#earthrunes

"You are very welcome."

And off she goes to recruit

August continues on.

"Hey August" Jack the Grump, actually OUT of his native habitat the Tavern/Pub

"Hello, Jack. Good to see you."

"Like wise. You got some time?"

"Of course."

And he leads him.. out of the hold. Doswn the hill...and there at the foot of the hill, waits a boy

"Ah."

"Sir" The boy says

"Have I told you his name already?" Jack asks August

August offers his hand. "August Ratchford." ((No Glamour.))

"Hello, Mister Ratchford." he takes the hand "I'm Benny"

"Nice to meet you, Benny. "

He glances at Jack, cueing him.

"You're magic" he says

"He knows... too much" Jack says to August "Strong keening, weird gifts"

"Benny, may I ask you some questions?"

"Sure, Sir, but I don't know how much I know.. you know?" The boy says modestly

"Can you describe me? Take your time."

"You look normal, but, you're more.. in my gut, I know that you have magic, are magic. Sometimes, when I dream.. I see people I kenw.. but different. I knew a lady at a fast food place... but when I slept later that night, I remembered her rounder and shorter and with magic too. I don't.remember people right until I sleep. "

August nods. "Iunderstand. Do you know if anyone in your family is, or was, magic?"

"Yes" he nods "my grandfather"

"What was he like?"

"Beautiful..and sad" The boy says

"How?"

"Imean, in what way? How would you describe that beauty and sorrow?"

"it's hard, he was an elf.. I know that.. but he had a beard... if I had both eyes open, it was white, but it was silver when I opened only one. I got older.. it got a bit harder to see, but dreams.. always see right in dreams. He said I was special, but I had to be careful, that if folks knew what I saw, some would want to calm me crazy, others might call me dangerous. But I never meant bad to nobody"

August nods. "And his sadness?"

"He said that magic people had a war...and that the war was over... but it had cost a lot... and now another war ..because of a missing king.. and it was ending too, but it seemed they neverlearned. Never teamed up against the real threat. The dark"

August nods slowly, as if the words make sense to him. "What was his name?"

"I calleld him Grampa.." Reluctant to say more

A gentle smile. "Of course. You do not wish to tell me his name? Or you don't remember it?"

"I don't want him in trouble"

"Is he still with us? Alive, I mean."

"Dont' know.. they say he died, but we didn't have a funeral" A sigh "That was..years ago. He told me.. he left me this.." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a paper.. it simply says 'Benny, if you keep insisting on looking to fight the dark, the Dark will find you. Go to the House of the Broken Oak... they alone might shelter you, keep you alive. They won't like your gifts, but they might take you in their protection and perhaps you can help them - I wish I could be with you, but I must move on. Love, your granfather. PS- The Dreaming is.

"Well." Softly. "That is enough for me. Benny, would you like to stay?"

"Yes, please" he says "Jack has been putting me up"

"Aint' no place for a kid" Jack says "My room outside the bar is kind of small"

The handsome young man nods. "Are you ready for more magic?"

"Yes, please. " Benny says, then explains matter of fact "There's a lot of work to do if we're going to save the Dreaming and beat the Dark back I bet"

"Yes. But we can do it together." He offers his hand, ready to enchant the boy.

And the hand is taken, and his eyes light up. Oh he's sidhe kinian, mostly

August maintains his gentle smile.

"Wow" His eyes look up and around "I remember so much more now.. you're a sidhe" he says then giggles "But not liike a girl"

"No, not like a girl." He agrees with Benny. "You remember your friend Jack?"

"Yup. He's a satyr" He waves to Jack "Hello, Mr. Jack"

"Hey, Benny"

"This is EarthRunes."August indicates the manor.

He looks up "it's like a fairy tale castle" He says "Oh.. that's exactly what it is n't it?"