#earthrunes

A hopeful look , most endearing. Childlings kithain count on being adorable

"What is there to enlighten? Of course there are but two courts, now and forevermore. Of course, House Danu is a myth. Of course, centaurs are extinct. Of course, the Liddel girls will be lost ere their togail."

"You're saying change happens , good or bad" She ponders

"Change is the one constant. Tell me, how many impossible things have you believed today?"

At tthat, the girl laughs and covers her mouth "Your pardon. Point well made"

"I have travelled the deepest Dreaming, girl. Where my voice was lost entire, and my memory stretched to the first man afrighted of a shadow. One thing to be certain of - 'of course' - is that all things are true. We are creatures of magic and possibility, if we allow ourselves to be."

"Mayhaps I grow too banal for my seeming" She admits , a worried look, " Some of the clues to my salvation are in the AUtumn world, not the Dreaming. Hence the trap of the curse. To search for it is to risk the coldness"

"Feh. being precocious is also the domain of childlings."

A smile "Thank, Miss Zara. " She ponders "One time i went into the Dreaming, I did meet the Catterpillar, wise in his way, but one must be wear the Cheshire Cat, who is helpful and hindering depending on whim. What you think is best for you, he might think dull and thus send you into trouble"

"Such is the way of cats. But trouble can also be productive."

"It did lead me once to a rescue... I freed a pig pooka childling trapped in a basinet"

She nods. "Important and... appropriate, yes."

"You sound well experienced, madame librarian."

"Well, working towards being a proper crone yet."

"Oh you're probably half way there" she says encouragingly

Zara smiles. "So kind!"

"Thank you" She looks about "People greatly respect you here... far more than most librarians are. One can't help but notice"

Blink. "Ah?"

"I'm a boggan, Miss Zara, and we are nnear the bale, servants pass by, they don'tt treat you as a fellow servant. they treat you as one of the ... well, if this were Downton Abbey I'd say you were the highly ranked staff or a minor member of the family as far as the web of hierchy goes." A pause "meaning no offense." A blush

"Ah..." She considers this.

"I realize the metaphor is ... imprecise"

the boggan looks embarrassed now " And if I've offended, I apoloize"

"You have not."

"Good, proper manners are a hallmark of the family, why even our Redcaps have curtseyed while they were plotting violence- it saved time"

"Manners are important, aye. Just because you plan to betray someone is no reason to be rude about it."

"So many people don't get that," the little girl nods "Courtesy can be a balm to the honorably defeated, or a twisted knife in the back of the offensively unworthy"

Zara salutes Gail with her teacup.

Returned, and she sips "Miss Zara, I do wish to thank you. You have offered both help and insight. But I feel I have made this all about me. Maybe I can repay you? While I quest, I may stumble onto things or facts of interest to you? Is there such you are willing to tell me of? More books for your library, or old china?"

Zara smiles. "I do like surprises. And secrets. I would hear of your quest, yes. Come - I know you have seen the library, but let us see just what resources we truly have. Bronte has quite a knack for it."

She rises , the tea done "Oh yes, please."

ANd Zara leads Gail to do RESEARCH!

Grand RESEARCH at that!

(end Scene)

The next day, Fadhalia is rising to go

Her bookmobile has been washed, cleaned, and given a full tank of gas

The Librarian appears.

And the Eshu turns and nearly jumps out of her skin "Oh my, young lady I know you can't help but move quietly but I ain't got so many years to burn I need to lose some getting startled"

A quiet smile. Bronte, however, is less shy from her perch on Zara's shoulder. "Greetings and salutations!"

"She wanted to see your library, pray, forgive."

"Well hello again, Bronte. I hate to tell you this, but you've got a sluagh growing under you" A smile though, and she says to said Sluagh "You must be young Zara. Baron told me a lot about you." She gives the gesture of fingers over heart

Zara places a hand on her chest and bows. Bronte, shameless, launches off to inspect the bookmobile.

"I do hope we do not overly delay you. But..." A gesture at the bookwyrm.

"Oh my... well, it's mostly for children's books and many I suspect's read but..." She admires as Bronte goes at her bookmobile with Enthusiam "Like Smaug on Lake town, if you replaced that dragon's rage with love of reading"

"She is still... well, no longer an infant, but she's young yet."

"Tell me, where go you hence?"

"Well, young lady, I thought I'd do another week in the county, Jefferson City and such, drop off more books, then see where my nose lead.. I'm open to suggestions though"

"Scarsdale."

"I appreciate, it may well take some time to get to Apples..."

"It might it might, but I don't nevermind. Got to say, folks in Scarsdale are usually sitting pretty and well off what I heard. They hurting for Children's books?"

"They are hurting for an Eshu."

"At least... one is? She's thirteen."