**I'm going to apologize right out of the gate here. I needed a character with a thick and not-quite current Scottish tone of voice. A long time ago, I once found myself working in a group which contained a Cockney, a Manxman, a Jamaican, and a bunch of Scots. As I remember it, I needed about a week to figure out where the washroom was, since it was a big place and I couldn't get directions that I could understand to save my life at first. But after a time, I understood every word clearly, of course.
The speech patterns of a couple of those guys are in this chapter. But how to write it so that it sounds right when it's read in print? I've done my best and if you're Scottish, please try to remember that I'm going for the sound of it and mean no disrespect.
There are many little beings who have largely faded from the memory of modern folks, little things that often brought luck - or misfortune, depending on how they were treated. Leprechauns might be the best-known among them today, but there were others, not quite so cheery-looking... O_o
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There was an awkward silence for a moment until Toby smiled and welcomed them. Maezou had a thought to ask her older sibling how long it had been since they'd seen each other last, but though she would have been earnest, she knew that the remark would be interpreted as a catty one so she held it back. Zele didn't care how long it had been. She'd always liked Tisiphone. Mother seemed nothing so much as she seemed to be very pleased. Toby asked what was behind her wide smile.
"I am rather happy now," she grinned, "I would have never thought that something such as this could ever happen, but I think it would be best if I let my eldest daughter tell it."
Toby nodded and went to put the kettle on, since the electricity was back on. The younger of the two tall horned ones stepped forward looking uncomfortable and obviously worried.
"Sisters," she began, "I have always been a little too proud in my dealings with you both -- especially you, Zele. I am so much older and I didn't see much between us when you both were young. I've thought about you over the time, and wanted to be closer, but it always felt to me that my chance for that was past. Now, I seek your help if you would give it."
She found herself almost surrounded by them in an instant as they hugged her, asking what the trouble was. Tisiphone felt even more guilt, and decided that she'd try to be closer to her siblings than she'd always been up to this point.
"I was about to take a man as well," she said, "last night."
"You are always taking men, sister," Zele said with a shrug, "You take any that need it, and women too, but mostly men. Mostly bad men."
Tisiphone looked a little uncomfortable, but she knew what Zele meant.
"I'll tell of it in a minute," Tisiphone said, "but what happened with you both? Mother says that something has happened. She said that you've raised a new lord."
Maezou nodded, "I took Toby and I made him a lord after binding myself to him. I am his first consort, and even better, he has taken Zele as his second. This is only beginning, but it seems to be working so far. What do you need from me, sister? I'll help if I can."
Tisiphone looked a bit hopeful, but Toby saw that she was still uncomfortable. "Here, " he said, indicating a chair for her at the kitchen table. He indicated all of the chairs and asked them all to sit down while he unloaded the groceries and put them away.
After a little gentle prodding, the third sister began.
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He stood alone in the bar with the bartender. This was all wrong, but it didn't bother him much. That alone surprised him.
"A beer, I guess," he said.
She sidled over to the taps, and grabbing a couple of mugs, began to fill them. Jeff noticed that her eyes never left his face the whole time, yet she had unerringly placed the mugs under the tap, and she finished the pours perfectly. The slight smile stayed in place as she walked to where he stood at the bar, and stood one of the mugs in front of him. He noticed the dark color, and aroma. He suddenly knew without picking it up that she'd poured him a Guinness. They stared politely at one another for a few seconds. He admired her deep brown hair, and how it seemed to set off her almost yellow eyes.
'Too light,' he thought, 'any lighter, and they'd be golden.'
"What do I owe you?" he asked.
She took a long sip from her own mug, and smiled slowly, "It's on the house."
He hadn't told her which brand he wanted. He had no doubt that whatever his favorite beverage had been, or even if he'd named one that he didn't like, that it would have been on tap right then.
'I ought to be petrified,' he thought, 'or pissing my pants, or something.'
"Is something wrong?" she asked, as she leaned toward him. Jeff noticed her scent. If asked, he couldn't name it; he never knew the names of any perfumes. He just knew that she was wearing his favorite. He saw her slender shoulders and the way that they were held back very slightly offering him a fine view of her chest outlined in her shirt. Without looking directly, he was confident that they weren't large and lush, since he wasn't overly drawn to that type.
'As though she knows what I like...'
He looked down at his mug. "Well, I drove through here earlier in the week, and I didn't see this place." He sighed, "So I guess I'm wondering if this is really what it looks to be, and what will happen if I drink it." He looked back up at her perfect eyes and face.
She was stunned though she maintained her calm and friendly expression. He KNEW!
