#earthrunes

"Yes. Would you like to come inside?"

"Please. So.. do you need a page? I was told you had squires" He follows

August leads him inside. "I do, and I would be pleased to have you serve, if you wish."

"Thank you. Grandpa knew the stories, but Dad always said that it was a good idea to get in the habit of doing work because for a lot of folks it wasn't an option, and when it is an option, if that changes, you don't wanna get caught off guard"

"It is true. And there are different kinds of work."

"uhm. I don't know what kind of work a Page does" he blushes "So you kind of have to tell me"

August chuckles kindly. "I have never had a page before, so we will learn together. "

"Oh cool. I'm your first" The boy says

"I bet you're not.." The jester walks by

August.... well, he comes close to glaring briefly at the pooka. "Yes. You are my first page. Come, I will introduce you to Tylar and Velvet. They will be helping you too."

"That guy has a skunk tail" He rubbernecks at Shalimar

"He is a pooka."

SHalimar bows and backflips "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams."

"They are tricksters, cannot tell the straight, clear truth, and have an animal form they can take." He says "Shalimar, this is Benny, my new page."

"Go on.. he's barely a paragraph" Shalimar says "And he's got a leak..see? A quarter just popped out of his ear" Presto..

and he shows the quarter to the boy and hands it to him

Benny laughs "COol. This is all so cool."

August smiles. "Thank you, Shalimar."

Shalimar "I Serve to live, lordloveaduck" He jingles off

August sighs. "Pooka."

"I should learn about all of them if I can" Benny says.

"My liege?" A whisper . Velvet steps out, "We have a mortal enchanted here?"

He leads the boy on, and locates his squires. "Tylar, Velvet. This is Benny; he will be my page."

Velvet makes a face, but then inclines her head "Welcome, Page Benny. I am Squire Velvet. You may adress me as such, or as Miss Velvet"

"yes, Squire Velvet" the boy says looking at her "Are you.. sick?"

Her sickly complexion, her pale skin

"Nice of you to say" she smiles toothlessly "It could be I have the consumption, would you like it?"

"oh no no thank you" Benny says

"She's a sluagh" Squire Tylar explains "Welcome , Benny."

"Speak quietly around the sluagh, and respectfully." The Baron advises. "Our Librarian is also of the Whispering Kith."

"And I'm a boggan, we're ..well, we're the helper dreams" The Boggan says

Velvet seems to warm just a bit to the Baron's words.

He shares a smile with Velvet.

"Benny, I want you to do as these two ask you. Assume they speak for me. Tylar, Velvet.... this is a great responsibility for you."

Velvet looks at the Baron "Frankly, lord, I would have preferred a cat, or perhaps a naked mole rat?"

"Benny is not a pet, Velvet." firmly but not unkind.

"Well, you said responsiblity and it sounded like- " She begins to say

Benny's eyes got very wide, then he smiles "it's okay. Who wouldn't want a naked mole rat?"

"He may yet be tolerable" SQuire Velvet says "Forgive me, Page. I fear my kith are not always welcoming of company and yiou come as a suprirse, but yes, we will take care of you and show you the ins and outs"

"Of course we will" Squire Tylar says

"Benny, I think it would be beneficial if you were to share with them what you shared with me. About you, and your grandfather. As much as you are comfortable with."

Benny nods "Okay. Now? or... whlile they show me around or?"

"When you are ready."

He nods. "I'd..really like to see things while I tell you" He tells them "I want to see EVERYTHING"

A faint smile, and he glances at the squires.

The squires nod and lead him on "Well, let's show you the library, this is the most important room in the hold" Velvet says

August trails behind.

"I wouldn't say the MOST important.." Squire Tylar says "There's the balefire..."

"Well, that maybe it's heart, but the library is the mind"

Velvet assert "perhaps even it's soul"