#anywhere

"The poor horses were messed up. Physically healed, but... trauma, y;know?"

"So, well, we stole them."

"I don't think Dad much cared for the race..."

"He probably worried. That's part of a father's job is to worry. Father's are like stones, they take the worry onto themselves, growing smooth and worn, so the worry doesn't hold the daughters back from being amazing. Don't worry, worry may wear but the pride makes the stone shine."

"...you think he's proud?" Hopeful

A look at her, "I know he is. He's shining for you now. "

A quiet grin.

"He's not a talker, your dad." A nod "So I look for his face and eyes."

"He talks plenty"

"Yes, and when you don't see him, and I do. I see how he puffs up when I ask how you're doing, or your latest exploit. I see his chin lift a little higher and his eyes do shine indeed. I know he's proud, Dagmar. WHen others talk about their kids, he gets this sort of 'mmph' which I think means 'my daughter's better but that's so obvious I don't need to mention'"

Blush-mumble

"ANd you're proud of him too" A nod

"Oh, yeah! I got the best parents..."

He scratches his chin, "how's the grandfather race going? Am I in the running?"

"You're the only one I have. Dad doesn't talk about his parents."

"mm does make it easier for me, guess I can slack off your next birthday" amusement

A chuckle

Odin is now IN Dagmar's lap.

"now, you raided the horses and saved them from abuse... what happened then?"

"The next part is fuzzy..."

"We got a treasure for Siv?"

"I got an eyeball. For Symon."

"An eyeball?" A brow "Mmm Symon will probably like it"

"It's the size of a football"

"By the runes, that's... wow. Okay. I correct. He'll love it, and Anne Marie will hate it" A pause "Speaking of Anne Marie. She got kidnapped and then rescued "

"WHAT?"

"You weren't told? Guess Tove was distracted... don't blame her there. Yes... Zane, Dirk and Symon had to go rescue Anne Marie and Jonas."

"They were a bit rough, but got all healed up, and they're all fine"

"Who?"

"Why?"

"Anne Marie has access to knowledge of which families have fae blood and may have changelings most likely to rise again... and which families have kithain now. They wanted her notes, and the code to break it"

"Were they caught?"

"killed or caught. Kinain. The survivors were taken to the Count and interogated because he was closer"

"...oh."

"Dagmar... don't make me regret telling you this, just because you weren't there doesn't mean you failed them. I'm a skald, and a skald knows that others have their stories too." He says "Sides, I know it sounds like I'm making excuses, but Da'an is all over this story, something, or someone, was guiding the rescue beyond those boys. I could feel it like a breeze"

A branch tap tap taps at her bay window. Wait, are there any trees close enough to rattle off the window?

"Yeah...."

he turns "Did you hear that?"

A louder Tap-a-Tap-Tap... hey, Dagmar knows that code.

"Oh!"

She goes to open the window

"Symon?"

It would be too cliche for Symon to say BOO, but it's a very SIMILAR exhalation of sound, as he drops down from above the window, hair streaming downward as he hangs from clenched toes.

"ha.Would you like me to leave you two alone?" The Skald asks "I know older generations can be a ..what's the term? A drag?"

To his credit, Dagmar still startles a little "Oof!"

He hisses in amusement and slides in the window. "It's Torin, right? I don't know if we're ever really met."

"Tove's dad"

"He tells cool stories, you should get him to talk about this snake that eats the tree sometime..."

"Yggdrasil and jormungandr." He nods. "And some damn squirrel."

"Torin , and I think we've met maybe once young man, but it was ..good lord, almost two years now?"