#earthrunes

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Vince wakes up with company. This is not unusual, he's a charming fellow. What's unusual is he did't start with company when he went to sleep

Zing is fetching lass. He should know, he helped fetch her last year. She is snuggled against him wearing comfy PJs

He blinks slowly, rolling back the events of the previous night. Even when drinking, he drinks for enjoyment, but not to such excess that he will forget... not USUALLY, anyways?

Not a dram of liquor passed his lips last night! His liver is as pure as a maiden's smile!

He went to bed sober and alonne, woke up sober... and with Zing.

It is clear the lass has simply slipped into his room. Not for seduction, for those are ugly comfy jammies... but some other reason

Whatever the reason, he certainly doesn't mind. He reaches over and curls back around her with a warm arm to snuggle close, and purrs, a soft rumble.

She clutches next to him, and shivers , not with cold, but as if shaking a terror

"There, there. What hunts thee, oh lovely one? Strong and swift, with claws that flash and teeth that spell doom? Shall I rise to rend that which wouldst chase thou even here?"

She wakes a blush "I rode a horse of night, and could not escape the saddle"

He strokes her back soothingly. "Let that mare dare try to chase you here, and we shall have fresh meat for breakfast."

"I thought I was a changelingg and handling dreams domestically, I didn't realize I still imported" Oh she is chagrinnned

"Ah. You must be so very embarrassed. Why, I haven't had a dream in years that I didn't plan in advance." He reassures her.

"I.. " She snugles "Thank you for your lack of empathy"

"Oh, I love being the baddie. Now, would you like to talk about that wretched equine?"

"It was a horrible digital watch, all hands! " She explains "YOu'll never seen the 13th hour is what it said and there was a sickle so I thinnk the skeleton as a commie"

"Terrible!" He agrees. "Let us go throughout the hold and remove the hands from every clock, every watch, from Grandfather to kitchen timer, until they plague thee no longer."

"COULD we?" Hopeful smile

"Oh, yes! Just imagine it - the receiving hall all in disarray as the 1-o'clocks feud with the three-thirties, the Kitchen serving breakfast at midnight, the Herald shall announce the coming dawn at dusk!"

Her eyes light up "Why, if all the clocks disagreed, there might be the most calamitous event"

"How terrible, tsk tsk." His eyes dance.

She pulls his hands "Shall we get dressed and pester Father Chronos?"

"Who, us? Never!" He protests in innocence, and, laughing, finds some clothes to do just that.

And soon, poor Delores and Innish will be in a tizzy, as the kitchen staff thinnks it's 30 minutes later than it is, ad the wait staff 15 minutes earlier, and the schedule is all wibbly wobbly timey whinney!

(end scene)