#scarsdale

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"You have to tell them, Zara" Earl says "I have no idea how they'll respond, but they need to know Paler is gone. Also... you might want to... look, I'm not blind, you have mixed feelings about how this all came down. Talk to your mom, your dad?"

Zara looks at the familiar front door. "...Aye."

"I'd like to be by your side when you do, unless you prefer not?" he says , taking herh and in his and kissing it

"They don't really understand."

"No, but that's partially because you protected them, sheltered them. They can't understand some of it because you did your duty very well, like a protective daughter"

"Aye."

Then "Clem says you'd make a good troll" straight faced

"A rather puny one." Zara starts towards the house - avoiding the front, and going to the kitchen door instead.

"But big hearted" He adds going with her "But I like you puny, you fit in my arms so nicely"

"There you are, bubalah...." Hannah greets her. "Hungry? Hello, Earl."

"Mama." She seeks her mother, arms out.

"Well now...." she gets her hugs "... what's this?"

"Mrs. Hannah" He says polite but a smile

"Just... happy to see you." She pulls back, and pushes her bangs away from her dark eyes.

"I'm happy to see you too. Sit, I'll get you plates." She bustles around.

"I... yes, Mama." She sits.

"Oh that's not..." But seeing Zara sit, he sits "It's very kind, thank you"

Pretty soon there's a nice nosh out. Hannah goes back to kneeding.

Earl looks at Zara, and whispers "You want me to tell her?"

Zara pokes at her greenish kugel.

"Mama, Paler is dead."

"What?" She stops and turns, hands dough-y.

"That man. The one who hurt you."

Earl nods "He messed with the wrong people one too many times"

Poke.. poke...

Earl looks at the kugel sympathetically.

"Oh, Zara...." worried ".... how? Did you tell your uncles?"

"I need to. I haven't yet."

Hannah tuts and goes to call them.

Earl leans over to Zara, "They'll understand... in their loud way"

"10 minutes, he says." Hannah rolls her eyes. "20, at least. Time them."

"Now, Zara, tell me what happened." She sits down with them. In THIS family, tales are told many times.

"...he took August. You remember August, Mama."

"That's why I had to leave dinner. It's... he threatened to kill him." Nope, not eating. She pushes the noodles around the plate.

"It was a matter of someone's life on the line" earl says "Your daughter was very brave in a very scary situation."

"August is safe now. Healing. His Trueheart saved him."

"His trueheart had a LOT of help " Earl mutters

"He and his two main lieutenants are dead." A little line between her eyebrows.

"The rest are scattered, leaderless. So. So, I suppose it is over."

"But -you- are ok?" Peering at her closely.

"Fine."

"None of the rescuers were hurt. August will be okay, he's healing."

Earl looks at Hannah "We're all a bit shaken by it to one degree or another"

"But you, neither of you, are hurt?" Earl gets an inspection too.

"No. Not hurt, Mama." She pushes the plate away.

"My injuries healed days ago" earl says

Which might be news to Zara.

"You should have some chicken soup...." Hannah frets.

She shoots Earl a LOOK.