#earthrunes

Before trying again to land a smooch on her neck!

She moves to Vince to ask, "What is happening?"

People cheer, some laugh

"Mmmmm? Pardon, I've already forgotten." A hand sliding down to pinch a rounded rump at hand.

"Perhaps, thy Skunk may know?"

"That's VICAR Skunk to you" A smile though and ap roud look at Vashti

"Tis true" Vashti says "Less is more"

Reaching the Balefire, he kneels.

She shakes her head in amusement at the pooka-antics, and tries to get a better view of the balefire...and gets an eyeful of Adam rump. "Oh. Well...interesting."

He bows his head, and waits.

She plucks a drink from the tray of a passing boggan and sips as she observes. "This is...performance art?" she stage-whispers to Shalimar.

Shalimar says "I don't know who he is performing as. Art? Dan? Jeff?"

To be fair, he is a handsome boy with an athletic body; not Sidhe-pretty (yet) but..........

And the flames... seem to reflect their mistress.. sending a message of 'is he for real?'

She takes another sip and tilts her head. "You know...I can see the advantage of such a decorative touch to the hall."

The baroness responds with a wave of: I have no idea.

"We could cover him in plaster while he's positioned" Shalimar suggests

He waits, kneeling, head down.

"Adam. you've been pranked" a familiar voice says , Bondraste dressed like Maleficient

It takes a beat before he looks up. "Grand Dame?"

"Pranked?"

His features grow overcome with frustration and anger.

"Yes... sorry. " She takes off her cloak and puts it around his shoulders

"You couldn't have waited an hour or so?" Coradel asks the Granddame.

He wraps the cloak around himself and stands. "Who pranked me??" He looks like he's ready to tear off and take revenge.

"I'm unclear where the prank is. I thought it was something you were doing by choice. Not an unpleasant display, I'll note."

"There was a fortune teller, she said I could start becoming Sidhe by doing this."

"Could? Or Would?"

"Adam... Adam.. please" Bondraste says "Calm down"

"She said she saw me doing this, and .... and something about wisdom showing me the steps to take. But it was a prank??"

"I don't want to calm down! I want to kill her! I want my 30 bucks back!"

At the mention of thirty bucks a few more laughs escape

"We could pass the hat" Shalilmar says "Of course, he'd need a hat to pass"

Adam is red faced and furious.

Coradel looks amused, but only for a moment. She passes her glass of to Shalimar and then steps forward. "Adam."

" 'Scuse me....." he was about to storm back to the gallery but stops "Yes, Baroness?"

"Come back. Stand before me, and the balefire."

He does as told.

She regards him for a moment, eye contact if possible.

"Please, Baroness. My grandson is a good man" Grand Dame Bondraste says

Oh, he looks incensed.

A look at Bondraste at this admission. "I see."

"Adam," she looks at him again. "You made a public gesture of vulnerability because you have faith in your potential."

"I...admire that."

"Thank you, Baroness."

She looks at him a moment more. "Remove your cloak again. Resume your vigil."

"But it was a -joke-. It won't do anything."

"It will show your dedication to your goal. It will show your faith in your potential."

"Show who?"

"Yourself."