#earthrunes

"Of course she is frightening, but that is no reason to avoid what must be done."

Zane lowers his voice, knowing she can hear "Well, it.. it can allow me to spy on you, cast things on you and you might not even notice is my theory. It's not right for me to have it when it can do that. ANd I have not used it once I realized it. "

A brief flare of her eyes. "No. That is a very dangerous thing you have." She stalks a circle around him.

"No." August approaches Zane, a hand out.

To the Baroness he says "Forgive me, Baroness. You're right. Things got hectic, but I should have come sooner"

A blink. "It allowed you to spy on her?"

"Specifically on her?"

"Once i learned it could do that... I stopped and realized I could not use it again." he says "I'm not a creep." THen a look at the baron's hand "Baron, could I please talk to Miss Zara about this?"

A perilous frown. "Did you, in fact, cast any workings on her without her knowledge?"

"None" he says firmly, then looks about "I'm used to hanging around Gwydions to confirm that, but it's true."

A hand on August's arm. "Let them resolve this, my love."

Zara stews in fierce silence. Her dark eyes don't blink as they fix on the satyr.

August looks just as upset, although he waits.

"Sir, please set the object down. For now."

"I think that would be wise," Coradel agrees with August.

"Zara, you value chimera, nightmares...things others would destroy. I wanted to salvage this.. to turn it's purpose to gentler and even restorative sorts. I don't apologize for wanting to preserve an object of the Dreaming. " He sighs at the Baron and looks.. hurt. Wounded in fact as if something harsh was implied in the phrase.. "I wouldn't use it, Lord. I'm not going to attack anyone." He sets it down before Zara on the table 'Please help me break the link gently, and let me continue redeeming it so it can ease pain or sadness."

"As a gesture of good faith, Zane, if nothing else." And she nods as he sets it down. "Miss Zara...do you think what Zane suggests is possible? Could this be turned into a tool of restoration?"

"You know not the history of this. Nor why I acted as I did. If you wish greatness, you would not be so rash."

"I know it belong to Tantalus and he used it for flesh peddling and slavery. I did the research, Zara. I'm not a kid" He says "And I'm as dedicated a student of magic as any will find. And it could be used for restoration, for easing chicanery damage.. I KNOW Chicanery. It's my strongest art. Ahead of SOoth say and Contract"

"And I know Soothsay. Do you fully realize the danger you have placed me in?"

Zane's own eyes flare, then.. he counts softly "one..two.. three, four..five.. six.. seven.." And calms.

"Zane...does your mentor know of this work you have been doing?"

"You have a right to be worried. But, again, when I realized there was a link, I ceased tinkering with it...and went back to pure book research. So yes, AFTER I knew of the link, I realized the risk to you. I would never knowingly put you at risk given our common..."

"Indeed."

Blink. "Common...?"

a cough at the word mentor , then he says "Ah, he might, but I have not gone to him. Frankly I've been trying to talk alone to Zara alone for the last week and a half but the only way I could be sure to meet her was to spy on her. Defeats the trust doesn't it? So I kept missing her instead"

"Hm." She sighs. "Do you wish us to depart, Miss Zara? So this conversation may continue in private?"

August fusses a little, but quietly.

Coradel's hand is still on August's arm, and she squeezes gently as she glances at him.

"Baron August, if Zara and I got into a severe fight, you would know it. I'd be the one walking way cursed with leg baldness and doomed to bleat between every song" The Satyr assures him "She'll be fine, Baron. Me? Not so sure. But the Baroness is right. I should have been bolder in coming forward" A blush to the Baroness

Finally... "Feh." A little huff of frsutration.

A gracious nod as the satyr admits his error. "I believe your passion for discovery overwhelmed your sense of self-preservation."

"A good explanation, but a poor excuse on my part" He nods "It's.. true though. I was so eager to give something back to the dreaming, to turn dark magic to light"

"And...that might still be possible? Miss Zara?" Asking her opinion.

"I... know not, without further examination."

"Before it was broken, surely not." A look at Zane.

"Then it sounds like a fine challenge for you both to attempt, together."

Zane holds his head up high but bites down on the comment he thinks of in response.

"Miss Zara, surely you have also undertaken a project without fully understanding its consequences at the outset? The staff has been made whole, and now must be managed. I wish you free of its connection. Please work with Zane to achieve that."

Zara looks ruffled.

"...if you wish," Coradel adds.

"Thank you, Baroness. " Zane says "We'll talk about the best way to resolve this and about the chance of restoration"

"She has not yet agreed, Zane," Coradel cautions.

"Well.. I meant it as you don't have to stay here and hold my hand, but wasn't sure how to say it more courtly. " The Satyr admits

A bemused look from Coradel to Zane.

"Miss Zara?"

"This is a matter best discussed privately, aye. The matters of this kind of magic are... technical."

"Thank you," Zane says to Zara.

"Then we shall take our leave," she takes August's hand. "I trust to see both of you later, with no added injuries or curses." And she leads her husband to the library door.

Zane bows as the two sidhe depart.