#elsewhere

"Because that would be a suspect too"

Her mouth twists up into a guilty tangle.

"It was ten years ago. I gave it to our chief, at the time. She may be still. Saoirse Redfin. So it was granted, so it may be taken away. The chief is who you must go to, if you wish to challenge Omar."

A pause, "She will not give you my skin. That I understand. But she has no fair claim to my daughter. If you tell her, she will see. She MUST."

"And I'm blood, too. That's what the Baron said. Sister is at least as close as Uncle."

"Closer in a tribe that honors the materilinal I think"

She shakes her head. "That won't help me there."

"Of course, we are sensible. " A nod to Gwen. "One cannot always know who a father is. One can always tell the mother."

Janice has regained energy, her sorrow dripping away as new hope dares take root.

A little discouraged. "No, I'm not your mother. But there is still a tie, a bond. It may be all we have."

"And so I have a right to her, by fae laws. I think."

"Janice, if they want their ways honored in thier land, they must learn they dishonored the ways of THIS land. You have been placed under the care of Silverwolf, which is my new tribe. One does not steal a child from the tribe and act offended against the ones stolen from"

A nod to Thistle "You do. "

"There's... a freehold? On Montserrat?"

"There are, yes. More rely on grottos and glens, but there is one on the Island still, that the Waking of the Soufrière."

She clarifies, "The Volcano. I was but a childling when it erupted."

"And if I go there, I can find my way to the chief?"

She looks uncertain. "If she is still Chief. If she still swims."

"If not, then there will be a new chief."

"Old lore is better than no lore"

"Right?"

"Right." She considers, then frowns. "I should not speak of clan secrets." A deeper frown, "Though... if I am no longer of the clan, then who are they to guard my speech?" Bitterly.

"Thistle is your step daughter, daughter of the man you have taken to husband. You have ties to her, legitimate and strong. If you two need me to step out so you can discuss clan secrets let me know though I do say again yo uare of SIlverwolf , Janice"

"They cast you out entirely."

"She is not Redfin, she is not of the clan. But they did not bind my tongue. They stole my daughter, and I will break every taboo I have not already broken if it will bring her home to me."

"If you were cast out, they don't have claim on your daughter at all - do they?"

"That would be for the Chief to decide. She has ruling over all disputes that go beyond family or motley. I was cast out, but she was not. She may still return, if she wishes to. But that must be a choice." Janice puts her foot down on this, physically, she stamps!

"Damn straight" said simply

"And babies can't choose."

"No." Janice agrees.

Suddenly, she blinks. "You speak of Montserrat. But I have never spoken of that place. How...?"

"Artie helped. Art and the Baron, with soothsay and research and everything."

"The whole Barony is helping."

"Lavender and Blue bell too"

"They're the ones who found out the baby had been taken in the first place."

"And magic had been put on you, and Dad, and the hospital staff to make her seem dead."

"I can give you what I know of the island. It is not a lot. I grew up on Jamaica... all of the islands are connected, by culture, by family, by trod, but they are quite far spread out. I did not live there. But if that is where our Chief rules from, when she has... the closest thing to what you would call holding court."

"You will travel the dreaming to get there? Are you not still a fledge? I have lost track of time... I had hoped, to see you sained. I am sorry I missed it..."

Murky spirals. "The Baron is calling in a Namer to do it early, so I may go."

"Because I have blood-claim."

She goes pale. "It is a great blessing. He gives us hope. I do not know if there is some way to bind my child to the skin, or to the islands, but if Omario went to such lengths, I do not know what else he might do. Every day that passes, she grows another lifetime further away."

"Well, he doesn't know I'm a nocker. That there's a challenge. So he won't be looking, I don't think."

She wipes away tears. "Thistle, I must beg that you bring me to your Freehold. I must thank your Lord and Lady, for making it possible."

"I... sure?" She looks at Gwen.

"If their largess leads to you rescuing my daughter? I would swear to serve them for every day she is returned to us, even if I can only do so as a mortal. There is no cost worth more than the life of my child."

Gwen nods "We can have Flo watch Frankie but Janice, there is no debt that I see. WE have been assaulted by this. Lately too many thing young under are care are fair game" Her eyes narrow "They are not."

"Thistle, I would see you sained, if you would have me?"

"I'd... I wanted you to. I did."

"Before you asked. It's not.. it's early, so it's because of all this... but I'd like you there."

"Then I will be there. I will bring you gifts. All I have to give, to ease your way on this quest."

"I have to be sained to have a claim, yeah."