#anywhere

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The air in the Manor house garden trembles and shimmers as magic crackles and a flicker-flash erupts, dropping two Trolls into the half-wild riot of greenery. Half cultured, half wild. Daisies and milkweed and thistle contest with trimmed roses and wisteria. Ivy has crawled over the fountain and lily pods float on a pond.

In dramatic irony, Gerd nearly lands in the pond herself. however, she narrowly avoids it, though a food slides a bit on a damp stone and she has to quickly move to one side.

"What the? they changed it" Almost offended they did it without giving her the memo!

"Oof!" Sylvi sits down hard, almost crushing a stand of late-summer blooms.

She gets to her feet and looks around. "I remember this."

"INTRUDERS! ALARM-ALARM! ALARM-ALARM!"

A squeaky voice protests!

"What the heck?" Gerd whirls around "They have a toadstool guard?"

A small (tiny to the trolls - only half a foot!) Garden gnome, earth-toned clay and unpainted, jumps up and down.

Sylvi blinks at them. "I don't remember that!" Then she raises her hands. "Friends, friends! We're friends, coming to see Baroness Nadeen."

"BIG-BIG STRANGER DANGER? Blinky watches! Blinky Warns!"

A voice they DO recognize comes from the doorway that leads into the kitchen.

"You tell them, wee one!" Marigold raises her tone warningly as she peers out, a hefty marble rolling pin raised. "Who goes there?"

"Gerd... and Sylvi... from Rivervale? Well.. mostly Rivervale..." Gerd calls out "We come in peace. Please call the crockery off"

"Yes, Marigold, it's Bridge Sylvi! And Gerd, you've met Gerd." Her hands are still up, and she eyes that rolling pin, quite certain that Marigold's in her right to employ it.

"I'm sorry to intrude, but Baroness Nadeen asked me for help, and then I couldn't get back in touch with her." Which is technically true. "We were concerned."

"Sylvi? Goodness, lass, what are you doing out in the garden? Come in, come in." Marigold CERTAINLY remembers Sylvi. "Of course I remember Gerd." She says, and it's even true, once she gets a closer look at the young troll.

"NOT CROCK. Mighty Guard! Mighty Blinky! Ancient and true!" The Gnome protests.

Sylvi looks at the mini-guard. "You did a fine job. We trespassed, and you alerted somebody. Nice work."

"Ma'am" Gerd says, ignoring the anklebitter's protests

"Marigold, can you tell Baroness Nadeen that we're here and need to see her?"

"Oh, no, dear, I'm terribly sorry. You've come at a most difficult time. Can I offer you tea, coffee, a spot of something stronger?"

"Thank you, but...Marigold....I know it's a bad time. That's why she called me, because she might need help. I don't know what's going on, but...she didn't sound okay. Please let me help her?"

It may be unfair to play on a boggan's sensibilities like that, but to hell with fair.

Gerd nods , letting Sylvi handle this

"Lord Aiden has called a conference. He is, oh, bless, he's in a MOOD at the moment, the dear soul." She fusses, but seems to be weakening a little. "She called you, you say? Does she expect you?"

"Not exactly. When she asked me for help, I couldn't give the help she wanted. Now I can, and I tried to tell her so, but her phone's shut off. It's frustrating."

"She made a request" Gerd nnods "At the time it was a no go, so now it's a go go, so can we go? In I mean?" Gerd adds "I'll stay out if it helps just to be one of us? Sylvi is the official official type. More proper, and she can help"

Marigold grabs onto that word. "She called you, and wished for help. Clearly she must... yes. Sylvi, off you go then. If they haven't already gone down that twisty hall, you should catch her. Past the front staircase, and take a right."

"Gerd, if you wouldn't mind, I would welcome news from Rivervale and my dear Gwen."

"Sure, as long as I get to help in the kitchen and not just get to gab while you do the work. I was raised with manners" Gerd says

"Got it," Sylvi nods and is off as soon as she gets the directions, making her way at a quick pace.

"Well then, you did ask for it. Be a dear and bring me that manual from the top shelf?"

A worn and well-used tome, Le Larousse Gastronomique. "Let's start at page 32, soupe de poisson à la rouille."

What has Gerd gotten into?

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Eventually they stop for gas and snacks. "Dagmar!" Connor holds up her phone. "I answered it for you, just like you wanted."

He had to wait in the car while she grabbed snacks, but luckily the gas station bathroom has an outside door, and once she's retrieved the key, he sneaks in, tail tucked out of sight, to potty while she checks her messages.

Dag scrolls.

A text to Sylvi "OMW to SW"

TXT: "About ## miles"

(trapped in land of flickerflash, there is no reply)

But Dagmar does notice... there are a LOT of outgoing messages on her phone.

Like, a lot.

Each of her 'Favorites' - May, Symon, Dad, etc.

Brow.

a colorful assortment of emojis to EVERY FRIEND!

🌭 's!
😃 's!
🍆 's! Plenty of THESE!

A quiet groan.

Zane texted back after getting an egg plant TXT: Don't tease. Re- N, did what I could

TXT: Symon: yeah, don't let the kid hold your phone.

Hands washed, coast checked to be clear, he trots back! They're very close now, but when you gotta wee, you gotta wee.

"On the road again!" Connor proclaims.

He notices her looking at the phone, and in proper dog fashion... doesn't make eye contact! If you don't LOOK at the thing, you are not GUILTY!

"Did you have fun with my phone, Connor?"

He gives her a quick glance, and nods! "I like the purple jellybean one."

"Please don't do send texts on my phone without asking, okay?"

His eyes widen. "I wouldn't have done that!" He lies, but does look Contrite.