#earthrunes

Zara rises and drifts to the shelves.

"it was not supposed to be this way" Glumly "if I were to begin to care too much, it was supposed to be for an arcadian sidhe, so I might watch the light leave his breast and I, alone, for all my remaining lives while he was gone- a true tragedy. instead, i find myself plagued by a cherub faced boy with soft and caring eyes and hands that always seem to know when mine need to be held. Fret and bother"

"The heart is a willful thing, and does not listen to your head."

"But... one must needs listen to it, aye?" Gently, as she sets a few books by the squire.

"i blame the Fiona influence, pray forgive" She does look to the books "their energy encourages nonsense"

Spinning Silver and Jane Eyre and Song of the Lioness...

"It certainly does not help." She agrees.

"oh," She takes Spinning Silver "yes, perhaps this."

"I have another by the authoress, if this one pleases."

"i thank you, i do love the title" then she says "A silly reason to pick a book I suppose?"

"Why? Tis a lovely reason."

"i should be more practical, no?" Curious sip

"if I were practical, perhaps I could at least ignore my heart"

"Pah."

"Nay. You must pursue your heart. You cannot have a tragic love if the love is shallow."

"Your love cannot transcend death if you fear losing control."

"ah, you are right," she sighs "fear must be embraced in all forms, not left on a shelf. the sweet pang of possible loss breathing on the back of the neck. the tragic shadow behind the moon of joy. "

"Precisely."

"and earl, for all his quiet difficulties, doth seem to make you pleased more than displeased" she observes.

"He is most pleasurable company."

"Trolls are as a glacial lake - the surface is oft still, but there is great depth there."

".forgive, but he is not so hard to read if one looks at his works. in the gallery, he paints... a constellation of a rising goddess escaping the dying dusk like Innana leaving the underworld or persephone departing hades. and behind her, in the velvet, constructed of the milky way, a man's face watches longing. Why, it is fortuante most do not suspect or i'd dare say he was too blantant, too bold"

The younger sluagh girl IS a romantic herself despite her best efforts

"Not all are so observant, Miss Velvet."

"aye, not at all" she nods "And pray forgive, i have been tending to a boggan for hours. i fear the gossip rubs off" A sniff "Still, they must be given due as the second best kith at gathering information, though one must sort through the jumble"

"Sluagh do not gossip. We discuss pertinent affairs."

"precisely, and sorting the pertinent from the puerile can be tiring" she says "for example, between chatter of the affairs of Captain Siv and her paramour, a matter that is best left be, one learns that the former has taken time off, canceling all classes... and having packed light garments."

"Aye... Siv is wont to travel."

"And thy observations are probably correct. But you are not a boggan, so whispers of that shall not dribble..."

"Precisely," a nod "even tylar, who is not as prone to it as other boggans, leaks like a kettle with a crack."

"Oh, watch, sometime, a troll wishing to use innuendo and be subtle."

"Ah," A nod "I...hath met thy friend Chieftain Clem. A solid soul, a kind soul, yet firm, but by no means a subtle one. " A sigh "As for Captain Siv, more subtle perhaps but this is like saying a rushing brook is more subtle than the avalanche"

"Clementine is particularly entertaining." A nod.

"Aye. Farmhold business she says, and in doing so often confirming the import of what she would NOT have one pry into." A shake of her head "She is lucky to have you to guide her at times"

"She is a friend. She... tries, to understand. I do what I can to advocate for our kith."

"aye, and i mean no disparagement to her. in truth, the farmhold, were it not under the eyes of others of our kith, I would be interested in..investigating." a sip "but I am told while it has its secrets, they have proven to be dear to more than one of our kind. " fishing perhaps for news of the other besides Zara herself

Zara smiles.

"I think, mayhaps, I should host a tea. There is one I think you would like to meet."

"i would welcome it, oh, but not in the next few days I pray you? I must needs see to.. "A sigh and blush "Tylar"

sad with that resignation of one who has found something they simply cannot squirm out of

"Well, I fear I have business to wrangle, also. I shall mind August when we go."

"most appreciative. if he should leave this world without my witness i shall be quite ired with him. we had, I thought, an understanding on my studies he and I."

"I am aware. Therefore, I will do my best to bring him back still bound in this mortal coil."

" i am in your debt. I am a squire, and the selection of tolerable lieges is slim" a sip "in truth, i do admire Baroness Coradel, but somedays just watching her is exhausting"

A sigh, a nod.

"But, truth... I... I have grown passably fond of this hold."

"tis no shame in that, we are, as a kith, as staid as any, there is a reason we associate with spiders. We pick a dark corner, invest in our weavings ...and do our work... to the silent betterment of the place even though they often do not appreciate it properly. Spiders do not like moving when they have found a spot that suits them. we are little different." A look left and right "Though I fully understand you would not wish others to be fully aware of ..sentimentality. They would discuss it with impropriety I fear"

"Precisely. Ah, it is a relief to have one who understands!"

"i too have found my affections in danger of being overly commented upon. Baron August, he does not mock or try too loudly tell me how it's all right. And I am grateful for such reserve. have i you to thank for this decorum?"

"Not just myself. He is made much effort to learn, as well as the sun may see a moonshadow."