#earthrunes

He lets her take them, a soft squeeze back

She leads him to the tower, and up the crooked stair.

Up they go, winding way. Her false image does nothing to impair her grace

She draws Earl into her crooked room, and drops his hands to rummage about the drawers in her writing desk.

He observes, though he prefers the view of the true her

There is a saucy little cupcake sway, all jiggle and curve, yes.

Troll grunt of indifference.

"Ah, here it is." She returns, holding out a tiny key. It has a touch of glamour.

He admires, but does not take until she offers

"If aught happens, do you remember the compass I have? That which can lead you to any soul?"

He grows somber, well, somber-er, "yes. I do"

"So, if we need to be found, you should know about this."

She goes under the bed, digging out a small wooden chest.

Curious. He'd be lying to say he was not

"Come." She sits on the bed, and pats the mattress beside her.

He sits down beside her "This is weird' He admits as he sits next to the faux floozie

"Pooka."

"Alright, so..." She uses the key to open the chest. Within are a few dozen envelopes, each sealed with wax.

"If this was one of Shallimar's tricks " He grumbles "Well, Vashti is trying to help"

He looks the envelopes over tthen gives her a curious look

Her fingers flick through before they select one. Above the seal, in handwritten ink, is "ארל"

"Yiddish?"

"Hebrew. But just transliterations."

A nod ... He has studied both but is better with with Yiddish. Nocker interaction forces your hand

She breaks the seal. Inside is a swatch of blue silk, which the sluagh carefully unfolds to reveal seven short, golden strands of hair.

He looks at it

Cautious

"For the Find-Me Compass, nu? These... well... " A fond, impish grin - followed by a quick prick of pain as she steals a hair from his head.

"ow" he says obligingly

She adds it to the little collection, and carefully re-folds the silk. "I shall kiss it better." She so she does, pressing her lips to his temple.

"With the key, you may access my collection, to activate the treasure." Silk into the envelope, which she sets aside until she can re-do the seal.

He smiles, at least she FEELS like Zara , the lips pressed on his head

And he listens

"Here, this envelope is August's - see the writing?" ("אוגושט")

"And here, Coradel's..." (קורדל)

"And here, mine own." Depending on Earl's grasp of hebrew, he might note that the envelope read " אשטהר " instead of " זרה "

He takes them all, memorizing them. he makes special note of Zara's

"I can place them in the front, aye? Do not open the envelopes unless you must. I wish to keep magical contamination to a minimum, so they are more effective if used."

"I understand. Wayfare benefits from it too sometimes"

"Indeed. So - if we do not return, if something goes awry, here, we have tethers."

Apparently, Zara has several tethers, and not just to Earl, August & Cora.

He looks at the number "If we ever get our own house, I may have to find a room just for your.. precautions"

"If we have our own house, thou shalt be locked up in the garret. Imprisoned for my own consumption." She nuzzles his ear.

He smiles then sighs "Sorry, you don't look like you right now"

"Oh, I assure you, I can be QUITE myself in the dark."

"Huh.The Dreaming made blind folds for a reason" He observes with a smile "And you still smell wonderful"

She trails down to kiss the crook where his neck meets his shoulder, and with a gesture the shadows gather... and the room?

Fades to black.