• Holmes: Fahd comes to Teodric at Thrakelust's estate. "I have responded to the council, but they still need me. I'm worried about Okhfel's and Isadora's children. I... I had to send Chimrea on a mission. But I'm not sure if they've dealt with their parent's disappearances. That is..."
• Holmes: The Spirit Talker seems uncharacteristically lost for words for a moment. And then, "I think that they feel that it's just another one of their parent's temporary trips somewhere. But I saw what happened. And I fear that it's more permanent this time. Completely permanent. I didn't tell them this."
• Holmes: "As I say, the council needs me," he looks at Teodric. "Could you see to this?"
• Teodric: Teodric leans forward "How do you think they will respond?"
• Holmes: "Hard to say," he says, but admits, "Probably not well."
• Holmes: "I think we owe Okhfels and Isadora that much, no?" he says.
• Teodric: Teodric nods slowly "I agree. And you are right, the council needs you. I will take care of it."
• Holmes: *
• Holmes: *
• Holmes: *
• Holmes: Later, Teodric enters the abode of the children...for a moment he thinks he can feel the spirit that Fahd has said is now inhabiting the place. Apparently they had returned from an expedition to the White Wood, which had taken them a very short time, but had them gone for a couple of weeks. Chimrea sees Teodric enter, the clear sky at his back.
• Chimrea is frowning down at a little carved doll or statue in her hands, which she rolls under a fold of her skirt when Teodric enters. "Yes, my lord?" she says, rising and standing with hands folded primly.
• Teodric: Teodric looks briefly around the room and then focuses on Chimrea "There is no need for such formality Chimrea. I was a friend of your parents and ... I felt I should pay my respects"
• Holmes: As Teodric replies, she can see the massive spirit that now seems to inhabit their house. Apparently part of the magic that had transformed her house. The house now felt a little like Belnif's house (sans the mess).
• Chimrea looks a little troubled at what Teodric says, but her face clears soon enough. "That's all right," she says brightly. "They've been gone before. They always find their way back."
• Teodric: Teodric frowns slightly "I think maybe we should sit down and talk."
• Chimrea: "Of course," she says, waving him to a chair. "How rude of me. Would you like anything to eat or drink?"
• Chimrea: "It is different," says Chimrea. "There's a new spirit here." Her bright obliviousness has temporarily slipped, like it's something she has to concentrate to keep up.
• Teodric: Teodric doesn't want to hurt her, but her knows that it will hurt worse if she can't deal with the truth. "Do you know how the spirit got here? Or why it came?"
• Chimrea: "Not really," she replies. "I was just trying to sort that out--I guess I've been away for a while." She looks a little confused.
• Teodric: "Do you know what happened to your parents?" Teodric pauses, "Do you understand what happened to them?"
• Chimrea: "When I left, it didn't seem like anyone understood what happened to them," Chimrea says quietly.
• Teodric: Teodric leans forward "My understanding Chimrea, is that what happened to your parents is more permanent. What I'm trying to say, is that everyone believes your parents are dead."
• Chimrea: "You're saying 'everybody believes,' which means that you don't really know," Chimrea argues, but she looks like she knows she's going to lose this one.
• Teodric: Teodric shakes his head slowly "Chimrea, I think it's time to face the truth. Your parents won't be coming back. As I understand it, they gave their lives to remove Governor Thrakelust and ensure the protection of you and your brothers"
• Chimrea: "But... where does that leave us?" Chimrea bites her lip, then continues, "I mean, are we going to be thrown out again?" She's still dodging the subject of death.
• Teodric: "No the house is yours. I will do everything in my power to ensure that it stays that way. But you can not continue in this belief that your parents will return. It isn't healthy."
• Chimrea: Chimrea looks rebellious for a moment, then nods. "I've sorta been dodging Osalder and Malwen," she says. "Are they okay?"
• Holmes: Just then Osalder walks in. "There you are!" he pauses briefly, looks at Teodric. "Lord."
• Holmes: Then he goes back to laying into Chimrea, "Our parent's are gone, and you find it meet to go off into the WHITE WOOD, no less?"
• Holmes: "Did our parents teach you nothing at all?"
• Holmes: He is incensed.
• Chimrea: "They taught me to ignore everyone around you when something's important," Chimrea fires back at Osalder, caught between defiant adult and sulky teenager. "Someone needed my help, and she was going in with or without me!"
• Holmes: Osalder winds up and slaps his younger sister across the face. "Don't you speak of them that way!"
• Chimrea gapes at Osalder, going pale except for a red mark where he slapped her. "But..." she says, tears welling up in her eyes, until the injustice of it overwhelms her and she bursts out, "but they did it all the time! You heard the stories." Her voice is plaintive by the end.
• Holmes: "They loved us, and are gone because they protected us!" he shouts at her, more and more half-heartedly.
• Holmes: "Now all we have is each other," he says, almost crying himself now.
• Chimrea: "I'm sorry," she whispers, and throws her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder and crying. "I'm sorry."
• Holmes: Osalder's head moves around in an expression of anguish, and it's apparent that he's given in to his sister's pain. He puts his arms around her. "I'm sorry, too."
• Teodric: Teodric studies the wall, unwilling to spoil this family moment.
• Chimrea: After a minute of sniffling, Chimrea pulls back. "We'll get to keep the house, he said." She wants to tell Osalder, but isn't sure how he'll react, that she might be able to find their parents.
• Holmes: Chimrea can feel the guardian of the house reaching out to her, like a cooling breeze sweeping through the room. It wants to know if Teodric is a friend. A good friend. One who should be guarded as well.
• Chimrea stiffens a bit, realizing she's not even sure if Osalder knows about the spirit. About Teodric, she knows her parents had some sort of strained relationship with him, but she thinks of his promise to save the house for them and impulsively decides that he's a friend.
• Holmes: As she accepts him, suddenly Teodric can feel something in the air of the house surrounding him. For a moment it seems as though it might be dangerous, but then it seems to tell him that it's OK... with just the movement of the air. And then it asks him. Asks him if he wants to belong to the house. If he will commit to the protection of those within, accepting the guardian's protection in return.
• Teodric confirms his intention to protect those within the house.
• Holmes: The spirit blows through Teodric, feeling if he is honest about this. Seeming satisfied, it then blows through the house in a happy manner.
• Chimrea: Wiping her face with her hands, Chimrea says, "Thank you for coming to talk to me, Teodric, and for your promise. We'll be fine."

• Holmes: The imp appears once again to Tez. It's greasy features crinkle with mischief. "Methinks you need some leverage with the locals. There is some force that threatens Green Lake. If you knew what it was, you could use that as a bargaining chip. There is an outsider in Green Lake named Agnes. Seek her out, and she'll be able to tell you what the threat is."
• Tez: "I can't even leave the room, how am I supposed to talk to this Agnes of yours?"
• Holmes: "This Agnes has a powerful mind," the demon relays to Tez. "I can connect your mind to hers. Convince her to come and talk to you."
• Holmes: It looks at Tez, expecting her to comply with the suggestion.
• Tez stares at the demon
• Tez: "Ooookay."
• Holmes: The imp hops up on to her bed, and holds out its hands, as if to touch the sides of her head. The things mitts look filthy.
• Tez sighs, and wipes some of the nasties off his hands with a convenient cloth, then sticks her face in between them.
• Holmes: It's paws stink as one would expect, as it presses firmly on the sides of her head. The room fades from sight, and is replaced by a purple miasma. Tez senses her mind rushing through this space.
• Tez: "Agnes?" She thinks hard at the weird purpleness.
• Holmes: Through the mists another mind seems to begin to form, but it's still somewhat far off.
• Tez pushes towards the other mind in the mist, fleetingly thinking that this is pretty cool, and calls out again, "Agnes, I need your help. Please come to me."
• Holmes: Agnes had been pondering what Arblak had told her. He had accomplished much, but needed to have his power amplified somehow in order to break the thing that was causing the problems with Serrin. He could only hold it off for the moment.
• Holmes: Arblak's suggestion was that, perhaps, they could get access to the forge in Green Lake. And use that power to effect the changes neccessary.
• Holmes: They'd made it back to Chimrea's parent's house, but had not had time to investigate options yet.
• Holmes: And now, through time and space, comes the mind of somebody she doesn't recognize. Supported by some strange force that's hard for her to discern.
• Agnes meanders in a daze, searching for her center.
• Agnes: She finds herself outside the forge, but thinking of the strange plea for help. And of Chimrea and Rhoziar. And sadly of Serrin and Islitarialind. The secret spaces beneath the forge compound and between the walls beckon as a safe place to think.
• Agnes: Once in the presence of the mentalities guarding the forge, Agnes is able to concentrate on the unnatural contact that was made.

(Missing post?)

• Tez jerks, startled.. having not expected a reply after waiting so long. "Hello?" she replies tentatively. "Are you Agnes?"
• Agnes: "I am. Are you with my father?"
• Tez: "Who is your father?"
• Agnes: "I guess that's a 'no.' Who are you?"
• Tez: "I am known as Tezcatlipoca." the mental voice is tinged with pride.
• Agnes: "Oh...well, pleased to meet you, Tezcatlipoca...what...why are you calling to me?"
• Tez: "I have been kidnapped and held unfairly. I wish to be released. In turn, I will help you deal with the threat to Green Lake."
• Agnes: "The threat?"
• Tez: "There is a force here, do you know of it?"
• Agnes: "I know some things. But truly, there are several forces at work here. It is a nexus of powerful intentions. What is your role in this?"
• Tez: "Um." she says intelligently. "It's hard to tell from inside this room."
• Agnes: "Well, who are you? Why were you kidnapped? By whom?" Agnes concentrates on the connection to the other woman -- probing deeper into her mind to get at her true position.
• Tez: "I am a priestess, and a man who claimed to be my friend kidnapped me away from my duties, brought me here drugged, and seems to have turned completely against me, while claiming to be 'saving' me." it is clear that she doesn't feel saved.
• Tez is telling the truth, as she sees it, and everything beyond that is foggy and sort of purple. A lovely shade, really.
• Agnes: "Well, that doesn't seem right. Where are you?"
• Agnes: "Oh, and by the way, how old are you?"
• Tez describes what she can see out her window. Stupid barred window.
• Tez: "What? Why do you want to know that?"
• Agnes: "You just seem, so reasonable. I'm testing a hypothesis. How old?"
• Tez: "Reasonable? That's a new one. I'm 18" she lies, just to be unreasonable.
• Agnes: "I knew it. I'll be right over."
• Agnes looks around wistfully, paying respect to the beings that have lived beneath the forge for millenia, then heads out.
• Agnes: *
• Agnes: *
• Agnes arrives at Thrakelust's campus, slipping through the side hedge where she thinks Tezcatapulta is being held.
• Tez is staring out the window, having jammed the door closed with a chair. Occasionally she clinks her cup, now empty, against the bars.
• Agnes: Looking around for the fountain described to her, Agnes hears a clinking from the main building and moves closer.
• Agnes: "Tezca...that you?"
• Tez stands and presses her forehead against the bars, peering downward. She sticks her arm out and waves. "Tez is good."
• Agnes: "OK, I'll be right back." Agnes enters the manor and makes her way toward the area where Tez is being held.
• Tez removes the chair from the door, and knocks on it, to distract the guards. "I am hungry," she intones through the door. "Did my *dear friend* Teodric tell you to starve me to death, or are you going to bring me some FOOD?" She demands imperiously. mmm food.
• Holmes: As Agnes approaches the door, one of the guards, apparently having lost some hand challenge, shakes his head, and goes off toward the kitchen, looking at Agnes as he goes. He stops and says, "Can I help you?"
• Agnes: "I'm looking for a magic rock. Do you know where it is?"
• Agnes: "I gave it to Enthi when we were engaged, but since he seems to be truly gone..." Agnes is fighting to keep back tears.
• Holmes: The guard shakes his head, but recalling his captives demands, heads off to the larder.
• Agnes continues on toward the other guard.
• Holmes: The guard stands up. "Yes?"
• Agnes: "Leave. Your orders here are hereby recinded. Join the post at the front gate and wait for Teodric. When he arrives bring him to me in the master bedroom."
• Tez listens through the door
• Holmes: "Uh...oh," says the guard. "Well, then, uh, OK."
• Holmes: He wanders off in the direction of the front gate, stretching as he goes.
• Agnes: "Remember, you're my man now."
• Agnes slides the bolt on the door. "Tez?"
• Tez beams, "You must be Agnes."
• Agnes: "Indeed." She smiles. "So, want a nicer room?"
• Tez peeks out the door, "I like the way you just told that guard to go away." She focuses on acting friendly.
• Agnes: "Well, I've been thinking about moving in here and if I do that, they need to know that I'm in charge. But, I dunno."
• Tez: "Well I recommend a bigger room than this one. Why wouldn't you want to be in charge?"
• Agnes: "The way I see it, the good part of being in charge is that you can make the right things happen. The bad part is that you have to."
• Agnes: "I kind of like it here and I'm not sure this place will survive without me at the helm. But like I said, I'm not sure yet."
• Tez: "Do you know what the right things are?" she ponders waiting for the food to come back.
• Agnes: "Sure. At least...more than most folks."
• Tez: "Hey maybe we should leave before Teo comes back."
• Agnes: "Why?"
• Tez: "Won't he..uh...be mad?"
• Agnes: "Maybe. But it would look like we weren't in charge if we just slink off."
• Agnes: "He's old."
• Tez laughs, "You're good at this."
• Agnes: "Come on." Agnes leads Tez to Thrake's old suite.
• Tez follows in her wake, deciding to study how she does things.
• Holmes: Thrakelust's suite has not changed in the couple of intervening weeks since his disappearance. His effects still haunt the room.
• Holmes: A few moments after the pair enter his chambers, Teodric enters.
• Agnes: "Oh, hello."
• Tez raises a brow at Teo. And smirks.
• Teodric: Teodric quickly assesses the situation "Tez, are you feeling better?"
• Tez: "Quite."
• Tez: "No thanks to you."
• Holmes: The small bird that Tez had shooed away from her window before now appears at Thrakelust's window
• Teodric: "I'm glad to hear you are feeling better. I'm sorry that I apparently wasn't any help. Did ... Agnes is it? ... help you?"
• Agnes: As Agnes rummages through the bottom drawer in the old wardrobe where Enthinaund stored his cerimonial accouterments she glances up, "What are you doing here Ambassador?"
• Tez: "Yes." she says shortly.
• Teodric: Teodric turns to look at Agnes "I would ask you the same question. I was a close friend of Enthinaud's. I am trying to keep things in order around here. His disappearance was rather sudden."
• Agnes: Having found a grapefruit-sized stone, Agnes stands up and looks earnestly at the older man. "I want you to know how much I appreciate your efforts. Thank you."
• Teodric: Teodric is slightly taken aback "You are welcome, but I'm not doing it just for you. I'm doing it for Green Lake."
• Agnes: Turning back to address both of them, "I gave this stone to Enthi one night when we were making love. I found it up in the mountains. It's warm. See?" She offers it out to be touched.
• Tez touches the stone curiously
• Teodric: Teodric slowly crosses his arms "I will take your word for it. What is the significance of the stone?"
• Agnes: "I don't know what all it does. It's magical. I'm getting something of a hostile vibe, have I offended you in some small way?" Something visibly occurs to Agnes and she gestures to the corner divan. "Oh! Please, have a seat, how rude of me."
• Teodric: Teodric ignores the gesture "I'd prefer to stand. I'm not prone to touching stones that people tell me are magical, and I think that perhaps I am confused as to what is going on here."
• Agnes: "Oh? Which part?"
• Agnes: "I'm showing off my stone. I'm freeing my friend Tez from unlawful imprisonment. And I'm meeting with one of Green Lake's diplomats."
• Agnes: "Oh, and I'm deciding if I should live here. There are powerful pros and cons."
• Teodric: Teodric looks puzzled "Unlawful imprisonment?"
• Tez smiles sweetly. "Yes, you know, kidnapping."
• Agnes nods. "So far as I can tell...which laws were you following?"
• Holmes: As she handles the stone and it's viewed by all, Agnes can feel that her attention to it has attracted the attention of the great goblin spirit himself, the High King.
• Teodric: Teodric shakes his head very slowly "I was trying to help a friend. A friend who has done nothing but spit in my face since we risked our safety to rescue her, but I don't expect she mentioned that to you."
• Tez: "I gave my word I would stay with my Uncle and learn my birthright. You took me away from that without even *asking* and you expect thanks?"
• Agnes: To Teodric, "excuse me." Agnes looks into the stone, seeing the nearly subliminal visage of an eye within it. "My lord, I stand in the palace at Green Lake. The leaders have vanished and there is news from around the world of great things afoot. I would serve you in preserving this place and I ask for your analysis. Are these two humans friend or foe?" With that, Agnes directs the High King's Eye at Teodric and Tez.
• Holmes: Less a voice, and more of a will manifests inside of Agnes' mind. "The female must not rule there!" is the message it sends.
• Teodric: Teodric laughs "Your 'birthright' is death and destruction, something which you were quite opposed to before your 'uncle' got inside your head."
• Tez peers at the stone until Teo distracts her, "My birthright is power beyond imagining, and lesser people often die in the wake of Great Destinies."
• Agnes: "Thank you, your will is mine."
• Agnes 'comes back' to the room. "Well, that's good to know. Neither of you will necessarily be an impediment to our future prosperity."
• Teodric: Teodric glares at Tez "Great Destinies are those that lead the 'lesser people' to greatness, not those that trample on them."
• Tez: "Oh I will lead my people to greatness. Those that follow me."
• Teodric: "And those that don't?"
• Agnes: "This is interesting, who are your people, Tez?"
• Tez: "Those that don't have a choice."
• Tez: "The Lankans, and all who worship the True Gods."
• Teodric: "And what is that choice?"
• Agnes is embarrassed at Tez' naiveté. "True?"
• Agnes: Agnes tries to change the subject "In any case, it seems that we have strayed from the topic at hand. Ambassador Teodric, what resources would make your efforts easier? I want you to know that you have my full support."
• Teodric: Teodric turns to Agnes his self control evident in the gesture "May I ask what resources you have at your disposal?"
• Tez is about to reply when the topic is shifted, and so merely glares at Teo.
• Agnes: I haven't fully decided, but I am persuasive and resourceful and this is a wealthy town. I am currently working to cure Ambassador Serrin of the terrible disease that has befuddled his health.
• Agnes: "What can I do for you?" As annoyed as Teodric may be, he can't help noticing that Agnes is very attractive.
• Teodric: Teodric ignores the innuendo, his heart only belongs to one woman "If I have need of your resources, I will let you know."
• Agnes: "Very good. You may go. If you see Rahklath, please send him my way."
• Teodric: "I'm afraid I can not leave until the matter of your new friend is resolved. I do not believe that it is safe yet for her to roam around Green Lake."
• Agnes: Agnes eyes Tez up. "She seems slight to me. What danger do you fear from her?"
• Tez rolls her eyes at Teo, "Don't worry about me, I'll be just fine."
• Teodric: "She is not the woman that I met when Lana rescued us from the prison camp. Something has been done to her. The priests fear a dark energy in her."
• Tez: "They fear nothing but the True Gods coming to this town. It is but jealousy."
• Agnes rolls her eyes at the melodrama of this pair. "Tez, to reassure the ambassador, would you be willing to let me into your mind so that I can vouch for you?"
• Tez looks askance at her, "You were already there earlier."
• Agnes: "But he doesn't know that. I can show him that you are not the bogeyman that he fears."
• Tez: "Hnnhhh." she grunts. "What does this entail? I do not like the idea of my mind being laid bare to him."
• Agnes: I'll be a buffer between you two. And you can always start to resist if you are afraid.
• Tez: "I fear nothing." she declares. "But that does not mean I am stupid."
• Teodric: "I have to agree with Tez. I'm afraid that you and I haven't established trust to a level where I would allow you into my mind."
• Agnes smiles a sad smile. "When doors open you often have only once chance to step through. It's a shame."
• Tez: "That," she replies, "depends on the door."
• Agnes: "What if she stays locked up but can come out for a walk every day with one or both of us?"
• Agnes: "Just until trust is regained..."
• Tez: "I'm not going back in that stupid room," she insists, standing and pacing a little. "I will not be caged again."
• Agnes: "Tez, we've had fun, right? We'll have more fun, I promise."
• Teodric: "That would be acceptable by me."
• Tez: "I'm not a child, looking for fun! I am an adult, able to make my own choices. I have done nothing wrong, and I refuse to be treated like a criminal!"
• Agnes pushes/leads her guests to the door. "Guards...take them both to the holding cell."
• Tez clenches her hands into fists, her eyes burning with anger and something deeper. "No! I have been the meek prisoner for long enough! I have done nothing wrong, I was wrongfully kidnapped from my family, and still, you seek to imprison me." she growls.
• Tez wavers almost visibly between two extremes; on the one hand, she is supposed to lead these people, and make political connections. On the other hand, a murderous rage is starting to fog her vision.