#earthrunes

"Aye. But that is also something now known. That same trick might not work against those aware."

"I didn't know who I needed to tell, to keep us safe but without fu- messing up Siv's return plans, whatever those might be." He says, a little embarrassed. "But I figured... you would." Respect.

"Of course Siv means to go back." Sigh. "And she's next to impossible to scry."

"Still - others should know of this, of us. That treasure must be claimed."

"Sorry to dump it on you. She promised not to go until we have a plan, though." She did promise. Right? Right.

"Until we have a plan, or the Fiona had a plan?"

He blinks. "Ffffffffff........."

He stops just before teaching Bronte a new word.

"Forgive, I have been living in a Fiona hold for some time now."

"They can be a touch headstrong. And Siv?"

And just shakes his head. His shoulders curl inward. "I should have been more specific." He sighs. "I shouldn't have tried to bind her at all. It's not my place, and there goes any rep I might have had with Siv faction."

"Nay. Siv has a way of running ahead of herself. She needs friends to keep a check."

A mutter. "The stupidest things I do are when I try to be clever."

Eyebrow.

"You helped Siv, and have brought the news to me. I may spread word to our kith siblings - I know there are few of us in Rivervale."

"Lilly." He whispers. His fingers tightening on the teacup until it rattles in his thin hand and he has to put it down. "Just.. thinking of someone trying to put a chain on her..." he shakes his head mutely.

"Exactly. It cannot be allowed to stay in such hands."

"Balor are dangerous - I know not how familiar you are with them."

"We encountered them in the raid last (Spring?). The Chieftain, Shacklebreaker - took an iron wound to the gut. Almost didn't make it out of there."

"Sexta, Neunf, Novem... you have heard the name of this place? This Barony of Dry Tears?"

Zara nods. "They wield iron, and serve darker things than Winter."

He glances around, looking for the unseen observers. Shades, perhaps?

Just a couple of spiders, Bronte. Any sluagh would announce themselves at this point. Bad manners not to

Ah, the spiders. He bows his head to them a little. "Ladies."

"Symon, I would send three of the sisters back with you - they may follow Siv when she hares off into the unknown."

He nods, and offers a hand outstretched towards them "Had I know you kept such company, I would have brought a gift. Do they care for, uh. 'sanguinem rodens'?" The latin is close, but a little butchered. "I have fresh on hand if that suits."

One of the spiders seems to find Symon charming. A male who is not afraid of a bit of dirt and grime? How lovely

"They do care for that. And.. ah.. popcorn."

Three ladies scramble forward. Others watch

"Popcorn?" He shrugs. "I've heard weirder. I'll make sure that Lovecraft leaves them be. Oh, she can carry messages as well. I didn't want to trust anything to text or phone. If that's helpful, I can send her wherever needed." He corrects, "I can ask her." No one orders a cat.

"I understand, aye. And an added boon - while locking onto Siv is difficult, I can scry my ladies well enough."

Green eyes winking into view from within his shadow where she lurked. Zara, of course, was surely aware she was there already though.

"I can't scry. Siv's pissed and wouldn't have me along on her raid, am sure. I'm probably done in this story except for fetch and carry. Not that I mind, ladies." He says to the spiders.

But, he gums at his lip thoughtfully.

A shake of his head.

"But?"

"I can peer back, a bit. Not something I share. Sidhe are greedy about the art and I don't especially need more than my personality to collect ire."

"Not seeing how it could be useful here though."

"Siv has the Balor, and serfs to save. We have a treasure, and a kith-cousin. While the Lioness roars, there is room for the spider to move unnoticed. We have more subtle gifts. To peer back - we could see the face of this Balor, aye? And perhaps the treasure chain?"

"...maybe? If I had something to cast it on..." A frown, thoughtful. "Zane would know. He's the one who excels at making things work ways they shouldn't."

She nods. "Zane is promising."

"Brogan has a bit of his poison, on fabric from Siv's ripped jacket. Unless she's still there. But I'd bet she's already taken a runner."

"Mayhaps - she was in a duel, and wounded?"

He nods, same train of thought.

"Her garments, are they accessible?"

"Aye, the poison would do it."

"The whole shirt is likely to be there. Unless she put the same stuff on after she cleaned up. She might have. She gets less fussy this time of year. I've noticed." More that he's noticed that she's also less likely than some of the others to wrinkle up her nose at his own slovenlyness.

"Even odds I'd say. But yeah, Brogan had a sample."

"And with Siv... feh, time is short. You fear her bounding off. For good reason. And thus, we are deprived your time-spinning and a chance for my ladies to latch on..."

"Maybe you can text her? I'm on her shit list now. But she might listen to you."

"Aye..."