Selena laughs a little, then snaps her fingers at one of the domestics. It's the woman who quickly obeys, moving to the room's wet bar to get a glass of water.

"Afraid of a good time tonight, Tallulah?"

"Oh, it's just a little early in the night to get too inebriated, you know?"

"Mmhmm, of course. So now that you know where poor Kofi has been lately, are you still upset? I heard you had a little bit of an episode earlier."

Of course she already knows about it, Tallulah reflects. They sent Elijah to calm her down, so there's no reason someone wouldn't have had plenty of time to warn Selena that their prized fey was throwing a tantrum.

"Oh, that. It wasn't about Kofi, really."

"He'll be so sad to hear that–maybe we won't tell him. You know, keep it our little girl's secret. You know how men's egos can get." Selena drinks from her glass in hand but still manages to smile mischievously at Tallulah while she's doing it.

"Sure. But I would like to talk about some parts that caused it." The woman delivers Tallulah's glass of water, but she doesn't want it, so she awkwardly holds the ornately crafted glass in her hand.

"Of course, dear one. What can Selena do for you?"

Selena's dark eyes focus on Tallulah somewhat intently while asking that question. Tallulah smiles, suddenly pleased that Selena seems very interested in handling the situation. She feels a little embarrassment at how foolish she was acting earlier in the night–almost childish, really.

"Well, first, I'd like to apologize for earlier. I don't know what came over me."

"Nonsense, these things happen. It's good that you've moved past it, though."

"I'll sort out the mess later."

"Oh, hush your pretty little lips; I'm sure that's already been taken care of for you. When Kofi told you that you would be looked after and protected here, he meant it. You'll never need or want. Now, tell me what else is on your mind."

A little warm ball spreads in Tallulah's chest the longer she and Selena speak. It isn't a feeling of lust or anything like that, but an affectionate feeling, that same feeling of safety she got the night of the full moon. It overcomes the faint embarrassment caused by thinking that she and the other two leaders of this vampire group would be trying to pull silly games when they are unnecessary. Selena's beautiful dark eyes are clearly attentive to Tallulah's feelings, so she continues to chat as she would with a close friend. A tiny little voice whispers in the back of Tallulah's mind that Selena is doing something to her, and she needs to be aware, alert, and anything but indulgent of the feeling.

"I think that the two who tried to steal the house's horse the other night–"

"–A terrible misunderstanding, I'm sure."

"Er, yes. Exactly that. One of the two had overheard some guards saying pretty awful things about my people, and I think they were scared. So that's why they took the horse and tried to flee. The woman, Etta, went with Lewis because she works for his family, and he's now the last one after his father was killed in the glade the first night we encountered your house. It's complicated, as is the relationship they have. It's not like an employee contract, it's–it's more like fealty for a period of time, I guess."

"How unfortunate." Selena takes a slight sip from her glass, her dark eyes never moving away from Tallulah. "This sounds like a misunderstanding for certain, just like the first night. What did the two overhear that caused them to act on a flight impulse?"

"Lewis was the one who overheard it; he said that the guards mentioned they 'were going to sort us into juice boxes once given the go-ahead by their liege lord,' apparently."

Selena tilts her head slightly, the dark waves of her hair shifting ever so slightly over her bare, smooth alabaster-like shoulders. She takes another casual sip from her glass in hand before finally speaking.

"Surely they misheard, and if they didn't, the guards must have been making a joke–admittedly, a joke in terrible taste–but, well, they are guards, and they aren't what we would consider the cream of the crop. Sometimes, we choose guards for their gruffness and, admittedly, ability to do violence as necessary."

"Well, I think you're right, but–"

"–But you're still concerned."

Tallulah shifts her weight uncomfortably on the sofa, unsure why she feels this sudden embarrassment for not trusting Kofi, Selena, and Percival's words. It's oppressive, and the shame bubbles up in her. It's all that she can do to keep it under control. She absently fingers the glass of water held by her other hand, momentarily at a loss.

"I admit, I did have some concerns when I hadn't heard anything about trying to find a seam–um, a place that we, well they and not me, obviously–can cross back into the Wilds." She catches on words and stumbles over them, trying to get out her concerns, but suddenly has difficulty formulating her thoughts into sentences.

"Oh darling, relax. You're as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. You can speak to me openly." Selena reaches over to brush one of her cold hands across Tallulah's bare shoulders in an affectionate and calming gesture. She continues speaking in a murmur.

"Admittedly, the issue with the upstarts making trouble in our city has slowed our house's search for fey. The first individual we sent was, unfortunately, set out for the sun. When poor Kofi overheard it, he was quite beside himself. After all, he promised you, and someone was trying to break his promises."

"Oh, someone–one of your people was killed?"

"Yes, darling. He was a longtime member, knowledgeable about many things with other supernaturals. It was a disappointing loss, which is why Kofi immediately left with a few others to sort this madness out."

Tallulah relaxes with a deep sigh. Of course, that explains why it was taking so long, and now Tallulah feels foolish. Tallulah looks out of the windows overlooking the mountains and down into the valley, where specks of light from humanity pop up here and there and then more regularly as the city shines in the distance.

"Well, I'm sorry. I feel absolutely stupid now."

"Shhh, don't say such things. You didn't have all of the information–of course I can see how it all looked from your perspective. Now then, this business about your fearful two. Let's just put it aside. Losing a horse like the one they stole is unfortunate, but we'll chalk it up to some foolishness. I'll ensure the guards are given a good dressing down for scaring your poor people so badly."

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Tallulah smiles, which is reflected in the face almost exactly by Selena.

"Thank you, Selena."

"Of course, darling. Now, let's continue that conversation about you and your kind. You've been holding out on me too long."

"Well, maybe I should have that little bit of a drink then. This water isn't going to cut it."

Selena laughed as if that was the most amusing thing Tallulah had said all night. She gestures over both of the domestics.

"Take her glass of water away. She didn't want it; she was just being polite. Find the special bottle of Tallulah's Wilds' wine and bring it back. Pour her a glass." The woman immediately heads out of the room, heading for parts unknown, while the man stands there to find out what Selena wants.

"And you, why don't you massage her shoulders while we chat? She still looks a little tense. There's no need for all of that." The man dips his head before shuffling behind the furniture and carefully setting his hands on Tallulah's shoulders, over top of the sleeveless shoulders of the suede dress. He immediately massages her quite tense muscles, which feels great.

"There we are; you must get used to being in comfort, Tallulah."

"I'm working at it."

Tallulah smiles again, feeling warmth rising to her cheeks as she finally starts relaxing on the sofa. Selena is quite good at disarming her, just like Kofi. That little warning voice hadn't piped up once since it tried to tell her Selena was doing "something," making her realize how foolish she'd been for nights just because she didn't have all the information on the situation.

The woman returns with a corked plain blue bottle while the man-come-masseur works her shoulders and upper back. Tallulah watches her as she quickly pours a perfect quarter glass of the liquid. When the woman brings it to her, Tallulah immediately takes a sip without real hesitation. The effect is immediate, her veins thrumming with energy distilled from the Wilds and nothing else. She shivers a little as though she were cold, but it's more like a jolt of power along the spine that slowly pulses away along her muscles.

"Ah, there she is. Welcome back, dear."

"Thanks." Tallulah gives her the most sedate smile, the crow's feet at the corners of her mouth crinkling with the authenticness of the smile.

"Alright, Selena. The best way to explain things to you is to let you ask me things, and I will explain them the best I can. Not a genius idea, I know, but it's too hard to pick a starting spot."

"Little lush, you. That bottle was truly worth the price."

Selena's head turns away from Tallulah, her face falling into a severe gaze as she focuses on the woman domestic at the wet bar. She glares at the blue bottle and then tilts her head slightly. The woman picks up the bottle–the very one she had just minutes earlier poured a glass for Tallulah from–then hurries out of the room. When Selena turns back to focus on Tallulah, her affectionate, smiling gaze is flawless.

"Now then, where to start–hmm–oh, I know. Tell me, darling, what sort of faerie are you? I was told you did some such thing at the glade the first night and a second thing in the correctional facility a few nights ago."

"I'm what others call an Austra."

"I've never heard of such a thing."

Selena slides a little forward on the sofa so there is only an inch between them. She takes a sip from her glass to finish it before holding it out to the air. As the man is still working over Tallulah's shoulders, and the woman has hurried off to put away that bottle, it takes a few moments for the male domestic to realize he's got to stop his massaging on Tallulah's upper shoulders to go and collect the glass from Selena. After a short existential crisis, he quickly moves around the sofa and catches the glass when Selena drops it from her hands disgustedly. As the man moves to place the used glass on the wet bar, Selena focuses her attention back on Tallulah, as if she didn't even notice the anxiety assault she just inflicted on the man.

"Tell me about you, then." Selena prompts Tallulah gently.

Tallulah rolls her shoulders slightly, then takes another drink from the glass, only realizing the man stopped rubbing her shoulders at the exact moment he rushes back behind the sofa to continue his previous work.

"I age like a normal human, and, hmmm, I would say I'm in the fall cycle of my life." She smiles, and again, Selena reciprocates like a mirror reflection. "The other night, I was able to focus; I don't know how to describe it–it's a bit like focusing on your energy and self. Anyway, I was able to focus on Etta and Lewis and set a bit of a cold and numbing feeling over their bodies so that their wounds wouldn't hurt them so badly. When I was young, I could mend broken bones, bird wings, that sort of thing."

"Would you say that was during your spring cycle?" Selena reaches over, one of her unblemished hands starting to absently toy with the silvery gray strands of hair that frame Tallulah's face.

"Yes, that's the best way to look at it. Winter would be next, and I'd imagine something ugly could–well, will–come from me during that time. I can feel that ugliness wanting to break free sometimes when I get irritated enough at someone–I’m obviously decent at keeping it in check though. I have little memories here and there that drift to me, reminding me of things I could, or maybe can, do. Telling me of things I hadn't thought of. I think it might be some kind of generational memory, but I'm not sure. There's not exactly another Austra I can go to ask."

"Oh?" Selena's perfectly sculpted black eyebrows arch at the same time. It was one of the first times it wasn't a wholly controlled rise, but Tallulah is much too inebriated already to realize it. "Really? Are there that few of 'Austra' then? Or is it something else keeping you an outsider to your kind?"

"I've only met one other one that wasn't my daughter in my lifetime, and it was a wean who'd just walked out of the Wilds completely alone and naked, the poor girl. She was adopted shortly after, of course, but still."

"Ah, I see, so your kind is quite rare, how interesting. But you have a daughter? Why, we had no idea! We'll have to get her inside, immediately."

"No, no." Tallulah waves her free hand to shake that off, more animated than she needs to be. "She left a long time ago. We get the overpowering urge to leave and go on our own shortly after–well–shortly after we become a woman."

Selena nodded and slid her cold hand, already toying with Tallulah's silvery gray hair affectionately over the side of Tallulah's temple. She makes a soothing gesture.

"How intriguing. Do you miss her?"

"Not really, to be honest. If anything, I'd like to know what she became more than anything else. I feel it's an instinct not to want to be near other Austra, not because I dislike them, but I don't know, I don't feel like I want to know them."

"Territorial, my dear. You're talking about an instinct for a passive territory. There's few enough of you that you spread out to different areas. How curious! What compelled you to have a daughter if you really don't want your kind? And I'm sorry, I'm going to ask another question simultaneously; you've only mentioned a young girl walking out of the forest, you and a daughter–are all of the 'Austra' females, then?"

"I didn't think of it before now, but it's possible? The generational thoughts and feelings I sometimes get, like memories, do always seem to come from a female bent."

"Such a peculiar creature you are."

"I had a daughter because I was deeply in love–or at least I thought I was. I was young, and it happened. Afterward, I wasn't in love, except to raise that wean." Tallulah shrugs her shoulders slightly and winces, the massaging making her sore, and moving like that let her know. Selena waves the man away immediately, and he hurriedly moves to stand next to the wet bar, where the woman chose to stand when she returned.

"So, don't think me indelicate for this, I'm just inquisitive. When you breed, can you do it with any faerie kind?"

"I'm not sure, probably though. But also, I mean, half-bloods have happened for ages; you've heard the stories, I'm sure. Faeries taking children from human homes shortly after they were born–all of those old stories aren't always just stories. They're raised with fey and procreate with them, and then you have half-bloods."

"So you could technically procreate with any man that provides the living seed."

Tallulah laughs a bit, deciding to take a drink from her glass and finish off the liquid before answering. She leans over like she will stretch over and set the glass on an end table. Selena catches her mid-movement, though. Tallulah feels the strength of Selena's icy grip on her waistline for just a moment before Selena purposely lessens it.

"Dear one, I didn't want you to tip over. We have people to collect our glasses. Just snap for them; they'll come right away."

Tallulah looks at the pair of domestics and snaps her fingers. Sure enough, the woman quickly moves over, and Tallulah hands her the glass.

"Still learning, like I said earlier."

"I know. You're doing well overall, so far." Selena slowly draws her hand back from Tallulah's waistline and into her lap. If Tallulah weren't so inebriated, she might have read between the lines and heard more behind Selena's simple response.