#earthrunes

"Baroness Coradel, Lady." Gently. Polite!

"Earl, what's the matter?" rather breathless; he moved quickly through the crowds to get here.

"I can handle it" Earl says, his pride pricked, his lady insulted. His eyes nearly black

"Ah, August! I trust you are having a fair day? We seem to have discovered a jest. Perhaps the 'lady' and her companion here could explain..."

Zara keeps a tight hold on Earl's hand, fingers entwined with one, and the other gently resting atop. She knows he's angry.

The Lady's eyes narrow and her smile vanishes just a sec

"Does seem a bit rude to bait the Artist on a holiday" Someone in the hold says "And he did mention Chronos. Would prove what's what"

"Oh... ah, yes, of course."

Zara, wide eyed, bats her lashes. "Surely, it must be a jest to imply a Trueheart would do aught against their Oath. Doubly so when the Trueheart is a troll... why, the kith could ne'er conceal such a betrayal of their sworn word. Everyone knows that is so."

Ahtok says "Then let him prove it on the field of honor, if it's not a coward. "

"Prove... what, exactly?"

"I'm not an 'it'" Earl says "And if you insult my lady again..."

"What, feh! THere is nothing to PROVE without, as you say, proof that there is anything for him to defend, other than hollow words. I heard but a gust of foul body wind. And we all know where that emanates from."

"That his Oath is unbroken?" She tilts her head. "I do not understand this joke, forgive. Pray, reach the punchline with some haste."

"Ah, the Liam Baron that the sluagh stick curries favor from ... I imagine she's a very good..." A pause from Jebel "...librarian. Knows her way under a cover... a book cover?"

Vince's jab has Ashtok's eyes narrow

She raises an eyebrow.

"Now, dear Earl. You must get in line. For if you must fight this poor dear for your honor, then I call secondsies to fight for the honor of the Library, which all know a Lion must defend. That is, unless the good Baron gets first dibs?"

OOC Meeting....

A veritable LINE of folk ready to duel, one at a time if must be...

"Then again, why make this poor fellow waste so much Festival time? If he is so certain that the Dreaming and Honor champions his blade, then perhaps he may face all three of us at once." Cheerful.

"I... may have, ah, missed some part of the conversation, Sir, Lady, but ... I mislike your apparent meaning. Can you clarify your intent here?"

"My intent is an apology from Sir Earl" She says "Who clearly bores of his current paramour or else he'd not have come towards me so vulgarly"

"Ah, pray, forgive - you mean to say you are not making a jest, and are saying that Mine Trueheart hath propositioned you? Mayhaps it would be meet to reexamine the interaction, in case you realize that you misinterpreted aught. Tis always wise to be certain before making bold claims."

"He was more than merely bold, he was brazen" A sniff

"My, my. That does sound like our Sir of Earl."

And Ivory comes on the scene a bit late but seeing sides lining up, moves to the side of August and Zara

"Aye? Lady, if mine Trueheart has been false, would I not be injured? Speak then of what happened." Archly.

The Lady looks to her lord "You see how cruel sluagh are? Seeking to make me relieve the entire unpleasant situation? Blaming the victim I think it's called"

"Swinish behavior of them to be sure" Lord Ashtok says

"It is said that it takes one to know one, o Baron of Bacon, o prince of Porcine, o Cork-screw-tailed king! Such a swine as thee wouldst never be ventured as humble!"

Ashtok turns "Careful, mane bearing lout, less I call thee to a duel"

Ivory whispers to August and Zara "Do you need me to champion Earl?"

"Who... me?" Innocent blinking. "Lout. Lout, he say. as though my tail were striped black and white. Nay, even fair Shalimar does not leave such a foul stench on a mood as thee."

"Forgive, for I am but a most humble commoner, and not wise in courtly ways... but am I to understand that you have claimed an insult, yet cannot tell what the insult was? You have claimed mine Trueheart is false, yet here he stands with Oath unbroken?"

"I am a simple sluagh, perhaps you, oh wise in magic Eiluned, could explain how that is so?"

"To claim one's Trueheart false, with Oath Unbroken? An insult that exists in a vacuum?" He repeats, not just louder than a whisper, but in a grant announcement, sure to draw attention.

"She's right" An Eshu in the corner says "He's just as strong as before, and no broken bird on his shoulder. None can deny the lore of the sluagh"

(perception plus Alertness, not important but fun)

/roll 7

/roll 3

(pfft)

Zara almost misses it... wait, that Eshu acting like a stranger. It's Tziporah!

A supportive stranger

"Clearly he did not have a chance to break his oath because I did not allow it" The Lady Eiluned sniffs "He propositioned me. Sought to have his way. I refused him, and he became insulting calling me a female dog, and disparaged my passions"

"Pardon me... how do you know it was Sir Earl?"

"To proposition alone would break our troth, Lady." Gently, simply. "I believe the Baron has the right of it - perhaps you were mistaken?"