#scarsdale

"I.." He ponders "is truth rude and impolite?"

"It is important to learn to be both truthful and polite. Especially amongst our own kind."

"Speak truth with kindness, and it will rarely be rude."

A nod, sober and serous for such a young face, "I have been happy most of the time. sometimes i worry about you and mom, and even your too tall boyfriend. i know .. i mean, i don't know as much as some, but I know you and the balor are enemies and I worry about you. normally? I like being scared just a bit? and I love when others are scared? but...this is different, this isn't fun scared, this is... like there's this pit in my stomach and nothing will fill it so I just keep falling inside myself and I can't throw a rope to anyone else to help them, let alone myself."

"Fear is who and what we are. And it can be fun to be scared, and fun to be the thing that goes bump in the night. But fear is also a gift, and rarely more so than when it is not fun - when it hurts. That is fear giving back to us, letting us know we must be wary. That is what keeps us alive."

"oh" A nod "Okay I kind want... I hate not being able to make it better. i should be able to help family right?"

"You must learn to accept that gift, that fear... when you reject it, it can overwhelm you. The fear is trying to be heard, so it gets louder and louder until it is like on of Uncle Hirim's suits."

a chuff laugh of his own at the mention of Uncle Hirim's suits

She nods. "I know. And sometimes... sometimes, that fear is hard to control. But you can help. Miriam has been afraid for so long, and alone... you can be a second set of eyes for her, you can share her fear and halve it."

"You and she may both be less afraid, because neither of you will be watching alone."

"i'm good at watching" he brightens further

She nods. "I know it. So - you will watch for secret and hidden things, and let Miriam know."

"I will" A firm nod

A voice calls up from another room... "Jaccob... your studies"

She leans over and kisses him on the forehead. "Go, aye?"

"I guess there are worse things than having a religion that lets you read books" A shrug

He can't shout back, so he rubs at his forehead, then waves to his sister, then to 1122, and then he goes out of her room and down the steps with a dignfiied bounding... if one can bound with dignity

Zara settles back on her bed, oddly content.

And 1122 has his popcorn pile undisturbed. Yes. Good

(End scene)