Chago hesitates as they approach the castle, but doesn’t talk about the oddness. Some things are more important... like the blessed heat of the Balefire when they get to settle at last. The flame burns almost colorless white, but the heat touches body and soul. He finds a place to all but collapse to and then shifts to give Genny a redcap pillow to rest against near that warmth. "We -so- fecking needed this. It'll be worth the ass kissing we'll probably have to do when we come out."

Genny settles in next to him with a soft groan. "Oh, good gods that feels good. I don't care what ass we have to kiss. Totally worth it." She fully takes advantage of the redcap pillow, feeling more relaxed after just a few moments. Shova and Kiersten disappear, though return shortly with more food. By the time they get there Genny is asleep again, curled against Chago's side. Her breathing is already easier, just with the joy of the bale, much less the healing that comes from the magical flame.

Chago flashes the pair a smile when they return, flashing teeth thoughtlessly in the expression as he indicatess places where he can reach the food without disturbing her. "Thanks." he tells them in a low voice before nodding to where Genny sleeps. "This was hard as hell on her. The bale and sleep will do her a lot of good." Then his eye shifts to Shova very specifically as he continues. "It's her place to tell more of the whys if she wants." he adds in a gently warning tone. After all, if Shova knows about her twisted jewelry, he knows more than she may want most people to hear.

Chago relaxes back then with another small grunt and then sigh of ease as the heat soaks into his skin. "So... now that I’m thinking better, how much shit am I walking into?"

Shova and Kiersty settle, the later leaning against the former, though she's the one that speaks. "It rather depends on what you mean by shit." She speaks delicately, and the mild curse word does seem to bother her just a touch. "The ruling nobles are very...well...I would describe it as bohemian. They believe that most problems will take care of themselves if left alone long enough and most of their personal attention is for their own politics and interhouse games. This leaves the rest of us fending for ourselves as various forces have come in and out and tried to take advantage of the lazifare politics."

Shova strokes her hair, sliding pretty golden curls back from Kiersten's face. "Which means there are little pocket strongholds here and there run by minor nobles or commoners who have taken over as little warlords where you can try to go for help. Or, you just try to keep clear of everyone and hope no one takes it in mind to squash you for a real or imagined slight, since by the time the nobles even listen to the story it might be too late."

Chago listens and nods, considering the position of things and shaking his head finally. "What about the Wretches on the other side? Has the shroud been held here? Or does everyone know the not so secret secrets?" he asks with a tone that shows he's been places it hasn't. "I'm wanting territory by the Bay too. Who am I going to piss off if I claim something there?" Then he looks to Shova. "There are places you can hook me up down there, right?" Yeah. The redcap has the guts to talk about staking his claim while they're in someone else's bale.

Other than making sure he can reach it, the food is left untouched for now, even if his eye flicks to it occasionally as he speaks and listens to answers.

Shova looks a little surprised, muttering something about 'brass balls'. Then gives himself a shake and answers. "We've got a pretty hefty number of Wretches out there, shifters and mages mostly, but by and large they're clueless about us and most of us keep it that way. There's a few that haven't, but that's generally worked out badly for them personally, not the whole of our society. However, that's the reason there isn't a lot of claimed territory down by the Bay. Some big wretch thing went boom during an earthquake a while ago and left that area unsettled. Dark things cross into the dreaming there from the deeper dreaming and beyond. It's wild and dangerous and would be difficult to hold at best."

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Chago's grin comes back full force at that. "Me and Genny crossed from the Rock last time. There's a Dark Trod there." Just a little reminder that he is one of those dark things when he needs, or wants, to be. "It's perfect for what I want. Someplace that even the place will help me hold. Fecking A. And, from the sound of things, it's unclaimed territory so I ain't gonna be pissing off no one important off if I take it."

Oh yeah. Brass balls in not the word. Titanium. At least. "Good to hear your asses ain't be hung out to dry with the Wretches though. That's what that mula troll did to us. Opened the doors and then ran away to let us deal with the shit."

Kiersten is just flat staring now. "You came in on a Dark Trod?" She blinks, her fingers tight over Shova's. "But that's madness. How were you not..." She stops herself, looking between the two. Sharp teeth, sharp hooves, sharp weapons... "Oh..."

Shova seems to take it better and hugs the sidhe a little closer, comforting her. "I'm fairly sure the nobles would appreciate someone that was willing to hold the place and keep the wild from coming too deep into inhabited territory." He frowns at the mention of Eric. "He was talking with some of them. I saw some shaggy beast thing in the troll's office at one point. I am hoping that your actions were timely enough that we were not exposed."

Oh yeah. As she figures it out, Chago just keeps smiling wider and wider. "Ask the shrimp what we looked like when he first saw us. Hell, Shova. Did you see us through the bubble? Remember the shit on our clothing still? We made it here by being more dangerous than the stuff after us."

That point made, he nods to the idea of being a vanguard against the darkness. "Yeah. Be the best way to play it." Then he looks at the sidhe. "Would you talk to the court about it for us? I know some of it, but I ain't exactly good at playing nice for long, and Genny ain't had good luck with nobles either."

Then it's back to Shova for more about Eric. Chago growls softly at first, then grins a touch as he considers what he knows. "Hopefully, it was a shifter. They're pretty hopeless at picking us out. Strong as shit and nasty as hell but not dangerous unless you're stupid enough to get their attention." He explains. "Shit. I used some to do my dirty work. Eric probably wanted to do the same thing. He's the one set up the contacts I used."

His eye tracks to the food again and his tummy gives a rather noticable rumble, but he doesn't reach for anything still. "Can you get me a few more things?" he asks then. "A couple towels, one kinda wet, and something to drink with some kick? Don't care if it's coffee or beer, but something I know I'm drinking, you know?" Then he rubs his hands on his face. "Then you guys do what you need, and we'll talk more when she's awake too, okay?" In other words, get his stuff and go away.

There might have been more questions from the pair. They're terribly curious about the new guests, but the rumbling stomach of a Redcap gets immediate response in the upwardly mobile direction. Kiersten gets up, nodding as she goes. "We can get that, yes, and I can start talking to people. I don't think it will be a difficulty."

Shova rises next to her, squeezing her hand and repeating Chago's list. He's the one that returns a few moments later with another tray of things. Bandages, the requested towels, and several options for drinks from fairly mild to nose hair curling. He leaves this all there and heads back out, promising that he'll keep folks away for a while and let them sleep.

Chago thanks him, and settles things where they need to be. As soon as Shova is gone, he takes the dry towel and spreads it to keep the worst of the spray from his -finally- getting breakfast off the sleeping satyr and then gulps down his share of the food. And the drinks. And then her share. Go figure. Redcap. He’s never not hungy, and as hurt as he is, his body needs the calories. They can get more for her. Once he's eaten, he uses the damp towel to clean up himself, and her where necessary, and the area about himself and then lays down for some more sleep himself. Time to let the bale do it's thing and restore them.