#elsewhere

"he is a difficult liege. " she says "yet a good one too. Conflicting. I am dreadfully afraid he shall anger a wizard and be slain somehow and i shall not be there to see his soul depart personally, or that his soul might be stolen and the chance denied. you understand, of course, i should not let myself get sentimental, but how am I suppose to learn the end of the sidhe soul if he is reckless?"

despite her words, her concern might be more than just an interest denied

"You must not let him be reckless."

she slathers some jam on her bread, a rough motion for such an elegant hand, her frustration showing "i cannot direct him properly. not like you do."

"Feh. I cannot."

"he is your friend, you are his. i am merely his squire"

"We were friends, aye."

"were?" alarm

Zara frowns at her cup.

"He is very busy now. A Baron, nu? Head of a banner house, a married man."

"and you are a student, and a librarian, and a witch beyond your years. but I do not understand how this fact makes friendship a past tense, harder to maintiain, perhaps, but persistence is a virtue of both. why else would he keep reaching out to you?"

"Because he dislikes that I left."

"He noticed that, aye."

"And that because Earl pointed it out."

"if you are angry with him for failing to notice other things, I fear I must needs state the obvious. he's sidhe. they miss much. It is not that he is too busy there I suspect, though that does not aid, it is because he is limited, as is most of his kith."

"What if I wish to spare myself the same hurt again?"

She sips, then says "If he did not wish to keep your friendship, he would not ask others to pass on his desire to see you again. Before you ask, he has not asked this of me." Another sip "but well I know sorrow, and he is indeed sorrowful that he does not see you often. I understand what it is to bask in melancholy, but one should never let it override what is yours. His friendship is yours. Do not surrender it to his flaws of self occupation."

"It is always the same story."

a concerned look "i..apologize for not understanding. I am younger, and far less experienced in quest and companions. if you feel wronged, should you not tell him of this? "

"What is the point? Or, worst, I shall be the petty one for not, once again, swallowing myself and remembering that I am not worth regard."

A tilt of her head

"He is busy. I am busy. Our lives are separate now."

"but he holds you in high regard" she says

"why, if a threat arose against you, he would rush to your aid if he knew" she points out

"Aye. It suits his self-image. The paladin, the knight in shining armor."

"And I trust him to act with all honor."

"but he does not know the importants of the small things, the quiet things?"

"the shy and innocuous ways of being there?"

"No. He does not."

"i am sorry my liege has failed you, i am not sure how to guide him to make the amends required. " she says " he is who he is, and learns somethings quickly, and others slowly."

"And some, perhaps, he shall never."

A nose wrinkle, then "I think perhaps I am too close to this. I wish to defend him, but do not wish to offend you. If.. if you have knowledge of willworkers to share I would ask of it. for his sake. "

"Let me tell you of the ones I met - those of tradition, and those of technology..."

Zara shares the story of Siv's lost birthday, of the motley crew of willworkers encountered, of the cold warriors who would drive at all magic...

"an entire day stolen? amazing... "

and nods at what details of the mages are given "so it is the cold ones I must protect him from most of all"

"Sidhe - even Liam - are especially vulnerable."

"yes, the winter that is no winter eats their essence with a vengeance" she says "The price they pay for not having gone the changeling way" eyes alight with dark interest.

"Amongst others."

"i do not wish to study the undoing, it is known, too well know, no, i needs must keep his light alive so that when it flees, I can mourn properly, and yet watch it drift, get the answers I seek." She sips her tea then, "Perhaps, that is another reason for you to keep an eye on him as well, even now. More so than even I, you have a right to bear witness to when his end comes."

A frown.

"Forgive, perhaps I came across as crass. I thank you. This has been invaulable, and I can also speak to Captain Siv "

"Aye. And check the shelf above the agricultural treatises. There hide the books on willworkers."

"I feel quite a fool" she admits, "I passed my hand near there just a few days ago"

"Tis a space meant to be overlooked."

"which is why I should have looked" A sip, clearly not pleased with herself "too much time around boggans. I forget to spy with thought"

"It can be easy to relax."

"i suppose. I thank you for the tea, lady, oh, and since Siv is a friend of yours, let me tell you of her odd tests..." and she describes art galleries, and hang overs

A shake of her head. "Fiona."

"i am most fond of the baroness, but there are times they are a silly house" a shake of her own head "Why the Captain wishes to join I am not sure. Ah, but to each their own. She does seem a bit lost a times. I believe the term would be 'poor wee lamb' but she perseveres. You should assure her she impresses. She does from what I can tell, but a stranger of a sluagh telling her so would not be met. you she would trust"