#earthrunes

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Zara woke with a start, ink-black eyes flashing open. She is still in the middle of Earl's bed, a small divot in a sea of down pillows and homey coverlets.

A few blinks, and she runs her pale hands over the black and yellow patchwork, finding and tracing the neat stitches of the quilting.

A small frown, and she wriggles free from the trap of bedding to set bare feet on the floor.

Though her eyes work just fine in the dark, it is her hands that reach out, tactile, trailing across the nightstand. They scoop up a small photo frame, and touch the glass.

She sets the photo back where it was, before continuing to prowl about the room. A restless jaunt after too long under covers.

".....1122?"

"Aye, yes, shhh." An affectionate hand on the spider's back, before she slides open a desk drawer to nose through its contents.

footsteps approaching

Light as a feather, silent as a breeze, she scuttles back under the covers.

"Love?" Earl peeks in "How are you feeling?"

She sits up, blinking.

""oh , I woke you.Sorry"

"Oh, no, no. Stay?"

"Sure" He takes a spot next to her "I brought you a ssmall gift"

She sits up, watching him intently.

"Oh? Aye?"

"I know you enjoy Clue.. or Cluedo as it was originally.... and I found something like that... only instead of Miss Scarlet or professor plum, it's gothic writers. So I might play Edgar Allen Poe , you might play Mary Shelly" He hands over the box

She makes grabby hands. "Oh, that is delightful. No Bronte?"

This is no cheap bored game. There are porcellion figures and... oh, THERE Is bronte

The white raven croaks, ruffling its feathers. Poe, after all...

"Why, it is not even my birthday." She holds up her prize figure.

Mary Shelley, Poe, Emily AND Charlotte, VIctor hugo... ten in all

"How long was I asleep?" Idly.

"About ten hours." he says

"Feh."

There are slight cracks , very sliight. But to a sluagh, that's just a sign of history

An approving hum as she looks it over, though she keeps the troll in the corner of her gaze.

He puts an arm around her "I think August was hoping to visit. At least, Delores said he wanted to but didn't want to intrude."

She breaks her gaze from the set, eyes wide with surprise - just for a moment, brief and quickly hidden. But Earl knows her tells.

"Well, certainly, Delores could tell him it is fine. Though...." A pause. "Though I feel as if I have been in this room forever..."

"I see. Well, I don't want you burnt out on THIS room of all places. Shall we visit your library then? "

"Though Velvet is doing a wonderful job for you while you recover"

"My library." She echoes, pleased.

"As I... recover, aye. And no longer. See, I am very sprightly anon."

"Your spry for your age" A smile not too well hidden

"Sadly so. My cronehood eludes me yet." She ventures a smile in response to his.

"But I am no slug-a-bed, even here."

"..Love."

"Yes, love?"

A breezy smile. "Naught. I was savoring the sound of it."

He smiles even more broadly. "I savor you saying it. Now, let's get out of my room for a bit"

"Aye." She squirms out from under the covers, and frowns slightly as she takes in her nightgown and bare feet.

"mmm... I'll get you a change of clothes. DId you want to shower?"

"I..." She hesitates.

"Clothes would be lovely, but I fear I might yet be a touch fatigued yet, to shower."

"Then clothes I will get for you"

"My thanks, Love."

The Raven flaps over to the headboard.

He gives the raven a scratch. "Be right back " And he goes to get clothing