#earthrunes

But eventually they are released, and ISis, with her dignity messy but intact, clambers up near the possum to clean herself

Enri , free barks at the the possum as if to say 'yay we got her!'

Squire Tylar approaches; he moves with dignity, and bears the sign of Truthbranch.... and a scroll.

Thane Oswald waves "Squire Tylar, looking for someone?"

"Miss Isis." he answers.

"She's up there, Squire, I'll see if I can get her d... at our level." An aside "The D word panics her"

"It has?" He peers.

"D-O-W-N" he whispers "Don't say it"

"Oh, I shan't." He waits.

ANd he turns up "Isis, do you know where we could find a lovely lady who enjoys giving imperial commands?"

"ooo oo" She bounces , then scrambles down

Tylar bows. "Miss Isis, I have a message for you." He presents the scroll.

She looks away as if not interested, then snatches it quickly, and opens in haste

then adds "My thanks, Tyre Sqylar"

"Be still," Isis gestures to Tylar "Pharaoh speaks"

Her eyes lit up, she reaches into her 'goo -chee' purse, and pulls out the pink sparkle crayon of amazeballs... and writes on the letter "YES' then hands it back to him, "Please inform your liege lord boss britches that I accept his hand in beverage" primly

"Erm... yes, I will. Carry your missive, that is." He bows, chivalrously. "With that, I will away."

She curtseys

And off he goes.

Her brother, now transformed, looks curious "Was it worth coming down for?"

Isis hears the down word, looks up to the high location where she was, and Emma still is... and promptly swoons

The possum sits up to applaud such a worthy swoon!

Aunty Poppy gives a mournful howl for the departed.

Enri joins in...boy form or not.

"Ack" The girl unswoons, then nods to The possume. At least Emma gets it

The possum scrambles down an upright, disappearing around a corner...

And there's soon a old dog sleeping in a sun spot

Emma settles down beside the snoozing hound, to gently stroke her soft ears, and sing her cajun lullabies.

From a deeper part of the garden, a deeper voice joins in from the shadows, like golden butter ,and soon the other pooka join in as best they can, even if they hoplessly mangle the lyrics.. and it never gets too loud

(End Scene)

Sometime Later, Siv is told she has mail from Rivervale.

"Oh great, I better break out the Norweigan translation book again" she shakes her head and takes the letter... then opens it.

And a blush spreads across her cheeks

"holy shit" she finally says, and races to go tell the baroness she needs Wednesday off

Coradel is in the west gallery, considering which paintings need to be re-arranged. "Wednesday? Why?"

"Wednesday evening into late evening and.. who knows...maybe part of the morning I.. here, look what he wrote" she almost titters with delight

Coradel blinks at her. "I don't often see a troll...titter," she comments, taking the letter. She reads it over. And then she reads it over again.

"Jonas NEVER does this... " She says "Not.. not LIKE that.. he's... so... reserved in what he says, and writes. "

"I'm tempted to let you go and call him on this right now," she murmurs, reading it over a third time. "Of course, the picnic won't be ready...."

"I hear intermitent fasting is all the rage" she says "But I bet I could ask the ladies at the kitchen for help making a few quick sandwiches'

"Hmmmm...." A moment, then. "No. No, you absolutely need to keep to the time he's set, I think. And you shouldn't call him...send him a letter back, agreeing with his plan. Maybe...something more demure than what he sent. More...flirtatious. Evasive. Teasing."

"I see... playful waters, tides still present but swirling instead of onrushing," Thoughtful "Aye. I could do that."

"Good, exactly." Coradel smiles and returns the letter to her. "It's lovely when they start with the love notes, isn't it? Especially when they get...inventive."

"Oh my yes, I .. am.. really turned on right now" A blush "You say 'tease' but lordy, it's going to be a long wait till wednesday. He's not going to know until then how much this has stirred the waters."

She takes the letter back and inhales it as if the scent of it is a reminder of the words therein

"Oh, then you have a couple of options, you know. You certainly could enjoy the company of somebody in the interim. Or several somebodies. Or you could hold off and save the pleasure."

"I think," A thought "I think I will hold off. It will mean much to him, and , I think also serve me well too. The longer the build up, the more triumphant the release"

"That's usually the case, yes." Coradel smiles, and nods at the letter in Siv's hand. "And this release promises to be fairly explosive."