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The scene is Eilwen and Zalana in the forest, Eilwen is patched up by Zelana's amazing healing skill and regains most of her equilibrium again. Zalana questions Eilwen concerning the beast, and the attack, and has her suspicions aroused by Eilwen's retelling of the beasts speech.

Both go back to the settlement to examine the boy, Eilwen to get some more information, and Zalana to see if she is able to assist. With a herculean effort on Zalana's part, she is able to restore most of the boys health, and he should recover. Zalana wants answers on her own, and during the impromptu celebration of the boys return to health when he was on death's door, she slips out.

Eilwen wishes to follow to see what Zalana is up to, and to offer some protection against the things lurking in the forest. Whatever else Zalana is, she is certainly at home in the woods, and Eilwen decides to let her go her own way, and get back to the task that she was interrupted from during the previous attack.

The scene shifts to Spring Fountain and the preparations to be made to attend a gathering at the Hen's Lips. Mainly just a feel out Jacques and see how much of a stiff he is, or can the boy get the 10' post out of his @$$ and cut loose.

Emilie's goal this evening is to not have Guilbert be drunk and make a fool of himself, and to do this, Etienne must be neutralized. With Guy's help the setup will be a sacrifice. Emilie's sobriety for Guilbert's, but Etienne drinks 3 to her 1. The choice of weapon's: Grain Alcohol. Etienne agrees to this contest as Guy had egged him on, and challenged his manliness with an entire pitcher of the foul stuff. Etienne involved Emilie, thinking she would back down, as she was never the drinking type (wet blanket), and he would be free to focus on Guilbert.

Etienne is defeated, by the victory is costly, and puts Emilie mostly out of commission for the remainder of the evening. Guilbert is free to discuss politics with Jacques, how he considers himself to be more of a people person than his father, and not as overbearing and dictatorial as he was/is. In touch with the masses as it were. Aimee and Jacques are attentive, but political (i.e. non-responsive). We also learn that Guilbert really doesn't want his father's position, he'd much rather it be far later than now.

The verbal sparring goes back and forth for awhile, and Jacques finally drops the blast in an aside comment, "What's to prevent you from becoming a tyrannical warlord that is only interested in power?" A clear voice from the corner pipes in "ME!" and Emilie slumps again into staring at the flames of the fire. All the while Guilbert and Jacques are speaking, Guilbert is intent on catching up on Etienne and has been steadily power drinking wine ever since.

Jacques escorts Aimee away at this point, and takes her back toward her rooms in the fortress. They kiss, chastely, two young people forming the tentative first forays into a relationship.

Zalana heads much deeper in the forest, leaving all of civilization behind. She seeks the tree guardians, and spirit's from HER religion. Zalana's form also goes a trifle indistinct, almost as if she weren't entirely human, and that heritage is free amongst the trees. She queries her spirit friends, and finds out that Jealously of the humans is what released the Vengeance spirits, and there will be more of them. She learns as well that she is the daughter of a dryad. Spirits are rather derogatory to her, and keep calling her half-stain. Remarking on her 'tainted' human side. Zelana ends her time there, consulting on exactly when certain events occurred and looking into other avenues of inquiry.

Guilbert finally reaches the point where he usually goes to 'visit with the people' mainly consisting of wandering around blind drunk for awhile, and bump into things.

However this time one of the things he bumps into, is there with intent. Josette in a display of amazing forwardness and bravery, finally captures the man of her dreams, and leads him into her bed. A bold move, and the culmination of many an hour of Guy's ingenuity, and Emilie and Zelana's coaxing.

Emilie astride her horse (about the only way she is ambulatory), witnesses the events and sees the lovers together, and hopes something good will come of the pairing.