#earthrunes

Sadly the days after the 13th, things went back to ordinary with bad luck hitting sluagh too. A new maid, filling in for Ivanka, dusted a full half of the library before someone caught her and informed her it wasn't done.

And good luck returned to non sluagh, such as Shalimar winning a whole FIFTY dollars on the Lotto

Where IS ivanka anyway?

zara has other matters to attend to, but it is a minor mystery, and clearly the sluagh kinain is the only maid who has the proper appreciation for dust

Quinte is fond of the kinain - and so Zara sends the sister looking, casually.

The kitchen has boggans, and where there are boggans, there is gossip

And... "I wonder how the new maid is doing?" "Didn't you hear? She started to dust the library. No one told her too but you know how we are.." "Goodness knows it needs a dusty, but Miss Zara..." chatter goes on "Why do we refer to her as MISS Zara, she's a slip of a girl, and as common as well" Another boggan, a burly chef of a fellow drawls "None of that. We call her Miss Zara because it's polite and because she refers to folks politely on top of it. sides, she's helped the Baroness and Baron AND us thought we don't always know it for years now. I won't have that young lady dismissed or disrespected in this kitchen. You savvy?"

"Yes, Chef," the one who mispoke apologizes

Zara does note that one.

And it resumes, "So she got stopped and it's half undusted. No REAL harm but miss zara maybe in a mood about it." /"Well, she prefers only Ivanka handle it. " /"But Ivanka might not becoming back" /"She'll be back! The stories she's fallen in with a controlling man can't be true, can they? She's always been a smart one."

"You never know, the girl is just sluagh enough to invite tragedy" One says "Remember that kerfluffle between Squire Velvet and Squire Tylar when he wouldn't denounce her so she could pine and waste away? what a week that was" "For such a quiet kith they certainly do like to mope and moan" chuckles there. Boggans are quite confident they're the more practical kith ..and better at getting information too

"Well," Another boggan speaks up, "I think...maybe we should look into it."

THey turn and look over at the boggan. Zara has seen her before of course. Just a mere scullery maid! A low rank among kitchen staff and the hold in general. Yet she lifts her chin "Could be right of rescue"

A look among the other boggans "Look we help the needy, and if we learn she's in need we'll help but... she's a kinain. Right of rescue doesn't apply, Ruby."

The scullery maid's face takes on an odd look, "Well, who made up that half way rule then? Aint' hardly complete is it?"

"Ruby, you've got a big heart," The Chef assures her, "And maybe we should look into it, but duties first"

"Yes, Chef" And she starts to scrub

Quince drops onto Ruby's shoulder, for a reassuring tippy-tap.

Ruby turns and almost cries out as she jumps at the spider on her shoulder then calms "Sorry there, dear one . Fraid I was taught to fear spiders. Terrible bias one gets from their folks and their folks afore isn't it?"

She scrubs as she works, but Ruby seems apologetic

Tap-tap. There-there.

"Well, I don't quite understand what you're saying" RUby aadmits "But you seem a decent sort."A conspirtoral whisper "Later I'll be prying into Ivanka's situation anyway. Just you watch"

Quince cheerfuly waves her pedipalps at the boggan, before scuttling away.

Zara, of course, observes all this. The lowly Scullery maid seems to have a bit of spine to her. The Chef clearly thinks highly of her and is a southern gent. And that one sniffy boggan got put in her place.