#earthrunes

August examines it carefully, looking for hints or information about the inhabitants.

Not much he can discenrn from here. Drive ways is empty but the lights are on

He drums his fingers on the steering wheel. "Dame, would you feel comfortable investigating in your other form? Get the lay of the land there?"

"is a frenchman's dairy air water tight?"

And then.. a small mouse is slipping out of the prius

"If only Dame Temerity could give Lord Hume a cup of courage" Tylar says once the mouse is on her way

"I, ah...."

"I don't know that I would say he lacks courage, Tylar." after a moment "But it might be courage of a different sort than we are used to."

"he shrivels up in the sparring ring. He crumbles if a redcap coughs or a sidhe glares. If Rollo growls, he moves away faster"

"Not all are gifted with physical courage." August agrees.

"Yes my liege, but if all goes bad, he has to rule us." A frown "I'm sorry, I should be more charitable, but I don't know if he's a good fit

"

"He is a different fit. So was Coradel."

"But.. the Baroness IS Earth Runes"

"She is. Now."

Tylar looks thoughful at that

"When we first met, and EarthRunes was an Eiluned holding, it was a different place; a different feel. Not better or worse, I suppose. But different."

And there's a tap on the window, the mouse now a woman again

August lowers the window. "Get in?" he offers.

"I've always been in, my lord, I am the soul of audacious fashion. Yon swine bops and boops upon the idiot box of the Gen Z, spreading bile ... lord? If he has hit 14 springs, they didn't feel he punch"

August consentrates furiously and finally says "I think I got all of that but the last part. Slygg is inside on the computer."

"AH, I mean to say that he should call tylar graybeard" She explains

"Ah!" enlightenment "He's young. Very young?"

"Or at least as young as me" Tylar says, then sighs "Great, soemone my age being a jerk to others on tthe internet, what are the odds?"

"Pretty good, actually." August says seriously "Who else is in there, Dame?"

"A dragon but I have dealt with it's kind before" She says "Let it hiss and primp"

"A.... dragon?"

"Aye, with fur and ears... nine lives.. terrible things, dragons" she snorts

"Ah!" he gets it "Wait, a young boy is in there alone with a cat? No parents, no caretaker?"

She taps her nose

"That doesn't make sense.... any sign he lives with anyone?"

"My lord, he's alive" Explainingg

"I think his parents just aren't in right now" Squire Tylar guesses

August nods. "Well. Let's go say hello. Dame, will you enter from the back of the house if you can, and without drawing attention to yourself? Tylar, you and I will ring the bell."

And they break to do just thatt.

Soon August is ringingg the bell

He is prepared, if needed, to wait and ring; Slygg may be focused on his computer.

He rings it again another minute later.

And a door opens just a bit, a chain blocking "what you want?"

"To come in and speak with you." calmly.

"Holy shit, you're a sidhe.." he does not let the man in

"Yes."

"Probably best we don't attract more attention than we need to, hm? Let's talk inside."

"What do you want?"

"To talk."

"I mean.. I didn' do nothin!" the younng wilder says. Must be just past childlinghood

But he opens the door and lets them in

August enters and looks around carefully. He nods to Tylar if it seems safe enough. "Look about, please."

Tylar does that

"May I know how to call you?" the Sidhe asks politely.