#earthrunes

He shifts, and winces slightly before moving his hair off his forehead/eyes.

His arms automatically encircle her. "H'lo...."

"You've been busy. Beautiful work," she says with a nod towards the book. Then she takes a corner of her sleeve and wipes away the smudge under his eye.

He opens puzzled eyes.

"Messy," she mock-scolds.

"Mm? Oh. Ah. Oh!" he sits up a little, but not to disturb her. "Oh... I must have dozed off?"

A little laugh. "I should say so. I think you were at this non-stop since you left our room."

"Ah! Yes!" he seems excited "Coradel, you should speak with Lord Hume. It's really a remarkable story, look, see here...." he reaches around her to flip pages.

She stays right where she is, enjoying his arms around her. "Show me..." she says, infected by his excitement.

Waitt, did hume show a spine?

"Here......" and he reads the section to her.

She listens, then smiles softly. "I read it while you slept, but I love the way it sounds when you read it." She kisses his cheek and nuzzles his ear.

"There's als...ah...." he distracts him "Ah."

"Our, ah... our contingent comported themselves with honor and valor...."

"They did," she agrees, looking again at the page. "I confess...when I heard Hume had taken so many of our forces, I expected...well...I did not expect such success under his leadership. The method he used..." she shakes her head. "I don't claim to completely understand it, but it seems a brilliant approach."

A figure peeks in the door

"There was something of, ah, a celebration on their return."

She smiles. "Yes, I noticed. Much rejoicing!" She kisses his cheek again, but then notes the person peeking in. "Hello?"

August looks up and over as well, going a light pink at being caught.

(Oh, heavens, a man caught getting kissed on the cheek by his wife!)

"Baroness, please, I must ask you a favor.. it's a matter of life and death" The maid is a piskie, a beauiful one for that bleding kith, brown hair with a silver streak or three, a young wilder "you must talk to Daria, the centaur?"

"Oh? What's the problem?" She stands in a smooth motion as she searches her memory for the maid's name.

August stands as well, and winces. He has to stop and stretch out a bit, and straighten his robe to cover himself.

Selena? vouched for by Zara, or so Delores said

"She nearly got him KILLED!" Selena says distressed, worried "the most wonderful man in the world but he's no warrior, and he wisely sends out volunteer wariors, and then.. Daria SHAMES him for not going into danger with them, made im so embarrassed he leaped on her back and they both went after.. into danger! he could have died! She should be repreimaded!"

"I...who? Which 'he' do you mean?"

"Who?" August is trying to flap feeling back into his lower limbs.

"HUME... " She says hands wringing other "Wonderful , sweet, gentle hume! he could have DIED, and it's all because she shamed him! Why I.. if she weren't a warrioress I'd.. get a ladder and slap her"

August blinks, mouth open.

A blink. "Selena," she begins, "I don't think you're being at all fair to Lord Hume. And I might know a thing or two about not being fair to him."

And startled, he looks at Coradel as well.

"Fair? I .. he could have died, I want him safe. tha's fair. "

She looks remarkably ready to die on this hill

"Judging by this account of the battle," she gestures at the book, "it was Hume who had a major role in saving the day. It seems he knew his strengths and how best to use them in the situation."

"And yes...he could have died. That is the lot of the Shining Host -- we must lead our people, and at times that means putting ourselves at risk."

"If you wish to care for him, Selena, you must reconcile yourself with this."

"yes, he's amazing, but he's too important to lose. he's the most important person in the world, doesn' anyone else see tthat?" Distress

"Ah." a quiet realization.

"The best are often called to be at risk," she repeats patiently.

"I... " she wipes her eyes as tears appear "no one understands!" and she whirls to race off, perhaps so she won't break out crying before them

"Miss Selena?"

He's pulled a handkerchief from his robe pocket....

"Oh, come now. He's here. He was victorious. And if you start crying now, your face will be all blotchy when you see him next."

August crosses to offer her the cloth.

She stops... ah, Coradel's angle works. What girl wants to look blotchy?

"How.. how bad is it?" She turns, trying to suck her tears back through her eyeducts

"Well, a few dabs from that handkerchief wouldn't go amiss."

and she takes the cloth and wipes "th.. thank you baron. I suppose I must look a fool"

"Perhaps like a fool who cares very much for another fool. I have looked like that, myself." gently.