#rescuemiriam

From the kitchen, "Miss Clem, is this child labor?" "I suppose." "Isn't that illegal?" "Feel free to call the cops if you don't want food. Do you want food?" "Yes." "Well then, there you go."

"Conscription."

Amused, "The kids are getting fed, what about the wilders," Earl asks, "Only so many 'easy to fix' foods in there."

"...breakfast is the kindergarten of meals. Everything is easy."

"Lunch should be fun" a wicked smile

"P-B-and-Jay for everyone?"

"Not going to happen" He smirks, "Someone donated some of the PB to a charity the other night"

"Earl!" A poke and a mirthful smile.

A guilty look but the smile remains, "I can't let it be too easy on her, can I?"

"Of course not."

More sounds from the kitchen "Miss Clem, that's burned." //"Are you sure its not just done well?" /A pause "Trolls shouldnt lie?" "No they shouldn't." "then yes, I am sure."

More sluaghish laughter, and a bite of oatmeal. "Yes, it shall be a fine day."

Earl grins... the childings are fed first. That appears to be Clem's priority. Food DOES come out... with Clem carrying trays of ...toast, and easily made oatmeal "Okay you folks have been getting a bit out of shape, so today we're trying to get everyone lean and mean ..." /"on a holiday?"//"It's High Summer, not high on the hog...anyone who doesn't want their toast and oats just speak up and enjoy your diet o nothing.." Clem says eyes narrowed.//"Yes Hearth..."

Some of the wilders grumble under their breaths, other snicker "Well, I don't know about lean, but i can see myself getting mean on this." //"Heehheheh" //"Shhh she'll see you."

A sparse breakfast, but passable. As Zara said, Breakfast is the Kindergarten of meals... hard to mess up. So folks walk out, some even thank Hearth Clem with tongue in cheek. Then as they almost clear out entirely, one throws back "So what's for Lunch later?" //"You leave that to me," Clem says...but Zara can hear her mutter under her breath "Lunch? Oh sweet Odin's Eyepatch."

Yup, Zara's gone again.

Earl shields he so can't be seen, because Clem turns to them, two of the last left in the room, "Did you two know this was happening?"

Zara pokes her head up. "Know what was happening?" A blink.

"That they were sticking me with Hearth!" She says aghast.

"Sorry, Zara," She lowers her voice, "Didn't mean to yell."

"Clem... you are the Hearth." A tilt of her head, frowning slightly. "Are you well? Did someone fuddle you?"

"What?" Her eyes narrow, "Zara...are you out of your cotton picking mind?"

"Hey, be nice to Zara" Earl says, probably because it's easier to mix geniune protection to cover his urge to laugh and point

"Hardly. Did aught happen to you? I can check for a casting, though I don't know if I could do much besides wait for it to wear off and have you remember..."

"Earl? Did she bump her head?"//"No," earl says "And you're being rude to a guest and friend. You're Hearth, you should know better."

Clem throws her hands up in the air, then looks at them both, "I'm in this lab maze right now, but at the end of the course, I'm liable to hit someone with the cheese you mark me." She storms off muttering "Lunch? LUNCH?" And gone

"I may suggest.. ah.. giving her some space, nu?"

Earl swallows, "Yup. she is not dumb but..." A asnicker and a look at her " 'Did they fuddle you?' heh heh oh god, Zara, I almost lost it"

"Commitment is key! To all things, wish you to succeed." A smile, and she gracefully rises from her seat.

"Oh, someone may be commited before all is said and done" Another snicker as he rises as well

"Well, if she's really underwater...." a soft sigh. "Honestly, they all should be capable of making a sandwich."

"Oh she'll manage," He says "Now DINNER will be a challenge."

"Aye. Exactly."

"Enjoying so far?" he asks

"Yes. Has Murray emerged?"

"You know, he missed breakfast so...' Snarling can be heard in the distance... "I'm guessing that's him."

"Well, I'm sure he needed his sleep..."

Thunder rumbles.

"Yeah, he's up." Earl looks amused

She taps his lips. "Poker face, nu?"

And his lips recede into a straight face

"Right. DOn't know What is eatting him."

She takes his hand, 'innocently' walking with Earl towards the grotto - on a path that should intercept the Storm.

"I want to know who did this..." Murray is talking to two high school age wilders, "You jokers in on this? " //"In on what? What ahppened in there??" //Murray pauses, realizing to show them would be... "NEvermind... you pass.."

"...pass?" Another doe-eyed blink. "Ah. Good morning, Storm."

"Not hardly" He snorts at the good morning thing, "And where were you two last night?"

Earl blushes, "We... uhm.."A look to Zara and back, "Last night we held hands, looked at the stars... oh it was wonderful.... see KC blocks out the milk of the milky way, but here you can see all the blacks and purples..." he starts to go on about the colors

Murray sighs after about three minutees, "Sorry I asked."

Zara turns pink, half-hiding behind Earl. A shy nod of agreement, her eyes sparkling from behind the veil of her bangs.

"Oh but Murray, you should have seen the way the starts twinkled , like the cosmos was diamonds uncovered to touch moonlight for the first time in..."// Murray is unseelie. He doesn't have to be polite A grunt, "Later, mystery to solve, people to kill." And he walks off just like that.