[Changeling] A Gathering of Mists IC

[Thanqol]

[2 stunt dice.]

As Stephanie waits, she hears the howling she was waiting for. She sees no white hart, but out beyond the castle gate, now open, several small shadows run through the forest. One of them becomes clear to her in the moonlight as she watches. A grizzled old grey thing, shaggy fur, long fangs, eyes bright with its own hunt. A perfect target.

[Highest power stat (1 - who knew this would come back to bite me?)+Athletics+Wyrd+2 stunt = 9

Defence: Highest Finesse trait: 5
Armor: Highest resistance trait: 2
Total penalty on attacks: 7

You haven't given me any defense for these guys, if any, so I'll just roll at my full dice pool and let you subtract dice manually.

1 - 3 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 8 - 5 - 9 - 7
10-again is a 2. Exceptional again!]

[Anarion]

Her eyes fall now on the girl. Not safe here. Rose stoops down, gently cradles her in her arms, and carries her out of the darkness.

Gun in pocket, man bound on the ground, and girl in hand, Rose strides out of the alley and to an area with better light, though fortunately it's still deserted and not on a main street. Explaining blood, a gun, and an unconscious girl could be a challenge.

Under a street light, Rose can see that the girl is about 12 years old. She's got brown hair down to her shoulders, though it's all dirty and matted right now. She's dressed in faded jeans, a white t-shirt, and a grey unmarked hoodie over it, along with some really beat up Nike sneakers. Her flat chest suggests she's a little late starting puberty, and she can't be much over 5' and 90 lbs. Practically a feather to carry from Rose's perspective.

She's breathing normally and appears mostly unharmed. There are a few bruise marks on her face, hopefully from where her kidnapper handled her badly, rather than any more enduring problem. At the moment, she's just fainted.

Well, she probably knows.

Jason greets Marchande with similar mock formality, asking how milady spent the morning.

He then escorts her to the cafe. It's a little wooden building, made of dark-stained pine with a rustic exterior and a big visible stone fireplace oven when they walk in. There are a few tables and a bar. Jason smiles and says hello to the waitress, who takes them over to a small table near the left wall of the place, not too close to the oven, but also well away from the door and outside windows.

When they sit, he orders just a water and asks the waiter to come back in a few minutes to get their order. Then he turns to Marchande and says, "so, how'd you really find us?"

1 - 3 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 8 - 5 - 9 - 7
10-again is a 2. Exceptional again!]

The old wolf simply disappears in a flash. The arrow is so quick and sure that it practically goes right through the beast, and the shot lands silently in the snow. The other wolves don't even notice that the old one is gone and simply keep on running. From the blurs that she saw, Stephanie thinks there are at least 5 more of the beasts. Though she has yet to see any sign of the prey they're chasing.

[Thanqol]

The old wolf simply disappears in a flash. The arrow is so quick and sure that it practically goes right through the beast, and the shot lands silently in the snow. The other wolves don't even notice that the old one is gone and simply keep on running. From the blurs that she saw, Stephanie thinks there are at least 5 more of the beasts. Though she has yet to see any sign of the prey they're chasing.

[How do you want to do this? Do you want me to write five full-length stunts with associated dice rolls fighting five separate targets? Because that seems really time consuming and dramatically stacks the odds against me.

With dream combat, that's the equivalent to me taking on five Changelings at the same time. There should only be one target here - Paul. A success - an exceptional success - should grant me control over the dream of wolves, shouldn't it?

I'm not being argumentative here, but I'm noticing the dream combat rules are being applied on a much smaller scale than they're designed for.]

[Anarion]

[How do you want to do this? Do you want me to write five full-length stunts with associated dice rolls fighting five separate targets? Because that seems really time consuming and dramatically stacks the odds against me.

With dream combat, that's the equivalent to me taking on five Changelings at the same time. There should only be one target here - Paul. A success - an exceptional success - should grant me control over the dream of wolves, shouldn't it?

I'm not being argumentative here, but I'm noticing the dream combat rules are being applied on a much smaller scale than they're designed for.]

[I think you should stunt for attacking 5 wolves at one time. Or 500 wolves if you feel like being on the safe side of overkill. What Stephanie just did is to use her full imagination and wyrd to fire an arrow at one wolf. It worked excellently, and that wolf has ceased to exist. She needs to think a little bit bigger.]

[PhoeKun]

A sigh. Thank goodness she wasn't badly hurt. And thank goodness that Rose had been agitated enough to be walking out there in the first place, and.... you know, really? Just thank goodness.

Kalina checks around the roads for signs of people. She can still remember, deep down inside, all the ways to keep from being noticed in a place like this, but with such a precious charge it's complicated. This poor thing has had a rough time of life, if her clothes are any indication.

Another sigh. She steps across the street to another light a little bit further away from the alley and gingerly sets the child down, propping her up against a wall into a seated position. She pauses, looks over her shoulder, then gently reaches out with her good wing and strokes the girl's cheek with a feather, bushing the hair out of her face.

"Wake up," she beckons softly, "It's all right. Wake up..."

[SiuiS]

The thickening trees, so like thorns, make Charlotte stop.

What now?

This would be so much easier if she knew what the white hart was. She could step backstage, find the right scene, and come out from behind a set piece. Instead, well. Circles in the forest. Sad pony in the snow? Sad pony in the snow.

How long did dreams like this last, she wonders? How much time was left?

Charlotte steps behind the nearest tree, out of sight.

Spoiler

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Taking a gamble. Want to make an untrained Occult check to figure the symbolism of the hart so I can pinpoint where to go. It would be a roll because at a chance die there's a decent shot at me going the wrong way entirely.

Is there a roll involved in forcing a scene transition?

[Anarion]

"Wake up," she beckons softly, "It's all right. Wake up..."

The girl squirms a little, the feather tickles her face. She raises her arms and begins to snuggle it, and her eyes begin to drift open. She blinks and closes them again, blinks, closes, then her senses finally return to her.

Her eyes shoot wide open and she opens her mouth broadly, sucking in air in preparation for another scream.

Spoiler

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Taking a gamble. Want to make an untrained Occult check to figure the symbolism of the hart so I can pinpoint where to go. It would be a roll because at a chance die there's a decent shot at me going the wrong way entirely.

Is there a roll involved in forcing a scene transition?

[I am okay with you rolling an occult chance dice here, though it's a bit of a cop out. I noted several different tracks as well, which were a hint. Forcing a scene transition is not a roll, though telling me you want it to happen is helpful.]

[PhoeKun]

In an instant Kalina is another step away from the girl and down on one knee, putting her closer to eye level. She holds up her hands in a gesture of supplication.

"Shh," she coos, "It's all right. You're ok. You're safe here, I promise. Shh..."

No sudden movements. She tucks her injured wing behind her back. Truthfully she has no idea if the kid can see it or not, but the less blood she saw the better. Kalina offers her best impression of a smile before offering,

"My name is Rose. What's yours?"

[Raz_Fox]

Spoiler

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Jason greets Marchande with similar mock formality, asking how milady spent the morning.

He then escorts her to the cafe. It's a little wooden building, made of dark-stained pine with a rustic exterior and a big visible stone fireplace oven when they walk in. There are a few tables and a bar. Jason smiles and says hello to the waitress, who takes them over to a small table near the left wall of the place, not too close to the oven, but also well away from the door and outside windows.

When they sit, he orders just a water and asks the waiter to come back in a few minutes to get their order. Then he turns to Marchande and says, "so, how'd you really find us?"

There are many levels of awkwardness, walking with a handsome young man. March can't walk too close, or risk being improper, but she can't walk too far from him, because he's the one leading her to lunch. And, on top of that, the very act of being led is problematic. If she walks behind him, she's the obedient little pet. If she walks ahead, she's the energetic pet outpacing her... walker. And trotting side-by-side is still fraught with unfortunate connotations. The only solution is, ultimately, to walk beside him, taking his speed into account while simultaneously not caring about his speed. It takes some mental gymnastics to fit into.

It's a relief when she gets to sit down with him in the quaint, lovely little cafe. She orders another water - heavy on the ice - and settles into her seat, just in time for the question. She raises an eyebrow, wondering how much he knows. "Recommendation from a friend," she says, with a hint of brusqueness. "My old job... didn't work out, to put it lightly. Bad boss."

[Thanqol]

The sculpting began to take hold, but the distant connection wavered - damn. She'd got it wrong. She'd got it wrong and almost

- on track, stay on track, you've got control now, just keep it for when you need it. This isn't your dream. Rules are strange. Remember that.

Stephanie lowered the bow and continued to run, hunt, but this time more passively. For now she was just to observe where the dream lead, saving changes for when she needed them.

[Anarion]

In an instant Kalina is another step away from the girl and down on one knee, putting her closer to eye level. She holds up her hands in a gesture of supplication.

"Shh," she coos, "It's all right. You're ok. You're safe here, I promise. Shh..."

No sudden movements. She tucks her injured wing behind her back. Truthfully she has no idea if the kid can see it or not, but the less blood she saw the better. Kalina offers her best impression of a smile before offering,

"My name is Rose. What's yours?"

The girl doesn't scream, but she does start crying, doubly so when the wing she was cuddling is taking away. She is absolutely bawling, just sitting here on the street.

It's a relief when she gets to sit down with him in the quaint, lovely little cafe. She orders another water - heavy on the ice - and settles into her seat, just in time for the question. She raises an eyebrow, wondering how much he knows. "Recommendation from a friend," she says, with a hint of brusqueness. "My old job... didn't work out, to put it lightly. Bad boss."

"Oh yeah, which friend?"

He looks antsy. Different than at work. Some of his perkiness when he first saw Marchande has worn off. Like when master would come back and you'd think he was bringing doggy a treat, but then there would be nothing instead and you'd feel let down in some deep way.

The sculpting began to take hold, but the distant connection wavered - damn. She'd got it wrong. She'd got it wrong and almost

- on track, stay on track, you've got control now, just keep it for when you need it. This isn't your dream. Rules are strange. Remember that.

Stephanie lowered the bow and continued to run, hunt, but this time more passively. For now she was just to observe where the dream lead, saving changes for when she needed them.

Stephanie follows the wolves, running through formless snowy trees, one direction as good as another, the castle always seeming to stay just in the distance. After a few moments of running, however, the quarry does finally come into view. Far from being the white hart, Stephanie recognizes it as Donkey Kong. Well, not quite. It's obviously the same beast, but he's smaller and scrawnier. The arms are less thick, the back less arched, the horns a bit shorter.

He is running on all fours, pounding through the snow, a hard lather covering his body, but the wolves are beginning to catch up.

[Thanqol]

Stephanie follows the wolves, running through formless snowy trees, one direction as good as another, the castle always seeming to stay just in the distance. After a few moments of running, however, the quarry does finally come into view. Far from being the white hart, Stephanie recognizes it as Donkey Kong. Well, not quite. It's obviously the same beast, but he's smaller and scrawnier. The arms are less thick, the back less arched, the horns a bit shorter.

He is running on all fours, pounding through the snow, a hard lather covering his body, but the wolves are beginning to catch up.

Oooh. Just like Marchy!

That was the first thought that came into Stephanie's head, and she felt like it was on the correct kind of line. He had been taken away as the kid, transformed, and now he was running away as an adult. Adult-ish.

She tried to check the resonance of the dream against itself to see if she had the right idea this time.

[Dunno if that needs a roll, or if so of what kind]

Belatedly, Stephanie noted down that she probably shouldn't tell Marchy that she'd made that comparison.

[Anarion]

She tried to check the resonance of the dream against itself to see if she had the right idea this time.

[No roll unless you want to do it really quickly. If you have more than 15 seconds, it can't fail.]

It's close, he's definitely running. Something the little boy Peter said is off though. "He always dies, it's what's supposed to happen." If he meant this thing the wolves are chasing, and it dies, how could he be in the mortal world now?

[Thanqol]

It's close, he's definitely running. Something the little boy Peter said is off though. "He always dies, it's what's supposed to happen." If he meant this thing the wolves are chasing, and it dies, how could he be in the mortal world now?

Stephanie had seen Beauty and the Beast. She was open to the idea that the bright white hart might be the bad guy, or one of these wolf guys, and the person to be doing the killing is the kid. She tested that as well, and made herself ready to take action if things went off the rails.

[Anarion]

Stephanie had seen Beauty and the Beast. She was open to the idea that the bright white hart might be the bad guy, or one of these wolf guys, and the person to be doing the killing is the kid. She tested that as well, and made herself ready to take action if things went off the rails.

Still not quite it. The chase was focused on Donkey Kong here. Maybe this isn't when he escaped at all? There's sort of an unreality to this place. The way that the castle never moves from its vantage point no matter where they run, the way all the trees are practically the same. It's like it's all a construction by some twisted mind.

[I'm going to wait for SiuiS here. This scene could go a couple ways depending on what he does.]

[Raz_Fox]

"Oh yeah, which friend?"

He looks antsy. Different than at work. Some of his perkiness when he first saw Marchande has worn off. Like when master would come back and you'd think he was bringing doggy a treat, but then there would be nothing instead and you'd feel let down in some deep way.

"Does it matter?" Marchande says, coolly. "If it helps, I'm not a corporate spy from Big Wine, here to steal all your secret formulas. I just need a job, and like what I'll get to do. Honestly, Jason, there's no need to be twitchy."

She reaches over and ruffles his hair playfully, trying to distract him.

[PhoeKun]

The girl doesn't scream, but she does start crying, doubly so when the wing she was cuddling is taking away. She is absolutely bawling, just sitting here on the street.

Kalina can feel her breath catching in her throat as the girl runs out of abject terror and transitions into fear and tears. She watches her new ward, saying nothing and making no sound, but being sure to catch every detail of every tear as they form, roll down her cheeks, and fall. She reaches out a hand, and stops herself partway there.

If if it were me in her position, what would I be doing?

Fighting back. Being angry. Escaping. Get help. Find a weapon. No. As a little girl: I... I don't know I don't remember. I can't remember.

Her mind floods with images unbidden, of a stage full of shadows and light, of herself and applause. An audience so great and terrible no words could exist to describe them in full. And the tears that stained those beautiful hardwood floors.

Kalina's heart breaks. Quietly, slowly, she pushes herself closer to the girl until she is directly in front of her. Her wings unfurl again and wrap themselves around the child like a blanket. She hesitates for a moment, glancing down at the cold steel of her skin. Doesn't matter. She opens her arms to let the little girl in, to give her a safe place to cry, if that's what she wants.

No words are said, no noises made. Only a soft and gentle 'shh' every now and again.

[Anarion]

"Does it matter?" Marchande says, coolly. "If it helps, I'm not a corporate spy from Big Wine, here to steal all your secret formulas. I just need a job, and like what I'll get to do. Honestly, Jason, there's no need to be twitchy."

She reaches over and ruffles his hair playfully, trying to distract him.

He perks up when touched, but then settles back and looks even more agitated. He's like a drug addict that's not getting his fix. "Yes, it matters. Look, don't think I'm crazy okay, I don't want you to think I'm crazy, but are you...one of them?"

No words are said, no noises made. Only a soft and gentle 'shh' every now and again.

The girl is fully given in to instinct. When Rose reaches down for her, her arms come out almost of their own accord, wrapping Rose into a hug. The girl buries her head in Rose's good shoulder, close to the neck, and continues to sob. Rose can feel her upper arm getting wet, the blood on one side balanced with tears on the other as the girl clings tightly to her savior.

She stays this way for a little while, almost 5 minutes, but by then she has begun to be a little bit cried out. Shakily, she lifts her head, sniffling and wiping her nose as she looks Rose in the face from just inches away. There is no oddness or revulsion, just fascination. "Rose is a v-v- *sniffle* very pretty name" she says.

[Raz_Fox]

He perks up when touched, but then settles back and looks even more agitated. He's like a drug addict that's not getting his fix. "Yes, it matters. Look, don't think I'm crazy okay, I don't want you to think I'm crazy, but are you...one of them?"

"Yes," Marchande says, deadpan. "I'm one of the Men in Black. You know too much. My female disguise is only to confuse you and make you vulnerable to mindwiping." Mayday, mayday, two-to-one says he knows about changelings or is a conspiracy theorist. Why are the cute ones always the crazy ones? Or far too sane ones, she supposes.

[PhoeKun]

Rose startles ever so slightly when the girl actually leaps into her arms, as if she hadn't expected it to work. But she recovers quickly, wrapping her arms around her and holding her gently in place.

The little girl cries, and Kalina lets it happen, just holding her there in safety and gently stroking her hair. There is a niggling thought in the back of her mind, a desire to drink of this emotion, but no. Not here. There is no need.

Finally, the tears are slowing down, and Rose looks into the girl's eyes for the first time. She smiles just a tiny bit at the compliment.

"I'm sure yours is even prettier. Would you tell it to me?"

[Anarion]

"Yes," Marchande says, deadpan. "I'm one of the Men in Black. You know too much. My female disguise is only to confuse you and make you vulnerable to mindwiping." Mayday, mayday, two-to-one says he knows about changelings or is a conspiracy theorist. Why are the cute ones always the crazy ones? Or far too sane ones, she supposes.

"You're...you're making fun of me, aren't you? Argh!" He puts his head in his hands and slumps down. He's obviously trying to think of something else to say and can't seem to find a good way to get where he's trying to go.

Rose startles ever so slightly when the girl actually leaps into her arms, as if she hadn't expected it to work. But she recovers quickly, wrapping her arms around her and holding her gently in place.

The little girl cries, and Kalina lets it happen, just holding her there in safety and gently stroking her hair. There is a niggling thought in the back of her mind, a desire to drink of this emotion, but no. Not here. There is no need.

Finally, the tears are slowing down, and Rose looks into the girl's eyes for the first time. She smiles just a tiny bit at the compliment.

"I'm sure yours is even prettier. Would you tell it to me?"

She wipes her eyes again and says, "my name is Anna" (she pronounces the first syllable like "awe"). "You, you saved my life." She looks at Rose, then around a little bit, seeming to realize for the first time that her feet are dangling in the air and she's hugging Rose. She blushes. "Oh, uh, um, I'm sorry. You can put me down. I'm...I'm okay now, I think. Thank you." She gives Rose another squeeze and then starts to let go. She then puts on a quizzical look, cocking her head a little bit and asks "what's a pretty lady even doing out here?"

[PhoeKun]

"Anna, huh? That is a nice name..."

Rose sets the girl on her feet, staying on her knee so she can continue to see her face. The question makes her laugh. If she stopped to think about it, it might actually be her first legitimate laugh since returning from the Hedge - a tiny outburst amounting to little more than a 'heh'.

"I should ask you the same question. This is a dangerous part of town; why are you out here by yourself?"

[SiuiS]

Spoiler

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bullet biting! You can pick which skill I used since they all suck for me~

chance die - (1d10)[4](4)
Let's see if we know anything.

[Raz_Fox]

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"You're...you're making fun of me, aren't you? Argh!" He puts his head in his hands and slumps down. He's obviously trying to think of something else to say and can't seem to find a good way to get where he's trying to go.

"Well, yes, just a little bit. But just saying 'you're one of them' doesn't give me a lot to go on. You could be referring to a hypothetical terrorist group, just because my grandparents came from Egypt. Had that happen once, actually," she says, going distant for a moment. "Or," she says, snapping back into it, "You might think I'm from some abolitionist movement who secretly thinks Prohibition was awesome. Or that I'm one of the aliens who runs the country. Or an elf. Or a liberal. So if you want an honest answer, you'll have to be much more specific, and less..." She waves in his general direction. "...not specific."

[SiuiS]

Just a dream. Something she understands. Mostly.

It's takes a bit of effort, stepping behind the tree, behind the scene. The expansive black forest, the ring of her tracks and the path of the other prints flattened out into stage dressing. It looks like being lost in the darkness is part of the dream, wandering and backtracking.but the heavy prints all go off...

She frowns. the other prints continue more or less straight. To follow them would be her best course but too linear. They wander and waver but remain more or less perpendicular to the 'stage', non? Charlotte figures she should be able to pivot and get a good guess as to where they would lead. Nothing about the scene or story rings any bells, they are unlike any sequence has has yet seen. Charlotte is left with detective work as finesse, if she can muster them.

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investigate to clue in on path and direction of the tracks?
Dream shaping to get to the end of te path before they make it there (or closer or whatnot)?
Just show up there and wait for ST input?

[Anarion]

"I should ask you the same question. This is a dangerous part of town; why are you out here by yourself?"

She shudders and pulls up the hood of her sweatshirt. "I...I was dragged here. That man took me. He broke right into the house, waived his gun around and said I was never gonna see my Mom or Dad again. He said they needed fuel to start a fire, but that didn't make any sense. I don't know why anyone would do that." Tears glisten at the corners of her eyes again, but she raises a dirty sleeve and wipes them away, stopping herself from crying this time.

"Well, yes, just a little bit. But just saying 'you're one of them' doesn't give me a lot to go on. You could be referring to a hypothetical terrorist group, just because my grandparents came from Egypt. Had that happen once, actually," she says, going distant for a moment. "Or," she says, snapping back into it, "You might think I'm from some abolitionist movement who secretly thinks Prohibition was awesome. Or that I'm one of the aliens who runs the country. Or an elf. Or a liberal. So if you want an honest answer, you'll have to be much more specific, and less..." She waves in his general direction. "...not specific."

"I'm not...you're not! Argh, you would know what I'm talking about if you were. But the wine, you drank the wine and seemed to struggle and I thought that maybe...urgh, you're going to think I'm insane! I...look. I want to know...ugh this stupid, but...are...are you a fairy?" He winces, as though he's expecting Marchande to slug him at any second?

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investigate to clue in on path and direction of the tracks?
Dream shaping to get to the end of te path before they make it there (or closer or whatnot)?
Just show up there and wait for ST input?

[You could dream shape for fast travel. It would be best if you did so within the context of the dream, like with Stephanie running fast. You could also grow wings or some such, but trying to simply teleport is limited by the fact that you don't know where you're supposed to be going.

Investigate is also fine. Use of regular investigation will work exactly like in the real world: you'll get whatever info based on your roll (if you want to investigate tell me what/where/how long you're investigating and I'll give you a dice modifier.

Just show up would require that you pick a direction and start walking.]

[PhoeKun]

She shudders and pulls up the hood of her sweatshirt. "I...I was dragged here. That man took me. He broke right into the house, waived his gun around and said I was never gonna see my Mom or Dad again. He said they needed fuel to start a fire, but that didn't make any sense. I don't know why anyone would do that." Tears glisten at the corners of her eyes again, but she raises a dirty sleeve and wipes them away, stopping herself from crying this time.

"...Fuel to start a fire? What on earth does that mean?"

Rose frowns and folds her arms across her chest. Those are the words of a crazy person, or at minimum the sort of man who's working with others. Not the sort of thing that ends with a back alley beating. She sighs.

"All right, Anna. I'm going to let you make a choice. I want to find out what that man was doing, but to do that I need you to come back into that alley with me. I already tied him up, broke his arm, and took his gun, but I'm still asking you to do a really brave thing here, and I won't force you to do anything. All you have to do is say the word, and I'll go right now and take you back to your mom and dad."

Rose stands up, rising to her full height.

"But I promise you, no matter what, I will not let anything hurt you."

[Anarion]

Rose stands up, rising to her full height.

"But I promise you, no matter what, I will not let anything hurt you."

Anna bites her lip and looks pensive. "I don't know which way we went, or which way is back home. It would probably take a really long time to find it." The tears are starting to form again, but she once again fights them back with the dirty sleeve. "I'll, I'll stay with you and be brave. I promise."

[PhoeKun]

Rose smiles at the girl and gives her a pat on the head.

"You're a very good girl. Not many could do what you're doing. Now, stick close to me, and call out if you need me."

With a crack of her neck, she's back off into the darkness. She walks a full step slower than she normally would, taking care to let Anna's shorter legs keep her as close as she needs to be. Back down the alley around the corner. She towers over the would-be kidnapper and plants a foot firmly on one of his legs.

"Nap time's over, tubby. It's time to chat."

[Raz_Fox]

[Spoiler]"I'm not...you're not! Argh, you would know what I'm talking about if you were. But the wine, you drank the wine and seemed to struggle and I thought that maybe...urgh, you're going to think I'm insane! I...look. I want to know...ugh this stupid, but...are...are you a fairy?" He winces, as though he's expecting Marchande to slug him at any second?

Oh, wonderful. He knows about the faeries. Wonderful.

"I'm not," Marchande says, guardedly. Then, right on its heels, "Fairies are bad. I'm a person just like you, just... a little touched. The wine? Nearly blew my mind. But all I want is to sell wine, have a proper life, get over being touched. Help out people like me." She leans back in her chair, running one hand over her head. "Your boss fill you in?"