#fenixtj

(And we resume)

((Catching up))

"You would make mistake. Growth in sacrifice, yes, not in death."

A tilt, "old days, many die, others die. other time. hearts filled with fear worship and power, sun rises. Sun not rise anymore- just big ball of gas"

Her attention is briefly distracted by the Glamour of the place, and the season. "For us, now is a time of growing darkness. Winter; the cold season? Not just temperature for us." She offers this insight.

"Yes. ball of gas not give good summer." The flayed man says "but this place it..wait. seed strong here. feel it?"

"Yes."

"holy ground. long time. fights then. this place remem..." he searches for the word "Remember."

"I would like... to know more history of this place."

"you wish? learn? true? Knowledge, dangerous"

The flayed man looks at her, a warnining in his tone

"Ignorance, more dangerous."

At that he grins, surprisingly white teeth

"good answer."

he reachees into a satchel and pulls out a pouch "Burn, breathe in. Learn. Throw in your fire... your place. Your fire protect you. some, not all. Still dangerous. " A look "Have weapon nearby. "

She takes the pouch, eyes on the flayed man. "Harm Balefire?" Serious.

"never" alarmed "Fire sacred. Might harm you"

She nods. "Understood." She pockets it. "I am not the other one. Before me."

"no." A nod "She was false snake. No medicine in her. Just poison"

She nods. "I agree. And the one before her?"

"Do not know," Admission "you Euros so alien, so..different. Easy to hate"

She nods, accepting this. "Hate is easy. Destruction is easy. Building, creating.... hard."

"mm si. " He ponders "You have way to learn more. Take it at dawn for best."

She nods again. "I will." She pats her pockets, wishing she had something for him in return.

She looks up from her pockets and the flayed man is gone.

She frowns, starting through the room to look for him. I mean, the guy can't be hard to miss!

Searchingg, but while he shouldn't be hard to miss, he is. Flickerflash? Veiling? Just a good knack at stealth? mm hard to say.

She frow... scowls, annoyed. Leaning forward on a railing with her fingers tapping, she looks over the crowd. Well, he might have left but if this place pops, I'm going to be here! It's mine.

Shard approaches, the dark skinned troll is still fresh from his last fight, his bruises badges of victory

... Mine.... It's an absent thought, there and gone again.

"You're back" Shard says "I should be worried about my dreamers?"

"Yours?"

"I am their main muser" He says "I do the work, I stir them. What would you call them?"

"Mine."

Nose to nose "By what right?"

A small snarl. "I want them." A deep breath. "For... for the Fief. But, you have earned them."

He nods, then "I worked for them, yes." A look oveer her, then, "Truthfully, I don't know exactly why it works so well here"

"You don't? This place has a violent history, as far back as the Nunnehi."

"I didn't know that," Shard says "i'm a fighter." Physicality, some showmanship

She shrugs. "We all are, one way or the other."

A chuckle, "Yes, I suppose so. If one of my dreamers intrigues you, let me know, perhaps I'll share. "

She shifts, wanting to explore. "What are your plans here?"

"To win, to muse. " A shrug "I love the fight. I like making folks revel in controlled violence even if they only wish they wre one of the strong." He gestures to a group of three women, "Anyone of those women? I could have them, not because I'm handsome, not because I'm rich, but because theree is something primal here, and they respond. But it's not the women it's...i am the strongest here. I am the best. I do't plan on leaving. Anyone trying to drive me out is going to find I fight for what's mine I.." he looks at her, "You understand that I think."

She nods. "I have not seen you at the Freehold. Fenix." I would have remembered.

"I haven't been there no,' He looks her over "It's yours. I hear you won it fairly and square"

She nods. "My team and I, yes. I was not alone."

"Yes, good to know, you don't plan on giving up Fenix, so why do you eye this place so hungrily? You can't be in two places at once."

"It could... " She wets her lips unconsciously. "...add together. Be stronger than if they are apart, or in conflict. Someone is going to want it."

she can survey him with Unseelie eyes now. And yes, the Beast is less hesitant to sugar coat her ambitions, at least to herself.

Shard frowns, "And if I yield to you, you'll leave me here and help me hold it? It's.. a haven for dreamers, not a hold." Not yet it isn't