#earthrunes

The unmistakable tone of a done deal.

Brow.

"Would you like to meet with him here, or should I send him to your quarters later?"

"I..." A startled look, then "he still lives HERE though? We can't.. the Farmhold elders are nearly ready to revolt as is."

"Now why in the world would I send him to the Farm? It's not as though you reside there yourself."

"He was banished from the Hollow..."

A wry look at Coradel, "You really think I'd make a good knight to the lad? I'm completely winging if half the time. I.. i AM in debt to him but I do want to do righ by him" Unsure but actually considering it

Coradel looks at Earl in surprise. "Sir Earl, exactly which of the knightly qualities do you feel you are sorely lacking?"

"Uhm.. Well, a " He blushes "Modesty?"

Coradel gives an amused/exasperated glance to Zara at that, and then repeats to Earl, "I'll send him to meet with you in a bit." And she departs the library.

"He did save 1122...."

Earl watches her go staring "i shouldn't have chuckled about Hume driving her nuts. This is Da'an, turning it around"

"Nelson is no Hume."

"True. Nelson has guts. " A nod then "And I owe Nelson for saving our friend. I just hope he's not disappointed at not getting a real knight"

"Well - the Dreaming knows thou a knight. What other legitimacy is there?"

"A truth I..."

Zara hears it it first, the footsteps of a young boy RUNNING towards the library as fast as his little legs will carry him

"guess" earl is saying "though sometimes I think the Dreaming is a bit stoned"

"Da'an has a sense of humor."

And then sliding in, is Squire Nelson! He skids to a stop and then bows! "i'm your squire!" Then he realize he's being loud and whispers "Sorry, miss zara" then still whispering "Sir Earl is my knight. The baroness told me. this is so cool"

"Ah, Nelson, I'm a commoner born knight of no House, heck I don't even believe in the feudal system. So if this is weird for you..." Earl tries to give the boy an out

"The truth is a gem of many facets" The young Eiluned beams "your facet must be on the backwards part, but that's okay, that's just more interesting to learn about. Don' worry, Sir Earl. I'll look out for you. Miss Zara is great at the sneaky stuff I bet, but she's got a librarian job so I'll handle the day to day. You want to know who your enemies are?"

Zara looks quietly amused.

"I don't need you to be..." He pauses "I have enemies?" He blinks trying to think of whose alive that fits that category.

"Everyone who has power has enemies, Sir Earl," The squire says "But don't worry, I got this. Now, you drink a lot of tea. Want me to make you some?" a beat "And do I need to make you some too, Miss Zara? Seeing as you are my knight's trueheart? " He ponders "I'd call you a damsel but that doesn't fit. "

"Ah, tea is.. particular. If you wish, I could show you the proper way to prepare it."

"Lots of sugar right?"

As if that's the only way TO Prepare a drink

"Ah, I think you should listen to Miss Zara's lessons on tea. It's very important to sluagh culture" Earl says "Now, I'm not sure what I can really teach you, but I'll try."

"Ah, sugar is at the discretion of your guests - it must never be presumed."

"Okay. Learn how to make sluaggh tea" he makes a note of it "Try not to presume. " And then an odd look at Earl "Sir Earl... you're a master of Wayfare and getting more powerful witth legedemainn than you're telling anyone. There's a LOT you can teach me"

"How did you know about..." Earl stares, then stops "Have you been spying on me specifically, or snooping all over in general?"

"I've had a lot of free time" The Squire nods

"Aye? And what have you learned?"

Zara pushes the button on the electric kettle - a concession to the space, safer for the books than a hot plate or open flame.

"By now, Sir Sergei has probably told the Baroness about a chance for Fae hound Corgis if she'll allow. And that Samson is feeling the spring and actually eyingg some mares... though she probably knows that part. Bronte has slipped out of the library to make sure Sir Bachdion's study has his books in the right order and Sir Bachdion can't figure out who keeps doing that. And.. there's like five other things but..." A brow "I want to respect your culture, Miss Zara, so maybe we should talk trade?"

"Ah, but you were speaking to your knight, nu?" She adds the hot water to the teapot, gently pouring it over the leaves.

"Yeah but..." the boy then grins "Can I get back to you on that .. I'm still small. I have to recharge my sneakiness"

"Squire, any secrets you give me, will belong to my lady also," Earl says, then adds "Though I might tell you to hold back on some from her for a delay. I do try to surprise her now and then. Usually I fail but there you go"

Earl stares at the boy. A sidhe, and of a the least trus worthy house among the seelie. And yet, he likes the boy How can my elders hate this boy without even giving him a chance?

"Nelson, wish you to read fortunes or no? It shall determine next steps..."

"Magic can be a dangerous thing to make demands of," he says then nods "But I have to know if I can."

"Have you learned tasseography?"

"Is that.. no that's not the one where you spin and spin for divinations is it? " He eyes he tea "oh, tea leaves, I remember that from the Harry potter books. Hermonie thought it was bunkum, which seemed a bit harsh. No I never learned" his eyes light up

"Ironically, everything Ron read in Harry's tea proved true."

"Can you teach me?" Then he looks to the knight "If it's okay with my knight?"

"I never want you to stop learning, Squire. At least not from good folk"

"So.. if you wish to read, you must pour thusly... to defeat the strainer, and have leaves in the cup..."

And the boy is riveted.

Earl watches. Torn between a kind of pride.