#earthrunes

***

"my liege" Squire Velvet beams in greeting to August even as she bows

He nods in return. "Squire. You seem to be in a good mood."

"I am, baron. I ...will be found in another part of the hold more ofen of late"

"Another part of the hold?"

"I have moved my room closer to the library" She says

"Indeed? I can understand the attraction." A gentle smile.

"Yes, Miss Zara, as she still prefers to be called, is oathed now and has picked a new location to better supervise the romantic investment that is her truehearttt while still mainting a civilized distance when need be. " A happy sigh "She is such a role model, even with her unfortunate condition"

"Her.... unhappy condition?"

"I should not speak of it" A sigh "You would not notice it... you lack the refined sensibilities of a slugh, forgive"

"I am aware of the failing." Modestly.

"Ah, " A nod "We should not mention it too openly then. She does find it embarrassing. It happens from time to time, a sluagh comesi nto the worldand can be gregarious, extroverted.. or worse, positively engage with subconcious eagerness. Miss Zara is hardly the worst, but still, who can blame her for lamenting it?"

"Since I would be the poorer without it, not I."

"Yes, she has focused the condition as productively as possible..." She leads him to Zara's old room now HER new room "You shall find me here when I'm not attending you, my lord, or the library"

"Ah. Zara has moved... and you are here now." He puts it together.

"Thank you for letting me know."

"Just so" she says "And you are most welcome"

She does NOT mention where Zara's new room is, exactly

"I see you have put your own touches to it. As you should."

"Oh yes, I do like blue black, and dark blue.." She confesses "And some of these were left overs from the originnal Eiluned furnishings. "

"I am sure they would not mind." He encourages.

"I love the grandfather clock, forever frozen at it's time... right out of a murder mystery no?"

"Yes indeed." He says. "One might wonder why it stopped at that moment."

"Yes. I like to imagine homicide born of complex natures with dueling passions"

"That is, ah, certainly one for the imagination, yes."

"Quite" She says "Ah, but my lord, prey forgive I am not ready to prepare tea properly yett for guests or the like. Have you perchance a task for your squire?"

"I wondered if you would prepare notes on the recent Saining." His expression turning sober.

"Ah" A sigh "I fear I missed the more dramatic part of it , lord. " She squirms embarrassed "I had tto hear of the full fall out from second hand sources"

"Ah. Well, with proper attribution it might fill in some gaps."

"I shall do what I can then, may I enlist Tylar's aid in this? he was witness and has better interviewing skills"

"Of course."

"Thank you, Baron" She frowns "From what I hear, it did not reflect well on some involved. Sir Bachdion was seen in a fury and has not been seen since. Sir Magnus spoke to the namer in private"

That much she does know

"Have you word of Grand Dame Bondraste."

"I have not" She blushes

August nods. "Let me recommend that we give Sir Bachdion some time. I would like to approach the others."

"I wish you luck, Baron" She bows

"Thank you." And he will go in search of either.

Boggans buzz and talk, he sees Charity with another between tasks. they both bow as he goes by

Vince is roaming the halls, and when he spies August, he pulls a handkerchief from a pocket and waves it. "Yoooo-hooooooooo?"

August smiles with gentle patience and approaches. "Hello, Vince."

He reaches over and tucks the handkerchief - why, it has the truthbranch emblem and his very own initials on it... into August's pocket. "Hast thou seen my dear sister-wife?"

"Your.... ? Ah....."he drops his voice soft "Coradel?"

Suddenly the boggans that were talking are focusing on their dusting and cleaning... don't mind them

He shakes his head, and pats August on the shoulder. "Oh, no, not our Lioness. Mine own sister wife, the mother of my children." He explains patiently.

August walks through it, then guesses "Sir Bachdion?"

Scrub scrub scrub

A beaming smile greets August. "The same!"

"I have heard the MOST confusing tales of tomorrow's saining, and he shall get me to the bottom of it. He is EVER so skilled at bottoms, you see..."

"Ah. I confess, I do not know. I have heard that he is upset, but I ...." August starts to answer, and blushes at Vince's inuendo. ".... don't know where he is."