#earthrunes

A gentle smile, approving. "If it is sincere. Strive to live in harmony, at any rate."

"Are you sure the meek get the world? Seems like it's awful hard being meek on days ending in Y"

"I am sure, yes."

"That'd be nice.. I don't need the world..that's a lot of lawn to mow, so maybe just a nice house I can sleep on top of?"

"Are your lodgings here not sufficient?"

His tail wags "I get soiled here."

August stares at him a long moment. "Spoiled?" he tries.

A nod

Some relief. "Do you obey your teachers and the Baroness? Are you kind to others?"

"Sometimes, when I get told to share things.. I share them.. but my piece is like HUGELY bigger" A shamed

"Try to do better about that." Kindly.

"I will" He said

"or die trying"

that part is the lie part probably

"Good man." August pats him on the shoulder.

WAGGGING tail

"Will you excuse me? I was on my way to study when ....."

"Oh right. you probably have to save other princesses..." he salutes, "Good travels to nevereverwas, sir baron"

August salutes back.

And off AUgust goes

(End Scene)

Earl takes the pen and puts it up, "I am sorry you didn't get one."

"So it goes. But.. no. Vampires are dangerous, and cold..."

A frown. "They kill without thought. I would have done differently, had I realized it meant death for the thieves."

"The way the thieves moved and fought, they and the guards, they weren't ordinary humans- not that helps I know"

She shakes her head. "Something to do with vampire magic."

"I know odds and ends, but... ah... Renfield, aye? Their servants?"

"True, a classic trope that. Henchmen , mesmerized or more by their masters. I know they're not safe, but I think I like ghosts more... or at least the idea of ghosts more"

"Oh, I rather like ghosts, as a rule."

"Despite their dark side... " He nods

.........

Siv returns and puts things up, and promptly reports for her next lesson. A bit early, but only by about 10 minutes

So she gets into the training ring slightly before Coradel arrives. How does she make even work-out gear look glamorous? "Ah! Captain, you are back. I heard you were called away."

"Yes. My father was injured," She says "And a patch in the right of ignorance needed tending. I did what I could"

"Your father?" A look of concern as she fetches a practice weapon. "He's recovered?"

"From the poison and injury? Yes," She says quite stoically "Frank King is , it seems, too headstrong to die"

"That's a good quality to have. I rely on it regularly."

A chuff, "yes, well, there's that. Tell me," She bites her lip, "Did you have the feeling someone's well wish was laden with assumptions?"

Coradel blinks at her. "I have no clue what you just tried to say to me, Captain. Perhaps you were speaking that language you're studying?" She smiles.

"Norweigan? No" A sad look. The language isn't as joyful as it was now "It wasn't a good visit"

"Well, it was good in that they are safe and well, but, sad to have some things made clear"

"Oh? Such as?" She gives her sword a warm up swing or two, and then squares up opposite Siv, en garde.

Siv assumes the pose, "My father and mother expect me to accept their defnitiions of ideals and are hurt or do not understand when I vary. And I, in turn, let my desire to please them..and others, immobilize me. My mother's last words where WHEN I turned away from them.. not if... to think of them.. she meant it to be very noble sounding, I'm sure, but it punched a hole in me."

Coradel makes a first strike, an easy one, warming up. "Well...you are turning away, aren't you? In some ways, at any rate."

A testing slow repost, more to work the kinks out "She made it sound like desertion, and she wonders where I get my sense of melodrama from" Wryly

"Did she? Well, then she is weak and needy. I suppose you will need to make allowances sometimes, but better not to be weighed down." A stronger counter strike, and then she begins in earnest, a series of attacks, not vicious, but not easy either.

Steel clatters and clashes. "Perhaps. Though I understand Sidhe often have it differently. Your families are scattered, while the mortals you land among often non the wiser" She doesn't seem thrown off her game like last time when her mother was discussed "No. I guess I can't agree with not being weighted down. Love is in family too"

"Well," Strike-clash-parry-strike... "I have some fondness for my mortal parents. They have improved a great deal since my arrival. And August and I found each other, largely because our souls' children brought us together." Strike-clang! "However, they are already grown. Both are older than me, in this life."

Parry-Clash- thrust- twist "Aye, so was your talk of it better for not being weighted down meaning better for me, or mum?"