Nathania is sitting in the living room, knitting away. Of course. She's still working on the pink cowl from the night before, at the impromptu Wintermeet she'd called. This is warm, fluffy, a little fuzzy, and very cabled. Difficult work, something the ragdoll hasn't challenged herself with for a while. Angora is love.
The blonde's phone is set up beside her playing some music: today's choice is a mix of electro-pop. CHRVCHES to The xx to purity ring and all over in that vein plays softly from a plugged-in speaker. She hums along with the songs, red stockinged foot tapping along. Her dark jeans are well fitted, and her red sweater (same shade exactly as her socks!) is soft handknit cables.
"The saying goes..."we've got to stop meeting like this," right?" says a voice from a shadow. How long was Echo standing there? Well, not long. She's just a particularly good sort of quiet as she comes down the hall from the temporary housing, and the contrast of her speech versus her silence is that drastic a change that she can feel more sneaky than she really is in such a sudden emergence from the dark. It's probably one of those little habits for a reverberating Darkling to find hard to break even in a solid mortal existence. "I heard the music," Echo says. "Excellent taste, Nathania. Is this where we hug? Because you're a hugger?" It's a curious combination of friendly and oddball manner she carries.
Social Network Status: Universally Away. Six vanished as easily as he arrived, and in its reversal; one last visit to the cafe, and absence - radio silence. When he comes back from out of the cold, it's the Wayhouse door he enters through.
The autumn wind and his own chill are negligible against what is already present in the room. Like walking out of scarf and sweater weather into the deep freeze. He blinks. Eyes a chocolate brown. There are likely those around still who can guess at what that means. A warm, young, affable smile follows as he looks between Echo and Nathania. An unfamiliar face and a familiar one. Both chilly. He nods a greeting, as not to interrupt. This isn't the curtain being lifted from intermission to bring back a beloved lost. No, this is the forgotten extra walking out of stage left. In a leather jacket and grayscale threads.
Nathania startles briefly before looking up, recognizing that immistakable voice. "Only... if you want to," the dolly says, smiling and setting her knitting aside, placing it delicately atop the side table. "Thank you. I rather... blame Green... for my musical taste, these days." She speaks with affectionate sadness of this mysterious 'Green', whoever they may be. Then there is Six, and Nat hugs -him- without asking. "Darling... Six! I missed... you," she says. Probably surprising the other Lost, both by hug--hopefully he hasn't lost his affinity for those--and by her admission of missing him.
And now there is a newcomer, a different kind of blend-in shadow than Echo. "Of course I'd like that. It means a lot. This is Darling Six?" she asks, and even if Six is not trying to interrupt or take focus, he has it anyway, Echo's bright blue eyes studying his brown ones as the only scrap of color in his film-noir face. "Hello," she says, not rushing to interrupt the hug of greeting. "Are you a prodigal? It sounds like it."
Six straightens up, surprised by the immediate approach and embrace. But he settles right back down into the gesture. Relaxes and accepts the warmth from the chilly, to hug back. "Sorry," he says, as to being missed; faced scrunched, genuinely apologetic. "I didn't mean to leave anyone hanging." But no explanation. "Six," he corrects, looking to Echo; brown eyes meeting blue in turn, and studying. "The adjectives vary." He shrugs. "Just been away for a bit. New to the area?"
Nathania nods to Six. "I know... it happens. Just--worried," the dolly admits softly, before looking to Echo. "You would like... a hug as well?" She turns and opens her arms, all soft and rag-dolly-esque. High Wyrd, now; higher than before, anyway, to Six. And her appearance has barely changed, just a few more feathers and less solid joints. "You missed... a Wintermeet last night. It was... impromptu, but... had I known.. you were... coming back, I would've... held off... a night," dolly tells mostly-monochrome man.
"I can skip the Darling," Echo says, but then hugs Nathania with what must be termed enthusiasm. The shadows around her clear for a moment from the force of it, even if that plucked-string effect that her presence suggests still goes on. When she releases the dolly, she looks Six over with interest, and notes to Nathania, "Three is quorum enough to share secrets in some places. I still haven't found the Queen I'm meant to talk to. I'm not sure I ever did get to explain to you last night why I feel joining your freehold isn't optional, either. Is this the kind of public place that gets constantly monitored for spies annd the like?" A paranoid question from the rich-voiced Darkling, perhaps.
Six steps back as the welcoming gesture moves to Echo and Nathania. Watches them both. Notes the differences of time - of which he holds none - and the wyrd unreality before which he may be nearly mundane, with shared interest. He shakes his head, grateful for the consideration. "I can catch up from you two. I'll do my best to make the next meet," he answers. "Which Queen?" he asks. Apparently, absent for more than just a season. He looks to Nathania for an updated take on the monitoring of public spaces.
Nathania is hugged enthusiastically, and gives as good as she gets! She /beams/ at Echo, before the smile fades a little. "Well... sort... of. It's... got Hospitality's Hold up, but... that doesn't mean... spies can't get in... and use what they hear... elsewhere." She sadfaces. "It's definitely... an imperfect.... system." Then she glances to Six. "Ashe Whelan... is Autumn Queen. Helah Morgenstern... was Sun Queen," she says.
"Ashe Whelan is the one I meant," Echo provides helpfully before nodding to Nathania. "We don't get perfect. We get the best that we can achieve, but rarely perfect. I just like to be aware of my risks where I can. Did either of you want anything before we talk? I might check the fridge. They had the beer I like!" Her enthusiasm makes beer sound like a real event, not just a nice coincidence. "In any case, I had meant to say, Nathania, that I belong to an Entitlement that...would tolerate my not joining the freehold, but would wonder why not. Unless I find out there's something like mandatory baby-eating involved as an initiation, it doesn't feel optional to me. No sitting on anyone's sidelines." This speech has her traveling towards the kitchen whether anyone shouts for refreshment or not.
Six nods at the names Nathania shares, betraying neither recognition or a lack thereof. There's a sharp exhalation - an almost chuckle - at the Icarian distance of perfection. He seems to agree, in some way applied to his recent history. "I'll try one of those beers," he says, as to the one Echo likes. Though, he'd get carded at a bar if he made the order. After which, he adds, "I didn't catch your name." He doesn't comment on the entitlement. Just listens for more. While Echo is in the kitchen, he turns to Nathania for a moment. "How've things been around here? Doom and gloom?"
Nathania nods at Echo. "I see." A pause, then: "I'd take... a cider, please," she says. "My orchard, but I'm not... the one making it. I oversee, but hire... staff," she explains, before looking to Six. "Of course." A hesitation, slight, before lowering her voice. "I told... Echo, Darby, and... Cyril last night." She nods to the kitchen upon the name 'Echo', apparently meaning the pretty-voiced Darkling. "I...almost got kidnapped... by my newly-returned... husband's... Keeper. Privateers," she murmurs.
Two beers and a cider, Echo popping them open like someone who's spent at least one job stint behind a bar. Or maybe just comfortable with some kind of hospitality. She passes Nat the cider first, then the first beer to Six, before taking a seat; she takes a long drink and then repeats some words: "Doom and gloom." This said, she holds out her hand to Six. "Don't shake if you prefer no touching, but yes. Echo Madrigal. Late of Missouri. Before that, Cleveland, and before that is better not talked about in nice company." She sits in funny yoga-posture, bent up like a pretzel. Nathania's revelation of Privateers does not seem to be a surprise, though she does wonder aloud: "Is this personal, after specific people, or is this opportunistic of the ones who tried to get you?"
Six catches the subtle share of Echo's name. And stills at the answer to his question - the doom and gloom he missed. "They still kicking?" he asks of the Privateers, first off. Which is followed, in a moment, with, "I didn't realize you were married." He says is like he misstepped. Missed a crucial detail - with crucial details being the purview of his occupation.
He turns back to Echo. Warm smile as he takes the beer. "Thanks," he says. He takes a seat, in turn. He shakes Echo's hand with his free one. "I'm a toucher," he says, if the handshake weren't answer enough. "Even if a warm welcome pounce can catch me off guard, when I'm expecting a chillier reception." He lets Echo's question stand rather than adding his own.
-> >> Nathania to Here << <-==========================================
Rolled 1 Success
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==================================-> >> Wits + Empathy 0-Again << <-
"Assuredly personal," the ragdolly replies to Echo seriously, after a long glug of cider. "Retaliation... for Glitch leaving... at all, let alone... for the way he did it. It's... complicated. Need him here... to explain, but he's... busy at the moment." She settles back in beside her knitting, and looks, well, expressively non-expressive. With the way she wears her emotions on her sleeve, this is.... weird. She looks to Six. "Oh, we're... not... exclusive," she says gently, picking up on... what she thinks he's laying down, anyway.
Echo then clasps Six's hand longer than a normal person would. He said touching! There's a sense that this is a real Capital-T Thing for Echo, pieces of physical contact, enough that this stands out as just on the edge of strange compared to most people. "It's good to meet you. I feel I'm very quickly learning the Court here. More so than I expected, knowing how we do like to hide ourselves." Nathania's explanation has her nodding. "That's both good and bad," she notes. "I mean, obviously bad, but in the sense of dealing with them, that means they aren't likely those you can catch at other mischief, and that makes it a little harder. I'm still glad to know you're all right after that particular ordeal." Questions of exclusive or surprises, she just takes in. She's paying attention.
Six's smile picks up again at the admitted good in meeting him, the lingering touch that lands with it. It must strike him as genuine. "There's always been great social hub kind of people in our court here, to keep the hermits informed. Nathania was one of those hubs even before I left." He doesn't bring up who else might have been one.
His head tilts, subtle confusion at Nathania's guess. Straightening back up when he catches that he was being comforted. "I was just worried it was something I didn't catch about you. I try to pay attention," he clarifies. "What happened to the Privateers? Retreat?"
Nathania blushes. "I try.. to be. Gotta pass.. information to ... the hermits... somehow," she murmurs, looking at Six. And then she glances to Echo, nodding. "It was all... thanks to CB Alexander. He was there, gave... a warning. I could fire off... my Elemental... armor in time. It was... a good thing, too. Got one... of them in ... the hand," She says smugly. She looks back to Six. "Retreat," she agrees. "Glitch... and Teagan... are on it."
"Social hub reminds me to ask if you have a Radio Free Fae presence here, or if that's not favored," Echo wonders aloud, before taking a sip of her beer. "I've spent a lot of time on the airwaves." NO KIDDING. With that voice, that's almost anticlimax as an admission. She toys with the beer bottle, occasionally chasing condensation drops on the side with her fingertips as if she can't help seeking little bits of sensation while they're there. "This was in the Hedge, then?"
"I'd like to hear how that goes," Six says, to Glitch and Teagan's task. "Hopefully they'll catch them roosting. Nursing that wound." He takes his first sip from the bottle, testing; not the widest range of drinking experience, there's new ground to cover in brand and brewery differences. "Things were still being set up, there, last time I was about," he admits, to Echo on RFF; an apologetic lowering his his head to his shoulders and shrug to go with it. But he considers her again, curious at the airwave experience. Something yet to be voiced.
Nathania nods at Echo. "Yes. There is. We need.... DJs. Talk to... Selina, I think." Then she looks to the side. "Yeah. I won't... go in the Hedge.... at all right... now." She picks her abandoned knitting up once more after setting her cider on a coaster and drying her hands. Hands move swiftly as she watches the pair between knitting. "Glitch... wasn't around.. when you were here last, Six. He reappeared... after you had to leave," she explains after a moment. "He... was running from... his Keeper. So. Thought... he shook them. Obviously he... couldn't." No trace of bitterness in her voice, surprisingly. All sorrow, with a hint of gladness for his return. "I am... probably a bad.. Winter for being... openly married. I don't care." A shrug, a little defensive but mostly explaining things to them.
"There are people who say visible connections are asking for more grief, and not in a good way. I don't think it makes much sense to decide that personal ties are too much to be Winter, personally," Echo says to Nathania. "How your private life operates is meant to be your business, unless Glitch is some kind of threat his own self. I gather not. Selina? Where can I contact her most easily?" There are some Winters who dance around direct routes to things, too. Who pride themselves on reinventing the wheel of contacts an secrets. This is clearly not Echo's approach. If she wants to know something, it seems she starts by asking -- and there's virtually no ego about what she doesn't know in evidence so far. "Perhaps Six and I can approach her together." Though it does seem she will assume teamwork just like that where she can.
"Hard held secrets can be more damaging than known connections. More valuable when sussed out, too," Six says to Nathania. Hardly judgmental on the public marriage. He must be taking to the beer, because he takes a swig this time. The mention of his name causes him to perk up from the assessment of drink, and he looks to Echo - a touch surprised as to the inclusion. But it's without delay that he nods. Best way and getting back into the swing of things - immersion.
Nathania smiles and nods to both of them. "True." And then she considers. "I'm not... real sure. I'll find out... and get back... to you," she says, nodding. "You have... my card?" She pulls her wallet from her messenger bag anyway, handing a card to Echo and offering one to Six, too.
Echo takes the card and looks it over carefully. "That's all right. I'll do my best to find her on my own, too, but I believe in the power of networking. Ties stretch far when we expand them." She salutes them with her beer in another little toying wag, and gives Six a moment's grin, perhaps picking up that moment of surprise. "Ironically, I find that our Court ends up healthiest when we have a route to have something to say to the world at large. Part of why I enjoy the broadcast option. Do we have a real leader here, or is that you, Nathania?" There we go again. Direct.
Six takes the offered card. His contact details have likely changed - he might expect that Nathania's has too. He glimpses at it before slipping it into a pocket in the side of his leather jacket. He doesn't know much about the current leadership, but he does speak to the take on broadcast as an option when he settles back into his seat; relaxes for Echo's grin, the amiable nature of the room. "Like throwing your voice. Or directed the directionless," he says.
Nathania laughs. "Lord, no. Not me. I tried... that in my... last Freehold. It was a bit... of a disaster," she says, amused at herself and the memory. Hey, at least she's not frustrated or crying over it. "Talk to... Cornelius. Darby knows... him better than... I do, I'm pretty... certain. Try that... route to find... him," she says. "But, he's new... to the area. I would rather one... of your Entitlement, if I'm guessing yours... correctly, take up... that mantle." And she peers at Echo for a long moment then, the torc around the Darkling's neck making the dolly's hands still. But, she shrugs, and gets back to work. Always industrious, this one. "Six," she says. "Did I ever... offer to knit.. you socks? I have a pair at... home for you... regardless. They're... brown, green, and blue," she says. "The colors... work well, surprisingly."
"Hiding my Entitlement is possible. It's just...not exactly the point," Echo says, confessionally. "I think I've met Cornelius, once. He was...drinking in the worst way. I mean that literally; wine plus coffee plus whiskey could only be topped by a Moxie chaser for bad calls." She makes a face at the very memory, and the thrum around her shuddders a little harder in reaction. "It does at least suggest he's fearless. I'll make a point of finding him personally next. Despite my title, I'm not really here to upset anybody's boat. I'm just not good at passivity, either."
"Darby had only just shown up around the time I left," Six thinks aloud. It's a name he recognizes. Cornelius' isn't. He scrunches up his nose at the described drink the unfamiliar man was ingesting. It's followed by a quirk in his brow - the preference Nathania voices as to Echo taking up the mantle has him looking between his company. But only until Nathania mentions the socks. The listed colours give the crafted gift some oomph - some importance in them. He smiles. But only for long enough to contrast the look of guilt that follows. "Thanks. That's... What would you have done with them, if I didn't show up?"
Nathania smiles to Six. "Donated them... to a homeless shelter," she says softly, patting his arm if he's in reach. Looking up, then, she says to Echo, "I know. But we're in.. a bit of an upheaval... at the moment," she says gently. "I'm too... friendly to lead the court. We need someone... sharper."
"We don't have a...what do they call it. Councilor? Alderman? Representative here?" Echo asks. "Or if so, not one who gives a lot of input perhaps?" She's quick, at least on these matters. "What's worth knowing about Cornelius that you hesitate?" Maybe she asked about who'd be listening in because she's prepared to ask for answers that might be difficult. On the question of socks, she looks Six over. Catches the guilt. "Things happen. You're here for socks now."
Homeless shelter. Six nods. It's a good answer. He takes another small drink as Nathania pats his arm. The guilt washes off his features, visibly, as his company gives him leave of it and he straightens back up. His brown eyed nature is companionable. "They'll put some colour in my wardrobe," he quips, at the expense of his monochrome.
Nathania grins. "Sure will," she says of the socks. She glances to Echo and says, "Charlie O is.. our Alderman, but.... he's often.. very quiet." She is about to say more when her phone beeps. Pulling it from her messenger bag, she looks at it. "It's Glitch. I should... go. Have.... a good night!" She stands, tucks her knitting away, and offers hugs to both, enthusiastic and warm if accepted, before heading out.
Echo does hug Nat goodbye, again with real...appreciation, one might say, for the contact. There's a manner about her that suggests that she'll never quite get over physical things. It's not until Nat leaves that she settles back and turns full attention on Six. "Charlie O?" she asks him, curiously.
Six accepts and returns the hug as well before settling back into his seat. In the interim between Nathania starting to leave and Echo turning her attention to him, he looks about the Wayhouse. Takes in being back in a way that requires quiet reflection. "Never met him, my first time around," he admits on the subject of Charlie O. Which might just be part of that very quiet thing. "What brings you out this way?" he asks. A question saved for one on one. "If you don't mind my asking."
"Questions are how we learn. In my case, the Entitlement. One of the things we're hush about, but one might guess is that we sometimes have an agenda of leadership? In this case, the Circle suggested someone would be useful here, either to find or make other leaders as well as to aid in what could be a ....hot spot." This is entirely answered without pause in the Mourning Cant, the first one she'll only confess in a way that not just any snoop can understand. "So here I am. Lying to a rag dolly in the nicest of fashions about whether or not I'll upset applecarts. It's not my goal, but I -will- do it if I think it aids our kind. Is that too much information?"
Honesty can be wielded like a bat. It succeeds in throwing Six off, this time around. He blinks - dark lashes flashing over brown eyes. When he returns to speech, it's without the same sense of calm balance. The advantage is in Echo's corner. He shakes his head. Not too much information. She has him on the hook of curiosity. But he does have one key question at the outset. "Why tell me and not her?"
Echo shrugs. "A simple answer," she says, switching out of the Cant. "She didn't ask. Nathania is too nice. This is not a criticism. We need warm hearts in cold times all the time. I'm not going to set that on her. But you -- you did ask." She slugs down a little more beer, and sighs. "I do like this brew. Vermont breweries have it all over Missouri. Maybe not Cleveland. Cleveland, now, that was a place for -drinking-," she says with relish, before turning to focus on Six directly. It's rather a difficult kind of attention, with that icepick of a vibrating aura she carries, the hum of wires over a wintry field. "It's also because you asked about the socks in detail. You're clearly someone who does want to know, and makes decisions based on his extra knowledge. When I find someone like that,I like to speak their language."
"I'd be bad at what I do if I didn't ask questions," Six admits, despite having given her an out. That's the sociability of his brown eyes. He watches her drink, and looks to his own bottle for her assessment of the brew. "I haven't tried a lot of different beers - but I like this one," he says. The receiving end of her attention carries that same vibration, felt in the teeth, maybe even the bones. Electric in an elementally cold way. "I appreciate the shared language," he adds, afterward.
Echo leans forward in her seat. "Should I inquire why you live here? Everyone local chose this place over some warning signs. Why you?" Echo asks. "Since we're talking on that kind of wavelength."
Six considers Echo before him. He toys with his beer absently, fingers slipping around the parts of the bottle wet with condensation like a head seeking the cold side of the pillow. "This isn't my second visit. It's my third," he says. Honesty for honesty. "I stumbled out, here. And left in a hurry. Later, I decided to pull the thread and follow it back."
"Now that's interesting. A lot of people would have either stuck it out and stayed once, or would have wandered and never returne. This suggests you have unfinished business here -- but it's not all you have going, and you're willing to move to a new context to get a better idea." This would be more psychoanalytical from someone else. Echo just sounds hungry to know. "What do you think I should know about the place as a newcomer? I genuinely don't know so many people here."
"I followed other routes first. They didn't pan out," Six says. There's a sense of weariness there. Beyond his years. He takes a drink - and it's the first time since he entered the room that the process looks comfortable. "Depends if things are still the way I left them," he admits. But he follows up with an answer, either way. "Lack of organization. Supervision. Lead to a lot of naive new people and prideful old hats making mistakes that would have been easier to clean up, elsewhere. But there's a lot of room to fit in the lack of organization. And a strange abundance of nightlife, for somewhere so depopulated."
"Hmmm." Echo rubs at her eye lightly, a touch that suggests more than just a moment's human gesture. It's very deliberate rather than unconsidered, contact as reminder. "I keep hearing there's almost too much organization here. A lot of sub-organizations as little fiefdoms." It's as if she's seeing if he'll challenge this.
Six's eyes wander the room very little now. His attention is with Echo. "Too many cooks isn't organization. It's decentralized," he says. Shrugs. Dimisses his own take to add, "I've been gone awhile. This place could be a completely different beast than the one I left." A moments consideration. "I doubt the nightlife has suffered, though."
Echo lets a slow grin spread on her face. "Where do you like to go, for the nightlife? That at least is a recommendation. This feels like the middle of nowhere to me. Not that that's a bad thing necessarily." It's clear she's filing away the rest of that information.
"There was a diner, but I don't think it's open anymore," Six answers, first. A pause to reminisce or consider the other options. "The rest is second hand. I didn't get out to the bars much, my first time around. Irregular intervals," he admits. "Or that club." He nods. "I need to fix that. Like you said. Power of networking. I have some avenues to bulk up on."
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