#anywhere

The paddle boat with it's longboat design is ..comical, but Sylvi and Colton don't much mind as they move along a lake that is closed to most mortal eyes

It may be silly and girlish, but she does snuggle up close to him as they paddle along. It's a chilly day, after all. Yeah, that's why.

He snuggles back as they paddle, "It's almost as pretty out here as you are."

"Doesn't mean you get to goof off and leave me to do all the paddling though" A fangy smile . He teases. She has worked so hard when she's been here to smooth things over.

Her diplomacy has democraticly elected nobles and traditionalists alike supporitng the hold as a matter of Concordian security. Which it is

"Oh, I dunno...I think, if I'm as pretty as this..." she indicates the lake "...I should be able to just lean back and let you paddle while you simultaneously feed me grapes. Peeled grapes."

Then she winks at him and paddles right alongside. "This is part of the hold's land?"

A soft laugh , then "Technically? yes, this is part of the barony... and with a trod that pops up now and then for access no less. Chieftain Hewit likes it, but not as much as his workshop. Me? I like it a lot."

"It's a good place," she agrees. "Peaceful. Of course, that might be because the mortals can't be all over it right now."

"I should feel bad about that," He says "Especially as a Liam. I make what runs I can mind you. Drop off packages for the elderly and so on. But I ..is it wrong I like having the whole place to just us so I can focus entirely on you?"

"I think...." she offers slowly "...that every now and then we can enjoy a bit of indulgence. I mean...it's not like we're actively hurting them by being here, or that they could come out and enjoy if we were gone."

"This is true," he says "And I know for a fact you've earned it. Your parents probably think I'm just hogging you all to myself ..and who could blame me? But why don't you tell your mom and dad how you back up Hearth and Chief alike especially with diplomacy?"

"And some good suggestions about just plain running a lodge"

Sylvi's quiet for several moments.

"I kind of think they know...but they don't really want to think about it too much. I mean..." She stops, trying to figure out how to word it.

The paddleboat slows as he looks at her.

She blushes a bit and shrugs. "It's one thing to send your daughter away for camp at a friendly farm, or even to send her off on diplomacy trips to other baronies. I guess. But sometimes now Mom gives me weird looks after I come back from here. She doesn't really say anything. I mean, she checks how things are going and stuff, and I tell her anything interesting that happened diplomatically, but...well, she doesn't really explain the weird looks. And I don't really ask."

"Weird how?" He says baffled.

She gives him a kind of an awkward/embarrassed look. "Mom-daughter weird."

"Like, we've-already-had-The-Talk-but-there-might-be-another-Talk-I-don't-know-about kinda weird."

"Huh. Sounds like a 'I couldn't get it unless I were a daughter or mom' huh?" He takes her hand "Want me to talk to her? Ask what's up?"

Her eyes go wide. "Uh, no. Really not." She squeezes his hand. "But it's sweet of you to offer." A sigh. "I'll talk with Dad, see if he can...well...he does this smoothe-things-over thing that I don't even know how he does it."

"Maybe I should ask him for lessons" he says , his other hand fiddling with something as they drift in the lake.

Then he kisses her softly, and when they part , he says "Got something for you"

She enjoys the kiss, his lips presenting a very pleasant change of topic. Then she looks surprised when they part. "You do?"

"Yes," And he lifts up the peeled grape from the basket and brings it to her lips "Tadaa"

She blinks at it, then laughs, leaning away. "Okay, you're too clever, and way too dextrous." Then she leans close again for him to pop the grape in her mouth.

A moment to consider, then a nose wrinkle. "Better unpeeled," she declares after eating it.

"Argh" he laughs as it is his turn"I nearly broke my thumb trying to peel taht while you were distracted, and it's better unpeeled now?" A smile "That's it, I'm feeding you unpeeled grapes and kisses"

And he does, as they float happily on the water

Possibly turning in distracted paddle-boat circles.

Oh yes, figure 8s at best... young love can get a bit dizzy minded.

(End Scene)