#anywhere

In the morning, Nadeen wears a nightrobe , and slippers, she feels glorious, but she wants to see a friend, so not waking her love, who is exhausted, she moves to seek out Dagmar- she checks near Silverwolf's stables and kennels first

Dagmar has successfully found coffee!

A laugh "Morning. Sorry, Coffee's rare here"

She is nursing a mug of it, sitting under a tree where she can watch the horses. "I think Marigold got up early to make that pot."

"She's an ace, that Marigold," fondly. Nadeen looks a bit older now, more mature, a price? or a gift really. She looks more 21 than 18 and given her older lover, the closer gap will serve her, but her eyes still sparkle like winter ice on a clear lake "How did Connor sleep?" She's pretty sure Dagmar checked on the boy

"He's still asleep. Seems okay." She looks over at the older Nadeen, amber eyes flickering with something but... trolls are hard to read at the best of times.

Indeed, even Nadeen who knows her so well, can't be sure, "He's a brave boy, as well as a good one"

She nods. "He is."

Her own blue eyes race over the knight, once the knight who served her father and protected her, and more, "I think I owe you an apology"

"Mmph." She sips her coffee. Unlike the grumps at Rivervale, hers is lightened with generous amounts of cream and sugar.

"You know," She elaborates, "For all the 'Damn it, Nadeen' I put you and Sylvi through"

a bit of a smile at that. in retrospect, she's sure a 'dammit nadeen' story will be constructed out of this

"Yeah, you're an idiot. A lucky idiot."

"I'm in love" Nadeen shrugs, her hair spilling about her shoulders like sunlight, "Unlike Fiona, I don't deny that can turn even the smartest woman into an idiot. I had to stop it before it got to the balefire, and I couldn't let it be destroyed , it was the container for Aiden's memories"

Shrug.

"But I do apologize for the scare I gave you"

"Scared me too" she confides

"Yeah."

"You look different." Blunt and terse.

"Yes, a small price to pay if it means Aiden is restored to the man he should be, and Connor's blessing means he can..." A delighted smile "Well, go into your father's store on two legs without mittens or hat. Gerd's still stunned. It's wonderful"

"Yeah."

"I don't know if I just look more mature, or if it shaved a year or two off my lifespan, but I'll only age before the balefire if I want to, so.." A casual shrug, then "Do you think I'm less beautiful now?"

"No."

"Well, my vanity is appeased," Nadeen moves to her side and watches the horses, "I know you don't like change" A beat "Sylvi a freeholder, I saw, I just thought it would be , eventually, Rivervale"

"Me too."

"is this Goldfinch hold any good? It sounds like... well, some gay karoke bar.. don't tell her or Piper I said that"

"Well, you were gay for a while."

"Bi technically... " She reminds "You may recall a certain satyr lad?"

"But it's not for me. I mean, I'm allowed to go there...."

"Yeah, sorry." She frowns at her coffee.

"Damn right you're allowed to go there..." indignant her behalf "You bust your ass patroling the whole barony, if they try to shut you out you let me know and I'll... " then she sees that frown "Hey, you're still the amber eyed beauty I care for, and once delighted in. In another life we were...well, you know, but I'm not that same woman, and you're not the same either. And in some ways, no, most ways, we're better. This is where I tell you you WILL find someone, and she will be wonderful and special and be all yours. But I suspect you don't want me to go on and on about it?"

Grunt. She's still studying her cup, not Nadeen or the horses.

"Gonna take Connor to the mall, I think. There's a toy store."

"He'll love that" She nods "You going to take Gerd too or you two taking turns showing him off?"

Shrug.

"You know he's about our... my?... he's like technically fifteen."

"He's a childling in spirit and form, the winter creep is lower on him than it is we wilders. He's spring, we're summer...he's going to be a boy for a long time , but he'll have family, more than ever before, and they won't love him any less" she examines her friend "Besides, you'll be a fun grump. All mmph and urmph and quick nods and sly smiles. Shame you can't grow a beard, you could pull of Sir Frank's chin twitch smile where no one is sure"

"He's special."

"He is, he's remarkable but then? So is his knight" a thought "I'm... wondering if we shouldn't recognize him as heir of Silverwolf, so when he finally comes of age, if he wishes it, he has a right to the hold. If he wishes it."

For one who has sought a sidhe held hold all her life, granting one to a pooka may sound very odd, but then odd things abound

Dagmar nods. "With the Baron... fixed? Maybe, yeah."

"Connor's choice will be large factor," And at that Nadeen reaches out and touches her shoulder "You should be so proud of how he ... well, he knew his loyalties and he loves you"

A little crease between her eyebrows.

Worry?

"Hey, what's that?" Nadeen looks at her, "Dagmar, that bothers you?"

Shrug. A shake of her head. But the worried expression lingers.

"Something's worrying you, please, you've done so much for me, don't shut me out now"

Shrug.

"Or... you could shut me out" A sigh "Just.. talk to Kerri about it please? She always knows what to say, ,and if you want to talk to me about it, I'm here"

"I'm not." She frowns.