#scarsdale

"Unless... you mean now?"

She ahems and her wings flutter towards a window

Dark eyes flick, searching.

This time she sees it, a brief glance of slipper behind a tree which vanishes. The wards keep her at bay, and too far to eavesdrop, but the girl waits, darts to another area, and looks from there. She's GOOD at hiding, as all her kith are...save the infamous Ralph, but we speak not of him.

"Dear sister, what think you of taking our tea to the garden?"

"Why not? I have the hat for it now" Proudly "And mayhaps we'll pick up a dormouse?"

"Mayhaps!"

Zara loads a tray.... with three cups...

And the two set out to garden. Tea is set, and...Zara, now aware of her, notices a pair of eyes from behind a tree

She pours. One. Two. Three... the last set out, a mute invitation.

contritely, and since they are beyond the wards, Velvet shadecandle brings herself forward, "if it does not offend, might a traveler join you?"

"This is a traveller far from home. Aye, come, to the tea, to the table. Miss Shadecastle, this is Miss Vashti."

Vashti tips her hat, "the time has come, the Beatle said, to talk of many things. Of whether tea holds all wisdom, or merely wisdom's strings."

A pause, but Velvet comes forward, "Charmed, thank you Miss Vashti, Miss Zara." She takes a seat

"Do you take cream, Miss Velvet? I have a pot well-aged, for proper company."

"oh," velvet is very pleased, "thank you ever so much, the boggans at Earthrunes are kindly, but their cream is," a delicate nose wrinkle, "Well, they're not quite aware of the difficulties of accommodating diversity"

She nods. "Boggans mean well. If you are in straits, I keep a few personal supplies in the library."

Clotted cream for Velvet AND for Zara. Cookies for all, from segregated plates.

Velvet says "as I came not even with a hat in my hand, for surely Miss Vashti's hat is grand enough for three," The girl says "perhaps, if not overly crass, I could offer some tidbits of information?"

Vashti seems pleased by the praise of her hat

"Well, information is always a pleasant offering. A good seasoning to shared fare."

"Twould seem that Dubh, the unsained, worries for one Sparrow, she ruled him in a in a past life and he is loyal. He believes her melancholy or at least filled with some uncertainty, and spoke to Sir August on how to assure her … frankly, I fear they may misstep, as they are, as you know, 'boys'" a sigh

She sips her tea, considering.

"It seems, to me, that Sir August is fond of the bird Baroness. A good deed for her may well be a shining feather in one's cap."

"Perhaps, oh, and Sir Almandine has been constructing the most elaborate of zodiac wheels and start charts."

"Aye? I should check in on him. I respect his work, his approach is very different from mine. Tell me, what are you working on?"

A pause, "In truth? I... came to see you. Rumor , which doth, unlike more feline secrets, goes barking doglike before all... that Sir August is … hoping you will evaluate me on my worth as a squire. I confess, I do feel somewhat tawdry bringing it up, but you did ask"

Vashti looks fascinated

She nods. "A true rumor. What do you think of that?"

"I find it intimidating and am torn between currying favor as is prudent, or protesting in indignation that so many might have my future in their hands" THe girl blushes

"Why wish to be a squire at all?"

"It is my hope to study whence a knight falls one day, oh I would endeavor to keep him alive with all my energies, but, I would grow to know a spirit, a good ly sort of knight, and understand how his fate comes to pass and observe. One must be a bit of a moon to follow the Earth's trials, musn't one? In orbit? And why not I? Are sluagh less worthy than trolls and sidhe of honors striven for?"

She considers. "Sluagh are well and worthy, of course - a whispering Countess watches over your land, nu? But... your first hope is to see a sidhe's death? I understand the curiosity, of course..."

"tis not just that, to be...to see where the light leaks is crucial, to understand endings a knight's fall be that fall to death or decay, I ..need to know. I worded it better with Sir August, truly. But..." a blush "I am unsettled here. I would not send him to death early. Far from it. I am still sluagh, I can be both. I can walk the wire. let me prove it. have you never wanted anything in your life?"

"I have wanted much. Though, a'times, having is.... not so pleasurable as the wanting."

"But you seek not higher title - simply... ah.. placement?"

"Higher title? I suppose if duty called I'd consider it, but I think it is best to have a foot in the door so both sounds from hallway and main room alike can not escape you. A squire has that advantage, though there is more work, but I am not a shirker, miss."

"I would not presume you were. There will be difficulties, with the title - it can set you apart from your common cousins, for good or ill."

"true, and I know this. but perhaps I'll yet serve my knight and my kith. of all of them in the world, sir august I think ...he may never understand sluagh, but he would die for anyone of us. I confesss, he is bright. it draws one like a moth to flame" the girl says

"Sitting right here," Vashti mutters in her cup.

And Velvet blushes

A sigh. "August does shine, aye. But... sidhe, no matter how well intentioned, do not understand us."

"but we can understand them, and indeed, must if we are to prosper as a kith. I do not know da'an as well as thee, lady, but if I could uncover even a fraction of their final place in the tapestry, would it not be worth it?"

She nods. "It would. And you would be hard-pressed to find a sidhe better than him. But... again, guard thyself. He may cause insult without malice, or fail to see what would be a billboard sign to our eyes."

"then, truly he needs all the sluagh help he can get, nu?"

"Oh...." A little smile. "Oh, he does." Not without affection.

Vashti sips "Who knew a Liam would be such a labor intensive project?"

"He is a dear friend. And an old one. Such houses take work, or they will crumble."

"I would like to help him" the girl says "And, if he does not forbid, perhaps an extra set of eyes on him, eyes that might talk over tea? Would be of use to you too?"

A slow sip, and then a slight nod.