#fenixtj

And she finds the older woman's door ..open.

"Dama Ash, may I sleep over tonight?"

SHe's dressed in PJs, "Of course. You pick which ever side of the bed you want"

"Thank you." She climbs in (the left side, for the record)

Ash puts a few things away, and takes the right side. And..if the little girl should get the urge to scootch in, that's fine.

As for Salma? She sees Ahpuch also looking troubled, sitting in the shadows in a form mimicing Rodan's the thinker

Ellie curls up close, tightly holding the rag doll Tonto gave her.

She ignores him for a time, waiting for him to go away. Much like she tried with the kitten.

Ahpuch seems to have that sluagh ability to wait quietly

And Ash hums softly, perhaps stroking Ellie's hair lightly. Soothingly. Words may not help. THis might

Finally she peeers over and remarks in library-low espanol, "The champurrado is under the bed in the girls room. You told us like you said, so it's yours now." A sniff. "Enjoy it, please."

The sidhe wore herself out, and she falls asleep.

"It's not my fault." the boy says in Spanish, a beat "it is not all my fault"

"Si." She agrees. "It is both of our faults. We are bad advisors."

Ahpuch frowns "this could hurt my future prospects. We need to fix this"

"They won't even punish me. This place is loco. A few stripes and we can all go back to normal, but no? They must punish her?" Dropping her head down in defeat. "The worst advisor, am I."

"you did kind of suck this time" Ahpuch says helpfully "i'm lucky my name isn't in it all"

A sigh. "She is too much a princess, the Princesca. She is Rapunzel, and Ariel, and Jasmine. Even a cage with pretty flowers and magic pools and two - TWO Troubadors? Is still a cage. But an adventure makes it worse? I am a stupid burra, and do not know how to fix anything."

"We could try a coup, that might make Diego happy, he is always ready to rebel.." a pause "Except against Jessica."

"I'm too chicken for a coup." Dolorous and mournful. "And the DeBukes, they support the Condesa. They would come to her aid, and they already hate us."

"Can we coup against the DeBukes?" He says "No I suppose not. You want to fix things though? what would fix things for a bunch of farmers that dislike most sidhe?"

Her nose wrinkles. "I do not want to. But they told my lady that she must."

"They would like to hear that she is not the heir. That... Constanza, or maybe Holger shall have Fenix wings." A pout. "Or we will overthrow Lady Vaeltide and give them her throne to plant turnips on." A sigh.

"Mmm " Ahpuch says "Ariel, she's made at the DeBukes now. She's embarrassed by them. Maybe thatll help Ellie feel better? Mm no, she's too nice to enjoy that"

"Maybe if they knew her better it would help, but they do not like to listen. Or they would know that she already has appointed all of her advisors, and they are a sluagh, a cabracita, a burro, and a Cabellero Azul."

"And three gatitos, but they do not count, it is too much like work."

"mmm" Ahpuch nods "I think it is time to see how many sluagh know these 'deeBukakas'. I shall learn"

She gives a look over to Ahpuch. "You should be careful. Someone might start to suspect you cared."

Ahpuch sniffs "i am named after a death god. i am cold. impassive; " A pause "but even death gods know a good future ruler is better than a bad one. No?"

"Besides" he sighs "Holger makes this GRINDING sound with his teeth when you girls are upset. I can hear It. ttkkskktktk...maddening"

"Do we have to go back to the Farm to fix this? I do not think the painting will work."

"maybe we can bring the farm to us" A thought"I will talk to sluagh wiser than me. "

"What can I do?" She asks. "Other than sit and think and think and sit? And wait to see?" A frown. "I would read, if I knew what book had the answers."

"then.. read.. look up Constance's pages. " A nod

She nods. "I think Sluagh are like pooka. If you stop looking, they disappear, but instead of an animal, only shadows left behind."

And she closes her eyes for a long moment. Before reopening them to look over to Ahpuch's spot.

and shadows have been left behind

which maybe what she wanted.

Boys. Predictable creatures

Headbutt. Donquito is still there.

And she sighs in relief. To Donquito, she remarks, "At least you are quiet. Ahpuch is too loud, I couldn't read." And she starts to review Constance's notes... her own idea, of course.

"Mreh." The grey kitty claims a spot on her lap and rumbles with a purr.

She scolds him quietly, but he stays, and they read.