Case File 2018.02.15
Monty was no real help in providing further information when asked as the horse carriage somehow drifted down in a way not normal for mortal passage to the path leading to Wanderland. The only thing he'd stated was that "he's waiting" after they'd landed from whatever hole or passage they'd seemingly flown to in order to reach a platform below at what one might associate as Tolkien meeting Vegas could appear like to a modern artist. Seeing no further use in being around Monty, she reclaimed her Rhodanthe when it was offered and turned to meet Sterling. He was just outside of the carriage, she'd pieced together who was waiting for...taking in the platform landing and the Pegasus that had drawn the carriage in from the mortal realms into Wanderland.
Sterling greeted her politely, inquiring on her travel-- quietly a agreeing on a level with her own sentiment of Monty as the Svartalf driving the carriage began to move once more, taking the curious vehicle of travel with Monty in it away from them. He escorted her down from the platform, offering her a drink as they moved down the walkway and into the massive archway of the viridian tower. Given circumstances that had drawn her back to Wanderland's door...Rhea had to confirm that she was his guest before accepting anything within this world cut off from the normal flow of time.
The Laws of Hospitality were not something to write off when dealing with anyone of the supernatural community-- it was more a safety net for all parties involved. Not that she wasn't willing to give Sterling the benefit of the doubt, but Monty was involved and the situation was already awkward with little known to her. He confirmed the formality and the two soon seated upon a small leather sofa as he provided far better details regarding the need for her visit back to Wanderland. Since the incident so many months ago prior that caused Kismet's Table to be damaged...the realm remained in a state of imbalance. He explained that in order to gain entrance to Wanderland a token was required, something she'd provided during her last visit but due to extraneous circumstances surrounding her departure-- it could not be returned, having been stolen from the safety of Wanderland's vault.
Because she had given the Anchor to Sterling in good faith that it would be returned should she not wager it while within Wanderland's domain-- the fact that he could not properly return the item forced the realm into a state of imbalance and continuing disrepair as the cycle had ceased. He did impress upon her that the existence of Wanderland did offer its own service of keeping things at bay due to this carefully balanced cycle-- without the scales returned to balance, it would continue to go further into decline. The part where Rhea came in was simple, due to a kind of loophole in the system, was while it was not in Sterling's direct power to return the Anchor. Seeing that Gwen currently possessed this item and he was unable to leave Wanderland to reclaim it and make things right-- he could offer another token of equal value, equal power in its place. Provided that Rhea would accept it in turn and allow this to repay the debt owed to her.
It started to make sense to her as he went over the details. However, it also made a sick feeling hit like a gut punch to her stomach when she saw the "token" that he would be offering to her in lieu of the Anchor that Gwen had stolen. The Horn of Jericho-- from Liam's own report she'd known this simple looking ram horn to be capable of destroying cities and apparently rendering a few dozen people crazy...considerable to the weapon of mass destruction that Corvus apparently was likened to with presentation of this artifact. Accepting the token in replacement of that which Sterling could not return would restore balance and allow the cycle of Wanderland to function properly once more. The damage left in Gwen's wake from her set of dominoes had far reaching consequences even after all this time...and it now left Rhea with the choice of accepting this artifact, which had no right back in the mortal world, to resolve the debt owed to her and set things right and back in balance once more. Either way the choice would have consequences that were not ideal.
