#rescuemiriam

"Sparrow seems to be worried she hurt you." A deep breath, "I had a bit of a talk with her. Some of which I am sure she'd skin me about if I told all on, but... I know she'd want you to know she feels bad for having hurt you if she did."

He looks down, cradling the coffee in his hands. "Well. Yes. It hurts. I wish I could fix it, I wish she'd tell me what I did so I could fix it but... she doesn't want to and pushing her on it isn't going to help. All I can do is let her be and hope that peace will let her come to me."

"You didn't do anything, not really. She's proud and scared, and it's not the best combination. She's got some problems, but is too proud to tell folks. Heckk, she didn't even tell me. i guessed but my name would be mud if I did."

August looks up. "So you know what's wrong, how to help her, but you won't say?"

"More like I think I know what's wrong and will work on it, but she's told me not to tell." A sigh, "I am working on getting her some help. "

August's fingers flex around the mug, his expression frustrated and pained, but he nods. "Ok. Let me know if I can help."

"Well, more accurately, she said 'don't you dare tell them'... it's not that she spurns you, August, or Coradel. She's terrified of losing a second family. You know about her mortal family yes?"

"Yes." He nods.

"You know they spurned her for her lifestyle and orientation?"

"Yes."

"And that her second family spurned her for her House, after her Saining."

"And Lira ap Fiona is a ..." A mutter, "Sorry, I don't like her. Or how she treated our Sparrow..." A flicker of anger, "Anyway. That's two 'families' that she opened herself up to, and each time they found something 'wrong' in her. Twice burned. " A long look at August to see if he's connecting dots.

August nods, dots connected some time ago, apparently. "Yes."

"So you get why she's so quick to push us away?" Making sure, and willing to risk looking like an idiot if required himself. "Why she feels scared?"

"Academically, yes. But... it doesn't feel right."

"It's not. She thinks something is wrong with her. She has been convinced it must be her , and i fear she's convinced that anyone she tries to go to help for will somehow be tainted by her, or dragged down, or they'll grow to know the real her, and then reject her when they see how 'wrong' she is." A frown, "And the more we press, the more she panics, but at the same time if we don't reach out she's going to fade. She's put herself into a real catch 22 here."

August frowns, expression darkening. "Herself, and us."

"Yes, I didn't mention that to her, she'd just beat herself up some more. "

"Damn it Derynwynn... this is not what I can remember about her."

"She's even avoiding Rivervale for similar reasons. I gave her the whole 'no man is an island' speech, nor sidhe, nor woman..because it's true. And she's got another more immediate problem, THAT problem is the problem she forbade me to tell 'them' , that's you, Coradel, and the RV gang I suppose, about." A sigh, "but you know who isn't part of Sparrow's family or lodge friends?"

"She can't avoid Rivervale, that's her mentor's.... Agh!" Righteously Frustrated now. "Who??"

"Well, let's just say, Sparrow herself has told me i should not hide things from a certain romantic interest, lectured me on treating her better in fact," A smug look, "She was right, of course. A man should not hold secrets back from his lady love, right?"

"No...." Distracted, thinking.

"Claire, I'm talking about Claire. Please tell me that didn't just go woosh right over you that she was the one I was 'hinting' at?"

Agog

"Claire? What.... oh. Claire." He pulls himself back. "Magnus.... she's Ailil."

"Yessss.." A slow nod, a bit tense, "She's also seelie, if you're looking for factors."

"A Seelie -Ailil-?"

"Yes." A nod, "They have them, though they are rare. Heck, that's why she wears a black dragon on silver... kind of a 'this is me' declaration. She's not a good liar, though she can manipulate if it doesn't involve lying, that's true. But she believes True love conquers all, Death Before Dishonor, Beauty is Life, Repay all Debts... boy does she follow that last one. Holds a grudge when I act like an ass."

"That House prides itself on Oathbreaking." Calmly.

"A section of them does, " A nod, "She's not of that faction. Look," A stubborn set to his jaw, "If you want to learn about Sparrow's immediate problem, then you'll have to go to Claire and be nice to her and ask. And she's not the one being sneaky and setting up a loophole, I am, so if you think this is a dishonorable way to do this, then your problem should be with me, not her. She's a good person in a questionable house yes, but she's part of my life, and I'm done with hiding her like a dirty secret. Talk to her and learn of Sparrow's trouble, or 'stay pure' and don't. It's your call." He rises

Magnus flexes his fingers and unflexes them during this.

"Magnus. I'm not here to fight." Still calm.

"No, but your biases are in danger of keeping you from fighting for Sparrow and that..." A frown, "I know how Liams feel about Unseelie. I also know that even Liams have some. You would think you could cut a little slack to the idea of a Seelie Aiilil who is a good and honorable woman you can actually trust. I know you woudln't like it if someone sneered at Coradel and said that because she's a Fiona she's not sincere in her passions. I feel the same way that you're dismissing even dealing with ... I'm going to go before I lose my cool. Don't worry, I am not pulling a Sparrow. I just know my limits and i should go anyway. Here's her number.." he gives it, "If you change your mind." And back in he walks.

(End Scene)

-------

After waffles and berries, the guys wander off to a patio to talk. Coradel, meanwhile, is giving Claire a bit of a house tour. "I prefer the estate at EarthRunes, but I understand that this is pretty luxurious by mortal standards." A shrug.

"It does have a bit of a chill to it in parts, pardon me saying so, " Claire says, "But I think that can be remedied, and it's really lovely mortal side."

"Remedied..." Coradel considers this. "I really hadn't thought about it...but I suppose....huh. What are you thinking, in terms of that?"

"well, how much you can work around her parents means a lot, but more paintings done with passion and creativity rather than what high art galleries are saying is in is a start, " She says "Further, I would..." A stop, "Ah, let me know if I'm going from helpful to arrogant. We Ailil are often quite sure of ourselves and our viewpoints. It's how we get so good at swaying others to them."

She scans the paintings as Claire mentions them, considering...then blinks at her at mention at the House. "Well, I did ask, so I hardly see it as being arrogant to answer. But don't worry...I won't hesitate to let you know if you start pissing me off. Apparently, it's a Fiona thing." A toothy smile.

She laughs softly at that, "Fair enough. Okay, everything here is lovely, but none of it is loved, none has any meaning to the occupants beyond image. You can get hand crafted furniture that was made with pride and inspiration rather than just meek routine. Kitchens should feel warm and inviting, like arms are pulling you on a chair so a grandmother could feed you, not cool and sterile with an overpriced backsplash. I love ensuites that are luxurious, but there's a tingle of hedonism or escape that's lacking from yours. This place is a spectacular house, but it's not much of a home."

"Hmm..." Considering the details. "I haven't had much of a chance to search for well-crafted work. That would be an interesting hunt, wouldn't it? But it's not surprising that this place isn't much of a home...I don't think Chloe and her parents were often here all at the same time. It's more the home of the servants than the owners."

"And they aren't allowed to really make it theirs," She nods, "I'm not saying it's a lost cause, or that it must be saved, just saying what could be. If you like Earth Runes better, then enjoy it. " A smile, "is it nice?"

"Well, if this might be mine someday...best to make it worth having, I suppose." They're in a conservatory-type room, with a grand piano and a harp on display. Both are meticulously clean...but there's no indication that either have ever been played. "EarthRunes is lovely. The Baron has exquisite taste. But...well, it's not exactly a comfortable place. He's Eiluned, so there's always an air of something unspoken, as if the tapestries hide secrets. Which they most likely do, but I just haven't bothered to go looking."

"I really should visit, if you think I'd be welcome?"

"Well, a House-brother of yours is already there, so probably?" A slight bitter laugh. "Probably more welcome than August has been...though really I haven't been very forthcoming on introducing him to the Baron, to be honest."

"The Baron is probably treating him as your dirty little secret," She frowns, "I would have agreed with him at one time. Now, having been someone's dirty little secret, I'm more sympathetic."

"Is that what was happening?" A sigh, as she leads Claire out onto a balcony. "I haven't known Magnus long in this world, but he does seem to be a bit thick-headed sometimes."

"Oh you have no idea," She admits, "the annoying thing is he's usually BRILLIANT" AA proud look "Very perceptive. he's a great invetigator. But then he saves clueless moments for us. It's aggravating." Still, her piercing eyes have softened, "And of course, I dare not let him know how much I... well, float when he catches on and turns his full attention to me." A mutter "It's embarrassing."