#earthrunes

...and grins.

"Have I mentioned that I rather enjoy you, Zara?"

"Ah - pardon?"

"When you get justifiably outraged," she explains. "Other times as well, but I do enjoy your passion."

Coradel is in a GOOD mood, despite being insulted by the redaction.

A sigh.

"Ah." Blink. "Thank you?"

"Oh, August..." she squeezes his arm. "Why must you be glum about this? They're our friends, and they're back! They are remembering us, and we are remembering them, and...well, I'll admit, two satyr dreamdances in my barony in the space of a day? And then Highsummer? I feel a bit wonderfully light-headed!"

"How are their Excellencies going to feel about it?"

"This book says Truthbranch was a banner house. Derynwydd might have held the banner for you all this time and now...."

"Well...well, I guess we need to know more about banner houses, right? And about the House Truthbranch reputation and alliances. If it blends well with the Count and Countess, then wonderful! If not...well, then we'll figure it out." Coradel the fearless, again.

"I am not going to borrow trouble about it, though. I'm celebrating it. August...this is a sign of how our people loved us, and still do."

August glances at Zara.

"Of course, the redaction makes learning more difficult. Is there a way to...well...refresh the pages somehow? Undo the cross-outs?"

"The seer might know a way.....?"

"Oh! Yes, of course. You must show him these." She seems to have no intention of taking the books from them.

A harrumph.

"What, Zara?"

"redacted"

"Well, _yes. Clearly somebody didn't appreciate quality."

August pats Zara gently with a warm hand.

"I suppose.... it is a bit early to go the their Excellencies with this. I mean. Until we know more?"

Zara nods.

"We need better Liam records."

"Liam have fine records!" August says.

"Oh, absolutely too soon!"

"Exactly!"

"But they are not here, nor at Firnost or the Hollow."

August looks back to Zara, then after a moment grins boyishly. "I know where they are."

"Or at least, how to find them."

"Aye? We could research together..."

August flushes. "Ah."

Coradel gives them both a bemused look, and a very subtle hip-check to August.

He clears his throat. "Let me, ah, let me ask if I can get access." He promises Zara.

"So, where is this place you mean?"

"I'll be good!"

"And I would be their with thee... how much trouble could I get into?"

Another bemused look.

"I'm going to..... * August starts to respond to Coradel, then double-takes at Zara with 'are you kidding?' in his eyes.... then back to Coradel. "I thought I'd go through Father B to speak with the Duchess."

"Ah, her... yes!"

"Oooh, we need to speak with Father B, anyway. At least, I probably should." She might not completely follow the connection between Father B, the Duchess, and the books in question.

"About what?" Curious.

"Obviously, you two need an officiant..."

"Father B." August confirms to Zara.

"And I do not see a chuppa in your future, aye."

"Have you looked?" August asks his peeking friend a bit archly.

"Well, not for chuppas."

"What's a chuppa?" Coradel is baffled. "And August, I still need to get Father B's seal of approval." A bit of a wry tone there.

"It's a canopy, for a wedding."

"Ahhhh...." Realization. "Ok. You still have his number?"