#fenixtj

"Yes?"

"THanks for waking me up. I ..always felt like so much was missing."

"Hey, Nancy....." She nods. "It was the Right of Rescue, but it was also a privilege. My honor."

"whatever the reason, thanks" A kiss, but only on the cheek, "My god you're tall. I could get neck strain. Go back to your man and your job and stuff. I'll try tos tay out of trouble"

Jessica offers a small grin, and hugs her carefully. "Yes. I get the height and horns from my folks. Listen, feel free to stay at the Freehold till you figure things out, ok? If you want, I can help you find a mentor other than Diego, help you balance what you're learning. Up to you."

"I'll think on it" She promises

"Good." With a gentle pat, Jessica disengages. "Ok, I have to call Duff. See you at dinner, maybe?" And with a nod she goes to make that phone call; really, just a request to talk to him in person.

Later in the tattoo parlor...

"How did it go?" He asks as she meets him

"Fine, she was very understanding about the whole thing." Absently. "Listen, Diego said something while we were talking to Tweak.... She's faced some issues going on with the Cooperative, she's sorting them out but.... the Co-Op is supposed to get the next Freehold available in the Fief."

"That's true. " he nods noting right away she's more focused on the latter subject than Nancy

"What about that fight club?"

"The pit? not sure it.. huh" A thought "Well shit"

"Yeah." She watches him intently.

"Well, sorry just thoughto f something, you're right, it might be a hold one day if cultivated. And if the girl had had her dream dance there, it surely would have become one I bet"

A small wince. "Well, true. Still glad, though, on the whole, it didn't. I mean... see, my concern is that the Glamour of that place is pretty dark, and how will it effect the Dream that take place there? Or, Dream Dances? Or, the Crafting?"

"I'm sure,it's ...like said, dark. Violent. the consortium doesn't really need that as it' muse, but then if it is the next hold? mmmph" A frown "See if they hold out"

A frown. "Or, I start looking right away for somewhere else that might work? Because if.... -when-... that place blossoms.... well, for one, I sure as hell want to have control of it."

He looks surprised "You WANT ... huh"

"Well yes, of course. A new freehold in my Fief? And one that strong in dark Glamour? I'd -better- hold it."

He eyes her "Jessica, this almost sounds ambitious."

"More like, defensive. I don't want anyone who -wants- that kind of Glamour having a whole font to themselves."

"Just when I was getting turned on a again" Is he joking? Darn trolls can be hard to read

She rolls her eyes, sighing. "Duff, I wanted to talk to you about this because ... well, you found out about the place, you brought me there."

"Yes, I also told you it was dangerous. And then when we got there, it surprised me. It's not supposed to be..well, glamourous. But there are dreamers there and more"

Jessica frowns. "I've never... -founded- a Freehold."

"Me neither" A shrug "It still may never happen, but if it becomes hold, you have a right to make a ase for it, or would if it were't for the Countess mentoning the Co-operative. So this could get tricky"

"You were there, you could feel how close it was...."

He eyes her curiously, "You want it to be one, dark or not. Don't you?"

"Well.... it wouldn't hurt, to have another Balefire in the barony." She shrugs.

"Obviously not, but is practicality the only reason?"

"Of course." Blink.

Duff does not seem convinced

"What else would it be?"

"we all have two sides, and even the one that's on the yin to our yang, or yang to our yin, has influence. I've noticed your unseelie side has ...terriotorial tendencies? "

She shrugs uncomfortably. "Well. Yes. I guess."

"You sure that's not involved?"

Another shrug. "Could be? But that's not why I'm saying the club, if it's a new Freehold, should be.... you know, part of the barony."

"It could be," he says "Shoudl be. who would you put in charge ofit under you?"

"..... you?"

Amused and surprised "And my qualifications?"

"Well, you found it with me, if not you actually found it -before- me." Reasonably. "You have contacts, you have deep ties in the area both Fae and Mortal, and you have pretty decent organization and management skills."

"Practical as ever" he nods slowly, but his eyes flicker with a bit of amusement at something

"What?"

"Well, I was thinking the idea of my having been that good in bed was flattering..."

Another sigh. "Well. There is that." A pause, "I mean, I -mean- that it could look like I'm giving you the Freehold because we're lovers. Which is not why I'm doing it."

"CHanged your mind?"

"No. I mean, not sure I've made up my mind yet." A dry look. "Someone better might come along."

"Well, I do hve Nancy as competition"

"She's too recent to have a Freehold." Deadpan.