#rescuemiriam

"Let us make waste" She says urging both to move, fear in her eyes as they dally.

Zara nods, helping support the troll. "We go."

Zara's fair fortune earlier was not wasted, she seems to have a knack for avoiding anyone in the hallway, and that benefit is shared by the other two.

Earl , to his credit, seems to find the strength to take most of his weight. Were he wearing his armor, leather though it is, he'd probably fall oer.

She keeps tucked under Earl's arm, though he likely still has to hold most of his weight.

He does,, but is grateful. They move to a wall, and earl nods, "I'l...try it here. " A thought "This was a triumph" And he sings a garbled versionof 'Still Alive' from the Portal game. It is enough ,and a portal opens "You two first, or it'll close I fear..go." Firm note of insistence despite his tattered self

Zara steps through - without letting go of the troll, not after all of this!

And Ginny and... they are out.

Out into the Dreaming. Into the ..oh theyr'e off the silver. That's not good.

The back of the building has some kind of swamp behind it, murky, fetid.

"I picked wrong," earl says

A soft hiss. "We'll... we'll get this..."

Dark eyes cast about, seeking the silver refuge. She's heard stories, yes....

A glimmer of something silver in the murk but it is a good half mile away.

She frowns. "This could be false...."

"I can burrow through the muck and find out?" Ginny offers

She crouches, touching the muck. "I come from the land of the foggy, foggy dew... ooooOOooooOooo..." Her song is raspy, her throat broken...

"Where walking through the meadow in the morning is like walking through glue-oo-Ooo-ooo-ooo...."

Actually, it seems she knows the whole song - serenading the mud! "In my soul is the beauty of the bog, in my memory the magic of the mud...."

Finally, when finished, she bids - "Pray, speak to me. What is the safest path to the silver?"

"the water is death, toxic with hate. "The answer says "Fly to it if you can, or meet your fate."

"The water is poisoned. Earl... I hate to ask... Cassandra has wings, aye, but we must needs leap. Fly."

He grabs her, "It's a bird, it's a plane, it's supertroll..." And he leaps...but rather than hopscotching, they just take flight. He carries her ,seeming unaware that they are FLOATING in the air as they head towards the silver.

A moth flutters after them.

Zara clings to her troll - SHE notices they are in flight, but she daren't startle him yet.

They move towards the silver, and there is a flutter of wings, not mothwings either. A wyvern in the distance, has it spotted them? If so they're in trouble.

Zara touches the hilt of Earl's sword - maybe she can activate it for both of them?

And she does...the Wyvern loses it's focus, as interest is lost thanks to the veil. Blessedly, they land on the silver at last.

Zara hugs the troll. "I am so sorry..."

"Cassandra, thank you... mayhaps.... aye, mayhaps the farm? Somewhere else safe and warded?"

"Why? it's not your..." he blinks, "Did we just fly?"

The moth flutters and bows in mid air, then nods leading them down the path.

"We did. And... and it is... if I hadn't... she wouldn't have taken you, save for..."

"Aye, aye, Cassandra..."

"Love you" Earl mutters and they move on. "And thank you, Cassandra, you're a good... good person."

The moth pauses if not sure how to take Earl's words, as if afraid to believe them, then she moves on.

"Love you too. Cassandra is... mischpocha, aye?"

A nod from him "A mensch"

"That too, aye. Achoth."

No doubt the Balor will realize they lost their hostage soon enough, but the moth pooka seems to know their patterns and with the silver beneath them they soon find themselves in more familiar terrain. Yes, the Near Dreaming of...well, they are near Firnost's gardens.

"Firnost is a kind of haven. Aye... we will get thee by the fire."

The moth has taken a humanoid form again, and says "she went after your heart this time. She caged your options in lies. Do not let her drive your heart from you out of fear for it."

"Aye... but.. but maybe... maybe it would..." She falters, uncertain. "I would protect him."

Her sister walks to Zara, "You stand a thousand miles from him and he is stabbed, you will bleed. If he is next to you, and stabbed, you will bleed. He will never be safe, and those who love will never be free. Accept it, and hike up thy big girl bloomers. She wants you to suffer! And if you send him away, spurn him, you bleed yourself for Golnaz amusement! Her laughter would shake the hells"

Cassandra Ginny seems angry "If you are to make of yourself a queen of Refuse, then the Balor are right"

She squeezes her eyes shut.

Earl blinks, "Hey," A growl, "Don't talk to her that way "

And for a moment he seems to find more strength

"I am not a Balor. Will not be. No."

"then take thy lover to thy breast once he is healed and torment the gilded flower thereby. Damn her threats, you willh ave treasure he never..." She eyes the troll who is looking confused and angry, and she backs up "our first sisterly spat. You understand?"