#earthrunes

"August, what's wrong?"

He takes a deep breath.

"This.... I'm worried the Count and Countess will... have issues with this."

"Whyfore?"

"I.. forgive. Noble politics is not my strongest suit..."

"Thou art no less Liam for it. And nobody could deny Coradel's.. ah... Fionocity."

"Mine either! You know I didn't attend those lectures but.... well, Liam -might- gain title but land? Count Jude is a big exception."

"Well, Coradel has the land."

"True." A bit of color seeps back.

"And Jude is not the only Liam with land - heard you not of the hold in Chattanooga which was threatened, and then defended?"

"By a Gwydion troll, at that."

He nods uncertainty. "Something about it...."

"Well, that's two...."

"I had heard there are many in the Netherlands, of all places..."

He frowns and flips through the books.

"I thought their excellencies liked the both of you."

"I am sure they like Coradel." Glumly.

"And thee."

He shrugs.

"And thee!" She repeats, vehemently.

And he reads a bit. "Well.... I mean, they didn't kick me out of the Court...."

"They did not."

Still scanning. "These new satyrs....."

"Were Truthbranch retainers in Arcadia, nu?"

"And, I think, carried the Banner in the interregnum. Are not both your children Autumn?"

"Yes." He looks up. "How did you know? About any of this?"

"Well, I spotted the fledge..."

"Which one?"

"The gentleman satyr."

"With the cloak?"

"And I.. well, I was curious..."

"And you.... peeked." August guesses.

"Well, just a tiny omen..."

A little grin. "Yes? Just, ah, you know.... could be, ah, awkward." He clears his throat.

"Awkward?"

"Depending on what someone is doing."

Coradel approaches across the garden. She's beaming as she joins them. "My love!" She pecks August's cheek and takes his hand. "Hello, Zara." A happy sigh. "Isn't it wonderful?"

August is pleased to see her, but his hands are full of books and his forehead lined.

Well, she takes his arm, then. "What's this?" She peers over his shoulder at the books.

"Zara found all this information about banner houses and stuff."

"Aye... but Truthbranch has been redacted." Huffy.

"Redacted?" She looks at the pages with the blacked-out sections...and frowns. "That's...that's...how dare they!"

"Blasphemy! It's... vandalism. Defacement!"

"Ahhh...." August is caught between them. "Liam... Liam's crest was blighted. It isn't unusual."

"But to black out a book?" Affronted.

Coradel pouts at him. "I know, but...well....I'm used to it with Liam. Sorry, August, but it's been that way for so long. But this? This....this is us!"

"Why not rip out the pages or kill a child?"

August juggles books to try and comfort Zara. "I'm sorry...."

"I wouldst redact their spleens." Another huff.

Coradel blinks at Zara