The night before she had seen Tara and found her behavior more then a little disturbing. Hence she felt a need to speak with her daughter?s husband and determine what course of action would best be served.

Under normal circumstances Fiona would have sent a request for a meeting via a messenger, but having heard of how dreadfully busy Talomar was, decided to take matters into her own gloved hands. Leading her to be standing at the front door of the Longden Castle.

Her form was wrapped in the heavy folds of a dark night black cloak. Features deeply shadowed within the cowl as if there was something Fiona cared little for it was the cold. She tended to avoid RhyDin this time of year due to it?s bitter winter weather. However, this matter required attention. It couldn?t be neglected or ignored any longer then it had already.

She had already left word for Lucius to seek out Tara as soon as possible. The girl had refused to tell her what was troubling her, but she suspected Luc would find a way, either through charm or commend to pry it out of Tara with more ease then Fiona could.

The small woman?s behavior last eve had raised some concerns. Tara?s obvious mooning over that crass sailor had been surprising to say the least. Information had been easily acquired, as there was always one around with an understanding of current events. In this case it had come from one she trusted and felt sure wouldn?t mislead. With the war, renovations of an old castle and the planning of Daniel?s social debut, both Fiona and her husband had apparently missed some rather important details regarding Tara?s well being.

A sharp knock upon the front door was now granted and she waited. Fully prepared to demand a meeting with the Lord of the Castle. Should he not be home, she was going to track Talomar down. It wouldn?t be difficult for one of her skills. She had been an assassin for a vast number of years and those abilities were still well honed and effective.

Now she waited, one snug, button down boot tapping lightly against the ice crusted ground and temper held tightly in check. She would seek both sides of this convoluted problem and seek a way to resolve it, hopefully without blood shed so many seemed to favor.

Ice green eyes swept over the woman as she stepped inside, willing enough to escape the cold winter air, but that desire didn't show. Fiona was chilled to the bone but to look at her, few would notice it, for her habitual control was firmly in place, and her movements were just as smooth as always, with those eerily silent steps taking her inside. Pushing the heavy cowl back from ivory pale features, a raven brow arched slightly, missing no detail about the lady that had greeted her.

"Good day to ye Miss." Her dark head dipped in a naturally regal fashion. "I'm Lady Fiona DeAuster and I have come to speak with Count Longden." Soft spoken, and yet her words were easily heard while her penetrating eyes continued the steady regard of the lady before her.

The woman was tastefully dressed and all buttoned up in a manner befitting a secretary or assistant. Elegant and obviously pretty enough to turn more then a few heads and she carried herself well. All of this was mentally noted in a matter of seconds and filed away. There was no sure way of knowing if this was the one Tara had mentioned, but Fiona suspect she was. She was the complete opposite of the smaller Tara in more then a few ways it seemed.

"I know I was not expected, but I have some "Family Matters" to discuss with him." A faint smile curled on rose pale lips and then let her gaze sweep over the foyer, having expected Tara's eclectic and bohemian fashion sense and was mildly surprised to find that missing from the d?cor that she could see thus far.

Fiona handed the heavy velvet cloak over towards the waiting maid but the gloves remained and she silently let the servant know this but simply drawing the leather taut upon long fingers and into place. Following Gaida who was directing her towards a gleaming wood door. Stepping inside the well-appointed library, she was instantly aware that this room was Talomar's domain, not yet touched by Tara's more colorful style.

Such a thing was not unusual to Fiona. Lucius had a few rooms in every one of their various abodes set aside for himself and his own personal, and somewhat chaotic choice in d?cor, while she had freedom to change everything else to her own exacting standards.

Her lithe frame settled gracefully into the offered chair with a faint hiss of supple leather as she listened to the woman speaking. "Absinth would be suitable Miss, and yes, ye may announce my presence to the Count."

Sinking back in the chair, as it was one of those furnishings that seemed designed to look elegant but force relaxation she let her ice green gaze room. Her perceptive eyes making note of the priceless artifacts and items housed within. At least this time Tara has married a male with taste.

Sharp ears caught the sound of the doors opening and her ice green eyes swung towards Talomar instantly, with a faint smile curling up on rose pale lips. She was struck with a moment of humor, remembering her daughter claiming that Tara's husband looked like a male model and could only agree. Not a hair out of place or even a single wrinkle to spoil the illusion of perfection. Talomar exuded wealth and success the same way Lucius radiated power and restrained violence.

Her dark head tilted, accepting the light kiss to her cheek. "Ye home be very lovely indeed." She replied as he settled in, only to decline his offer of another drink or food for the moment. "Nae, nae, I be fine." Holding up the small perfectly prepared class of absinthe his aid had delivered just prior to his arrival.

Her frosty green gaze met his and she was again reminded of her daughter's mutterings. Swearing the man had to have been under some "Love Spell" or charm to have married Tara. Cie's feelings regarding the small Countess was less then delighted. Not a surprise really as Tara was often making fun of Cieara and spreading tales that could only be called unflattering. For her self, Fiona believed their union was a matter of attraction; An attraction of opposites perhaps, but there nonetheless.

It was true he was far different from Tara's usual. Fiona had often heard Lord Brutin's
frequently scathing and sarcastic remarks about Tara's menagerie of male toys and suspected her own opinion was likely colored by that, however there was a few she remembered only to well and even if Tara's current husband had been a well dressed, wealthy, wastrel, he would still be many steps higher upon the evolutionary scale in comparison.

"I have actually come to speak to ye for two reasons. I shall start with the easiest of those." Her gloved hand moved to place the glowing green drink down on the table next to her chair. Sinking back, fingers rested on her bent knee lightly.

"First, Daniel is soon to be introduced to Society in the realm of our home. I wanted to extend to ye and Tara an invitation to the event. It be possible that Tara may nae wish to attend, for Lucius does practice slavery and Tara seems to have developed a strong dislike of this trade. However, I nae wish her or ye to feel left out."

Now she took a deep breath, obviously picking her words with apparent care. "Now for the next reason for my visit. Tis about Tara and certain behaviors I was witness to in the inn the past eve. Be ye aware of her interest in a certain crass pirate?"

"She'll come around, Fio." Talomar stated with what she thought felt like actual conviction, and ice green eyes narrowed slightly with one brow arching upwards. Did he truly believe that was true? Fiona had known Tara for many a year and had yet to see her once "Come around." For anyone, not even Brutin who often did have the ability to stop the tiny woman in her tracks with a look.

"Ah, I see. Do ye really believe that Tara will just snap out of it one day Talomar?" She also leaned forward with hands moving to rest nonchalantly upon the arms of the plush chair. Fiona had learned long ago that honesty and being blunt had more impact then picking her words with care, as if they were fragile things to be wrapped in velvet and dripping with gaily colored bows. "So while ye be hoping she will "Come around." Ye are willing to allow her to make ye a public cuckold? "

A glove hand lifted, forestalling any words he may think to offer, as she wasn't done yet. "Tara has the attention span of a child. Tis' apparent her behavior stems from something else. Likely a need to recapture ye attention I would suspect. Considering I did hear about ye cheating on her and with ye assistant, the lovely Gaida." Fiona didn't feel as comfortable remarking more about that indiscretion, considering she freely allowed her husband and son to keep slaves but the reason for that were unique. She also suspected there was a lot more to that story then she was privy too.

Fiona continued speaking, words low and well modulated. "Ye be lucky thus far, as I did hear the pirate say he would nae ever dally with a married woman as he nae "likes to plow another farmers fields", but it be a sure bet, her attention will wander again as any child's does when another unique male swims into her sight. Her next obsession may nae have the same ideals."

"Fact is Talomar, if ye be wanting to keep ye wife, ye can nae afford to sit back and wait for her to "come around." Ye will need to do more then that unless ye nae mind her making ye look the fool."

Fiona sat back as Talomar spoke and simply listened. He had been respectful enough to allow her rather blunt brutal remarks without interruption and fully expected to have him tell her to mind her own business afterwards. In truth, the only disturbing thing about what he was saying was the target of his obviously muted anger. However Fiona was a firm believer that actions beget reactions and it was apparent to her that Tara had brought such a fate upon herself.

Lucius may not be so quick to understand Talomar's set plan, as he did tend to coddle Tara and had for years. Fiona was also sure that once she made her husband aware of the extent of the small daughter's antics, he would recognize the need for it. If he didn't, she was fully prepared to ask if he wished their youngest child to act the way Tara did. That she knew would deflate any bluster quickly.

"Indeed Talomar, ye have effectively cleared up any confusion regarding what ye be having in mind." Some might find humor in this, but Fiona did not. It disturbed her to see one she cared for on such a self-destructive path. She knew the little red head loved her husband, so such rumored and confirmed actions only suggested she was seeking Talomar's breaking point. She didn't fully know what goal Tara had, just the assumption the she was in essence testing her husband's patience. It had been said for years that Tara could rattle the patience of a saint, and she was quite sure Tal was far closer to sinner.

With his words, Tara had obviously crossed that line and that left Fiona uncertain of what the future for the couple would hold. "She will resist ye. Tis her nature to be feisty as I am sure ye be aware, and the only advice I can offer ye now is to be sure ye iron fist is housed within a velvet glove."

Pausing only to reach for her drink and take a small sip and then ice green eyes rested upon Talomar where he sat across from her. "It be possible that ye might bring her in line, but do have care. It would nae serve either of ye well if ye damage all that ye find so appealing about Tara. Aye, she does indeed need discipline, for that be glaringly obvious but nae to the point that she loses her distinctiveness. It would be a pity if ye course of action did lead to blind obedience. To lose that spark that does make her unique would be a tragedy."

Taking a small sip of the potent Absinth spirit, Fiona's attention remained upon her host, a brow arching as he spoke of her husband and their relationship. It brought a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Aye, ye be correct. My marriage is that of a partnership. I am nae one that could ever be called biddable or docile and in truth, Lucius would break any woman that was helpless or meek. Even in regards to the chain he maintains, nae any of his are passive, but they are dutiful and always respectful."

Slender fingers encased in soft leather slowly turned the glass in her hand as she considered him. "Tara has nae much experience with such a thing I fear. Aside from Lucius and my self, she had nae seen many marriages that are true partnerships. Instead she was exposed to Slavers and their own social codes. I often thought much of her demeanor stems from that. To survive and remain free in that type of an environment, such outlandish behaviors and the sheer force of personality made many that preferred more subservient woman back off."

"Tis' likely I be wrong about my own assessment regarding our Tara, for I am infallible as any other, but it does make some sense." Her dark head took a slow tilting to the side and the movement cast light in the silver wire woven into the long French braid she wore. "She has always been drawn to strong men, both good and bad. She also may feel a need to assert herself through her outrageous behaviors and comments, when she starts to feel insecure."

"Tis' entirely possible she will change. Tara may appear off balance, but I be sure there is a brain in her head. If she considers her choices I am of the mind she will decide to hold on to what matters to her most." Fiona regarded Talomar somberly while placing her empty glass down on the table beside her seat.

There was an uncommon flicker of humor in her icy green gaze as she looked at Talomar, offering a nod of her dark head. She wouldn't make light of the current situation, but his words regarding Lucuis were unusual to say the least. Few looked past his general appearance to see what lay beyond the aura he projected. In many ways that said much about Talomar's own perceptions. It also gave her reason to believe he was very aware of the causes for much of Tara's rapidly swinging moods.

"Lucius does respect ye Talomar. Something few others in Tara's past could ever claim." Often as not, Lucius's mirrored Brutin in his assessments with usually the same results when it came to Tara's past relations.

"Tara is a lucky woman. She has ye, who loves her and tis obvious that ye do. Few others would be willing to find the patience to handle her. She also has friends and family that do care for her as well. Speaking with ye has indeed, put my mind at ease."

Rising smoothly then, she laid a hand lightly on his shoulder with a light smile. "Be there anything ye need, be that an ear to speak with or support, ye have but to ask any of my family. We will all do what we can to offer assistance."

Rising up again, Fiona drew the leather gloves taut upon her fingers. "Now alas, I must depart. There is still many things needing done. Also, I shall have a room set up for ye and Tara at Shadowfalls. Ye can use the portal at our home here to travel there. It be large enough for a carriage as well as Lucius does move troops through it. He has also set the wards to allow ye both passage so should nae have any trouble."

Gliding off on silent feet, she paused at the doorway, leading into the hall and looked back. "Give Tara my love Talomar and I hope to see ye both again soon."