Dionysus You dream.

Dionysus You are once again with Diana.

Dionysus And this time, there's no beauty to save you.

Dionysus She dies in your hands.

Dionysus Blood covering them, staining them... And then she opens her eyes.

Dionysus "I would apologize for that, but I enjoyed it." Fear Incarnate speaks.

• Aurelia stares down at it, silent and still save for her trembling.

Aurelia If the dream doesn't end and he says nothing further for a while, Aurelia says quietly, "Leave this place."

Dionysus Sorry, was juggling.

Aurelia Aah. No worries. Consider mine unsaid.

Dionysus He smiles, shifting form to that of a scarecrow. "Is this better?" He waves his hands & it becomes the Ogrish Emperor's chambers.

• Aurelia stares around for a moment. "Yes."

Dionysus He laughs. "What a wonderful race you are, that thrive on dark emotion. I could make you ecstatic."

Aurelia Placidly, "I do not wish to be so."

Dionysus He shrugs, "This world is a wonderful playground. I should love to be able to sow my seeds here."

Aurelia "Will you harm Avery?"

Dionysus "Perhaps, eventually. He is, by nature, my enemy. But he could also be useful to me in the short term, & so could you."

Aurelia "Your sacrifice."

Dionysus "That's one option. The nature of your sacrifice, though, is as yet undetermined. That is, you will be a Sacrifice, or so the threads suggest, but how you manifest that is up to you." His topic shifts, suddenly, fascinated by you. "My word, you are delicious, you know that? If you make a sacrifice in my honor, I will feed you such delicious terrors."

Aurelia The latter is the one she spoke of anyhow.

Dionysus He's a touch chaotic.

Aurelia "I wish no terrors."

Dionysus He sighs, "If you sacrifice the side of Beauty for the side of Cruelty, you can be my little arrow into the heart of a traitor."

Aurelia "What traitor?"

Dionysus "My daughter. Indeed, should you... rid me of her, I would gladly put you in her place. Would you like to by my daughter?"

Aurelia "Who is this, your daughter?"

Dionysus "The Queen of Bugbears, of Nightmare, who even now consumes the Father of Dreams. She would usurp me, before I even have a place."

Aurelia "Ah."

Dionysus "Or you could spill your own blood now, in my honor, & be one of my saints."

Dionysus "I will, for that price, give your 'Avery' immunity from my servants for all his lifetime."

Aurelia "And you will not harm him?"

Dionysus "Not physically."

Aurelia "No."

Dionysus He sighs, "Well, tell him this: prepare, then, if you all survive, for war, for when I become part of this world, the Unseelie Court will reappear in full strength."

• Aurelia nods, weighing this and the other options presented.

Dionysus You feel a nagging sensation, like someone's trying to get your attention.

Dionysus Fear Incarnate looks irritated.

• Aurelia looks around reflexively.

Dionysus You see nothing special.

• Aurelia looks at him, head tilted.

Dionysus He stamps his foot, as if throwing a temper tantrum, then sighs. A hallfing that looks vaguely familiar walks in through the wall. He feels... grandfatherly.

• Aurelia looks towards the halfling.

Dionysus The halfling says in an ancient sounding voice, "We agreed not to poison any wells, Scarecrow." "Storyteller, I was just having a bit of fun."

Dionysus The halfling, you realize, was the one who gave you that Card back on the train.

Dionysus He looks to you.

• Aurelia looks back at him, expressionless.

Dionysus "I apologize for my... associate's intrusion, miss. May I somehow make it up to you?"

• Aurelia tilts her head. "Intrusion..?"

Dionysus "The Scarecrow has come to you in a nightmare, & I have, in turn, entered that nightmare. We are both intruding."

Dionysus Fear Incarnate shrugs, "Nightmare is always my realm, no matter whose mind it latches onto."

• Aurelia shakes her head. "I wished... to speak to him..."

Dionysus The Storyteller arches his brow, "So things have progressed that far? Are you choosing a path, my dear?"

Aurelia "Searching."

Dionysus He nods, then looks to the Scarecrow, "Xanar, you may speak with her, but I will observe." He shrugs. "My dear, where were we?"

• Aurelia looks between the two and says quietly, "War."

Dionysus "Oh, yes. And the Master of the Wild Hunt will be reborn, if I have anything to say about it. Tell the faeries of the Summer Country /that/."

Dionysus The Storyteller watches intently.

Aurelia "There will be this war also if I make sacrifice to you?"

Dionysus "I hope so."

Aurelia "But there will be no harm to Avery?"

Dionysus "Not physically. I will, of course, kill every last member of his race besides him."

• Aurelia nods, not bothered by that.

Dionysus The Storyteller clears his throat, "There are other ways to ensure his safety, Seeker."

• Aurelia looks at him. "What ways?"

Dionysus He chuckles, "On this world? You need ask? Gifts, gods, magicks, prayers, ceremonies, deals... From what I've seen, you need dip him in any passing river & he'll come out a lost emperor or scion of a powerful family. What ways /don't/ exist would be easier to answer. Or do you ask what ways I myself offer?"

Aurelia "What paths lead to ways?"

Dionysus "Ahh, an interesting question. Is your goal, then, to protect the Faerie Prince from the powers of Nightmare?"

Dionysus The Scarecrow laughs, "There's one easy way!" And the Storyteller scowls, "That wouldn't benefit either of us!"

• Aurelia looks between the two.

Dionysus The Scarecrow says, "Just keep us out!" And he laughs. The Storyteller scowls, then nods, "Keeping /Nightmare/ out of Shem would prevent the rise of the Unseelie Court, unless the Webweaver, who currently has sway over it, decides to take that course. And since Terror has brought up the idea, he might.

Dionysus "So there's no guarantee. But there are other ways to protect him if the Unseelie do rise. The powers of dream & light oppose them, as do hope, happiness, & inspiration. Through those paths, you can find ways. And of course, peace, war, & home are known for protectiveness, as do earth, might, & force."

• Aurelia listens, and nods.

Dionysus "Those paths that would give you power--dragon, hunt, & so on. Silence could hide him. And of course, if darkness raises the Unseelie Court, darkness could offer protection from it."

Dionysus "Death or life could prevent his death, healing make him unharmable."

• Aurelia nods again.

Dionysus "Frankly, your will defines the shape of the path. In any of them can you find a way to protect him, I'd say. Which one, you might ask, would work best?"

• Aurelia waits for the answer.

Dionysus He sighs, "You're a blank slate, Seeker. What would the Prince prefer to protect him?"

• Aurelia nods again, adding that to the possible criteria for deciding rather than trying to define an answer now.

Dionysus "But if you ask me, I say a Quest for protection is the path to take. An epic tale, of love & beauty & conflict. I offer no answers, I am afraid. I tend paths, I don't make many."

Dionysus The Scarecrow laughs, "Or he makes them all."

• Aurelia looks at the Scarecrow. "If Hornet Rust comes to my hands, I will decide if I should make sacrifice of him. Before, or if he does not, I will watch for paths."

Aurelia The latter statement made looking at Quothar.

Dionysus The Scarecrow nods, "You already fear your father. In a way, I am already him."

Dionysus And the Storyteller nods, "A... wise course."

• Aurelia looks at the Scarecrow again, head tilted, then away, and waits.

Dionysus And wakes.

• Aurelia curls up and remains that way for a few minutes, then rises, cleans, and dresses.

Dionysus If you don't do anything special now, we'll come back to you when I get people together

Aurelia If Lucilla is around, I'd like a brief word aside with her.

Dionysus She's downstairs, sure. She is willing to talk.

• Aurelia watches her, looking for words, and after a few seconds says simply, "The ravager is ended."

Dionysus She nods, "I saw the poster."

• Aurelia blinks. "Ah."

Dionysus A pause, then, "It is good he is gone, but we... wanted to speak to him."

• Aurelia tilts her head.

Dionysus She's angry. "We wished to... return some of the pain he gave others."

• Aurelia bows her head. "I am sorry."

Dionysus She shrugs, her anger abating. "He is dead. That will suffice."

• Aurelia nods slightly.
• Aurelia leaves, if Lucilla says nothing further.

Dionysus She doesn't. You see Arsul & Avery in the inn as you leave