#odyssey

The Baron continues, "Miss Zara, your seizure was part of a Balor plot. Had I but known, it never would have gotten that far."

A small purse of her mouth.

"And it should not have gotten that far" He adds, "We wish to make restitution to you"

"I will accept that you owe me a favor, aye."

"What form would you like this favor to take?" His grace inquires

"Aid, for when there is an injustice."

"As an injustice has been done to you, that is reasonable. I will decide what form of Aid I can honorably bestow, however. I cannot afford to spend all resources meant for the Duchy's goodfolk on matters in another kingdom too lightly, nor do I wish yet more intrigues brought into my home. If you have specifics you wish to assert, now would be the time" he says "But I think if you know my boundaries, it will be best."

"I would not deprive your people of resources. But there is much in the power of a dukedom which would not impose on those in your protection - to protect another, to provide a haven where you once allowed harm and imprisonment, why, that would balance the scales, no?"

"I ask for future sanctuary, for aught which is but a shade removed from Haven."

He ponders this, "It sounds as if you might cause trouble in one land, then come to mine for security, or do I read you wrong?"

She raises an eyebrow.

"Perhaps, good sir, you are not so contrite as you think. Why, pray, do you think I came to your Duchy to begin with?"

"To find the mystery of the carriages I had thought" He says "and save innocent chyrsalids, or so the story seems to be"

There are some folks who raise a brow at 'sir' rather than 'your grace' but the Duke himself seems unfazed

"Aye. Because I had traced your holdings to be the center of a wave of kidnappings across Concordia, and came here to help."

"Not as a fugitive. Not as a conspirator. Not as a criminal."

"Yes, and it does shame me, whether you believe it or no. I think I may see your point. You mention sanctuary in the future, and my first concern is the legalities of it. When you have already been a victim of legalities misused. Untactful of me at the least" A frown "Very well, I will not compound insult upon injustice."

"Hospitality is sacred, and governed by laws older than the trees. I would not place you in conflict with them, when I seek my due."

"Then I shall trust to sluagh manners and your kith's own form of honor. Your sanctuary is granted, come when you need, and I will protect you as if you were one of my own, and shelter you even from a King"

She splays an elegant hand over her narrow chest and dips her head. "I find this acceptable."

"I am glad, but ...are you hungry? We don't know when you last fed but you are over due our largess there as any guest would be who is NOT a prisoner and should never have been. We have items.. propergly entropied"

A small quirk of a smile.

"he means gross" Tziporah whispers with a smile, still hiding from that Scathach as best she can

"Refined, sister-mine."

A grin on the Eshu's face.

A meal will be prepared that is... most refined.

Tziporah keeps hiding from the Scathach Thane which is hard, and she decides to eat with her as a cover "HEEEEY sis, I will have a minor snack with you... and maybe August."

"Why art thou hiding from that thane?"

"Did he bring thee harm?" Oh dear, is Zara going to shovel talk the thane?

"Uhm... " then she blurts "What? no, don't hurt him" A flash of protectiveness, then a blush "Sis.. he..he's a guard for the prison ... I..." She slips an envelope over to her sister under the table and whispers "some hairs from two balor and a nocker in there"

Brow quirk. "Useful."

"Yeah... some...floozie got a key out of him" BLUSH

"...A floozie. I see." Deadpan stare.

Tziporah tries to squirm through the floor boards at that stare, but not being a sluagh, can't manage it, even by wishing really hard.

"The floozie and the guard hit it off, then? Mata Hari?"

She COULD Portal passage... but not quickly enough "Mumblemumble pretty well...not like as far as it could have hit but mumble mumble"

Patient. Unblinking.

"He doesn't know its me" A mutter low, less mumble "And it ...never rounded all the bases, but he's nice and I broke him"

"Didst thou?"

Guilty look "He's been looking for her... me. "

"So. Shalt thee be found? What wilt thou?"

"Oh...nope nope nope, world of nope. I like him too much for that." So much for reckless Eshu nature

"You do not wish to see more of him?"

A blush "I used him to get access to places, it was exciting and wicked and fun but he wasn't supposed to be... nice. I wasn't supposed to LIKE him"

August, being momentarily involved in conversation with the Duke over minutia, approaches and offers Zara a modest bow. "It is good to see you."

"But you do."

"August." Her dark eyes glimmer, more of a smile to be found there than the small quirk of her lips.

"Hey, August." A relieved look as she can avoid some things a bit

There's a sparkle in August's eyes as well. "All is well?"

"I think he means with you" She says to her sister