#scarsdale

Indeed.. that little rivet is doing it's damage a lot faster than Zara expected. Perhaps because it's already been altered by Guzrela,

Zara scrambles and veils!

And the Count and Guzrela, appear on the scene "What the furk?" The nocker says

The Count stands a bit cold and frowing . His neice by his side looks around more attentively and then sees.. the Orrery spark rattled, and snap into several pieces!

Zara kenns each of them in turn.

The Count kens strong, good glamour balance. Seems healthy. Yet..there is something almost too uniform about it

Guzrela ducks behind him as the orrey breaks loose parts that rain down, then calls out "Who the furk is doing this?"

She clutches at her wrist as if to stop herself from shaking

The count does not flinch, does not panic and say in a calm voice "Thanes, alert all guards and knights! The Orrey has been tampered with. Do not let anyone out, close all egresses! We will find who did this!"

Nelson blurts "But you can't"

and then suddenly the others turn on the boy

"Nelson?" Guzrela says "Squire?"

She rubs at her wrist again

"Squire Nelson" The Count turns "explain yourself"

The boy stands up then takes a breath then says "That is, you don't need to. I did it" He says " Iwas curious to see what would happen. "

Try as she might, Zara cannot make out just what is wrong here with the Count.

But the Count says "Squire Nelson, this is our most prized symbol. You are here by banished from Alabaster Hollow and it's lands. No succor from any of it's subjects will be yours. " He looks at the thane "Open the doors. We have our culprit. As he is a child. Banishment will suffice"

And just like that the path for Zara is open, guards relax a bit... and blame? Blame is put on the Eiluned

"miserable brat" Guzrela mutters. Oh the waves off her 'harmless, amiable'? they don't affect Zara

Eyes narrow on the count.

Nelson looks surprised, he didn't expect THIS harsh a sentence. And it's an odd one. Who banishes a kid? Unless.. unless that childling is some how immune to some magics?

He bows "Yes, Count"

She shoos 1122 to Nelson - take him to Earl, we shall shelter him until this is fixed

The count says smoothly "Go then" He turns "I grow tired. Chancellior Guzrela, take charge of repairs" And he marches off

And that's when Zara hears it

the footfalls

those are soft boots. Why is the count heavy?

His expression, so impassive, not a typical dougal no...

He's artificial , an EXACT Match for the real thing!

1122 taps On it! and moves to the boy

Chancellior Guzrela bows "Yes, Lord Uncle I'm so sorry I.. this is my fault" Playing the sort who takes too much on her shoulders

And she moves along telling the thanes "I want security increased and this area cleared. I'll handle the rebuilding. This is on me"

Zara quietly rolls her eyes. Still veiled she mimes dropping tools and and tugging at her hair and cursing, then blows a kiss to the nocker - a Foul Fortune!

Zara works her magic but fortune is fickle and she is not sure i's slowing the chancelioer down at all

No time to waste there... if it works, it works. She follows the "Count."

And down the halls she slips

Zara can see the lay out is much as before. the Count's chambers are NOT o be open to just anyone. But even when she was a meeker thing she did not often get kept out of places

Indeed, and she has the pen collection to prove it...

Security has gone UP. tighter! on a less frustrating day, Zara might welcome the challenge. But the Count's door closed behind him, and the locks wind into place with new clicks and hisses

Slowly she oozes past the fancy locks. Skull flattening, skin seeming to grow slick

It takes patience. And today, it seems, wants to be an exercise in patience.

She slides into the chamber and.. does not find the count. here is his bed chamber, but where is he? the en suite?

Odd, that.

The rug is new? Mm the one thing that's really changed, a throw rug that. .oh for goodness sake. Moving the rug she finds the secret stair case.. that by non sluagh standards is well hidden

Feh. Amateurs.

Well, obviously, down she goes.

A secret chamber, how nice!

And then.. the trap..

wait what? oh, a set spell

how annoying