#odyssey

"Can we ask who?"

"We won't tell. We can keep it secret if you need us to."

"Let me think on those, but let me also state. you see why folks were after you now? They don't know the whole story.. they probably think its eternal youth' or 'youth rrestored to when I was young and bad ass' or what havei t"

"Some didn't even know that much.. they only knew it was powerful and important"

"Oh.. oh, that's why it's in Florida! I remember! Pouncy Lion guy!"

"Yeah, the whole fountain of youth thing..." He whispers, thinking of countless expeditions...

"I mean, I'm not even a grump, and I see the appeal. To... like... like have a chance without all the bad stuff?"

"So much of your banality undone." he nods "Exactly.. and this prize, even with the map, is not granted often, can't be. This will be my last chance to grant it. And I need to go to her and ask if she wants it."

"They must really need it. Or they really deserve another chance."

Brow furrow.

"Is it Akanthea?"

BOW your heads, Peasants!

"Did I mention you were both very smart?" He says "She's like family to me. She's had troubes. And there is doubt of what happens to Arcadian sidhe souls. "

"She may say no"

"That they don't come back, yeah."

"If she says no... what then? The map pieces return to hiding? Or new hiding spots." A small frown. "I guess you couldn't have asked her first. To dangle something like that, then if we failed..."

"Then I find the wilted willow" he says

"Do you want our help on the final part? Or is this something you need to do alone?"

"Oh, right. At EarthRunes."

"So a grump there."

"Wilted willow...." He looks a bit confused.

But, doesn't press.

"I can do it alone and, I'm tempted to. Not becuase you guys haven't earned it. You have. I know that. You've gone through FIVE quests, at least one of them pure hell, and for what ? Goats? But more because Auntie Thea is a private person and I never want to embarrass her."

"Yeah, no offense - but she's kind of scary."

"Maybe Thea the childling would like company." A small smile.

"Adelaide seemed okay."

"Adelaide? Did you tell her about this?" He says

"We didn't know." He reminds Vali.

"Just that we were seeking a map piece." A nod.

"Oh shit. She could be tattletaling on us now" He looks around "Ade, if you're watching this, even wilders can get coal in their stockings!"

"And we honestly didn't know what the map was to."

"Yeah I gotta move fast" he rolls up the map "You guys didn't do anything wrong, but she's an Eiluned. She's smart, and she's curious."

"Quick, Symon, you said something about company?"

He nods, and looks to Dagmar!

"How will you get there? We can call Gerd... I don't know where Siv is off to..."

"Siv's in Texas.."

"Chief Brekke has a flying boat...." Brainstorming.

"Guys.. relax. " He smiles "I have my way there already set."

"Sneaky Vali."

He does relax a bit, but still seems twitchy with eagerness. "You said company..."

"this really destroys the mystery... but you notice a lot of chalk on this map right?"

"Yeah?"

"..Hopscotch? I mean, that's one hell of a jump..."

"Something like that.. the map takes me to an old friend..a ship. And from there..she knows the way.. but the map is amuch a key as anything" A cough "As for company, that's up to you, Symon. If you want to come with me to see the Countess, I guess you earned it. you two, dagmar. but I don't know how crazy she is going to be to have folks she barely knows 'knowing things'. She's..well an Eiluned. I got to go today theough. Ade being in on this meansI need to move. And only one can recive this gift"

He looks to Dagmar. "What do you think? I'd like to see the island... but not if our being there makes her uncomfortable and she might say no."

She nods. "I'm.. I think I'm okay? And maybe I don't.. need to see the island. I think it might be hard for weird reasons."

He nods to Vali. "Sir Vali, thank you for the quests. Good luck from here." And a small smile to Dagmar. "We did it, yo."

"You guys totally did. And I owe you rewards"

"You SO owe us."

"Later. Go, go."