#earthrunes

"I got my ass handed to me," Earl admits, as he strikes his blade against Bachdion's. "It was stupid. I just... I got caught up in all this knightly nonsense"

Sir Bachdion parries easily, "KNightly nonsense? SIR Earl, you tied yourself to a title. The Dreaming and Da'an work together to put you in positions that suit. Besides, you were protecting a lady's honor. Now, minimize your build up for power. You maybe not strong by troll standards but you're strong enough that a quick thrust will do you better than a swing for getting past defenses. "

"And I lost. The one who avenged her was Coradel, not me. And she did it with words" Earl says, but takes the fighting advice.

He has no chance against Bachdion, but the Satyr is a master fencer, and an even better teacher.

Bachdion beams with pride for his liege "She's magnificent, is she not? I tell you, Earl, if I died to on the morrow I'd go to my next turn on the wheel with pride as my wings for my small part in her rise. Earl, she's a sidhe, they are born to rule, as they always tell us. That means they can heap scorn, even on other sidhe, like no one's business. You didn't fail MORE because she defeated a foe who defeated you. You simply failed once, and even in that failure, there was love and honor. I'm rather impressed, not bad for a Knight of no house, who bears the mark of grain and brush!"

"Don't forget your footing" The satyr adds, "You've a lot of reach and long stride, but you can be lead about if you're not careful"

"You're a father now, I imagine you want to stick around" Earl reminds, "And I suppose you're right. I failed, trying to add more layers of failure is... just being maudlin"

At the suggestion of father hood, Sir Bachdion sighs a bit "Out of respect for the mother's wishes, mostly the kids are running wild near her home still. She's got a job offer that may take her out of state. As I flicker flash I'm not worried about it." Then he side steps another strike "Better. Now, maybe the word 'fail' is being used too liberally here. YOu realize the REAL failure would be letting the slieight stand unchallenged period right?"

"Losing is better than just keeping my mouth shut? No sure Zara would agree" Earl comments

"Zara, my dear lad, while among the upper crust of mortals is in kithain society, and don't be cross with me for saying this, a peasant" Bachdion says, predicting that even a staid troll might respond a bit.

The satyr was right, Earl's thrust turns into a lunge, but the hoof footed Fiona disarms him easily as he indeed over extends.

Earl's brows knit "You say I should defend her honor then you say that?"

"You're assuming I mean it negatively," The Fiona asserts, "I do not. I have met humble food truck driver boggans who were far better people than myself. I have seen bastard born street urchins with hearts of gold. I've seen beggars who were better men than kings. I am talking of CULTURE. Zara and you both were born of commoner stock, and raised with, by changeling standards, peasant customs. You're a knight, but she has scorned every noble title offered. No shame in that."

"YOu're saying" earl takes his weapon back "That there's something about Courtly stuff that made challenging him needful?"

"Exactly," Bachdion directs, "As the great kithain book writer Rhea High-Slack once wrote, ', the challenge itself maybe the assertion of honor'. Win or Lose, you have drawn a line. You gained honor from the stance and more importantly, paid honor to your lady by making the challenge."

Earl muses this "Sort of like sometimes standing up to a bully, even if it gets your ass handed to you, is better than just giving in all the time?"

"EXACTLY" Bachdion assures, "By Courtly standards, you won more than you lost. Believe it or not. And by Fiona standards? OH MY, you definitely triumphed. Your lady love got to succor you. I love been succored, don't you?"

"You make it sound dirty," Earl blushes.

"Only if you do it right" Bachdion winks.

The troll resumes a fighting stance "I see your point about Courtly ways and the view. I still need to get a bit better? Can you show me how you do that disarm?"

And Bachdion bows, and resumes his own stance with a smile

....................................

Earl seeks out his lady love. He's tired, but had the sense to shower off and dress anew before seeing her. While some might claim sluagh like stinky things, he has learned sluagh do not per se. They like AGED things, which may have a smell some consider foul smelling but bothers sluagh not at all. Sluagh can have very delicate noses, and drying sweat is not necessarily something they want to hug.

All around, the pre Imbolc stuff continues. The flames are here and safely under guard

Indeed, a certain mechanical spider does patrols near the lantern

He moves the library, and knocks softly on the door frame

"Aye, love?"

"My hind, do you have a moment to talk about plans?" He moves in and kisses her lightly on the cheek

She tilts upwards to meet the kiss, humming softly in contentment. "Aye."

While Earl is not feeling particularly unseelie, he has noted how Zara enjoys seeing his voile a bit snazzed up. And has put on something more dashing than farmer jeans and a checkerboard button up flanel shirt

"Well," He takes a seat near her, and removes the hat, "Imbolc is soon. Mother had that idea of raising up the house in time with it, and you said either that or Beltaine. Do you have a preference?"

Her fingertips trail down, tracing the silk of the ascot and sharp cut of the lapels.

"We have made good progress on materials..." She considers.

it is possible, such gentle ministrations have been what Zara has used to encourage him to dress so. But we'd have to ask Zara if that was intentional or not.

He nods at the talk of the materials even as he delights in that thoughtful look she gets when she is mulling things over.

"Tis a matter of when would be most auspicious, magically."

"You would know better than I in this" Earl nods "While my mind dances with a kind of eagerness that might make me impatient, you would know better how the choice of date might influence it. " An amused look "Let's not put it up on Samhain, eh?"

"Heh."

A smile there, "How do you think Imbolc raising would differ from Beltaine raising?"

"Imbolc is renewal, aye. And craft. But Beltaine is birth. New life. And.. ah.. fertility. Which..."

"I... we mean, I think, to raise children there." Softly, something shy and wistful and vulnerable and hopeful all tangled up there.

A brow "Are you worried it won't encourage things...sooner than we were wanting?"

"Nay. I am thinking that... that, perhaps, we could help make it a good home for a family."

"A place where they shall grow hale and happy."

"I... like that." he says, a grin breaking out

"May is not so far hence."

"No, it is not" he says "More time to plan and prepare and ... make sure it will be just right"

She bobs her head.

"I think I love this " A smile "Make sure we have a room for a future nursery ready for when the time is right. A tree you can hang a swing from"