#fenixtj

Jessica raps quietly. "Ellie?"

"Hola Contessa."

"Hey. What are you doing?" Jessica gets down to lay on her stomach near Ellie.

"Drawing." She turns her picture around for Jessica to see. It... is scary, a door braced with boards and nails, leaking black and red tendrils around the edges, and clawed fingers scrabbling under the jamb.

Jessica looks at it a long moment. "That looks scary."

"Kinda. I dreamed about it."

"Salma is nice though. When I have bad dreams, she'll tell me stories."

"I"m glad you have each other."

"Me too. And Ariel." She picks up a blue crayon, and adds flowing squiggles coming through the bottom of the door. Maybe water?

"Chief Clem is visiting."

"Oh. Lots of people from the Farm here. Is it because of the Star-lady?"

"In black and red armor?"

"Uh-huh. She was on the yellow brick road."

Jess nods. "Yes. Her name is Kelby DeBuke."

"I understand you had their Mountain Emmit visit you here."

She frowns and colors harder. "Uh-huh."

"It looks like that upsets you."

"I am sorry to cause you trouble. I said everything was fine. I don't know what else to do to make it better."

Jessica nods, rocking her head on her hands. "It's no trouble. Everything is fine. I don't think you need to do anything else to make it better."

"Are you sure?"

"It doesn't feel better. I am sorry if I brought trouble to you."

Her little chin juts, a sulk threatening. "I thought it would be fun to take cookies. I was taught better, to be careful."

"It looks like it still bothers you. I know it bothers the DeBukes."

"I wish we hadn't gone."

"I think taking the cookies was a sweet idea. And I think Hearth Agnes was wrong, really badly wrong."

"I will go to the party thing. That will make Ariel happy, right?"

"I know she's upset. That's why the country troll came to visit."

"All of that is true." Jessica agrees quietly. "But I think it's also true that they really want to make it right with you. But I don't think what they want matters as much as what you want. Ellie, please believe me. The choice is yours."

"I want Ariel to be happy again."

"I'll go to the farm if that's what it takes."

"I'm sure that means a lot to her. You're a good friend."

Sigh.

Jessica is willing to wait quietly with Ellie.

"You understand. Like when you have to be a fool, or when you have to visit Tidemarch."

A soft huff of amusement. "Duty."

"Si."

"I will go to the Farm, and smile, and be very good."

"But... but is it okay to tell you I do not want to go?"

"Yes. And is it ok if I will you there is no obligation to go? And if you want, you don't have to go now but leave it open to go later, when you -do- want to go?"

"No, I think I must go. To fix it for Ariel."

"That is not a bad reason." Jess agrees. "Do you want me to go with you?"

"Si. Por favor."

"I'd be happy to."

"That is good. I am sorry."

"I don't believe you've done anything wrong, but I forgive you, Ellie."

"Did you see the fairy-lizard Emmitt brought?"

"I don't think I have."

"Oh, she's hiding..." She retrieves something from the table leg. The little winged chameleon seems startled before it changes color to match Ellie's dress.

flutter of wings as she does

Jess shifts to meet the little critter. "Hello there. Welcome to Fenix."