#earthrunes

A smile at Earl's joke, and then she watches Curiosity zip around. "I've never spent much time with a non-pooka kitten. She's delightfully mad!"

"Oh dear." Observing the zoomies.

"I suppose the pookas will make good playmates."

Zoom.. zoom... pause to lick a dirty spot on her side... zoom!

"Well, it was such a busy holiday season, and then suddenly, Whoop, it was time for classes again. Oh! I seem to have acquired a new Fiona hopeful."

"Oh? A satyr?"

"No!" She smiles and sips her tea. "Guess again."

August looks a bit resigned about something.

A slightly bemused sidelong look at August, and she explains to Earl, "He's a bit worried about it."

"A ..boggan?" He doesn't think of Boggans as Fiona so maybe that's wild enough to work

She shakes her head. "No...a troll. And not just any troll...one of the Rivervale brood." A victorious sip.

Startled "Sylvi? I ..no can't be her"

After zipping around the room a few times, Curiosity flumps down against August's feet.

Curiousity gets her ribs gently rubbed.

"Colton's lover? Oh, I don't know, she might have potential, but she's awfully uptight sometimes. No no, this is the Chieftain's younger daughter. You know Siv?"

Purrrrrr.

"I do, not well, but yes. She's a friend of Zara's." A surprised look "Fiona? Well, it's rare for a troll but ... if anyone could fit. " ..

"I..she's serious about it ? She's not a flake mind you , but still... I'm just surprised"

The purring catches her attention, and she looks over to see August scritching her...her eyes travel up to catch his gaze, if possible.

"Well, that is part of the training, isn't it? If she doesn't manage to make it all the way through, well...we'll find out then."

August has a faint smile, and does seem to be focused on the kitten.

"I guess so. I wish her and house Fiona the best.." He notices the kitten being stroked and tests something "And no doubt she'll be joining August's Harem."

She stops trying to distract him from her rival, easily enough, and turns back to Earl. "She made an impassioned case for herself."

Then an amused grin at Earl's last comment, and watches to see if August caught it.

"My -what-!?!?!"

"I don't have a harem, Earl! Good grief!"

"Just seeing if you were hyperfocused or not" Earl holds up a hand and fights a smile

"Hhmph."

Coradel runs a fingertip along one of August's ears teasingly. "August, what exactly is your objection to the term 'harem'?"

She closes her eyes, chin resting on August's toes... and.. sleeps?

"I don't have one."

"Dont' have an objection, or don't have a harem?"

"I don't have a harem!"

"Well, perhaps not currently, but...I put it before you, Lord Truthbranch, that you have had multiple women who have been recurrent lovers beyond the bounds of your marriage." A mock inquisitorial look.

Earl looks amused despite his best efforts not to.

August glances at Earl and promptly FLUSHES bright red. "I... it.....they...... you........"

"Which..." she adds with an uplifted teaspoon "...does not include the accumulation of those of the female persuasion who seem attracted to your nature in less amorous capacities."

She notes the glance at Earl and waves it off. "Oh, as if it's a secret from him."

"Study groups don't count!"

Earl shrugs "I just pretend not to notice"

"Are you kidding? Karen was panting..."

"And here is the hunt for loopholes...."

"It's just Leonora! And she....." August shuts up.

Instantly, Coradel seems to pull back from the attack, her smile slipping away.

An expression of regret and hurt flickers over his face at the mention of the mortal-turned-Selkie.

Earl says "August, I apologize. I ..I never was good at the 'joking with the guys' stuff. But the ladies, as far as I can tell, are attracted not just to your looks, which every sidhe has, but your honor and kindheart, which not all of any kith have"

A sigh, and she slips a hand across the table to touch his lightly. "August..."

He does look contrite

"It's ok, Earl. And, thank you." He takes Coradel's hand.

"Perhaps it's the wrong word...but all we mean by 'harem' is that you seem to accumulate female admirers, even when you don't notice it yourself."