#elsewhere

"I get it" Zane says "I'll be there whether it's here the Duchy, or Timbucktoo"

"Thanks, Dude. Sammy too, if he wants. I'll text him but if you see him......."

"Hey, nice one there, sweet glide!" Adam calls out to one of the younger wilders who's sliding.

and fun is had.

with Adam winning out among the wilders. And Isis winning among the childlings

Adam doesn't give anyone a victory they don't really earn, but he's supportive all attempts!

And then there's lemonade and soda at Jack's, and dinner, and chores, and ..... oops. Well, homework can wait, right? Not like the history paper or poetry memorization are due tomorrow, right?

After chores, Adam heads back to Jack's to see if he can score a real drink.

Jack sees him return, "Had fun, didn't you?"

"Yeah, that was alright." He swings himself onto a barstool.

"Sorry if we disturbed you, though."

Adam leans forward on the bar. "Mr. Jack, can I ask kind of a personal question?"

"You can ask. I might even answer" Jack says the young man a real drink

"Fair." his eyes light up at the real drink "Thank you. So... I was just wondering, not my business or anything but.... how did you end up with a bar here?"

"I knew the old baron. we were friends. . I wonn't say he was a good guy, but damn he was briliant, and he was my friend, and he kept a whole lot of evil at bay" A sigh "He'd be proud of Coradel though"

"What was he like?"

"I mean.... brilliant and your friend and a defender of good. Or at least, defeater of evil...."

"He was withdrawn, reclusive to most. Hard man to know. He had to make some hard choices. He was as unseelie or seelie as he needed to be"

Adam blinks. "Easy as that?"

"Not easy, but he managed it"

"Wow. Ok."

Adam takes a sip, savors it.

It's good. "he was powerful too, Eilunend love their magics and he was no exception. I think he was a master of at least three arts. but he probably had a 4th one."

Adam cocks his head. "He was Eiluned?"

"Oh yeah, there was a time this hold had more shadows, silver and black dominant.. and the mood was well... it was a different kind of exciting"

Adam's face is a picture. "I .... guess it would have to be."

Sip.

"But then Baroness Coradel became.... Baroness?"

"She was a ward once like you, you know? "

"Here?"

"Oh yes. " A grin "You should have seen her. She was like a fiesty comet in a normally serene night sky"

A grin. "Yeah, she must have been. Still is, I guess."

"Yeah, but now she's got the other stars a jiggling like fireflies"

"Stars?"

"night sky, star comparisons ... "

"Oh. Oh, yes, ok." Sip. "She's.... inspiring."

"Oh you too, huh? "

A sheepish grin. "Everyone, right?"

"Just about anyone not associated with the Shadow Court yeah"

"I've heard about them. You know, stories." Sip. At least he doesn't chug it.

"Yeah, kid, the Shadow Court there are some folks openly calling themselves Shadow Court who claim it's all about 'commone rights' this or that. LEt me tell you something, that name has been used by some EVIL individuals before this, adn muddying the waters just plays to their advantage. There's a reason three of the unseelie houses are some times called the Shadow three, and none of them are exactly anti monarchist."

"I don't much like politics." slightly apologetic.

"FIona tend to be more relaxed on it, or rather they understand politics in different ways"

"A game."

"Some of them, others see it as a party, which is not the same thing, and some Fiona see it as a fight. Give them credit, they DO fight for their common folk, the good ones"

Adam nods and sips.

"Some fought for commoners in battle, even."

"You know your history" A nod "Just so"

"I guess what surprises me about that is.... you'd think the commoners would have all new weapons, right? The Sidhe came back with what they left with; swords and stuff. But the common kiths who'd been here the whole time should have guns and stuff. Just on that, the commoners should have won."

"Ah, you know tween you and me? the commoners probably WOULD win now. But the sidhe had the magic... they came in like raging angels with miracles from their finger tips using arts we lost centuries ago. We fired guns... they ordered the bullets to stop, or bent time so they could walk between the spray. So magic was a big edge. The other thing? Not all the commoners were against the sidhe. Some fought for them. It wasn't sidhe verse everyoenn, it was sidhe and their loyal subjects against the rebels and a few sidhe who took pity on them"