#earthrunes

Jack, it turns out, can make a decent even good pot of tea. He even has a set of cups that have aged and slightly cracked through time and care, but not so cracked as to be useless. Zara is not one for pub crawls are bar hopping, but the far corner of this basement tavern has been satisfactory for discussing matters with her half brother on the various kith.

Ivory sips, "So piskies don't mean anything when they steal your stuff, and are just as llikely to steal something interesting as they are something valuable?"

"More likely. Price matters not. And will return what they have taken without rancor... tis always 'I was but holding it' or the like. They see it not as stealing. And to call them out too harshly... well, twould be as rude as calling a pooka a liar. Truth of it or not, it merely makes you look a bully and a fool."

Hmm he wrinkles his nose, "I guess I can see that. We are what we are. But , if one wants to romance me, she might steal something, then come up and say 'you dropped this?' does that mean if I ever want to show a piskie I'm interested, I should steal from her and return it under similiar situations or is that considered. .ah.. patronizing?"

"The latter. Piskies are... changeable. It can be difficult to know them, for they are a mirror."

Zara sips her tea. For all she is a sluagh, not a sidhe, Ivory's sister moves with grace and an air as delicate as the time-worn porcelain she holds.

It is then, that a young boy with a jacket peeks in, looking panicky. The curly haired boy is none other than Enri, beloved pooka lad that the Baroness cares for. He has been acting as a messanger, and thus has a half cape for his voile, but he does not wear it today properly, rather he has twisted in front, and has it like a pouch over his belly and something shivering under it.

Zara's eyebrows lift as she notices the childling.

And the childling notices her , the poodle boy does not RACE towards her, no, whatever he has is too dear for that.

Jack says "Henri , you know kids aren't supposed to be here." But to his surprise the normally timid boy ignores him.

Enri says "Mamzell Zara," Butchering the french she knows now, "I have a worm in my belly."

"Aye? Master Enri, let me see it." She sets her cup down.

A familiar but weaker voice moans from the safe haven of the flipped around half cape "but most of all- beware the boy"

"She means me" Enri insists.

and he opens it just a bit so that Bronte might be revealed.

A hiss, alarm. "Bronte?"

Bronte is SHAKING! Shivering! And as soon as Zara calls her name, the little dragonette gives a quick sudden flap to latch onto the sluagh for support.

"Shh, shh, darling... thou art safe..."

"War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.” She mutters almost burrowing into the boney sluagh. The tiny page like scales appear tattered, the font like patterns on her smudged... well, bruised. Someone or something has roughed her up.

"What sort of asshole does that to a cute little dragon?" Ivory scowls.

Zara bristles. "One who shall suffer dearly for the insult. Shhh..." She pets the wyrm, trying to soothe as she also inspects the damage.

Enri answers Ivory "It was petting her WAY too hard! I grabbed my sword, but then I realized I'm not allowed one because I haven't been to obedience school...so instead I stole her." He looks to Zara "I am sorry, Mamzelle... I... I'm a barker not a biter"

"Where was this?"

It looks like two or three scales have been wiped clean of ink, others badly blured/bruised. And poor Bronte is terrified.

A soft croon from her broken throat, keeping Bronte close-cradled.

Though Zara's comforting makes her feel safer she mutters "“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
― Martin Luther King Jr. "

"It was in Jurrassic park" the pooka says

"Three times ignorance..."

"Enri, could you lead us to the place? Ivory is quite brave, and will ensure no harm comes to you..." A Look at her sibling, daring him to contradict.

Enri seems very sheepish that all he could do is get the poor wyrm to safety "I should have fought for her like john wayne.. but I'm not even plucky comedy relief"

But he nods.

"You rescued Bronte. You have naught to apologize for!"

"It was very brave and selfless to do so."

Bronte nods "winged feet has mercury" A grateful look from the dragonling.

Ivory checks his weapon as the pooka starts to lead them.

"Aye." Zara follows.

"And like she said, no harm will come to you" Ivory confirms her trust.

The pooka looks relieved and goes, leading them on.

But as they start to leave the hold...Bronte shivers and begins to panic "
“There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.”

1122 has emerged from Zara's hair, tapping away furiously before he goes to sit on Zara's shoulders and menacingly wave his pedilaps at any perceived threats.

"I think she wants to stay in here, whatever is out there it's terrifying her" Ivory frowns

"A book burning, thinkest thou? AUtumn folk?"

"Why was she even outside the hold?"

Enri says "sometimes Ludmilla is mean and MAKES us take books outside to read..."

Unless Zara insists, the little dragon will not go out of the hold again.

"And Bronte went with you, yes..." A frown. "Darling, I do not wish to leave you all alone..."

"I have my books, and my poetry to protect me" Bronte gulps

Enri gets a look on his face, then turns directions and isntead of going outside, goes down a hallway

Ivory blinks "I think we lost our guide"

"So it seems."