#earthrunes

"Released from WHAT? is what I'm trying to figure out"

A flicker of hurt passes quickly over his expression.... he nods.

Earl says "August... I think I deserve ... I don't know, full sentences?"

"Earl, he's following my request. August, I am sorry, my love, but this must be resolved. Please answer Earl."

He swallows. "You told me she needed time. After she brought ... you both brought Curiosity here. I was rude, and I did not attend to her and ..... you said I should let her have space."

"And you read 'give her some space' as 'Stay away forever'?" A LONG Breath "I get ambushed, slandered, because you don't remember or process context? Let alone remember that Isaid 'give her a few days'. Not weeks, not months, days" Earl's jaw sets "August. .... I told you not to chase after here right after I told you. Because it wouldn't have worked and would drive her away further. "

He puts down his glass.

Coradel sighs. "I suspect it might be that. August....you have headed the letter of the law too exactly, and mistaken the intent."

"I'm sorry." Softly, to both of them.

"you always are, and I roll with it, but I'm this close to done." Earl mutters.

"You have been miserable, and unable to turn to your friend in your misery...but do you understand that it was not Earl's intent?"

"Earl..." A frown. "If a Fiona can be more patient than a troll...." She gives him a half-bemused, half-warning look.

He nods. "Earl's done nothing wrong."

"Coradel, you love him, and you respect him, but this is not the first time he has decided that what I said shoudl be takeen in the worst possible way. Now, I'm not the most skilled speaker, but he is is too smart to continuelly pull this."

Coradel goes to August and rests her hand on his arm, speaking quietly to him. "Learn from this, my love -- you must speak your heart more often, rather than suffer quietly."

Then she turns to Earl. "I know it, Sir. But if you think he does so maliciously, then you do not know him well enough."

"And... on another note, I am rather personally hurt that he would talk to me over this miscommunciation," A look at August "August, if you honestly thought something this..extreme, why didn't you TALK TO ME about it. I thought I was your friend too."

"He has tried to adhere to a difficult task for the sake of another. Do you not recall that he intended to be a priest? To take a vow of chastity? And he is Liam besides...his nature is to accept suffering as his lot." She frowns as if Earl should remember this.

He blushes lightly.

Then she looks to the two of them. "I am going to speak to Zara. It will be my last act before relinquishing my authority for the night. Do not interrupt, but say what you will to each other. August, leave to fetch the royalty in no more than half an hour. Earl, you may seek out Zara when he leaves. Is this understood?"

"No."

Earl says "it is not ..."

She lifts her chin. "You would chaperone my conversation with her?"

August nods in agreement to her demands.

"Coradel, you may suggest what you like to me when it comes to the woman I have sworn to. I consider you a friend of a friend who might become a friend for there is much to admire about you, but that sounded like an order... and.. where the woman I swore too is concrned, I yield to no one. And ... I think you might want to know that if you sswarm Zara with an imperial or demanding tone, it will back fire so I would advise you is all. Not chaperone, but give my advice? Yes. I will do that. I don't think approaching her now by you will be wise, and I know it won't if you try to use 'authority' in it"

A haughty look. "That advice seems awfully familiar...and it seems not to have worked well the last time. Perhaps you do not trust your love to be as resilient as I believe she is. I understand she is upset. I know some of what recently transpired. I will try. And yes, I will take your advice into consideration, and thank you for it, but this is my house, and I will speak to the librarian if she is here."

"Coradel... may I speak with you:? Privately?"

"There is little time, August. Speak here, or not at all. This is not time for confidences. This whole difficulty has been due to silence or partial understandings. No more."

"Thank hyou for that" Earl says to her

He reddens, but then speaks. "She wishes nothing to do with me. Enough. Don't do this. Let us attend to the holiday."

"If that is so, then it is so, and I will not force her to anything she does not wish. That is not my intent. But you two, and she, have complicated this enormously, and I am done."

A brow but he lets it slide.

"I'm sorry." To his Trueheart.

"Yes." She touches his cheek briefly, then drops her hand again. She goes to the door, turns to them. "Tonight, the two of you may punish me for this as you see fit." There is no humor nor salaciousness in the comment. "Half an hour. Do not interrupt." And she strides out, bathrobe flaring.

She heads for the Library, and gently knocks on the doorframe as she arrives.

"Certainly not" He says a bit tired of being cast as the villain

August half starts after her, stops.....

His shoulders slump.

(Library) "Miss Zara." Coradel steps quietly into the Library. "Are you here?"

And he turns on August, "August. I am SO pissed at you right now I don't know if I have the words. You want to crawl on the cross every other month, I guess that she's right.. it's how you think. But I really resent being cast as your judas. I have to find out from her I 'banished' you from Zara forever? You're too damn smart to be that dumb and I'm not sure I even want to pretend to be nice about it anymore. I'm busting my hump to get Zara and you to patch things up and I find myself with a knife in my back"

August nods, head down.

The Library is dim, quiet.

"Baroness?"

Coradel exhales, and Zara would clearly read it as a sound of relief. "Yes. I would speak with you briefly, please."

(In private room) "August. WHy didn't you trust me with this? Why did I have to hear it from Coradel? "

She emerges, pale amidst the shadows. "Aye?"

(Library) Coradel moves to take a seat by a table where Zara has often shared tea with others. "It is a topic that you may find invasive, and I apologize for that, but I also think it's a matter of some urgency. Please...come sit with me a moment." She indicates the chair opposite.

Her lips thin, just a touch - a hint of tension in her narrow shoulders. "Aye..."

(Private room) "I didn't think it needed addressing." Quietly."I was waiting for her."

(Library) Coradel keeps her voice low...and Zara certainly can't ignore the fact that the baroness is dressed in nothing more than a bathrobe and slippers. "There has been a misunderstanding, one that seems to have extended over quite some time. August...I hope you can forgive him for this...he thought he had been restricted from being in your company, due to causing you pain."