The Archer and the Fashionista

[Mhairi Ankaa]

Waiting outside of the fenced off line of the Boarding House turned Funderland attraction stood Mhairi. The text was vague. Only that who she was meeting was named Donovan, and that he was new. So the wisp tried for professional, wearing a neat lace vest, her choker resting at the hollow of her throat, dark jeans, and her boots, because fuck if she was giving them up for any meeting, she was Director, and Autumn's Queen she can choose her favorite footwear!

She sighs, shaking her head, the tail of the plait she'd configured her galaxy in, tickled her neck as she did so.

Truth be told, after how the last meeting she'd been a part of had gone, she was nervous. Made more so because she didn't know anything about this person she was meeting. She didn't know, hadn't heard, the fall out from that meeting yet, but she'd been sequestered - hidden away from the 'hold, 'spinning for Sera. She needed to do something to take her mind off of the everything that had happened.

Even before her announcement, she knew that Brown was up to something, someone like him wouldn't have let this go. He'd plan and plan making her the bad guy instead of working. Proving himself better then her thoughts of him, proving himself worth the position she'd removed him from to herself, and whomever she would name next. Going from the bottom, and earning his way to the top. No, he'd probably want her to do a public apology and grovel, kissing his boots and begging him to be Groundskeeper again.

A heaving gust of a sigh. She shouldn't have run away to her workshop, she should have dealt with this sooner. She shouldn't have agreed to this meeting before she was able to sort all these thoughts out, but then again, this probably wouldn't be the last time she needed to meet with a new arrival when her head was tumbling over....stuff.

So Mhairi waited, fingers fidgeting, twisting together then a part, mind going back and forth over the elephant that was her former Groundskeeper.

[Donovan Ackerman]

It was like a study in contrast as Donovan approached the Funderland attraction. His clothes were about as far from professional in any sense of the word. Even made from durable fabric there was wear, patching, and dirt. Lots of dirt. As for shoes, Donovan also wearing his favorite footwear. None. Except for the fairy mud that constantly clung to his feet.

Approaching the Hunted Boarding House, the Wizened immediately noticed the Witch-Queen. There was no mistaking her for a mortal with skin of moonlight, fire burning in her eyes, stars in her hair. It was actually a little disturbing. There was something about her appearance that was almost more Them than Lost. Only her fidgeting kept her grounded in mortality.

He wondered why the Ingrid had set him up with a meeting with an Autumn. Had he been set up? He glanced around but didn’t see anything lying in wait. Then again the Gentry didn’t necessarily need backup.

“Howdy,” he greeted her from a distance, his pace slowed as he approached “Donovan Ackerman. Had an appointment to meet with management. That you?”

[Saber Sloth]

Knowing she was meeting someone didn't stop her from jumping when a voice called out to her.

A nervous laugh escapes the wisp, "That's me. I'm the Director." which she'd have to tell him about. What they did in Sacramento wasn't what other 'hold's did. "Mhairi Ankaa."

Mhairi untangles her fingers, and pushes her hand forward. Long gone was the Fear that she'd burn someone else up with her quicksilver drip. If the Wizened doesn't take her hand, she'll just wave.

When she presses her hand forward, out passed the umbrella of her own spattering of rain and the scent of dead and dying leaves, she tries not to frown. A Summer. What was Ingrid thinking? Hadn't Spring's Queen realized that Mhairi might have began a war (depending on the extent of Brown's response) between the Ashen and the Crimson?

"I was thinking we could talk over lunch?" The wisp moves from where she stood, "There's my office. Privacy, I think, would be good." continuing along the well worn path, she stops, "Unless you'd rather go to the Park's food court?"

Privacy to talk openly, but alone with an unknown.

Or

Surround by muggles, but also having to muddle about and see if their club speak matched up.

[Donovan Ackerman]

Donovan takes her hand. It feels damp like she’s just come from a drizzle. The scent of damp leaves mixes with the feel of sunlight and the squelching of mud on his hands mixing briefly with quicksilver.


“Nice to meet ya. And office would be better.” He wasn’t here for food, he was here for plain spoken words (though he’d probably still eat if it was offered).


He'll follow her once she starts to lead the way, though keeping an eye out for... anything really. Maybe a makeshift weapon if things went south.


"Honestly, I was expectin' someone with a temper to sign me up. What do you mean the Director?" He sounded vaguely accusatory and blunt. There had been mention of a Summer King at the diner. Well, as clear a mention as club speak could give. So why was this Autumn woman the one that seemed in charge. Had Summer been overthrown? That... could be a problem.

[Mhairi Ankaa]

"Nice to meet you too Donovan." She feels like she should face palm, this was simple niceties, politeness. She definitely needed to talk to someone about Brown.

"Alright," she nods, and continues on her way to her office. The scent of Fear mixed delight was strong in the air as they both passed behind the Haunted House. Sounds of screaming children, a symphony to Mhairi's ears. No one was terrorized, and fun was being had.

With his questions, she nods and throws a smile over her shoulder, saving her answers for when she leads them both to her office. When she reaches the door, she quickly unlocks it, opens it and gestures for the Wizened to enter.

Once he does she follows suit, closing the door and taking a seat. "You can sit anywhere you like." comes out of her mouth before she realizes what a Spring might have made of those words.

"As to you questions...Sacramento's...different. People come and go so often sometimes that we don't have a full monarchy, the Seasonal Cycle has been broken in the past, and it's something that'll most likely continue. To introduce some stability it was decided that there would be three positions. The Notary, who keeps track of info and Pledges, our Notary is the Onyx Sovereign Sasha. The Groundskeeper who will deal with threats within and without of the 'hold. Both mundane and...not. And the Director, me. i'm the leader, ruler of the entire Freehold. I'm also the Queen of Autumn."

A sigh, "Alexander Brown, Summer's King...was my Groundskeeper. I removed him from that position because..." Mhairi considers, and wonders was she doing this to speak the truth, or was she campaigning? "Not only was he only focused on the mortal concerns and threats, ignoring those from the Hedge...You know when you just meet someone who grates? It was like that, but worse. He invoked my wrath with his every breath, and I don't know why. I actually thought he worked a Clause of Fleeting Summer over me, but I don't think he did. I thought that removing him from that possession would be best. I said that I'd name his replacement, and that if he still wanted to help, he could talk to them. See if they would Deputize him."

A moment.

"He was less then pleased."

Another moment, then another. Longer this time. "Sorry about all of that. I'm sure you didn't want to hear that word explosion. So." Mhairi folds and refolds her hands in her lap, "Donovan of Summer, what drew you to Sacramento?"

[Donovan Ackerman]

Donovan followed the Darkling into the fearful palace. Sure the screams sounded innocent enough but the place still felt vaguely menacing. If he did get attacked would any cries for help be thought of as just more playful thrill seeking?

Reaching the office, he perched on the edge of one of the seats with arms folded across his knees. His eyes stayed intensely focused on the fire-eyed woman. He listened intently to her explanation. Some of his previous conversation clicked into place. So there were monarchs but they weren’t rulers. It seemed wrong.

“Ain’t there some mystical horse shit about passin’ power being what keeps Them at bay?” He wasn’t sure how much he believed it but it still kept one season from getting too much power. Changeling term limits. With a Director it was just that one person of one court making all the decisions.

Then she launched into an explanation about some feud she and Alexander Brown seemed to be having. Which came somewhat out of left field for Donovan. He’d never been one for politics.

“Why’re you tellin’ me?” he asked a little pointedly. “Seems you’re either tryin’ to justify you firin’ him, or tryin’ to make me think less of the man without him ‘round to defend himself.” He gave her a curious quizzical look.

“What’s goin’ on in the Hedge that’s been a threat? I’m wantin’ to set up a Hollow sometime in the future, maybe start farmin’ some fruit if I can get my hands on some. Sounds like the Thorns ain’t safe to travel. More than normal anyway.”

He shrugged off her apology. “Just Donovan’s fine.” Didn’t need to go putting on airs, like Summer was a title to wear. “I’m here lookin’ for my fetch and my mom. He’s a lawyer livin’ in the city somewhere and she’s with him according to some old friends I knew in Austin.”

[Mhairi Ankaa]

"There is." Mhairi frowns, because it seems as of now they didn't need it to keep them safe, which didn't sit well with the Autumn. "Each Court is still ruled by their Sovereign, and the Crown still passes....when it manifests. I rule the Freehold as a whole, yes, but when the Seasons Change the Sovereign that helps me do that should be the ruler of that Season." Which because of ego and pride, she knew that Brown wouldn't want to help her. He's probably want her to fail spectacularly just to prove to everyone that she failed because she refused him, or something like that.

Mhairi shakes her head, trying once more to clear those thoughts, "Maybe, it's not how we're doing things now, maybe it's our recent history. A member of the 'hold, a former member of the 'hold killed a Dragon, one of Them. Maybe that just sent warning bells out....maybe They're just regrouping. Funderland's actually the spoils of War. In a way, on of the lizard's mortal holdings. And now it's ours." Mhairi smiles, wicked sharp. Her fell-flames flickering wildly.

The sharp edges of her grin fade away. Dying like an ember. "...You're a Summer. The newest Summer. I know, sooner or later you'll talk to your King, and because he is your King, you'll serve him. He's the kind of person who sees themselves, and probably a whole hell of a lot of people see him like he sees himself, as a suave silver tongued devil. He talk, and I'm afraid that because of his role in your life moving forward, that, you'll never hear my side of the story."

The Ashen Wisp sighs, "Recently we've had a hob sneak in and replace our sugar with husks of...something. We went into the Hedge found, but didn't find who supplied him the...husks. Other Hedge Beasts have been hanging around...we had to go on an interesting adventure to make him want to go home."

She nibbles her lip, "But the biggest thing....the Market's gone. The Market - Sal's Flesh Market that's been here for years and years is just...gone. I don't know how or why. There could be something stalking the Thorns. Something so horrible and terrifying that the owner another of Them, fled. Or....maybe not. Maybe They were killed.....we need to guard our borders."

"Alright Just Donovan," she tries with a smile, maybe a joke would work and ease the tension....if there was, you know, tension on his part. Mhairi tilted her head and tried to read his face. She came up blank. "Ahhh...I...we can help you with that." she says. "If you want to reclaim that part of your life. I'm sure there's a fair few of us that would want to hunt a Fetch....and you'll probably need to speak with King Brown, he's a mayor's aid or something."

[Donovan Ackerman]

“So like normal but with no actual change in leadership. Sounds like disaster waitin’ to happen.” There was a surprising lack of judgement in his tone. Although having defeated a dragon? If they had that type of firepower maybe there wasn’t as big a risk as he originally though. Then she was talking about the Summer King again. And he sighed.

“Ain’t what you said though.” When she tried to make like she was just telling her side of the story “Just started spoutin’ ‘bout how you fired him and thought he might’ve been usin’ clauses on you. How he’s devil.” He leaned back in the chair. He wasn’t sure what she wanted from him, a promise maybe but that would only undermine Summer. “I might be servin’ under him but if your Freehold pledge allows for traitors against the Director you might want to reconsider the wordin’. As for this… cow pie you and he seem to be spreain’ ‘round; I’m goin’ to try not steppin’ in it if you don’t mind. Honestly, surprised you haven’t dueled and put it behind you.” Sure there was a time for shit talking but this seemed a step away from a feud and with the Freehold arranged as it was that could only make things less stable. The answer seemed obvious to him. Fight it out, get over it.

He listened with the same intense and serious stare when she explained the Hedge situation. The young man seemed to pull off sullen looking as his default expression. No Market. That would be a problem with seed acquisition. Though with a name like Flesh Market, he wasn’t too sure he’d want the Goblin Fruit they might’ve had anyway.

“No one’s got Dream contracts?” Seemed the best way to scout without venturing too far afield.

He didn’t smile at the ‘Just Donovan’ comment. His face briefly showed a bit more annoyance before neutral sullenness. Although he sat back up when she mentioned offering help finding his fetch. “Not likely able to reclaim. Don’t got the learnin’ to lawyer. I don’t want it anywhere near my mother though.” He’d heard stories of insane fetches murdering loved ones. “But I’ll ask Brown about it when I see him.” Wasn't sure how much a politican was going to be able to help find a lawyer but he'd take the help he could.

[Mhairi Ankaa]

"It's...new. It was only implemented last Spring. After the Equinox."

She hears the sigh and frowns, "I know. He makes me irrational. I know that. Even thinking about him sets my insides on fire. And not in the normal way. Well, my normal way." as an Elemental. "We do not have a Pledge. There is no Oath that newcomers Swear when they come. That's an issue. I wanted to remake the Oath, so it would fit with the changes. Bro-King Brown only wanted to implement a constitution that wasn't enforced by the Wyrd. I disagreed. And demanded a Pledge from him, that he isn't, wasn't, and would never be a Privateer or a Loyalist....for other reasons, not because of the constitution idea. He didn't want to Swear that. That's why he's not my Groundskeeper anymore, in truth.

"We might still duel. I threatened him with an Ashen Hunt....he didn't Pledge then. It was only when he realized I wasn't budging on my opinion of him, and that the Hunt would happen if he didn't leave by sundown....that he did eventually Swear. For a Season, and since it wasn't on the Solstice he made that Pledge, he'll probably blame me when it isn't lifted during the next Equinox." the Autumn Equinox. "After all that, he still expected me to renege on my decision about him being my Groundskeeper."

A smile, a touch wry, "As a rule, I don't go back on my word. Good practice for the kinds of lives we live now."

She shakes her head, "Not to my knowledge....but we don't really share which Contracts and Clauses we've acquired here. It simply comes up when or if it ever does." and Mhairi wouldn't just ask to ask, she'd talk to her friends or fellow Autumns about them, but she wouldn't want someone's secrets, it might be all they had to help them if the worse should happen.

"Sure." she nods, "I get that. I couldn't replace my Fetch...didn't want to. Still killed it though." even if it left a widower and a son and a daughter without a mother. "We could help you kill it too, if you want to do that." Mhairi offered.

[Donovan Ackerman]

“No… pledge?” Of all the things he heard. He let out a short humorless laugh. Here she was worried that he’d be serving under this Alexander guy, when without a pledge he wouldn’t owe anyone fealty anyway. No loyalty, no trust. He wasn’t sure how much he trusted the Director’s version of events since she obviously hated the guy and anger tended to twist how you saw things. When she casually mentioned threatening an Ash Hunt out of season, he wished he could be more surprised. Without that pledgebound trust, threats and coercion seemed a natural enough fallback. Just how big a fucked up Freehold was he getting into? Could it even really be called that? If he had anywhere else to go… but he would be here no matter how bad the situation. His comfort and safety were second to his family’s. "So how exactly do you join a Freehold with no pledge?"

“If I need help killin’ it I’ll ask but first gotta find the thing.” He wasn’t sure he wanted to involve the Changelings here. He wanted it dead but with all the chaos here, he was starting to worry his mom could get caught in the crossfire.