#anywhere

Linnae patrols and hears voices "You're the one with muscle, Chief" Wudlig says

"Well it's your daft vehicle. Thing moves 2 00 miles an hour , veils itself, and yet it doesn't ahve snow tires?" A grunt and hauling sound .. Hewitt

"Hurftul, Chief" Wudlig says. It would appear they've slipped off to the side of the road

"Hello, Dark Gate!" She calls over, announcing herself before approaching.

"Ah, hem.. hello SIlver Wolf" Hewitt sets the vehicle down at least the part he was lifting. Inside the driver's seat, this causes Wudlig to bounce some

"Do you need a hand?" She strides over, bowing with a hand on her heart to greet the chief.

"You are no frail damsel, are ye? " he says "I suppose I shall swallow some macho pride , besides, I can think of few I would want mroe by my side"

and he returns the gesture

"It seems you may be the damsels, Chief, journeyman." She says with a grin. "Not so frail either, though." And she takes position at the other side of the vehicle, shoulder to the frame. "I think if we both push..."

"Aye. Ready, Wudlig?"

"Ready!"

"Now, Linnae!" The Baron forgets to use the title thane, and he grins as he gets to exert himself with her nearby

"Aye!" She sets her boots firmly, finding traction, and SHOVES with mighty force. As the vehicle skids to one side, she repositions and calls, "to the left, Hewitt, I think we've got her!"

"We do!" And it drives as Wudlig sputters snow and ice on their pants

and he looks at himself and her "Ah.. sorry about that, lass" A chuckle

She laughs! "A bit of exertion is refreshing on a cold day like today! Oh, but..." She frowns a bit, and rubs at the spatters on her parcel.

"here here" he moves towards her "If I may?" "

"Oh, it's just the packaging... I had wanted... it's no matter. Just a small... um." She stammers just a touch, then straightens. "A small gift for you, Chief Hewitt. From myself."

Offering it over, slush and all.

He says "Well then, the warmth of your kindness do it's work" And.. a touch of pyretics, and the slush, just the slush, melts off and then dries

She blinks and grins! "Handy, that. You needn't open it now, it's just a token of thanks... for, um." Her cheeks color a touch. "For my shield, again, as no thanks will really match up. And for your friendship, and..." Trailing off, she just says, "From me, for you. For today."

"Ah lass, tis no trouble, I would be honored to ... "And his left nostril twitches and he looks at her again, "You need never thank me, Linnae for friendship. your company warms me as much as any balefire. "

Her cheeks flame now, but she ventures a smile, and presses a hand to her chest once more. "I hope you like it. It's not much, but from the heart."

"I like it very much" He closes a bit even as he opens to see what is in the package

She trails a bit closer as well watching him open it. Within the simple packaging is a simple gift, at first glance. The smell of fresh tanned leather and oil, and as he unfolds it, it's a full size blacksmith's forge apron! Full top grain leather, rugged yet precisely cut to his size, where standard ones may fall woefully short on his height. A plethora of pockets for tools, loops and straps, and the ties carefully worked to be strong yet supple, so that they can hold for hours of work without rubbing one's neck or shoulders raw. And beneath that, a folded cloth.

"Oh lass, this .. this is wonderful"

"Here, this loop I added, for a towel. I know the heat of the forge makes one sweat..." The cloth is a towel, hardy material though soft and absorbent, and with a small embroidered image on one corner. Rather inexpertly done, but it can at least be made out as roughly what was intended. She says softly, "It was supposed to be a linnea, but at least it looks like a flower?"

He may well imagine the finger pricks that went into it, large and strong fingers tried to bend to a delicate task.

He looks at her "No flower, no rose, no other lnnea, no forget me not, could compare to the one before me. Strong and fierce, full of fire and steel, yet as ..."A blush "Ah, forgive you must think me a damn fool"

"Then we may both be fools today." She responds.

"Then I.. need to get something from the vehicle for you. I.. hope you like it"

A surprised look, but she nods, waiting.

And he pulls out a package and hands it to her "It...apears we had simiar thoughts"

"For me?" Taken aback a bit, as she accepts and runs her hands over it, curiously, before opening.

the leather jacket feels sturdy, strong "I didn't do the original crafting" He explains "But got a good trade for it. And don't worry, leather is tough but infusion makes it tougher..." He explains feeling like a fool. Of course she knows this.

And there.. on the back of it, is a flower symbol.. HER Flower symbol

(Which looks something like this, but with a linnae , of course)

"The cantrips shouold protect the symbol as well" he adds

A gasp, and she gives him a surprised look! "It's so hard to find a proper jacket in my size, without buying men's wear, which always hangs poorly at the waist...." But of course, he knows the struggle as well. And she laughs! "Leather for both of us, I see that our minds were a bit alike after all?" Admiring the flower pattern. "It's... perfect."

"Well, then it might just be worthy of you" he says "And Aye, it's a pain going to a big and tall store and finding out their biggest is meant for rather puny people after all" Oh this they both do indeed know "the boggan tanner I worked with knows that warrior women are not scarecrows or stick figures.."

She is already sliding it over her shoulders - ah, it FITS over her shoulders, and hands slip into the pockets - a BIG smile, as the pockets actually fit her entire hands!

Her delight is reflected in him , though being a man, and thus having male pocket privilege, he may not understand how important pockets are to her. He realizes the trade he gave for this service was more than worth it "Oh you cut quite the figure in that, if I may say. You look as grand as ... I find myself wishing I had a skald on hire. Suffice to say, I am glad you like wearing it, for I do enjoy seeing you in it"

a bit of a rogueish look at that admission

She gives a little spin - realizing that for once, in the presence of the larger chief... she actually feels a touch delicate, a novel sensation.

"I am torn between wanting to wear it always, and wanting to keep it safe that it never wears out."

"I leave that to you, but with the spells upon it it should be as tough as chain, an lacking the risk of rust to boot" he says delighted at the way she moves "Lass, there is one thing I would like to offer.. Wudlig has said that with your permission, he coudl take us on a ride. given the silly thing sliding off the ice, if you prerfer, and if it mean no harm, I could.. patrol with you? I would never tear you away from duty, but join you in it for a time? That duty would be as light as a feather on my shoulders if I had such company"

A light blush there.

She beams back at him, wolfish teeth showing in her smile. "It would be an honor."

"Well then" And he moves to her side. Happy to walk with her as they patrol the border- together.