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So Princess... How does it go from here? - Berin

Not well.
At least not that I can see. - Arrow

Eric of the Georges only sees us as divisive. - B

He's not wrong. - A

Huh.
He called us "incestuous" for "cross breeding" over intricate, sacred, and ancient genealogical boundaries. - B

Again. He's not wrong. Certainly not by Faelan's 'ancient and sacred' rules. - A

He also accused us of dumping it on his doorstep to deal with in the form of young Accalon. - B

Well. He's not wrong there either. He knew there'd be too much power in too small an area. That attracts way too much attention from the greedy and covetous who slide through the Worlds. It defeats his purpose in being here. He didn't want it and we strong armed him into it. - A

Ha! This is not the source of his evil leanings. - B

True. But what hope of ever lancing it if we do as the others? No. Don't look at me that way. My orders come from high up.  This added a significant crusty layer over a deeply festering sore.
Regardless.
That Hedge wasn't only for Beauty. The Fae dumped and ran, leaving only me to represent.
Strange things are drawn to power Aladan. - A

Princess. It was his own ass he was covering with the Briar. - B

Yes. But not only his. I was there, and have come and gone throughout. It has been almost beyond us to keep up the battle. And that is no small thing. The Fae, in all its wonderful flavours, were not too interested. Doesn't affect them, right? And, yes. I know the exceptions as well as you. However. This bunch burning to go into their sacred bacchanalias this Hallow's Moon, are not going to be easily reined in if there rites are imposed upon and their rage gets turned this way.
This does affect them now.
They will see this place as a target even as they deal with the Ghosts. This breaks the most sacred in this slice of Sanctuary: Don't interfere with me and I'll leave you alone. They are not going to care that its their own ignorant, blind rules that have helped create the situation.
Crossing the boundaries in love and war has always gone on. It builds strong alliances that the short sighted and short lived, miss. Our battle to convince a significant number of our myopic relations of this truth has now become considerably more difficult. At least from our perspective. So. How is it, Berin Aladantin, that we are going to convince my unacknowledged cousins that our counsel is wise? - A

Huh. I assumed you were going to tell me. - B

You do realize, Berin. You're not for me, either. - A

What?! Where in the Darkness did that come from?? Never... - B

Hush. Your eyes give it away. Not much. Not often. But enough that it needs to be said.
Besides, you've been so busy warning off all the little boys that I thought you should know. In case there's anyone else you feel the need to scare away...
It will be a very strong man with a good brain and a heart both big and hard who can top me. One wise enough to share the position.
And that,
my friend,
is not easily found. - A

Power in the Blood

Hey Pretty Girl... Luv? Where in the dreaming r u?! - Arrow

Counsel's called at the Grange 2mrrow. Imagine that, eh? U'd a think the ground's gonna open n swallow me up. Never see come see... - A

Arrow. Arrow? Y u gots ur hand on her brow like that fer? 'S Beauty ok?? - Runt

*sigh* Hey Squeak. Ur back quick. She's good. I was jist hoping to step in the dreaming with her. She sees things in there, n time's short. I thought maybe, but the images r too jumbled. - A

Huh. She sees things out here too even tho she's in there. She talks to me sometimes. Sound asleep she is, but there we go, having the oddest convos. - R

Really? Like? - A

Weell... She asked me wots me biggest fear n wots my greatest love... - R

And? - A

I told her my greatest love was me biggest fear n she told me that was Walker's fodder. Gots to say that scared me a wee bit. - R

Huh. No doubt!
So u's afraid to lose wots u love most. That about cover it? - A

*nod* - R

Well. U understand them spooks feed off ur energy, aye? N once they've tapped into u they have a line to u that u can feel if ur paying attention. They poke at ya thru it. Stirring wants n loves n mostly fears cuz they need that energy to fuel their substance... - A

Wot u mean? - R

Suckin' out ur energy feeds them, gives them form, lets them shift from Ghost to corporal bodies, it allows them to live again. N they r some p.o.'d mithers let me tell u. Not usually the happiest of beings b4 they skewered themselves on the Hedge, the poison n the half life sets them off worse, aye? They wants their pound a flesh from the Worlds n ur wots gonna get it fir dem. Mind, they have to b close to collect from u but that don't stop them from stirring the pot from wherever n making it build.
When u love hard n fear the loss its prime energy for them. U'll find ur fear grows n grows till the love is so painful u can barely stand it n all u can think about is wots gonna happen when u lose it. It all gets out of balance, the love n the fear. N the whole drama of it cranks them up n they drain off wot ever u've got leaving u hurting n wanting n lost n more afraid than ever that ur losing ur love. If u don't c it they dig in n drive u to perpetuate the cycle. Places n things have their own hold but when its a person whose ur focus, ur love, then ur screwed cuz ur unbalanced behavior as ur fear increases pushes ur loved one away and u make true the thing u fear most. - A

Best not to love then. I think Ogre has the right of it. - R

Ha!! U think he don't love? Lol... He's a prime example of wot love looks like when it gets twisted. U can wall it all up n deny it as much as u like, but the Lord a Sanctuary made us with a need n a capacity to love. If ur fear won't let u accept that n u bury love then it eeks out in unhealthy ways, twisted by ur corrupt thinking. Finding the balance is key, n thats hard at the best of times nvrmind when u gots a Ghost ridin' ur ass.
U got ur work cut out fer u Short Stuff. No question.
Huh.
There's power in ur Blood, wee'un. N u were targeted for that. We shoulda known n been on the ball n we dropped it. Ur ours to protect, aye, n we blew it. Sorry's for that, eh? More n u could ever know. But there's more at play than u n I, aiiight? Sanctuary flows on its own time n we jist gotta roll with it. Those same blood lines dem Walkers wanna feed on r wots gonna help in ur battle. - A

Ogre said I had Fae in me. N that my peeps didn't want me n nither does he?! Y wouldn't my own want me Arrow? Wots so wrong with me?! Everyone loves the Fae, eh? - R

Oh. Boy. Gonna wring his bloody neck, me.
K. Here's the thing. Ur story is centuries in the making n it ain't gonna get told in one sitting, aiiight? U gonna have to trust me on this. Its bigger than ur wee shoulders can carry at this stage n like any growing thing u'll learn one mouthful at a time soos u don't choke on the whole a it. K?! Is nuff fer now to know u got peeps who love u, n that u were and r wanted more than anything to somes. Thats as much as any if us can hope for, aye? N the rest u jist deal with as it comes. - A