#elsewhere

"But if Emmit dies, I will lose an uncle I love very much, no. I will have sent him to death. And , to my mind, he's the most powerful of us all and I will have robbed us of the greatest source of wisdom and power our lodge has."

"And if the Dragon wins, had you not sent your best?"

"Yes, then a whole lodge dies for certain" Clem frowns, "yeah. Bigger picture is ugly but it's there. But even if they beat him and he dies... I have to face the fact the Farm will be without a Mountain"

"He has another student..."

"I suppose" A mmph "Anyway. Oh! How abreast are you on things in Mexico?"

"Not very?"

"Westward.. ahem Jessica? Chieftain Brekke's and Mountain Frank's eldest? Good friend. I don't see her enough. " She clears her throat "She's gonna be a countess"

"...oh my."

"I know right? One of my cousins works as a thane there. Not sure every one knows yet. It's crazy. Turns out Duke Tierone, remember that little boy ? he's the Duke of Baja now... so she's elevated and... get this, the Summerstrike hold? Now going to a nocker co operative. I've met their leader... brilliant woman, we're nearly double our milk production thanks to her"

"Interesting times." Sip.

"I know... if we live through this dragon thing I think I'm going to throw a party for ole Jess.. of course many DeBukes would call her a sell out, but they don't see how she's trying to use the system to curb its excesses." A shake of her head then a smile "how are things here?"

Nose-wrinkle.

"uh oh" she says at that expression

"The Baron is Eiluned. Powerful, magically speaking."

"He has secrets I do not yet know." Spoken as if that were an unforgivable sin.

"Oh no he didn't" Supportive

if a little dated in her slang. Iowans... need to catch up.

"In time."

"Well, Eiluned are wily ones. You think you've got them figured out, and find out they're working three other angles. Sometimes what they pretend to show glimpses of is a stalking horse while they get work done behind your back. Aunt Agnes thinks 'if they want to be mysterious, let em' and snorts, but she's not as... well, love her, but she'd not make a good sluagh"

"I will not bend to him. I have never bent knee, and shall not start now."

Clem raises a brow, "is he trying to make you kneel?" Flicker of anger "Did he use sovereign on you?"

Huff. "No."

"He does not wish for me to investigate what I will."

"As if that would deter me."

"He does not know you well at all does he?"

"He does not."

A pause. "I... I cannot promise to be able to Sain by Samhain. But... but I am not far. I will provide that service to the Farm, once I am able. Yes."

"Zara... I know it maybe upsetting, but not everyone recognizes a sluagh's spying on them as a right of said sluagh." Then the offer, "Thank you. It could help a great deal and I know you with appreciate both the secrets of those names, and you can be trusted with them."

"of course" She sips "I figure it's like folks wishing trolls would stop being protective. It's kind of like asking a fish not to breathe water"

"Well.. I... I think it is a thing you get used to."

A fond look towards Earl's studio.

"Wish you an omen? That I see how da'an lies?"

"For me? or the Dragon? Or..."

"The Dragon. And Emmitt..." A delicate frown.

Clem bites her lips, "no.. no thank you. If I get a sign Emmit is gonna die, but save the day or something.. I'll still send him. I'll just have no excuse to hide from the fact I had a hand in his death knowingly. No thank you"

She nods. "I understand."

A nod. "Now, that said... anything i can do to help you with your Eiluned situation? Elder form something or someone to throw him off for you? Give you an opening?"

Sigh.

"I know not."

"hey, chin up.. Samhain's soon. You can cause trouble then. Raise a few ghosts" A smile

"Oh, likely!"

"Trouble here, but mayhaps trouble elsewhere..."

"It does not yet feel like home here."

"I can guess why. Miriam's often busy. Jacob's doing childling stuff so family feels far away despite two of them here. I know Earl, he's sweet, but he can live almost anywhere a canvas is where as you have ties you like to form. You making any friends?"

A tiny frown. "I need not friends."

"Pshaw on that" Clem says "You'r more gregarious than most sluagh... and that means you still need your space. I get that. But you need friends. Talk to your neighbors and fellow students. Strike up a few gently. And... you know, with Earl able to pop me back home. I can visit more often if you like."

"The neighbors are fine..." (But)

"But?" She says it aloud since her friend won't

"They're... ah... loud."

"Louder than me?" A brow "Hell. Thought I was a boisterous one. Who's next door?"