#fenixtj

The Little Countess wakes from a fitful sleep. She grabs her sword and goes running. "Dama Ash!"

Salma blinks, and carefully shifts around the books piled in her bed. "Princesca?" But the little sidhe is already racing off.

Dame Ash yawns and stretches as there's a noise

knock-knock-knock-knock-knock!

"It's.. 3 in the morning? " The door opens and there Dame Ash is, in a nightrobe of light material "Ellie?" SHe bends down

"Something bad! There was an explosion, and all the ribbons came undone, and the silver turned black!"

Dame Ash is Beaumayn too, and does not tell her it's just a dream, or well it's OKAY NOW or some such. Instead she does pick the girl up and say "Do you remember anything more?"

"A giant and a red-eyed knight fighting a cascade of teeth and claws, fighting in a sea of blood to save others..."

"Monsters breaking through... protections broken?"

Ash nods at this "This was in the Dreaming. That's..very hard to pin down location wise. Very hard to help. But we can tell the Countess to be ready. Gather defenses and supplies near our own trods"

"Pardon WILL happen in the dreaming" She admits

"What's wrong?" Ariel asks Salma, "What's going on? Is it a Boomayne pow wow?"

Salma had just been about to shake Ariel awake, and nods solemnly. "It is a very secret meeting. So we should only listen from outside so we do not interrupt. It is only proper." As they tip-toe towards Dame Ash's chambers.

Ariel rubs at her eyes then realizes what's being said, and tries to clip clop quietly

"We're going to fight the Fell? I can fight."

this is why she prefers carpets. Easier to snoop on

"Yes, you can" Dame Ash doesn't deny it, "But you have a greater burden. You must lead. The childlings are going to be scared. Some may even need to ask safe haven of you. You have to keep them safe. Send word to young Vaeltilde that her goats might be needed soon perhaps?"

"Vaeltide is brave, too."

"And Sayda... you're the leader of thre childlings, and they'll look to you to be confident that we will weather this" She assures the girl. "That can save more people than a sword at times"

She huffs. "But my flaming sword is AWESOME, and I'm not six anymore."

"Eight is practically a wilder!"

Salma holds a finger to her lips as she leans against the wall in the corridor.

Ariel covers her own mouth

"But it's not there yet," Ash says and kisses Ellie's forehead "And I want to hold onto CHILDLING Ellie a bit longer, thank you very much. "

"I will guard my friends, of course. And be brave. But we need to let the thanes all know, don't we?"

"Mmm" She ponders "We should let the Countess know that something bad is going to happen on or with the trods I think yes."

"ANy chance your'e going to be able to go to sleep? " She strokes Ellie's hair

"I don't want to go back to sleep."

"Then you don't" Ash nods as if that is that "You want to wake Jessica, or want to tell Thanes that the Countess said to be ready for trouble on the trods? I Would word it that way, sometimes we grown ups do not listen properly to kids"

"We could tell the Thanes, and then be ready when Yessica wakes."

"Sounds like you have made a command decision, excellency" sometimes it's NICE when her title is used, seriously that is, and the Dame uses it seriously and respectfully. "Let's hope we haven't woken your friends though. THey probably need the sleep"

"Oh no! Salma worries..."

"And Ariel will fret"

"I don't think I woke them." Guiltily.

"Oh stop that look" Ash fusses "Salma has very keen ears. Either she woke or she didn't but if she did that's not your fault. You had to tell me. A duty to in fact. You are a fine house sister and care for your people. That's never something to be ashamed of. Okay?"

She nods. "Okay." A pause. "Can I have some cocoa?"

"With marshemellos and a pinch of cinnamon? "

"Yes please!"

"only if I can have some too" She says "may I?"

Assuming yes, hot coco with a bit of cinnomon is prepared for both

"Of course you can!"

"Thank you" they have some cups and she soothes nerves

Of course, little girls who hide in the hallway may escape notice of those inside the room… but of the boggans who come with cocoa?

Ariel says "Can we have some too, Salma?" trying to whiser

whisper*

"I do not think it is meant for us, Cabracita." She says, though she sniffs the air and sighs a sigh of soft yearning.

"Drat" A whisper back "Well, later we'll tell her we're her friends and will support her.. but for now ,should we go back to bed?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps I can read a chapter ahead for practice, and you can tell me how it sounds, for tomorrow."

"ooo I like that" Ariel says and sneaks off with salma

Leaving the older Beaumayn talking 'when i had a bad one, my mentor would take me to roast marshmellows by campfire."