#earthrunes

He rises up, and bows, "Maybe I excused to get a mint?"

August shakes his head to himself, slowly.

"Of course, my darling jester." She gives him a gentle smile.

He bows once more, and JOGS to his room

"I have no idea how you figured out what he was trying to say." August murmurs.

She looks at him. "I've always mostly understood Shalimar...but I think that's because he mostly wants me to. Oh, the Baron's passing hurt him so deeply," she gives a sad smile in the direction the pooka vanished. "And I think that's something we share, he and I."

He rubs her knuckles comfortingly.

"NAARRRGH!" Echoes down the halls!

A surprised blink. "Well...that doesn't sound good..." She's on her feet and heading in the direction of the NAARRRGH, whatever it is.

Still holding August's hand, if he joins her.

Oh, he does!

Although he allows her grip to slip, so he can loosen his blade as they go.

They go to Shalimar's room, he's ttearing it apart "it's gone WHO DARES steal a pooka's hoard?"

Wide eyes. "Somebody took it?!"

August -scowls-.

A little flare of anger in her tone.

He nods "No never, that would reflect badly on me"

"Where was it? Where did you have it hidden?"

He shows them a large stuffed animal that had a hidden zipper. It's nnot torn openn, but it is empty

She frowns. "And...when was the last time you checked on it?"

"Ah.." A blush "WHen did you get sained again?"

"Yule, (he names the year)."

"That long ago..." She grows quiet.

A look at August, and she squeezes his hand gently.

He glances, and squeezes back.

"I'll use my chicannery to track it" The jester winces

"If it was that long ago, I don't think even Magnus could look back at it, could he, August?"

"I am sure he would try." quietly.

Then she says, "Oh! I'm more the fool than you are, Shalimar! Somebody can Whisper the stuffed...whatever-that-is," she gestures at the creature with the zipper in its back. "It could tell us something at least!"

He offers it up.

"And that somebody could be me," she agrees, accepting the armful of soft animal shape.

She considers it a moment, and then shifts the toy so it looks as though the two are about to move into a waltz. Then she starts a slow 1-2-3, 1-2-3 around the room, humming softly and looking intently into the glass eyes, almost seductively.

The stuffed animal winks..or seems to.

She smiles a bit, then leans in to whisper into one fuzzy ear, "I want to know what you know. Who removed the items you held within?"

"The one you gave the task to" It answers

"I gave no such task. What did that one look like?" she murmurs coaxingly.

"A challenge was issued to a young and nameless, a shining host whose thirst for secrets is shameless. Fair annd lovely, about sixteenn, dresses in silver annnd black, I think you knnow who I mean"

Her eyes widen for a moment, then narrow. "I do, indeed," she murmurs dangerously. Another time around the dance floor. "One last question -- do you know who challenged her?"

"You did, or so she said. Secrets she found, as she was lead"

A nod, and as she slows to end the dance, she gives the stuffed animal a kiss on the tip of its nose. Then she hands it back to Shalimar. "Pardon. I have a certain upstart Ailil to confront."

And she strides out of the room.

And, oh yes, the anger is almost palpable.

Shalimar hugs his stuffed animal

August follows her, wordlessly but... yes, he's actually glowering.