"Questa, I know you. You just don't want to remember her telling you to go get help. I'm telling you now. Go find Wulfsen or Xavier!"

"Yer find Wulfsen or Xavier. I 'ave this under control dahn 'ere." Questa missed the base of Cort's ear and only sliced off a piece of cartilage. She tossed it aside in disgust. "Hold still!"

"No, you don't have control. Now go get them before you get into a spot you can't get out of. Sileas doesn't want ears, she wants them arrested."

"If Sileas didn't want ears she should 'ave said she didn't want ears."

"I think you heard what you wanted to hear. Now, go. Go find help."

"I can't leave this 'alf done, he'll be unbalanced." Questa argued.

"He's already imbalanced mentally. He may  as well match physically. GO!"

Liadan stormed into the kitchen, furious.

"I just heard some momzers speaking filth about the kitchen. What's this drek about Xavier taking advantage of Ila in here?!" Liadan demanded before noticing the scene.

"What? There's a group of people spreading lies upon lies because they don't want Ila working in the kitchen."

Liadan glared at Shawn sure he had something to do with it but not able to place her finger on it. She turned to Brie. "Did you know Xavier forced himself on Ila in the kitchen? When did this happen?"

"It didn't happen. Either Aislyn or eye have been here in the kitchen pretty much non-stop. Either one of us would have put a stop to it. And Xavier has been much too busy running the keep while Wulfsen's been gone. Xavier's never needed to force himself on anyone anyway."

"Something happened to her. As if what that mermomzer did to her wasn't bad enough. Is that the sotah married to that maggot butcher?" Liadan asked, then noticed that Shawn was holding Cort, and Questa was clinging to Cort. Cort was missing an ear and the other was bleeding. "What'd I miss?"

"They've both been saying hateful things not only about Ila but me and Sileas. He tried to hit Shawn but Shawn caught his fist which is why his arm is twisted behind him. And I wager it is really starting to ache." Brie shook her head. "Then she tried to kick Shawn so I whacked her with the baking sheet. It was one I made, so you know it's sturdy. Then Questa came in, saying Sileas wanted his ears. I think Sileas meant for her to find Wulfsen or Xavier, but that pretty much sums it up. Oh and Sileas took Ila out of here because she was getting very upset."

"She said vile things about you and Sileas?" Liadan asked, then thoughtfully kicked Mrs Cort in the ribs.

Liadan walked over to Cort, "Him too?" and kicked him hard in the groin.

"Not sure where you got that Sileas wanted Wulfsen or Xavier out of ears, those two would look better without their ears, and even better without their tongues." Liadan said, and looked at Shawn as if she would kick him in the groin next.

"I think she wanted Questa to go get Wulfsen or Xavier to help get things under control." He couldn't help but grin as Lia kicked the pair. "But Questa decided Sileas wanted the ears of these two. And you're right, they would be better without their tongues but this started out as a whole crowd. We can't cut out everyone's tongue." He watched Lia warily.

"I can cut out all their tongues myself. I don't like people gossiping about Ais and Brie, or Ila, in front of my children. They were saying such vile things." Liadan said angrily.

"I know, but we just can't cut every one's tongues out. We don't even know how many people are saying things."

"There were a couple in the garden." Liadan said. "I thought I heard someone say something in the Hall but I wasn't really listening."

"It's probably best to just ignore them. Reacting in any way just feeds their hatred."

"Ignoring them won't stop their lies." Liadan said.

"And cutting out their tongues will just fuel more people to talk. And then they'll include you and how violent you are."

Did Brighid not know her at all?

"I am violent!" Liadan said. "Especially to momzers bothering my family or friends."

Questa cut off Cort's remaining ear. She sprang over to Mrs Cort.

In reply to Liadan Buckley (msg # 803):

"I know but you don't want them talking about you. Who knows what they will distort and make up? Questa! Enough! Go find Wulfsen or Xavier!"

"How can they talk when they don't have any tongues?" Liadan asked.