#elsewhere

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"Look, you've tried three times. Clearly your 'friend' or her mom hates you" The satyress tried to console the nocker.

Gabby shoots the satyress a look, "She doesn't furking HATE me. I've seen her at classes. She's just.. busy."

"Clearly," A dignified voice from the third girl "it's just not..."

"The Right Time in the Story" both Nocker and Satyr finish the Eshu's sentence hands on hips.

The Eshu gives stink face at them both. "Well, it's probably not"

"Ah, we'll drop off some food" Gabby says "And a book. She'll like that. I wonder if she ever made it to the great library?" Wistful envious sigh.

"That's why you want to talk to her?" The satyress says "Because she went deep into the dreaminga nd found.. a library?" She doesn't see the appeal.

"Furking goatbrained heathen, not 'A' librrary.. the library all other libraries help form! It's the most..." And the cursing lecture threatens to make horns melt.

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

"What do I do with 800 dollars?" Earl pondered. "And should I feel bad about depositing it? "

"He obviously has it to spare. I want to see this hold."

"I thought you were in it, that doesn't count?" Earl says...and yes, he knows it doesn't. not from her vague description.

She shakes her head. "Not enough of it."

"We could just knock I suppose." He says

"Do you think a formal presentation would cast the Baron's eye aside?"

"To be fair, I don't really know, but I don't think it would draw any more attention than we already have. "

A huff.

"Too much attention."

"So. Let's go and pretend to be normal - nu?"

Earl chuckles at a few thoughts "I don't think normal is in our baliwick, but pretend? I suppose we can try. How formal? One nice thing about court is we can dress up. Lord knows Vashti gave me more suits than I know what to do with" He exaggerates

A soft chuff. "I like the purple and navy one - with the ivory silk waistcoat?"

"I think you like that one because you love purple AND it makes me look a bit like a certain book cover" But his eyes sparkle and she knows that's what he will go with

"Perhaps you should get that cream colored outfit with the lavender trim? " He suggests.

"We'd be a set. You do like showing me off, hmm?"

"I do have my shallow moments, and yes, one of my shallow moments is showing off my lady."

A light smile. He would have blushed more a year ago

"I think it is an early fall." She grins and steals a kiss. "Be right back..."

He enjoys the theft, and goes to change as well

She slips off to her room to change. His and hers rooms, but he hasn't spent a lonely night yet.

And he is glad of it. He sleeps better when she watches him . It's weird, but wonderful.

And in due time, they are ready. Zara is as pale as a shaft of dusty winter sunlight, her white hair piled in a bun.

Earl looks like a fine gent from the romantic periods. And takes her arm as they head out the door.

To the library - that's the entrance she knows.

To the library they walk by and see many students, not the least of which is.. Gabby. She's studying there, the nocker's brow focused in concentration

A tiny-wave if she can catch a glimpse.

Gabby looks up, startled...a nd a mix of emotions, but finally the nocker rises and approaches "Hey. For a bit I thought you weren't talking to me"

Earl looks surprised, "No way, Zara is the most polite person on the planet."

Blink. "Not talking? No! I heard that you are renting next door.... I had hoped to visit come the weekend.."

"We'll we've tried to visit three times now.. I told my roomnies you were a super genius at romantic lit, you know? And we thought we'd drop by. Sometimes we hear a hammering.. so I figure hey, someone's working. They can't hear the knock. Another time, no one answers... and the last time I knock and I hear you whisper 'go away. ' and I say "Hey it's me... Gabby Spinespackle' and shit if you don't say 'Oh I remember you, the smelly one. Busy doing girl stuff'" a scowl "What the furk?"

"Oh, that'd be Miriam. Oh! You must needs meet her! She's textiles, mainly - my birth mother, nu? And a cousin to you, then, of kith..."

"And..." Sigh. "Jacob, my little brother."

"Wait, is Jacob also a sluagh?" Gabby says

Zara nods.

"Miriam must have the blood somewhere for both of us to be so..."

"You know, when I heard the whisper I didn't .. furking .." Low mutters, volume suitable for al ibrary but still very nocker.

"They live in the downstairs apartment. Earl and I are above - there is a side stair..."

More silent cursing, then "Yeah, well, your little brother is.. to put it politely, a pip. The other two thought either I was nuts or you were ..well a bit of a b. So..what brings you and too tall to the library? Studying for Medevel Lit?"

"Not this semester - Victorian, aye? Oh, you must needs meet beatrice..."

"No, we are going to see the Big Cheese, formally."