#fenixtj

Miracle of miracles, word has gotten out and even the bogggans have stopped trying to press their liege towards Duff, at least for a time.

This doesnn't meann she can avoid him. Her mortal apartment looks down across the street to his shop

Not that she has to be there all the time. An occasional weekly visit, maybe for an overnight just to keep balance.

And to his credit, he dooes not seem to be making any moves to break their break

They don't speak. No lunches. No poetry.

No time for it, anyway.

Yes, well, she has her patrols. She has her rulings.

And today, she has a guest. Sir Vali 'the Stealthy'.

"Vali??" surprise, and pleasure "What are you doing here?" then a flash of worry "Is everything ok at Rivervale??"

"Not without effort," He bows , "And Countess, with your permission, may I take liberties and call you Jessica?" Humor in his eyes but he looks a bit weary

"Vali, stop. It's me. Come in, sit down. You look .... something -is- wrong." Jessica guides him to a chair while calling for food, drink, and her weapon and a packed bag. Staff scurries.

"I've got personal baggage which I won't bore you with" He does take the seat though "And there's added pressure on Rivervale. Your sister is on some spy mission and asked me to keep you posted not that I wouldn't anyway. There was another attempt on Lane, our Centauress fledge. Sweet girl, sunshine and rainbows, remindns me a bit of gerd before she got on her witch craze as a teen. More than one hunter in the area...this time, there was a Scathach sidhe for hire, and.. two or three goons in a van. What do you want to hear about first?"

Jess sits at this.

"Hunters..... of Fae?" Grimly.

"Kidnappers rather than killers, and after Centaurs only it seems," Vali explains, "Jaymes , your uncle, encountered a chimerical beast sniffing about for signs of one , and he slew it. Then, with your dad and Olgar.. the three tracked down the source, that Scathach I told you about. HELL of a fight outside a motel. Your mom arrived.. and the hunntress is now in the custody of the Count's spy master. House related reasons but information will be forthcoming."

"Are they ok?"

"They got banged up but healed . I think it's safe to say everyone is ..angry. Your mom doesn't think about it much, but storms have become more frequent over the vale lately"

Jessica considers this news.

"Everyone is healed up and without permanent damage? And the threat is over?"

"yes, yes, and no. The hunters keep coming, that's where we get to Dagmar's side of the story. turns out little Lane was staying at Dagmar's house, when a.. I kid you not, white van pulls close and drops a rubber ball with a cantrip onn it to make the childlinng yearn for it... if Dagmar hadn't been there, Lane would have surely been swiped. Dagmar saved Lane, left her in Tove's care, and went after them. That's whenn some jackass who can't drive safely ina PRIUS.. I meann, who doesn't drive safely in a PRIUS? Anyway.. said jackass pulls in front of her without looking and causes her to swerve off the road. Dagmar ggot her leg broke but somehow had the sense to text for help Gerd ended up not catching them, but she did steal the OTHER Centaur they already had and gettinng him to safety" An amused look "Naturally Gerd and he ended up in a lake." More sober "They shot at her, with mortal bullets. I hope to have a long talk with those hunters. I hope to write upon their bodies a long winded essay on pain using blade as the quill and their blood as the ink. There will be run on sentences"

"We have power to heal ourselves and others in extraordinary circumstances.... but that doesn't mean injury is nothing."

"True." he nods slowly 'And I confess, I see it has taken its toll on more than one of us. Your mother is a hard woman to read, but I suspect she is not just angry, but feeling some guilt for the near success to HER People. More easy to read is Dagmar, who blames herself for not CAPTURING the folks in the van as if she had a choice beyond slam into a Prius or off the road. Both tend to be too hard on themselves when it comes less than complete success. Probably why they work together so well, liege and vassal. Your dad is there for your mom, of course, but Dagmar is sometimes harder to comfort. She lacks the years of perspective."

"And she has a Gwydion's sense of responsibility."

"Yes, one of the more admirable traits about the House" he admits "that and an attempt at fairness. " A shrug "Now, any more questions? that's the basic of it."

"Siv?"

"Siv is doing the spy thing, trying to find the evil mastermind behind all this. I find it funny really. When I was a kid, I was a spy as almost a joke I wasn't in on. She's the real deal, and okay with it, even GOOD at it, but .. betweenn you and me? You ever wonder if while she works she doesn't have her own theme music playing in the back of her head?"

"It would not surprise me in the least." Jessica admits.

"Fiona, rarely dull" he smiles, "I don' know where she is or many details. She's got back up but I only have guesses there on who"

"Mmph. I'm just glad to hear she has back up, instead of going it alone."

"Mm yes. Always best to have a friend in the wings." Vali ponders "So.. how are things with you and yours?"

"Good. The local Fae, the Nunnehi, came to Beltaine." she is clearly very pleased with this.

He nods "So, the threads finally intersect, it bends to the hoop and hope is in the pattern"

"Pardon?" Blink.

A smile breaks on his face, "See, THIS is the fun part about my House I get to pull that kind of shit and you can't be sure if i'm serious or makinng it up"

Then his smile falls. There's a foot tapping behind him. It's Dame Ash, his former mentor in the ways of the House.

"Shall I give you a moment together?"

"I'm not sure, Vali, do we need to go over the dignity of our House again and how prophecies aren't a joking matter?" Ash says in a tone that sounds a bit like Kerri catchinng a kid snitching a cookie

Vali winces "Nooooo"

"Uh huh, really Vali, you're a graybeard and a knight now, stop playing with the non visioned" Ash swats his shoulder

"Remember the rhyme?" She adds "You know the one?"

"YES" he winces more "I do recall but I thought now that I can choose my own view on the -"

"Recite." She mmphs

Vali sighs "The Beaumayn who cries Omen too often is never believed . Of the trust of others he's soon relieved. So build the trust by minding what you say. The gift is not a game to play"

She starts to nod

Vali mutters "but it's sure a lot more fun my way"

Another swat, then a laugh from her "Oh good lord boy. Some part of you will always be a childling I think"

Vali looks sheepish then says to Jessica "I didn't see it coming Jessica, but that's great news!"

Jess is obviously amused.

"It is great news. Jessica's worked hard on it" Ash says, nnow the image of an indulgent teacher fonder of a problem student than she should be

Eyebrow.