#elsewhere

"What a grim figure that was. I must find out what this tithing is."

"Miss Chaldea. Aye, my brother may, a'times, be aught other than annoying."

"yes" She eyes the sluagh boy then "you're allowed to stand again. It looks more heroic."

"oh.." the boy gets up carefully and puts the knife back in a make shift scabbard.

'heroism is loud" Jacob says with a hiss, "and he shouldn't have scared Bronte. That's sluagh turf... needs to stay in his lane"

Chaldea says "you should get used to it, to be a true hero, one must be ready, reckless, fearless and..."

A hole opens in the dreaming

"YIKES" Chaldea hides behind Jacob

Earl's voice can be heard "I can't hold this open for much longer..."

"Make haste!" Zara declares before heading through.

"Curiouser and Curiousier " Bronte says, but her tone is relieved

and all of them find themselves in the boy's room. But the bear friend? Is lost.

Bronte looks about and sniffs remembering how the bear and she tried to free each other "Silly ole bear" and she sounds almost tearful

"Aye. Alas." She presses her forehead against the dragon's. "This Titheman shall answer."

Earl looks "Jacob? Chaldea? What are ... how did you two get into this?"

"It's sis' dragon.." Jacob says as if that explains everything "She'd be all girly and dumb if she lost her dragon."

"ow." the boy says as the eshu girl punches him light in the arm.

"Feh. I protect what is mine."

"...even little brothers."

"See.. she's mushy already" Jacob says with a yuck face

but he also smiles just a bit

Earl tossles the boy's head, "Get used to it. I like her mushy." Then a nod to Chaldea, "Chaldea. You're welcome to visit us anytime."

Zara lifts a finger. "But forget not, your debt of stories."

"I will remember" she says

"I look forward to it."

Bronte has stopped shivering, stopped nearly crying. But she has NO intention of leaving Zara's embrace.

Earl casts another cantrip, and they all vanish to return to the room where 1122 stands guard.

Butterfly kisses, soothing whispers... some nightmare Zara is right now...

Jacob rolls his eyes...but Chaldea keeps him in line.

"Thank you, both of you. I would not have succeeded without your aid."

"Well, I like Bronte" The boy says "And.. you know, you're my sister and mom would have fussed..." mutter mumble.

Chaldea says "it was an amazing story... but I think it is not done yet."

"Leave that to us, for now, Chaldea. " earl says, "Zara ..and I.. are on it." A nod to Zara. Whatever she decides, he is by her side. He will support.

"We shall learn of this so-called 'bargain'..."

Earl nods "We certainly will... "

"But that, o dreamers, is a chapter for another time" Chaldea says staring as if speaking to an invisible audience.

"There are no ghosts there, we checked" Jacob tells her.

The eshu sighs "sluagh have no sense of panache"

Earl chuckles.

And Bronte, feeling safe again, licks Zara's ear.

A smile - a good chapter, yes, but this is not the end.

(But it is the end of this scene)