#rescuemiriam

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"You know better than that. You know we cannot. We have duty." Brekke's jaw clenches, and she refuses to look towards the laughter.

"Mother, come see, the halls here are huge!" Siv voice, young again, safe from fighting again, her daughter// "Food will be ready soon, Storm" Kerri calls down the hallway

Frank looks to Brekke.

Siv's voice tugs at her...but Kerri's reminds her that this is a lie, and she scowls at the Lost One. "Deceiver."

"But it is real" And he..he believes it, "All is here as you would have it be. Such is a reward for loyalty"

"If it is as we would have it, only as we would have it...then it has no truth of its own. It is not real. And it is no reward. It is a lie."

"Are you deliberately insulting me? I merely offer you a chance to save a reality you cheerish" The Gwydion's eyes flash for a moment, "I need followers... do I not?"

Frank frowns, watching first the Sidhe, then Brekke. "You.... never on any day in your entire life.... have you dressed like this." He rumbles, sure.

"I am oathed to Count Hemlock Autumnsbane ap Gwydion...I will not be your follower."

"And I was not so heroic looking, Nor Pepper a full grown woman" NYles looks down himself

Pepper, a beauty of 20 winters pauses, then says "But I've always been..."

"He cannot help it, I think... but we cannot stay. He is a danger to us."

Brekke glances down at herself, as if only just now realizing what she's wearing, then she looks to Frank, eyes wide. "Nor did you."

"Count? COUNT? No no what is this trickery? BARON Autumnsbane... he... a baron"

The Gwydion Lost one Paces frantically

"Well. One time. It was a biker bar charity auction." He confesses, straight-faced, before turning his attention to the Lost One. "You have been hidden here a very long time, my lord." Politely.

"Have I? The others ran, some merged with flesh... and I...no no, it cannot be so long ago. A handful of years"

"Hemlock Autumnsbane was a Count for twenty Earth-years or so when we left.... and that was almost twenty years ago." Frank is grave.

"So very long ago..." Brekke echoes, nodding.

He paces, "You come for the candles."

"Yes. To fight the darkness. To allow them to do the duty they have been saved to perform."

"You are sworn to a House Brother, I have no right to steal... but you, you are at risk... I ... " He knits his brow, then gestures and they see it, a great chandelier upon which candles away, "Souls, waiting the time to burst forward. Trapped by Duty and Da'an. Ready to slay the Fell and it's closest servants. I thought them well saved here, but if... if the dangers ignore me to attack the charges, what good? What good? " He paces. "You do not wish to stay? All is as I will it to be. And you risk so much"

"We have a duty." He says quietly.

"Liams... Liams and duty... they will lie for duty, the Margrave was a tricky bastard... lied to my face in his honest way." pacing "But a sister Gwydion? how can I?"

"What do we risk? Can you tell us?"

"that which has become most precious to you ...I..."

Frank reaches out to take Brekke's hand.

Nyles steps forward, shaking his head, "Stop these illusions. We must return to Concordia, and your way cannot shield us there. Only balance can set things right. And you are not balanced, lord. You want to help them?" he whispers something in the Sidhe Lord's ear.

She grips his hand tightly.

"Nyles..." she says as he steps forward, a warning.

'Yes...yes. " the sidhe nods, and suddenly Brekke is Brekke, her own age, or close to it. Her armor as it should be. Frank's garments are returned. Pepper her natural age.

"Nyles is right." Tightly.

Brekke watches the younger troll closely, trying not to react to the weight of age falling on her frame once more...it is comfortable again soon enough. "Nyles...what have you done?"

"Merely reminded his lordship that your duty and his is much alike. " Nyles shrugs.

Mostly true..

the Lost One says "to hand this over, I cannot do lightly. I must at least challenge you in some way, and yet, Nyles reminds me you have been challenged, by Wolf, by Boar, by Stag. "

"And by sea, and time, and sharks," she reminds him.

"By Honor, By Duty, By Rescue."

"No, there...must be another test. To be sure." He paces unswayed. "A riddle, perhaps? '

A frown. "If you must."

"Two fathers, and two sons caught 3 hares. Each got one. How?" He turns

"One a father to a son, and a grandfather to a grandson." Brekke answers almost instantly.

Frank rubs his beard, covering a smile.

"Ahha!" the Lost One whirls then says "that is right!"

"GOAALL!!" Dodger cheers

Brekke raises a brow.

The Lost One reaches up, and then pulls down an orb, with twelve beautiful candles with waxen faces and bright flames at the end.

"This is the Orb of One Dozen Candles. Twelve Warriors with flames akin to bale wielded like sword ready to burst forward. With them? An army of Thallian might fall." He hands it to Brekke

Frank exhales a breath he's held for a very... very.... long time.