#anywhere

"I do," Beautiful smile

"Mmmph" he says, and almost smiles himself.

she laughs, "Well, it's not a bad idea, I may use it. There's just one problem," Tove sighs "With the whole thing I mean."

"Oh?" He raises a brow.

"It's entirely possible she was lying about every one of the things she offered," She explains, "falskeliger tunga...false tongue. She had a false tongue. It says so at the start of the song, which I suppose makes her honorless, and ...maybe Sir Mannelig sensed that and was right to reject her"

"So change the song," he says with a shrug

"I can't do that" Horrified as if he just asked her to put a mustache on the Mona Lisa

"Why not, you were going to make a happy ending" he points out.

"That's different, that's..that's continuing the story! that's not changing it for propaganda purposes. No matter how much I prefer that..."

"Does it FEEL like she's lying to you?" He holds up a hand, "Does it feel like her desire isn't real?"

"Not for a moment, she's in pain..." Tove says

"then maybe she didn't lie. maybe she did, but the picky ass would have had to settle for 'six' horses, 2 mills, a great kitchen knife and a nice tie." Firm "Doesn't change HER worth does it? And he's still narrowminded"

"I could...turn it around a bit later," She considers, "maybe she had even more to offer, and the falsehood was her holding back, or maybe she did have nothing, and she still finds that suitor troll you speak of who realizes she has nothing but still wants her for her?" Thoughtful

"Maybe" he nods, "We often don't recognize our own value for just who we are, what we have to offer just for ourselves, dowry or not."

She gives him a long speculative look at that, eyes dancing along his face.

He pauses, "Something in my hair?"

A sigh and she mutters something.

"So, is there a girl you are feeling shy about in particular?" She ventures, eyes dance again.

"No, not really," he plops down on a stump, "I mean, clearly I'm talking to you. "

She gives him a look

But he continues, "But I am ..on hold, as a much younger lady decides if she'll have any part of me as a.. well, a guardian. Dagmar is... I offered to adopt her."

Tove's eyes light up, and she smiles, "You did? That's wonderful. She's a wonderful girl. Why she worked so hard with the flood you'd have though she could have put a wall of concrete bags about asgard if she had the time"

"She hasn't said yes yet, " he answers, "And she hasn't said no. So I'm... trying not to get my hopes up. Odd, I want this. And... I shouldn't talk to folks about it. She'd be upset about that."

"Likely,, but I'm no boggan," Tove assures, "You'll make a wonderful father. Assuming the two of you ever talk."

He grunts

A roll of her eyes.

He sighs and relents after a long moment of silence, "She's worried about money. She's worried I'll hate her after a time. She's certain she'll blow it and I'll be stuck with her."

Tove nods, "Well, those are a teenage girl's fears, fears born of hard and cruel lessons. You? You are not a Teenge girl. You are a grown man and a grump, albeit a young grump."She rises, "If you're feeling worried with waiting, stow it away and reflect instead on how much harder this is on her. She's been asked to take for her a terrible risk, and show a lot of trust. Sometimes the best thing you can offfer another, no matter how much it pecks at your own insecurities, is patience. But you are the one hoping to be her parent, eh?"

She pats him on the shoulder "So wait. Bide. And support her no matter what she chooses."

"Are you telling me to stop whining and put my big boy pants on?' He grumbles.

"I am always willling to hear of your concerns, for I know you do not share with people much," She says gently, even kindly, "And better you whine to me than her, but I do not see how it is productive and you do need to be the strong ready one now." She walks slowly off heading home, with a comment "As for your pants, Jaymes Ironhawk, on or off , who said I had the slightest bit of interest?" A bit of a hip sway and gone.

Jaymes watches her go, blinks, then sighs "And now I'm confused again. mmmph."

(End scene)