#scarsdale

"Hy Hunter would give the last of himself... but thank you, aye. Now, tell me of your stalker..."

The drive is filled with soft whispers in the front between the ladies of her stalker, and she is almost girlish "he has been leaving notes with locks of his own hair , the notes are left in places that denote an almost unseemly closeness" Titilating "And yet his hair gives me so much power to destroy him. ooh how he taunts me"

"Ah, have you tried sighing at your window? Seemingly to glance upon him, but just letitng him elude your gaze?"

Earl in the back blinks. This sounds oddly familiar if he heard it right

"Ah, yes, I see what you mean, I had done something similar when.." And she lowers her voice further as she describes to Zara how she closed lacy curtains after lingering there to make him wonder at what she was doing now

Soon, they are the porch of the house Zara grew up in. Hannah has apparently started to faze out winter decor and put up more spring time adornments

Zara slips in via the kitchen door. "Mama, I brought company.."

Hannah turns, and breaks into a smile "Zara, it's been too long." and of course her friends can come in. Everyone must sit down and let her feed them! They're all too skinny. Is Earl starving himself? he looks too boney for a fine troll boy. Why yes, Marzanna's garments are lovely and it's good to see her again, she too should eat. Zara finds herself hugged, and suddenly in a wash of a ritual that is to her a life time ceremony

Zara makes ritual protests to the fuss, but certainly accepts it.

The dance of mother and daughter ends as it should, with daughterly indulgance of matronly tyranny, and while there is a brief spat of Hannah asking a million questions, she too knows when to leave be... and soon? Tea

Tea. 💜

At first, not counting motherly matters, no questions are asked, polite conversation, of course. Sluagh polite is quiet, dignified, with long moments of silence. Zara has been up all night, but she does not feel tired, nay, not yet. Rather it is a serene sort of invigoration. Family, friend, and paramour with tea.

But the time does arise, the PROPER time, when Zara may make her inquiry.

"So, tell me of this Awstin."

"Sir Awstin ap Gwydion, dubbed by some, Awstin the Steady. An odd descriptor given falcon temper. In truth it is more to a boast to his stamina. As a mortal he partakes in Marathons, and his mortal name, of course, Austin. Austin Glenn if you ask the full. He joined up with the court recently and earned the Count's trust despite his lack of crafting skills. Before this, Awstin worked at hold contested between nobles and commoners, both had claim on it. The commoner champion was , as seems to be a theme tonight, laid ill by a virus. With the deadline approaching, it seemed the commoners would lose by default in the test of arms."

She pauses her story, "how on earth did your mother ever learn to make proper crumpets? Marvelous"

"....Which hold?"

"The Welcome Hither Hold, in.. I think Arden? Delaware. " She says after thinking it over "If you ask me, the commoners had the better claim. Regardless, the commoners asked for an extension to get a new champion, but it was denied. Da'an will have it's way, one noble opined, no doubt in a smirk. It was then that one childling asked if any of the knights would be kind enough to fight, and fight true on behalf of the commoners. This was treated with some amusement, but Sir Awstin did not laugh. The Baroness sidhe, an Eiluned, joked about how perhaps the falcon would like to give it a try. Details vary on what he said, but a local eshu says his words were 'you would not wish that, for though I am of the noblity, once tasked to this service, I will fight as honor demands and that means with my all"

"The baroness wanting it done, drew him aside, it is rumored ,and ORDERED him to fight less than his best."

Earl raises a brow at this story.

Marzana sips. She does enjoy building antici...pation.

Eyebrow. "No honor in that..."

"Indeed, and Sir Awstin is an honorable man. So... he defied the baroness by fighting hard on behalf of the commoners, and perhaps his own pride, and ..though beat near to death by her champion, a troll named Sir Uthrak, he won. More a testament to his ability to take punishment it's said, though some speculate that Sir Uthrak's heart went out of him as he saw his brother knight so gallantly opposing him. The commoners gained the hold, the baroness was cheated! She prepared to punish him, even going as far as to threaten him with breaking sworn oath to him... when...the bale of the lodge itself, as if recognizing that she did NOT rule here flared... and the new Free holders as one informed her right of demense. Not only would she not, but she would release him now from all obligations. Makes one proud to be of 'common' blood, nu?"

"Aye!"

"So, clearly he left" Earl says

"Aye," Marzanna says with a tisk, "he said he could not in good conscience remain at this commoner hold despite it's kindness, for if the lady sought revenge it be better it be on him, and while he did not believe in modernist thinking, twas every Falcon's duty to see the good folk not be endangered. They offered him a gift to offer as a tribute to a new ledge, a cunning cuckoo clock. ANd advised him to down play his part in defying noble rule. Being a Gwydion , he took the clock, but was completely honest with his excellency. You should see the clock, Zara. It whispers secrets every 13th hour if you listen very carefully and can translate it. Oh. The count was enamoured with it, and also, preferring honest knights, took the man in. I am not sure Awstin is devoted to the Count, so much as his honor demands he serve with his utmost."

"Hm."

"And who would bring harm to the Count? On Carnival?"

"This I do not know, and it is most frustrating. Boggan gossip flies like magpies, nosy, and stealing truth leaving only the feathers of speculation. Only the Count's most trusted know the secret, and they are not talking. The count himself lays in a torpor, too ill. It maybe weeks, months before he recovers, and were it not for this failure he'd be surely dead. ALabaster Hollow, however dryly Dougal it maybe, has for the most part been free of silly intrigues, but now it shall be awash in them."

Earl frowns "A shame Queen Valerie isn't kithain. For a one night queen who was a mortal that got tipsy, she seemed to have a bearing and some sense."

"I rather liked her."

"Yes, I took the liberty of peeking her book bag. I approve of anyone who has Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame on their reading list. Now Hugo had a respect for grand old buildings. "

"Oh, aye..." And soon the talk is on literature.

ANd it goes most pleasantly, every now and then mama comes in to make sure they have enough snacks but never long enough to be intrusive or unwelcome

And there is tea

(End scene)