#kc_necropolis

"Shortly before Yule I met the most.... striking... young woman."

"A satyr, but dressed very properly. Attractive, of course, and apparently studious." Sip.

"She reminded me forcefully of Miss CC."

She raises a pale eyebrow. "I see."

"I've been keeping an eye on her." Sip. "It seems she knows your Miss Autumn."

"Did you, perchance, attend Miss Autumn's play?"

He smiles. "We have tickets for later this month."

"Then you should, I think, be impressed by your new satyr friend. She's quite good."

"Oh. I am aware. I've watched some of the rehearsals."

Sip.

"I'm given to understand you have some acquaintanceship with her? Magdalene, I mean."

"Some, yes."

"What are your thoughts?"

"She is a conflicted soul. I do not envy her."

"Though, I admit, she is also intriguing."

"You're familiar with the nature of her conflict?"

She nods. "Fascinating, isn't it? And powerful. A monkey's paw, however it may glitter."

He nods, and sips; the sandwich disappeared in a few bites.

"Miss CC observed to me a rather complimentary opinion, if I could share it with you?"

"Please do? Miss CC is very insightful when it comes to human nature."

"Or fae, I suppose.."

"Actually, it regarded you. She feels, and I agree wholeheartedly, that you yourself do an excellent job of balancing your natures and Courts."

"Well, truth be told I hold no firm allegiance to either. They are both a part of me, and they needn't be enemies. I do not think it is healthy to deny half of your soul."

He nods. "I agree. Miss Madison, however...."

"I wonder if the treasure itself encourages the... antipathy? Though, obviously, it existed before."

He tilts his head, eye sparking. "That... is an excellent question. Do you think you could get an answer?"

"Possibly. Treasures are... a bit beyond the reach of my realms... but there are other ways to investigate."

"Miss CC... and myself, of course... find ourselves with a growing interest in Miss Madison. It's possible we might be grateful to someone who could help her. Show her how to ... balance." Sip.

"To be honest, that might be less a task for a person, and more the cause of a quest. I have found my excursions to the dreaming.... enlightening."

"Revelatory, even."

He sighs. "Ah yes. A quest. We discussed that."

"I would imagine there are places that would force her to confront herself. But there is danger, too. I think simply... untethering the coin, destroying it will-nilly... that would most like do more harm than good, as things currently stand. The root issue remains unresolved - the rejection-of-self."

He nods; he might have covered this with someone else not long ago.

"Would it be predictable to wonder how deep her Daddy issues run?" He muses to himself. "Rejection of the self based in rejection of the father, the blood?"

A soft hiss, eyes darkening.

"Know you?"

"Know I?" An eyebrow.

"Her Daddy issues?"

He sighs. "Yes. Of course, I've wanted to kill him for over a year now, and I've never met the man."

"I did."

His eye narrows. "You did what? Her father is neatly jugged, mores the pity."

"I met him. "

"Even a life like his..." She trails off, frowning... something dark and conflicted storming in those black eyes.

"You met him?" Interested. "Well well."

"Aye."

"I have no love for slavers."

He sits back, watching her. "Will you help her? I can think of no one better."

"I? I don't know if she would want to hare off on a quest with some black-eyed whispery witch..."

He smiles. "... and, I suspect, a tall, blue-and-blonde warrior?"

Sip. "You understand balance."