#odyssey

She gives them another squeeze, then heads for the cabin. It takes a minute before she has the will to open the door, and slips in, closing it behind her.

Kassedy is sitting a small chair "hello, Miss PIper"

She raises her gaze from her hooves to look over at Kassedy. Her heart thumping in her chest.

"I'm.. I'm sorry. I don't know what I did wron, but I'm very sorry" the girl swallows

She seeks inside, searching for that familiar, terrible feeling, the anxiety, the overwhelming fear.

And, she realizes there IS fear in the room. Kassedy is scared...puting on a brave face/ As for Piper. she doesn't feel fear . Worry that she'll fail this test of self, sure, but not fear

She steps forward, and crouches, putting her head on the same level as Kassedy, and tentatively reaches out, hand open.

Kassedy..reaches out a hand

And, takes Piper's hand "I never meant to make you upset"

She looks at the small hand in her own. Her own hands small, but somehow Kassedy seems the more fragile at the moment.

Marveling, perhaps, for a moment. She is Liam, clearly. Piper can feel the faint unsettling aura that comes with the house, but… for a moment, it brings back memories that make her shiver.

"Do.. I need to ..leave?" A swallow

Piper gives the hand a small squeeze, holding it lightly. She speaks quietly, "The last time I approached a Liam willingly, on purpose... was when I went to Count Jude's court. I went there to turn myself in, and to... betray? That doesn't feel like the right word. ...Jonas would know. ...denounce, maybe. Denounce my tragos."

"But you tried to do the right thing. So many don't. You were brave"

"Do you know my story? I'm sure I'm just one of many... I am - I was a ravager. And almost, very nearly, a party to Rhapsody as well. Do you hate me?"

"uhm..." A breath "no. I don't. You did a bad thing, but you also stopped MORE bad things from happening"

Piper inhales, and exhales. "I was punished, for what I did. Whether it was just, or unjust, that's not the point, but... it hurt me in a way that I'm sure... well, I hope wasn't intended. It was something that I had to deal with, and it was not your fault."

A nod "Yeah, but sometimes... it doesn't have to be your fault , it happens anyway..." Nod "I'm very sorry member of my house hurt you. i guess when I saw you, I thought we'd become fast friends, which was... stupid of me. It was a weird feelinng. I thought you had, have , a nice face. Instead I triggered you ... I.. don't want to lose my knight"

"I don't want to lose her either." She admits. "I... I tried to make her choose, and for that, I'm sorry. I need to apologize to Siv for that, but also, to you. It wasn't fair to either of you."

"Siv ..blames herSELF actually. She doesn't always catch me eaves dropping.. she's feelin terrible for hurting you, AND hurting her mom. She's staring to think every time she opens her mouth to a loved one she hurts them. So it's not just you"

"It might help once we're past Samhain. I've tried to reason for the benefits of seeking a better understanding of your unseelie side, but... maybe that's just... like, what works for one person might not be fitting for everyone."

"The Chieftain gets weird around Samhain, and normally, at least what I've seen, stays to herself. Maybe Siv will have better luck reconciling in November..." She considers.

Then, realizing she's not only having a perfectly normal conversation with the girl, as well as still holding her hand, Piper is struck quiet for a moment. it really did work. I still hate Count Jude. I still don't trust nobles, and most sidhe... but Kassedy isn't "most sidhe". She's... herself.

"I hope so. Siv WAS rude to her mom... but not intenional? I.. I think good or bad, Lady Captain is rarely boring"

A smile, she can't help it. "No, she's not."

"Do you like being her squire? Even if it means you get the rest of Rivervale as part and parcel? And Jonas.. and me?"

"Jonas is nice, and you SEEM nice. UHm.. I won't go to the apartment...but is it okay if get to see Shang-Chi with her ? She said she might take me"

She hesitates, then asks, "Do you remember your previous lives at all?"

"Mostly in dreams I forget the bulk of it"

Piper gives Kassedy's hand a squeeze, then start singing, very quietly at first.

"Long, long, we in the past,
Cowered in dread from the light of heaven.
Strong, strong, stand we at last,
Fearless in faith and with sight new-given.
Strength with its beauty, Life with its duty,
These, these, beckon us on,
open your eyes to the blaze of day..."

Barely hoping, but she watches Kassedy's expression for any flicker of recognition, as she sings a bit from one of the most seminal songs of the suffragette movement..

"Comrades—ye who have dared
First in the battle to strive and sorrow!
Scorned, spurned—nought have ye cared,
Raising your eyes to a wider morrow,
Ways that are weary, days that are dreary,
Toil and pain by faith ye have borne;
Hail, hail—victors ye stand,
Wearing the wreath that the brave have worn!" the childling sings. Hey, not bad for her age

She blinks in surprise, and finds that tears are coming to her eyes, as she joins in, raising her voice.

"Life, strife, these two are one,
Nought can ye win but by faith and daring:
On, on that ye have done,
But for the work of today preparing.
Firm in reliance, laugh a defiance,
(Laugh in hope, for sure is the end)
March, march, many as one.
Shoulder to Shoulder and friend to friend."

And the childling and she harmonize the lyrics, then "you havee a WONDERFUL voice.. Lady Captain said you were the best"

"You know the song?"

"Not many do... not these days..."

"I.. don't know where I heard it before?"

Piper pulls out the flask of water from the pool of wisdom, hard fought for a won. "I don't know if this will work, but... would you take a sip of this water?" She presses a bit of her own glamour into the liquid as she passes it over - freshly returned from a dream-quest, she has plenty.

"Okay?" She takes a sip of the glow juice

Then her eyes widen

then "Thatt jerk saved our heads!" A blush

"You remember? Kassandra?" Hopeful...

"Eponine?" Her jaw drrops "I DO remember... not everything... but boy I hate my naturally curly hair getting shaved. Oooo so rude"

"Right? Personally I think he was just jealous of our curls... the life of the naturally curly is not for such a simple-minded cretin..."

Then, she blinks! "It worked?!" She actually hadn't thought it would....

"I KNOW right? They'll never know the challenges of extra moisture in the air"

She tucks away the flask... who knows if the water will retain it's potency, or work for anyone else... but for now, it's done more than enough.

Piper stands, and offers her hand to Kassedy once more. "We should go talk to Siv. Or do you want to ask her to come in here? There was a bit of an audience..."

"Oh, up to you. I've seen her a lot more"

"HEY? do... do you want to see Shang CHil WITH us?"

A surprised look. "Wouldn't you want that for your.. bonding time? You and your Knight?"