#earthrunes

Zara purses her lips as August leaves.

"Oh goodness.." Siv says looking at this "I've made whatever it is worse I fear"

The Liam is Gone.

She looks to Zara "I'll leave you be...and I'm sorry if I've offended... I'll check with Vashti about the ideas you gave. Thank you for the tea. I Truly AM curious about the exploits and advenutres of good friends"

"I do not wish to speak of it." Crisply.

"Please go."

Siv lowers her head "Again, apologies" And she leaves

Whatever Zara does after the two leave is unknown - but later that day, the Librarian is nowhere to be found at Earth Runes.

(End Scene)

Boggans are fairly good at piecing things together. And Delores gets word... and she spreads word to the Baroness.

And soon, wearing nothing more than a bathrobe, the afternoon before Carnivale festivities begin...Coradel seeks out Earl DeBuke.

With the help of the boggan network, if they might know where he is.

Earl is easy enough to lure in, if one has the right bait

"What did you want painted, Baroness? I can't get it done this week but if it's to be carnival based on whatever costume..." He blinks as he sees her in the bathrobe Oh please don't let it be a nude

"I will allow you not to have to paint anything immediately...and thus not miss Carnivale festivities with your lady fair...if you speak with me, and answer my questions directly." She leads him into the private conference room off the throne room.

He follows "Baroness"

"I'm speaking with you, of course, but I'm.very confused" Once they are alone

She closes the door behind them, then turns to face him. "It's about August. And Zara. I need to know....when do you intend to release him from his constraints?"

"Release him from his..constraints? May I ask what constraints you think I've put him under?" COnfused

She doesn't seem pleased, but the way she purses her lips is...stunning. "Constraints. My understanding is that you've ordered him to stay away from Zara."

"What gave you that idea? I've tried to get them to talk again" He says baffled

The notion of this commoner ordering her husband to do anything seems to strike her as absurd.

A blink. "I have it from August that you have demanded this of him. Do you now call my husband a liar?"

Earl rubs his forehead. "Perhaps if you tell me what EXACTLY I demanded of August? or what August says I demanded? I think there's some context here missing."

"You told him to stay away from Zara. That he had hurt her, and that he needed to stay away from her." She frowns. "He is in agony over this."

"First, let me say- that I think if someone held a gun to August's forehead, and said 'fib or die'... he'd have to think it over for an annoying long time before he even dedicated to a white lie about the weather or other matter. That said, there must be some misunderstanding because I have not told him to never contact Zara again. " A breath "Did he give ANY details? "

"I mean, when did he tell you this? What did he answer to any follow up questions? " Confused inded.

The frustrated Fiona starts to pace. "He told me weeks ago, and that was weeks after it had begun." Pacing. "He said...that you had told him you hurt her, confused her, by becoming too close, and to stay away from her for a time. He said...he was willing to wait, for her sake. But what I just heard....in trying to keep to that agreement, he is only hurting her further. It needs to stop."

Earl blinks and his eyes darken for a moment before he finds his calm, "He has hurt her. Yes. Confused her. yes. after a long time in Poughkeepsie, she started to talk to him and he rather ignored how her life was going or tuned her out ... so she has become convinced he has burned bridges with her save when he has need of her for some personal project of his. "

Coradel stops pacing and directs her full attention on him as he speaks. She doesn't fear his darkened eyes, but her own frustration seems to calm a bit.

After he finishes, she goes to the drink cart at the side of the room and pours herself a whiskey. She pours one for him as well, without asking, and brings it to him, handing it over.

"I have ADVOCATED on their friendship's behalf." HE says frustrated, and drinks "And frankly, I am VERY angry with your husband right now for some how finding a way to crawl onto a cross about this. For all I know, I told him to give it time to cool down then approach again.. as it DON'T CHASE AFTER HER RIGHT THIS MINUTE... Don't pester her every five secondss on the first day he wants to 'fix' things. I never said, not implied, for him to stay away . In fact, I have repeatedly tried to arrange him and her to meet again. So you'll understand" he takes a drink "That I am at least as frustrateed with this as you are. Because right now, I feel like August just , in his 'throes of agony' 'accidentally' put a knife in my back."

She also drinks, then points a finger for emphasis, "You'll note that I've chosen to speak with you, rather than...well, I considered other options." A sigh. "Can you keep your temper if I bring August in here? We will have this resolved, and resolved today."

"I'm not sure... look, I have tolerated his disrespect in the past. I have put up with martyr complexes, cluelessness, and sometime his flat out bullying... because he is a friend, and more im;portantly, he is important to Zara. However, If Zara doesn't WANT to see him, and it seems she doesn't, I am not about to make her talk to him, and I assure you, no right of demense will help in that. I'm tired of him pulling drama out of his ass and then wiping me with it. " A HUFF

"Careful, DeBuke. That is my trueheart you're speaking of." A calm boundary-setting. "I will have him join us."

"And, Coradel, this is MY heart you are asking me to betray every secret of. "

She goes to the door, looks out, and has a brief word with a boggan: "Find the Baron and bring him here"

A delicately arched brow as she turns to him again. "I ask you to betray nothing. I see to help them both. If what Delores tells me is correct, his is hurting her precisely by seeking to give her space."

"I agree, that's why I've tried to get them together repeatedly. But for some reason, no one seems to be hearing that part"

A bemused look. "They require supervision."

"At times I think they require couple's counseling," A deep breath

A small tap at the door.

An unreadable look at that last comment, then she opens the door to admit August. "Come in, my love. There is not much time before the festivities, and we need to speak together."

"Hi August" Earl raises a brow

"Earl. Hello." He greets Coradel with a brief if she allows. He's wearing street clothes. "I need to go with Vince, to the Hayes." He reminds her.

"Before you do, could you tell me why the hell you thought I told you to stay away from Zara forever when i said no such damn thing? Because I'm REALLY curious and you now have at least as much warning as I got"

"Yes, and that is why..." She pauses as Earl cuts in, sighs, and then continues, "...you must listen, accept, and move on without question. Can you do this?"

She looks back at Earl. "I never said he said it was forever. But certainly he did not feel released from it."

"I.... yes." He answers Coradel obediently.

"August, you believe you still need to give Zara her space...but I have just come to understand from Earl that his intent was never to have the constraint last this long. Can you understand that?"