#scarsdale

"Sort fo standard apocalyptic doom talk..."

"But, see..."

August shakes his head. "Then how much of the rest of it is?" Frustrated.

"Unless the silver net is all the artificial satellites that fall the earth an become fallling stars"

"I wonder. September eleventh, nu? When the trods went wild, and... the sky did burn, rocks fell..."

August's eyes go wide. "Could they do that?" to Earl.

Then he looks at Zara and nods.

"mmm I think Zara's closer to it"

"A foolish choice, a rise of faith..."

"From my fosterage - didn't that day bring the Denizens? And, aye, holy wars of men."

He nods. "I remember that too. From lessons."

"What about the Silver Net, then?"

"And Thallian I think."

"And Thallain."

"...and Miriam was stolen."

"Silver is often associated with trods so that's still my view but I'm not wed to the idea"

"Especially given Zara's own omen"

"Or this is all meaningless. Unrelated." She pushes up to her feet, pacing.

"You know...." musing, deeply thoughtful "... Earl has a point. A little bit ago he mentioned that prophecies are so twisty, they can fit more than once answer. It's true."

"Aye. I know well."

"I've heard teachers in my House say that.... the prophecies provide us a framework and how we react to it fulfills, or defeats, the prophecy. They are -all- self-fulfilling, or defeating. The teachers were arguing about if that was part of how Da'an works in the Dreaming. Order within Chaos."

"It was a little over my head at the time."

"Da'an is tricky."

"Da'an is tricky, and I bet the Balor aren't immune to it either, and they sure as hell aren't the masters to it. This slaver Rapist is powerful, but his arrogance will backfire on him yet."

A quiet wince.

A hand on Zara's hand, gentle, feather light at the wince "Sorry. Don't mean to upset"

"He is handsome. Maybe... aye, maybe it was just.... attraction, and the call of the holiday...."

"Samhain." -Glum-

A raised brow at something again.

"You did not hurt her." Stubbornly.

August reddens, but says nothing.

"August. I don't know about your Samhain, but Coradel seems like a woman who would not take certain abuses Seelie or Un. I think you didn't ..ah do anything she disagreed with?"

He looks away, nods.

"Oh.... ohhhh... oh, August..."

He looks over, guiltily.

"You love her, yes? All that seeking? It's... understandable, especially on Samhain."

He looks away again.

"Did... did she force?" Riled, ire starting to bubble.

Eye brows rise "You think she did but Paler didn't?"

"Did...what?" Blankly.

"I wouldn't think she did, but... but is that? Is that why you've been upset?"

"Did she... did Coradel... force?" Lost, then "Me??" Shocked.

"Did she... No! No, no no.... no, absol... No!"

Ire gone. "Good. If she hurt you..."

"No! No, she... no, not..." Flaming red, they can feel heat coming off him.

"Okay, okay... August, please, I'm sorry. I misread."

"It's okay, August. I know you're more ah, conservative than some fae, and that probably means your relationship is a private thing in a lot of ways"

He takes a deep breath, nods.

"It... I can't remember what happened. Mists. I wish I could."

"Just because something happened once doesn't mean... surely, you could seek confession? That's how it works, isn't it?"