#earthrunes

"But Baronness, I'm ready for early saining, I could be so much more useful" Minerva dogs Coradel's steps

Coradel strides along, and spares a brief glance for the Eiluned. "You wouldn't be particularly useful if we sained you too soon. You might pop. Or get scrambled. Or just be insufferable."

"Ask anyone, I'm already there for the last... and I'm okay with that" She follows "What if i'm a baroness? You could use me to replace Lord Hume as your heir?"

Coradel stops and looks at her. "You really think that I could override a Ducal decree like that?" she snaps her fingers for emphasis.

"not like THAT, but it would give you ammo"

Coradel rolls her eyes and resumes walking. "When is your sain-date again? Your actual year-and-a-day, I mean."

"I think it's next week" she answers after a beat "should I tell the Steward you wannt the arrangements made?"

"Hmmm..." she appears to consider it. "Would those be the arrangements for the consequences for lying to me?"

"Ah.. you know, now that i THINK about it, it might be October 2nd"

"Or thereabouts," she allows as likely. "A bit more than a month and a half. I would think that's hardly enough time at all for you to finish your research."

"Beg pardon?" nervous

Coradel gives her a look. "Have you discovered the secret of your fosterage, yet?"

A slowing "Some secrets are only revealed by naming"

"Of course. Are those the only secrets there are, though?"

"Wait, you're sayin there is more about my ..arrival than I knew? or the fosterage itself?"

She slows to more of a stroll as they enter one of the galleries, looking about at the artwork collected there. "I suppose I'm speaking a bit mysteriously. I was fostered by an Eiluned, myself, and sometimes it slips out." A fond, nostalgic expression before she continues. "Minerva...I don't know what you might discover, and I do admit that my own fosterage was rushed for a number of reasons. But I do not think it was a wasted period. It was not merely something to be gotten through. I discovered many things I didn't expect during my fosterage...and got hints for more things to be discovered later," she adds elusively.

"What things did you... discover?" but her eyes shift around

She's quiet for a long pause as she regards one of Earl's paintings. "I learned whom to value, and how. I learned where my limits were, so I knew where to push to surpass them. And I learned...a great deal about pain." She looks at Minerva. "Pain is a very important teacher, but only when you don't seek it out. It will find you sooner or later, believe me." A wry grin, then a happier sigh. "I learned a great deal more after the fact, but that is another story. Several stories. So...what have you learned so far in your fosterage?"

"That power is a series of rings... each dwarved by another, that you cannnot know another's pain until they share it, either asking for healing, or because they wish to inflict it on you. I know spells and lore. I know that everyone lies to themselves, a bit."

Coradel smiles and nods. "That is an excellent start. Now...you will see the world differently after your saining. Never again will you recover the perspective you have now, not exactly. So...why would you sacrifice the time you have to learn everything you can now before that perspective is lost to you forever?"

"That..." She pauses "is.. a annnoyingly effective point, baroness"

"Good. Then I am doing my job right." Baron Nemauses would have been proud of that, I think.

"If it helps, I understand the impatience. However, I am Fiona...I have no regrets for what I may have left on the table. You, however, might always wonder."

"Damn it." She curtseys "Permission to withdraw?, Baroness?"

"Granted. Discover many things, Minerva."

"I shall strive" She withdraws

Another pleased sigh, and she pauses at a lovely marble sculpture, running her fingers along its contours for a moment.

"That was nicely done" Delores speaks up

"Oh!" Coradel turns, giving a light laugh. "I didn't realize we had an audience."

"Boggan stealth, do chores around a corner" The steward admits "MM I like Minerva but she's an ambitious girl"

"No surprise there." A shrug. "But you sound as if you think she's beginning to present a...problem?"

"Well, you heard how she tried to handle you. A problem? No. You reversed it smoothly. But I do think she might yet try a play of some sort and get herself in trouble"

"An Eiluned foster who gets in trouble through attempting intrigue? I'd say that's rather inevitable, wouldn't you?"

"I suppose you're right. One hates to stereottype but I guess if she didn't intrigue we'd worry." A smile "oh... congratulations by the way"

"All the same, keep an eye out to see if anybody else is going to get damaged in the wake of her attempts." Then a blink. "Congratulations for...?"

"Well, you'll be a grandmother soon..arcadian wise"

"I mean, they're at the hospital" she shrugs

She smiles happily. "Yes, true. I...." Then a blink. "Wait...they're what?!"

"When?!"

"Claire and Magnus are at the hospital, they left about an hour ago"

"For the love of the Dreaming...I need to find August!"

"well, I would have told you earlier but you looked busy"

Coradel is already heading back towards the quarters she shares with August. "Delores, if you see August please have him meet me in our room, and I need the kitchen to prepare a basket of treats for Magnus and Claire to enjoy when it's all done with."

"Oh the basket is already under way.. but yes, and congratulations again"