#earthrunes

"Ahhh.... " August hears the sound of thin ice groaning "On a matter of the timing for a very mild magical working and for information on a mortal couple."

"Respectively."

A frown. "Of course. Useful things." She moves to rise from his lap.

"Coradel....?" not sure what happened but concerned.

"I'm sure you'll get what you need from them." She heads for the door. "I hope it all goes well."

He stands and follows. "What's wrong, what did I say?"

She's striding down the hall, now. "Maybe Hume can figure it out for you," she calls back without turning.

He chases after her. "Coradel? Wait, please....."

Just as he reaches her, she turns down a corridor that just happens to have a door on it, which slams in his face.

He stands there stricken for a moment, then flushes and turns away.

Sir Bachdion waves to August in the hallway "Baron, how fare you today?"

TROUBLED if the look on his face is any indication. "I... I don't know."

Bachdion stops on his walk past. He had been being friendly, but now he sees trouble in the younger man's face, "What happened?"

"Coradel is... angry at me. I don't know why." He tries to shake it off but the flush in his cheek remains "I'm sure she'll let me know."

"I see," he ponders "In my experience, fair or not, some woman expect a man to do his own detective work. But you are allowed advice. What were you talking about or doing when she got angry?"

"We spoke of going on a Quest in the late summer."

"I have an issue I'm wrestling with finding the right approach on, and we spoke of that briefly."

"Which part did she leave on?" He inquires

A thinking frown.

"I said that I could understand the impulse of an actor who struck another for insult, or at least a badly-made joke, about his wife. And, ah, she seemed pleased with that. And then I said that a late summer quest would allow me to consult with the Seer and Lord Hume about the issue I'm wrestling with... and she got up and and walked away and..." he glances at the door ".... left."

"Ah..." he ponders this

"Mmm ... did SHE offer to help you with this issue?"

"In a manner, yes."

"And you declined it?"

"I did. She... was in a mood to cause trouble and that's not what's called for here, I think. She did not seem upset by this."

"Ah, but then you turned to Hume. I think, my friend, she feels you do not think she is up to the task, and.. then you picked Hume over her. His skillset might be better but... she is your love and mate. It may have stung her"

He looks baffled. "She started to grow angry at that but I -said- I was going to talk to the -Seer- and Lord Hume about a minor magical working and a mundane investigation..... she wanted to be part of that??"

"I don't know, but it's possible. It is clearly important to you... and she wants to share what's important to you with you. Or perhaps she just resents being replaced. It sounds like a miscommunication, they do happen even among the oathed" He pats the young baron on the shoulder "I should go, leave this up to you, but it's a possiblity you should consider"

And he adds "if you still want help in this later, ask Delores or myself , we might be able to get a feel to confirm this"

And with that, he bows and goes

Boggled, he looks at the door again.

His shoulders slump, and he turns to go; the Seer and/or Lord Hume are next.
((fade))