#anywhere

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"So you see, I... I feel really bad about it..." Siv explains blushing

"you feel bad?" He says arching a brow.

"Darn it! Will you accept my apology or not?" Aghast

Bancroft says "There's nothing to apologize for, I mean, of course it's an unorthodox maneuver given the setting but you did it because you knew as a ruse neither of us would sully our honor. yours or mine. Your reasons were rather trollish even if your methods weren't typical."

"Ha, you're forgetting me Uncle Olgar" she says, then "you're NOT wanting an apology?"

"No. The fault is minee, for letting a pretty face distract me" he says

She beams at that, then the smile fades "Sidhe are prettier..."

He snorts. His stoic mask slipping

"What?" She says

"Are you impressed with a troll who is stronger than average?" He asks

"Well, no not really... we don't even have to excercise for that" Siv ssays "What's your point?"

"Well, for sidhe, looks are like that. We don't have to try, and not saying girls SHOULD try, but it does mean that a pretty sidhe means less than a pretty anything else. Just like a STRONG satyr probably worked harder than equally strong troll. I.." Bancroft thinks it over, "You are not as lovely as a sidhe... by the Dreaming's will alone. Yet you are beautiful still. A daisy is not a rose, and yet what if I prefer it to the rose? And and then there's what you DO... cruel eyes on a beautiful face downplays the beauty, so kind laughter like I see in yours... it makes your already lovely face more so. Your ..OUR actions shape how others grow to see us. And I ...like your actions. And I see more and more beauty every day. You have layers"

Siv blinks at the Thane then, "You sound like someonee but I can't qite place just who." Then a blush, then.. "Wait, layers? Is this an ogres are like onions thing?"

"i ..what?"

"Ae ye calling me an onion then?" Hand on hip

"I..." he looks left, then right "am not sure how we got here and I'd like to take a moment to check the map of this conversation"

Siv breaks out into a laugh and hugs him, squishing most pleasantly against the rather hard bodied Sidhe . She tries not to think about how nice that felt "See, I don't always ACT nice either, it's just ye're such a lump. Almost impossible to get a rise out of. So I guess I like that I can."

At least three comments come to his mind, he wisely moves past the first two. She is taller and her hugs threaten to ah well, not that he's really upset about that, but he tries to be a gent "I see. So I provoke you?"

She considers "Oddly , a litle yeah."

A smile slips his face as they part, just for a moment, then "I..pride myself on having a strong will. I guess... I failed a test on the battlefield."

She wrinkles her nose at him.

"Now what?" he says

"I don't know, just the fact that you plan to build up an immunity is vaguely irritating" She scuffs the ground

"An immunty to ...what, blue fever?" He realizes what he said "What i mean is..."

Siv laughs 'No, no no backing up on that. I'm too pleased. Aye. Call it pride, but I'd liek to think that it's great if I can surprise ye.. you're... I like thato thers might nto but I can" A confession, too much she thinks.

He ponders, then nods "I haven't let anyone else ever nail me in the ah...jewels"

A chuckle, then she looks at the field where celebrations are still going on, "They're playing music."

"I can hear it" he nods.

"Lots of dancing" She points out.

"No doubt, it'ss a holiday" he says agreeably

"Me only consulation is you'd probably be this thick with a sidhe lass too, Thane Lump" Grumble

"Ah..uhm.. oh yes, well, I suppose you have a traditonalist streak I didn't expect.." he confesses.

A look from her, "I'm not in the habbit of dragging folks off by their hair into me cave , no, if that's what you're asking"

A light blush then, he bows, takes her hand, and his eyes seem to engulf all of her at once as if drinking her in "Siv Waveborn, of the Rivervale Lodge, would you like to dance with me?"

"oh thank god ye can be taought" She grabs his arm and pulls him alone. It might indeed resemble dragging one to a cave

"Now where do they keep the satyrs" She mutters.

"Siv!!" he says stoic mask breaking into a kind of alarm.

She smirks "yup, that's fun. Fine fine.. shall I lead?"

"I'll lead, thank you" A smile and he puts one hand on her waist, and the other takes her free hand and they whirl.

Off at the edge of the celebrations, Brekke breaks off in mid conversation with some of the other Rivervale locals as she sees her daughter dance and spin in the arms of...a sidhe. She carefully schools her expression and reaches new levels of stoic.

(end scene)