#earthrunes

A wistful sigh. "We got a touch lost, but it was a lovely place."

"Though, forgive, I am laying betting odds your cousin Caspian winds up there in the near future."

"For tis always Caspian, somehow. Eshu luck."

"That boy could get in trouble in the middle of an open and empty field" A hurumph "I swearr, tempted to find a nice girl to anchor him a bit."

"Or he shall just take her with him."

"True. Can't keep an Eshu off the road to trouble for long I suppose. He just doesn't think things through, which I guess is very Eshu as well."

A brow "I take it one of the three going with you on this quest is Earl?"

"Aye."

"Good. " She nods approvingly "he gets all piney when he's away from you for too long."

"He does?" Approval.

"Zara, he once told me his world was a howling void with only the echoes of his hunger for the touch of his hand to keep him company when you were away. In my defense, I did not ask him if he was drunk on Absinthe. I know he's an odd duck, but he has a right to be. Trust me. He pines"

"Mmm." A smile.

Clem chuckles at that smile "Well, I guess I can't blame you for taking pleasure in it. What girl doesn't want to be on her man's mind when she's away?"

"Precisely."

"So, I shall contact the relevant parties... Earl or Gerd will likely need to transport Lily. She is between here and home..."

"Gerd'll likely help. Heck, she might try to help with the haunting. Not sure what to make of her either some days. She's Rivervale's sitaution, but she's taking this witchy thing kind of far"

"Gerd is a most charming young witch. She knows how to take tea." This, from a sluagh!

"That's high praise." Clem recognizes that, "Well, I guess there are Mountain witches in stories just like river ones.. or Hearth Witch or whatever you have it. "

Clem ponders something "If we can get this land for some cheap non old terrain. Maybe we can put it to use for more than just growing crops"

"Oh, aye?"

"Well ,you see, there's schooling going on ... Rivervale wants to home school there. I don't think the Chief would mind me telling you. Maybe a school house should be a rregular thing? Big enough for some large classes"

"Ahh... I imagine not everyone would adapt to distance learning so well as I."

"Right, Socialization is needed for most ..." A look at Zara "Though I admit, I wouldn't mind you helping out in a reading class or something sometime. Or at least helping with book reccomendations?"

"Books? I can do that."

"But not.. mm.. I would not wish to be in front of an entire class..."

"I figured that last. Also, and meaning no disrespect, kids don't pay attention well even when you CAN raise your voice. Wouldn't be fair to you two fold. But book advice surely would be welcome"

"We have curiculum but I admit, it's troll and farm biased. If we're going to teaching more diversity we need more diversity of material"

"History and literature are my strongest... I suspect less call for my more occult interests."

"We try to discourage the Children of the Corn LARPING yes" Clem observes

"Children of the Corn is an old horror movie... and LARP means Live Action Role Playing" she explains

"Ah."

"There is a book, of course."

"King."

" I have not read,. but I bet Earl has. "

"Aye, he has. You might enjoy it?"

"I'm not always into horror. Does it have a happy ending? Do the good folk survive?

'"

"Wellll..."

"Pass" Clem says "I'm trying to be fair and give horror a chance, I even read fan fiction where Pollyanna sold her soul for working legs, but killer corn kids is a bit close to home"

"By the way? Appolyanna? Not a bad bit of fan fiction"

Snerk.

"If I can just figure out which DeBuke is writing it" She muses

A shrug "Regardless. I should look up some basic school building plans"

Clem glances over at the book on the table "Good grief. Is she on the second story of the book already? That was a whole novel"

Bronte is a glutton today it seems

Rattle. "She's irrepressible."

"And she'll be quoting it easy as pie from now on? Amazing. " Clem says "I'm starting to see why the world needs bookwyrms. Little critters of wonder that carry the words around with them and share them to make folks want to read too. Honestly, Zara, I know she's lucky to have you, but she really IS quite the find so the reverse is true as well."

"I know I am very lucky, aye. She's technically Earl's, you know."

"Yeah, what's his is yours and what's yours is yours too" Clem smirks

"Well..." A touch of pink.