#anywhere

In the Kitchen at Rivervale, the kitchen door opens and... Kerri may find herself locking something up as that happens. Vali comes in.

Oh, indeed, a well-timed locking, and she turns to the door. "Hello, Vali. How are you feeling?"

"Pretty solid, better than I thought, and a bit silly for stressing like I did" He admits

She grins. "I felt the same way, after the fact. Like, what was I so worried about? This is me!" A shake of her head. "Anyway, can I get you anything?"

"Actually a moment of you time if you have it? I can come back later if this isn't the best?"

"Oh? No, now is fine, I think." She wipes her hands on a dishtowel and takes a seat on a kitchen stool. "What is it?"

He takes one himself, not wanting to come across as lecturing or anything, "I had multiple visions for the lodge and its members. Ones I can share. I think. I wanted to talk to what I saw about yours?"

"Oh." She grows rapidly more serious. "Vali...is it something I should know? I know visions can be tricky that way...."

"I think if I don't say anything I'm going to have to be sneaky, and if I try to be sneaky, it's going to end up offending one of us and make things worse" He admits honestly.

"Mm, okay. Yeah, let's avoid the sneaky." A bit of humor, but also she seems to be mentally bracing herself.

"In my vision, you put on this shining..copper looking crown. You put it on hard, and you put it on deep...and you looked more regal, more impressive..." He begins.

Kerri listens, and it's clear to Vali that this vision makes some sense to her. A quick involuntary glance but then she focuses on him. "Is this...a good thing?"

"No.. it's not... because the thing grew barbs, and it ..took something OUT of you. The light in your eyes grew like ice... and you had a cruel smile. Whatever it was... it got a piece of you as a price"

She frowns, her brow knits, and she swallows tightly. "But...Vali...did it need to happen?" she asks quietly.

"I don't think it does ,no. Whatever this is, if you know what it is, you need to be very careful. I don't knoow if it's all bad... or if it was the impatience involved .. .or what... but this is.." A breath "In my vision, not only did all that happen with the crown, you hid it from others... even Olgar wasn't looking... and I got no right to say what's right or wrong about marriage because I am not down that road, but if whatever this vision is about would have you hide things from family friends AND husband? That sounds like something that you know they wouldn't approve of. Either that, or the crown doesn't want you to talk to those you should be talking with." He rises from the stool "Any of that make sense?"

A frown. "Some things are hidden for the safety of others," she points out, a bit defensively. But then she hears her own tone...and sighs. "Yes. It makes sense. It's frustrating, though. I...." She looks at him carefully and makes a decision. "Vali, I will tell you what it means, but I want to speak with Olgar, first."

"Makes total sense, and if you choose to trust me after, then I am here." he nods "I'm just trying to make this boon from the dreaming help those I care about. I hope it helped you. I should be off and go pass on the next one."

"I wish it were a different truth...but I think it's something I needed to hear. Vali...thank you." She manages a bit of a smile for him.

"I kind of wish it were too" Almost apologetic, but he smiles back, and slips out the kitchen door

Kerri sighs and turns to look at the locked cabinet again. "Fine. We're going to renegotiate this, you and I. Later."

....after Vali is out of the kitchen.

A sparkle seems to gleam from within, with rich promises. But then stops. For now

She pouts at it. "Brat." Then she summons her determination to go back to her duties until Olgar comes back from patrol.

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