#earthrunes

And August enters with Coradel.

"Not in... so many words, but.... ah."

"You said she had a request? Didn't you say she had a request? And so..." she turns back to Zara. "I'd like to hear the request."

Coradel seems to be in one of her more Fiona-ish moods.

"...Ah."

August stands sheepishly behind Coradel. "Would anyone like tea?"

"Ah. Yes. Please."

"Mm? Oh, yes. Tea would be delightful."

He nods and goes to get a full service. Delores is busy. He'll get it himself.

Zara fiddles with her braid.

Coradel watches August vanish. "August, let the staff..." but he's gone. "Oh, honestly...that man."

Said with loving frustration.

She turns to Zara again. "Something is wrong?"

"Ah."

"No?"

"Good. So."

An expectant look.

"I do apologize for not giving warning about the influx of kithmates."

"It was not my most... pre-articulated stratagem."

She waves aside the concern. "You saw a need, you took action, and you rescued many. I don't fault you for the surprise factor."

"Aye. Thank you."

"Honestly, I'd knight you for it if I didn't think that would make you feel filthy."

"I... forgive, I have no wish for title. Besides, I have my Library, nu?"

"And my crooked room, and my river.."

"Yes, I know. It's just that sometimes I think you'd make a fine Fiona, yourself." Is she teasing? She might be teasing....

A soft tinkle of china in the hallway approaching on a cart with a slightly squeaky wheel.

"Ah... but the FIona are so loud, pray forgive."

"I do not know of any sluagh in the house, though, surely, the Lions are diverse."

"Oh, now there's a lovely question -- where are the Fiona sluagh? We must find them." She turns to look as August brings the teacart in.

"They must exist, I suppose. At least one."

"The makings of an exciting romance novel, surely." A knowing grin.

Zara pinks.

He backs in with the cart and carefully turns it, wheeling it over to the ladies and playing mother from there.

"Thank you, love." Coradel accepts her tea, then turns back to Zara. "Now...would you share your thoughts about this situation?"

"Ah."

She takes the cup from August and carefully cradles it with her spidery hands.

Knowing their preferences, he serves them exactly that; Zara to pour her own special cream.

Perfectly clotted with age. Delightful delicacy.

"What... what we found was a 'school' quite sanctioned by the Varich."

"A school for hunting my kith."

August looks most grave as he takes his cup to sit.

Coradel has eased into a seat before August did, of course. "Yes, it's an outrageous notion. I mean, it's one thing to punish a guilty party by putting a hunt upon them, but to take the innocent for training purposes is foul."

"I.. I would imagine they are in some ways protected by Right of Demesne, provided they only maimed and did not kill their prisoners."

Zara's tone is very, very even.

"And thus... what recourse is there?"

"The Right of Life is seen as superior to Right of Demesne, at least by Dougal." a reference to the Queen of Grass.

Coradel looks between the two of them. "Well...as it happens, the Countess has a suggestion. In confidence, please," she notes before going on.

August nods assent, of course.

"Aye?" Zara raises an eyebrow.

"Well...I need to find the right warrior to do it, but the Countess is eager to have that hold taken from its current holder, and she's willing to pass along her pennon to me to make it so."