#fenixtj

"How do you know these things, Ellie?"

"We watched them, and they talked."

"I like this one" Mitra admits with a whisper

"Good." She murmurs back.

"They said these things, Ellie?" Redirecting the conversation.

"I don't really know what order had a downfall, but you have to be invited to join."

"Well, not like THAT."

"No, they talked about what they observed about you, how they gathered information about how popular you were."

"And they were rude and weird at breakfast. Event though they obviously know how to have better manners, they're from a court."

"A BIG court. You can tell. Something bad happened to their old lord, they said that too."

A troubled look at Mitra.

"And Sir Gelach cast magic on me, so I think he sensed m cantrip." Sulk.

"He's an Eiluned... some of us can sense magic and.." Mitra chuckles "oh my. At first he thought I did it."

"Are you ok?"

"It didn't hurt me, no."

"But he probably won't let me watch him anymore."

"Interesting."

Mitra says "Eiluned are indeed worse that cats. As I am one I know. He probably is or was a member of a secret soceity. Most of us dabble"

"Well, the Gwydion was a member first."

"Ellie, how do you know that?"

"That doesn't seem very Gwydion to me..."

"That's what he SAID."

"They were talking about fighting... they're VERY good swordfighters, Sir MacTyre has studied his Agrippa..."

"Gwydion secret Societies that also take.." She pauses "Wait... "

"Jessica... they were Red Branch."

"How do -any- of you know these things?"

"I had lessons?"

"Why would the Red Branch be interested in Renaissance?"

"Why would they hide they were Red Branch?"

"A good question. Red Branch ..is well, honored beyond words. To be a Knight of the Red Branch is to move beyond house... to serve the High King himself. And I am guessing mind you, but this perceptive young girl mentions high training at dining? They fight so well? But why HIDE it? Oh.. also, I do study my own House mates as a hobby... and There was indeed a Red Branch Eiluned by name of Gelach"

"Same man?"

"Sir Geralt said the Red Branch were good...." Dubious.

"In both senses of the word" Mitra says regarding 'good' "I'm an amazing fighter, but a red branch is...well.. I'd love to test myself against that...but don't fool myself into thinking the odds would favor. And.. I'm not sure, jess." her eyes light up with interest "But I have sources. I can try to leanr more"

A small smile. "What are the odds, at this point, that I could stop you?"

"Only with a direct order and I'd pout. " SHe admits she looks down at the younger Countess, "Do you think they really plot against the countess, your excellency? Did you hear them say anything specific about her? "

"They talked about how she was perceived... and about another, some "he" that was also well loved."

"Interesting" The Eiluned's eyes shine

"I think something bad happened to the him? Um. Gave up glory for honor?"

"Any clue on who this other person was?"

"I think maybe a former liege lord."

"Mitra, this Gelach... any idea who his Liege was?"

"If they served the Red Branch they had only ONE Liege Lord. High King David"

Jessica looks baffled. "But there's no way He would be interested in me. In Renaissance."

"Oh, His Highness..." A sad, worried expression - too serious for such a young face.

"If High King David heard of this place it's news to me" She says

"But I don't exactly have spies in Tira nog... there are rumors, of course. That some wilder sluagh crashed a party ..but most of that is bull"

"Is the High King gonna invade us all?" Ariel... looks scared

"No! No, he's got lot of other worries than invading freeholds." Reassuringly.

"He can't technically invade....."

Ariel takes a breath