EarthRunes he shares with his wife. He glances at the door, as if tempted to leave, but then look back down at the scarf in his hands, held reverently.

His eyes grow hooded and distant, and finally close.

He prays.

"As we were. As we will be. What we are. Rooted in the past, branching to the future, bound together by choice. For the sake fo the Children of Adam and Eve, show me how to honor Us before them in the sight of The Almighty."

He shifts to lay flat on the duvet, as he binds the scarf around his eyes.

He goes rigid, paralyzed.

(TBC)

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Coradel is accustomed to coming back to the room after August has gone to sleep, especially with his busy work/volunteer schedule these days. It's just nice to have him here, rather than in a completely different city! And soon enough, in their own mundane home, as well. if the landlord agrees to rent to them. His loss if he doesn't, she thinks.

She has slipped into the dimly lit chamber, and smiles as she sees August's form in bed. Asleep already, and fully clothed. He must be exhausted. And...well, he's been troubled, too. Mm...well, he just needs a distraction, then. She lets him continue sleeping while she readies herself for bed, trying to stay quiet so as not to wake him...yet.

Eventually, clad in a bit of amethyst lingerie that accentuates her form nicely, she paces slowly to the bed, almost a prowl, an anticipatory smile on her lips. But that smile slips away when she sees that August has the scarf...their scarf...over his eyes...what is he doing?...and that there's a strange rigidity to his arms and legs.

"August...?"

(TBC)

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The day of...the Graduprom!

The lights are actually fairly dim, tastefully. Candles await lighting, and it is those loved ones attending who will hold them.

As of yet, the room is empty, but slowly the non students filter in.

Guided by the staff, "Please, will the Scwhartz himmelfarb Cohen party come this way?" Delores has introduced herself by name and position and is happy to show them to their seats "This row is for you"

Meanwhile, Zara swallows in a private alcove...

as do 6 other students.

Thank god it's dim in here.

She futzes with her robe and mortar board - Vashti did a good job, but still.

"anyone got a portal passage handy?" one figure says "asking for a friend."

To her night piercing eyes, if she chooses to look she can see the speaker is a kinain.

Curious, indeed...

A sluagh male about her age has a spider dangling from his Mortar Board.

The kinain is enchanted and judging by his mixed signs is likely some kind of Piskie Boggan Eshu combo in the bloodline.

And outside, Zara can hear more folks going in...

her uncles maybe trying to improve the seating arrangements

A soft groan.

Her super-fine hearing catches "They call this a chair? A -chair-?? FEH!" hissed rustily.

Aaron and Hannah are enchanted and looking about a bit more impressed

And other families are not exactly behaving...

"I can't believe he's socializing. " female adult whoever it is.

The male sluagh hangs his head and sighs

"Thy mother?" She whispers to her kithmate.

"the fates deigned it so" he says in a tone that indicates the fates are not always kind.

Aaron and Hannah are not the only enchanted mortals here. But their kithain relations keep near them

In the room where families are gathering, Coradel has arrived and smiles graciously at the visitors. She wears a tasteful gown that still says 'baroness' in its style but doesn't overwhelm.

She is escorted by Sir August.

"For what worth you may find... the nockers are mine."

And the two of them begin circulating the room, greeting the family members, adding to the welcome to EarthRunes, asking polite questions about the graduates being honored tonight.

"oh sympathies..." the sluagh says

"so nice to meeet you thank you for doing this, my son's reap... he's the boy sluagh.. I mean, of course he's a boy... Reap's a fine young man he just hates people.." The mother shakes hands. "I'm his mother Mrs. Rooter."

"Cyberschool?" To Reap.

"...thank god for it" Reap nods.

"you?"

"Aye. Too... well, you know how a school is. Buzzing lights, and so many people..."

"...bullies and jerks..." Reap says

The stork pooka girl says "now I can go into OB medschool"

"I start college in the fall, too. Library science."

The troll pushes glasses to bridge of nose "had to watch over my grandfather. Only way I could graduate was night courses and online mixed."

"So your grandfather's in the crowd?" Reap whispers

"no..he died...the cancer finally got him" the girl troll admits "I promised him if I had a chance to something like a prom..like most girls, I'd take it."

The pooka stork looks over "Naturally, as a physician to be I would categorize that in the clinical term of 'damn'"

Reap nods consolingly