#earthrunes

In the morning, Zara is shown the space where the Box fell out of . Imbolc must have triggered yet another shift in the hold, another year under Fiona rule has caused a few of the Eiluned secrets to shake loose

The box itself is a an old russian antique

"Mmm..." She kenns it first. because of course she does.

It could be used as dross, a nice chunk of it, but that would sadly ruin it

The papers within, which Earl ruled to be Gibberish, are a cipher.

And not just a jumbled up code, but in some slavic tongue before the jumbling

"Mmm..."

"Not gibberish?" Earl inquires as she has positioned him properly for maximum comfort (Be it to sit upon, lean against, or what have you) while she works

"Oh, not. It's a cipher - here, see? I could short-circuit it by magic..."

"Could" He notes the stress, "But you'd rather a challenge?"

"Well... aye."

"Then I'm glad it nearly landed on my foot if it brings you a pleasant distraction" Earl grins a bit cheekily "The care and entertainment of sluagh truehearts is ever constant"

Of course, Zara has other things to tend as well if she wishes to hold this off. Her brother, in a rare burst of cleverness, thought of throwing Melia at Beldame. While his intention was her to go find some OTHER person to bond to, the truth is, Beldame is still a scarred and partly broken old crone and the child's vigor might respark her own . It could be good for both.

And then there is the sluagh who...CHARGED Melia for news of a Sluagh namer. This is one thing Zara had meant to be granted to those in need.

Much to do!

Earl watches with delight as her curiosity seems to thrive from a buffet of choices.

"I have arranged for Madame Beldame and Miss Melia to encounter one another. Octa and 1122 are complicit in sluagh-herding."

"If I crack a smile at the term 'sluagh-herding', am I in trouble?" He inquires faux stoicly

"Possibly."

"Tis not dissimilar from cat herding, mind."

"That thought did occur," The artist admits "Your plan should work though, they're guided to each other by a third party, making it seem more like chance... and the connection, if it forms, is less forced and neither feels pushed, which might otherwise trigger a feline like defiance in one or both of them?"

"Precisely." She agrees, as she idly plots out numbers under the cipher's letters.

"Sometimes I wonder how often you've 'arranged' things for my Kin" He muses as she works "Possibly best I don't know"

(Int plus Enigmas, Dif 😎

( 8 )

Zara is a mistress of puzzles, but she may have met her match. Language, Cipher... there maybe a third component . Oh she WILL best it, but not today

This will take time. Like a good chess match.

There is satisfaction even in frustration. Eventually.

And so Earl remains patiently, though now and then, seeing her work, he prepares her tea , the blend she prefers for 'thinking'. It had surprised him in the earlier years. He knew some teas were more relaxing, but some sluagh actually have various teas each preferable for various moods or purposes beyond merely relaxation.

Zara has a lot of tea.

Like any savvy fellow, he's even figured out which tea she seems to prefer when she's in the mood. Of course, it could be that that is actually an intentional way for her to send a 'signal' to him while she still seems prim and proper, but surely she's not THAT devious?

Maybe it's best not to ask that question aloud

Discretion is the better part of valour (and getting laid)

Zara can try again (Another roll) or spy on how it is going with Crone and the shivering childling

Sometimes a break can help - allowing the problem to percolate. She goes to her crystal - with the bond to the Sisters, it is easy to anchor a scry.

The situation is... well, almost comical. Beldame works making a tapestry, the clack sounds of the loom (And a spider trailing her along) have young Melia peek in. Melia is a great lover of layers, as is establish, they are haven, they are cave, they are barrier and they are comfort. To see all the classic textiles of various types and hues about is a wonder to her, and she tries to sneak in.

For Beldame, the work allows her mind to release her tensions, to let her shakey hands find solace with sudden steadfastness in the effort where her racing mind can still or at least flow in just one direction. The loom is an outlet for the flood, turning disasterous train of thought into a steady dance of creation.

Beldame was lead here too, and it was not hard. What she neglects to notice at first is just WHAT is inside the new bundle of material that is laying there.

Melia watches from her many tiered cave, her eyes wide with amazement as the threads connect and work over each other by expert hands. She holds very still, and she too is ...focused on the work, even more than the person.

So it must be said, in a moment NO pooka should ever be told of, it is perhaps NOT so impossible what happens. The crone reaches for another section of cloth, the nearest now being the outer layer that has moved just a bit closer, the outer layer bundled about the childling. Witch like grasp grabs the material and starts to fit it. The childling, light as a cobweb, is 'yoinked' along with it... and soon finds herself placed on the loom!

For anyone else, this first encounter, where some old woman lashes you down like a dime store novel damsel being tied to a death trap by a diabolical villain (With mustache to twirl) would set a bad precedent and likely kill future friendships!

But Melia Furchtengarb is a sluagh, and further, she is a girl who enjoys being terrified as much as some people enjoy a hot bath. Her eyes go wide, and as she is nearly loomed to her doom, she shivers with fear and wonder, almost producing glamour on the spot!

Beldame notices the weave is going off pattern for her tapestry, not enitrely bad, she rather likes how the wobble makes the scene look under water but she's old, not blilnd, and stops before any harm can come to the childling.

"Dear child," Beldame tuts "If you allow me to murder you, I shall break the escheat, and life is precious, for the dead have a much harder time learning than the living. I will not contribute to anti-intellectualism. Enough of that already. I forbid you to expire."

Respectffually, the half loomed girl says "Many apologies, elder. I didn't mean to have my doom be a bother"

Beldame nods, approving of the manners, "Well, as I've nearly spun you to that doom, it is met we should know each other. Near Death experiences are always best when one knows another I've found."

"I have a name, but it is only for use" The girl laments "I'm Melia Furchtengarb. I was Amelia as a mortal, but I decided I didn't 'a' anything, and I didn't think I'd be THEMelia, I thought just melia was best. " The girl whispers "How are you called, elder?"

In her Library, Zara grins.

"WIth tea and platitudes" The grump tells her, "Sometimes bitters. But you may call me Beldame, Miss Beldame is fine, Elder Beldame is especially pleasing but I wouldn't presume to say. Crone , of course, remains a term of respect."

"It is?" Melia inquires "I.. wasn't raised by a sluagh mentor."