#earthrunes

Her laugh gets another glance from Adam.

"Yes, Baroness."

And the Baroness of EarthRunes glides out of that room of decadence. Certainly it's one of many at this hold, though.

the ladies who are being massaged thank the gents and it looks like the lessons are indeed done for today. Seana thanks Adam "When you're not distracted, you're quite good, but rare is the man, kithain or kinian, that isn't drawn to a sidhe... so no offense taken."

"Uh, oh, yeah.... I'm sorry, I just.... you have great skin, though; smooth and soft and.... well, thank you for the lesson." Earnestly.

"You're welcome." She kisses his cheek and towel covering her, heads out. Others follow.

"Nice meeting you, Emma," Zane says, though now that tails are forbidden, the longing to touch it increases, he behaves himself

Adam watches the parade of towel-clad ladies depart with some surprise.

"Mutual, I'm sure!" She grins.. oh.. those are SHARP teeth...

Siv says "You two were reasonably well behaved, thank ye. I wish I could give you a tour, but I think the Baroness' hint wasn't so much that. Oh, go see the kennels and Ayrie if Sir Sergie don't mind"

And off she sashays, tail swaying most fetchingly. Surely, that's not on purpose, is it?

Zane watches her go admiring "Wow."

"Just... they just.... like, walk out in towels?"

"Tis a Fiona hold, " Siv says, "Sometimes everyone just sun bathes in the garden raw as they please... optional, obviously. And depends on the age of those about... it's not normally TOO blatant nor everywhere. We have more sedate sluagh, trolls an Liams so we try not to make them uncomfortable."

"Sure as hell ain't the Lodge...."

Siv says "Well, don't try to move here just yet, please" The troll girl says "Go on, see the bird and dogs. It's impressive. or stop by Jack's and get a drink and small meal" She waves and heads off.

LEaving the boys to wander.

(End scene for them- but hey who knows?)

.................

The Baroness doesn't have to wait long.

Well, at least it's a pleasant wait, as she takes a light lunch at that lovely little table until the willow in the garden. Just warm enough today to be nice.

And Siv comes in, "hope you don't mind the lads. They were terribly bored turns out. Isolation has killed the parties Zane used to throw"

"Of course I don't mind! Zane's charming. And that mortal....curious, and I'm wondering what August would make of him, but...." She shrugs. "Come, sit with me, and have a bite to eat."

"Thank you" she sits down and does have a bit "Delicious. "

"Mm," she agrees as she finishes a bit of fruit and cheese. An idle pause for a few moments before she says, "Something was troubling you in there."

"Aye. Family as ever... " She admits sheepishly "Sister and I had an adventure, and a spat. One tied to..well, love vs obedience it seems"

"Captain, a spat just shows how passionate you both are about your ideals. Hardly something to be concerned about," she points out airily. "But...love vs. obedience, you say?"

"Aye... twas a harrowing situation.. started as a simple patrol, the two of us on a motorcyle. She drove, ... I coaxed her to go past granny speed..." Siv says

"And then we came upon a Condor.. not a vulture, a CONDOR... huge.. right?"

"So I hear," she nods, encouraging.

"And it ..well, guided us... to four mortals, and a body bleeding out, in the hand of each mortal was a cold iron knife! I mean.. holy shit right? Naturally sis and I sprang right at them"

"Cold iron?! Well, of course! Those who hold such must be defeated, and quickly!" Coradel leans forward. "What happened then?"

"Well, as Sis charged forward, she says something daft 'Go alert the hold' or something to me. Now she's the bloody countess of the whole area, right? And my sister.. so well, i'm not going to let her fight alone... she's good, but I'm better at dodging, anyway so I help her. Little did I know sis would be fussy britches about THAT... she got a scratch..and I'm convinced if I hadn't been there she'd have gotten worse... though I did not rub that in her face. "

"Hm." Coradel sits back a bit. "She survived? With cold iron, even a scratch is nothing minor...though she is a commoner, so...."

"I wanted to make a bigger fuss.. oh but we're not done yet. The last fellow THROWS a cold iron dagger towards me... poor marksmanship though, I side step .. only to see my ruddy sister try to step in the WAY of it! Daft fool" Siv says "I was livid. Thank the dreaming it passed between us both."

"Indeed! And then?"

"Then we found that poor guy cut with cold iron was still alive... we could save him.. help in the way... Dame Ash..she's a Beaumayn, starts to collect the cold iron for disposal.. and.. oh I still get irked. And I go to help... and get told NO... I'm like what? I mean, if an Arcadian sidhe can handle it , so I can I but she worries I'm vulnerable and wants to talk in private... and then.. oh I explain that i'm more vunlerable than some commoners, but no more so than an arcadian sidhe right? And she gets pigheaded..."

Siv sighs "Now I am not sworn to her, and we're not in her hold... but she says... "

""Siv, I'm going to put it plainly. And I regret if this upsets you. But if you keep going down this road, I will be in contact with the Baronesses of EarthRunes and Rivervale with a report of your insubordination." . "Your call.""

"Insubordination? I sputtered.. I was stunned"

A blink...and a hint of a grin. "She pulled rank on you. Well...good for her. From what you've told me, I've wondered if she were suited to be in the position of Countess, but now I feel she might manage it."

"I told her to go ahead and tell.. I was not sworn to her, we were not in her hold... and.. wait, you agree with her?" Stunned

"Do I agree with her reporting to me when my protege is insubordinate to a Countess in her own territory? Of course I do!"

Coradel, however, doesn't seem at all angry.

"I would do it again" Siv admits "She would have died or been near dead if I hadn't stayed. I'd have defied her orders again.. she's my sister. I love her.... I told her that. I told her go ahead and do what she wanted but I'd do it again. We weren't in her hold. I wasn't sworn to her, and she's my sister ... I'd face the consequences"

"Well, of course!" Coradel takes a sip of tea. "I wouldn't suggest otherwise."

"Then I am the soul of confusion" Siv says "Do I need to go back and see if she's got a nice cell picked out?"

"Oh, piffle, of course not." Amused. "No, you were insubordinate to her, she has reported you to me. Now I'll handle the matter with a consequence...and I say the consequence is that you're banned from going back to Fenix for a month." Said with an easy off-hand manner. "However, if you were in a similar situation in the future, I'd expect you'd do nothing different. That's what she should expect, too, if she understands that you're training to be Fiona.

"Honestly, it almost seems she's aiming for Fiona in some ways herself, except you've told me she doesn't wish any house."

"Incidentally, you do realize that you're the one who actually delivered the report? I haven't heard a word from her."