#earthrunes

Earl is talking to Dash "What do you mean you want to thank Zara but you can't talk to me? I'm her true heart"

"Uh, you're a noble" Dash states as if Earl needed to be tole

"Thank you. I had forgotten" Earl says dryly

"S'okay" Dash says dimly

"OKAAY" Earl says "Well, have a seat and wait. She'll show up eventually" The troll eyes the cap, then adds "Treat the books nicely"

"Why, they got delicate feelings?" Dash asks. SOmetimes trolls seem kinda dumb

THIS troll sighs, and slips out

Dash fall asleep at the library table, a bit of drool coming out of his mouth

A light-pawed fellow makes his way through... gently, gently... and soon there is a sign on the man's back, reading "I'M WITH CUPID" with a heart and arrow.

And the lion sneaks away on little fog feet.

"Yawn" He looks around "Darn it"

Unaware of a sign on his back

He starts to rise

only to have a Mouse pooka come in "Hold , stranger, are thou eating the books?"

"No.." Dash says "Not that I don't want to, but there's this mean little winged lizard that uses big words at me if I consider it" He looks up at Brontie "And I don't even know who 'Phil A Steen is'"

Brontie hurumphs

"Well you might not, sirrah, for I am Temerity, Dame and Knight of steel and cheese, and stronger than either! I am a guardian to this hold, and the witch who guards this place would take together what is LEFT of you to make a broth in her cauldron for I and yon dragon would carve thee into chunks ere ye harmed one hair on Hemming way's mustache"

"Hemming's way? I don't even know that street" Dash grumbles "Look, I just.. came to thank somebody for.. stuff I can't talk about but she ain't here so... " He turns around to look to see if Zara has appeared

Temerity looks dubious, then she gasps as she sees the sign on his back. A blush fills her rodent cheeks, and she smooths her hair "Ah, an En Dentured lad. Pardon. I Did not realize your purpose. Thou art here to thank the witch? Know then she has a paramour?"

"A pair of whats?" Dash says. Scratching his head.

"Sir Earl and Miss Zara, they're hearts that.. wait, you are not her to woo Miss Zara?" Temerity eyes him

"No. I just came to repay a debt to somebody kinda, not that I'm seelie I just.. you know, showing up to see what I could help with" He replies

"Someone seent you here to repay a debt?" Temerity huffs "The insult, the cheek, the gall, and other bodily parts as well, that I should need have a date arranged for me out of debt!"

"It's August 15th" He startrs to answer

"August sent thee?" SHe blushes "All is forgiven then, for he is my liege and I did give him leave to cast me to likely candidates. " She eyes him "Your eyes are small, beady, but devoid of treacherous thought" SHe considers

"I ain't doing treachery, that takes too long" He snorts "Wait, we're going on a date?"

"We are? Well then, wait here another half hour! I must get my sabre, it's more lady like and suitable for a date than the broadsword or claymore" The pooka says "Our date shall be the stuff of myth!"

"Myth?" Dash blinks

"Oh just call me Temerity, first names seem reasonable on a night where we are to know each other" She waves off his use of prefix "15 minutes and I shall be gussied up for our date, your debt repaid, and August no doubt will not mind me sending the bill as he set this up so let's go to a nice resturant shall we? A feast! VERILY!"

"I. . I gues?" Dash is confused but if it'll pay off his debt sure

"Huzzah" She says then adds "Understand, if thou art hoping for a home run at thy first rodeo, you shall find your ambitions near leave the redzone, and nothing wil lbe going through hoop" She nods, "I am not easy"

"I guess not cause I don't even get what your'e saying" Dash says "But okay?"

"Huzzah is back on!" SHe says and flees

to get dudded up

Dash blinks and looks at Bronte "What just happened?"

Bronte straightens up and says clearly "“When you loved someone and had to let them go, there will always be that small part of yourself that whispers, "What was it that you wanted and why didn't you fight for it?”
― Shannon L. Alder"

Dash thinks this over for a long time

then finally ask the dragon "Why would I listen to an addled person?"

Bronte hisses "Pearls before swine" and sinks out of view from the top of a shelf

"SO Here we are!" Temerity says "All ready!"

He looks at the Pooka who is now wearing a battle SKIRT instead of leggings. And has a flower in her hair, "Ahem"

"Oh. .okay. " He ponders "SOmeone else is getting the bill for the food?"

"Of course ,twas arranged" Temerity nods

And Dash smiles at that and escorts her out. The bill to August for a cheese log, a salad, and five prime ribs will be sent to him soon

(End Scene)

(He will pay, and happily.)