#anywhere

MEANWHILE......

Hey, Gerd!" she says as she finishes one boy who wanted to be a forest. It mostly comes out looking like some kind of camo with leaf marks, but the kid's happy!
3:38 PM
"Hey, need me to take over?" Gerd says "Saw Ylva's face paint, looked good"
3:40 PM
"Thanks! Um...yeah, maybe for a bit? Ylva said something weird, and I'm wondering if I need to find my mom and ask about it."
3:41 PM
"Oh yeah?" She takes a seat and the next kid comes up "What did she say?"
3:42 PM
"Something like....'Everything's fine, the new Chief has everything under control.'...but it's more about the WAY she said it, y'know?"
3:43 PM
"Mmm" Gerd ponders "HOw did she say it ?"
3:45 PM
"Like...like she was lying to avoid causing trouble? And then I suggested somebody could talk to Mom about it, and then she accused me of trying to get her to do my work?" A baffled shrug.
3:47 PM
Gerd smirks "Well, You do have a mom daughter pipeline , but I hear you" She puts a face on one kid, a clown
3:48 PM
"But...what am I even supposed to ask her about? I don't know what Ylva's talking about!"
3:48 PM
"I'll look around" She assures

Sylvi starts to head off, then pauses and turns to look at Gerd. "Waitaminit. You know exactly what Ylva's talking about, don't you."

"Moi?" Gerd arches a brow. At times, it would horrify Gerd to learn how many of Vali's annoying habits that she's complained about, she's picked up

Sylvi puts her hands on her hips and gives Gerd a skeptical look. "Spill it, Gerd."

"You evoking friendship rights, Daughter of the new Chief Rights, or Dirk's spill it or I'll black your eye, rights?" Gerd asks a twinkle in her eye rahter than being offended, "You may also add 'please' and bypass the whole system"

One can see how Dirk's method is tempting

"Don't tempt me. But yes...PLEASE spill."

She paints another childling's face, an easy one to do, the kid wants a sun! She talks, "Well, I can't deny the power of the magic word. First, you need to look at your source. Ylva isn't sharing her story, not with me anyway but she came here to the legendary lodge of trolls, Rivervale to serve a legend. Now, the legend left, but Ylva likes your mom so she's cool with that. BUT, she knows the Chief Kerri has a daughter, who for some reason isn't helping Rivervale lOdge... now, if she were older, she might realize that Goldfinch serves an IMPORTANT outlet and purpose for the whole barony, and your mom is damned proud of you... but she's a childling, good and bad, black and white, doing the job or not? I Think she feels protective of the lodge and wonders why others aren't. It's a childlihng arrogance... I had it too. And, then there are legit concerns she probably sees and hears about..."

Sylvi listens and considers all this. A grin. "I had it, too, when I was a kid. Very defensive of the Lodge's reputation, and very certain that anybody who didn't do what I think they ought to be doing was wrong. Oh, I was so mad at Jessica for a while when she gave up her name and started traveling. So I get that. But the stuff that's legit? That's what I really want to hear about. Do you know any of what that might be?"

"Yeah," She pats a boy she just did, and shows him the mirror reflection of his face, the Autobot symbol makes him grin. And he 'rolls out' making clacking switchy sounds. Gerd smirks, then with a brief moment with no customer so to speak continues, "Okay, While I suspect your mother is going to turn a blind eye to Dirk and any friends he brings along hunting down that Corby, you probably knew this too, but a lot of folks only see a ruler who gave a slap on the wrist to a group who kidnapped one of her own, defied prior corby rules...not that it was the same corby, it wasn't... and then went back to baking. Now today, gossip is already flying that it's a good thing we held the joust at the Counts so something would be DONE about that balor... nevermind that we both know a balor at Rivervale trying that on Dagmar would get the shit kicked out of him one way or another. Then there's the OLD challenge your mom has always faced. She's the 'cooking troll', the 'cleaning troll' now you and I both know that there is a LOT more to Hearth than that and your mom can be a stone cold bitch WHEN IT IS REQUIRED. " She holds up a hand to show she means no offense and as acompliment "But non trolls still have trouble grasping that... so they see the new Baroness as Hemlock's sympathy play for an old friend's wishes. In short... right now? SOME people see the new Chief as a showpiece, a trophy noble at best."

While Rikki ttrounces ALL the Lodge elders, Sylvi may have heard that the main word for Kerri at Goldfinch as new Chief, at least by those that don't know her is 'sweet' or 'nice'... and some seeming bolder about getting away with more. It was not something she had any reason to take seriously before now. Not like anyone would diminish her mother in her hearing anyway.

She certainly doesn't take offense at the stone-cold-bitch comment; she knows it's true, and admires her mom for it. But the rest....

"I mean...people are going to have adjusting to any change. Mom's going to be different than Aunt Brekke. She just is. But...you think somebody else is going to challenge her?"

"For Rulership by Combat? Unlikely... though I almost want to see that because your mother might get to pick the weapons and she would pick a cook off and OWN them... but even if it had to be a physical contest of arms? She has the Storm who will champion her, or Dame Dagmar, either of who could pull someone's spine out of their ass and use it for a yule decoration. Not challenge so much as disregard, dismiss, and work around ... your mom will learn of this and step on some people when she needs to, in her own style. But Ylva doesn't know her that well. She's only seen the softer side of your mother so her protective hackles are up when she runs into childlings who don't go to the lodge but talk what their older sibs, parents or mentors MIGHT say. and those ones that don't know her. Corbies hurting folks is obvious... but get ready for folks from other baronies popping in to muse OUR Dreamers, or plucking at our Dross, or even hunting our Chimera for sport. Honestly some of this also your dad's problem. He's Storm now, and he's doing some things right, the training others to fight etc. He patrols fine, even if he is more used to the Silver, but he doesn't always think of protecting our RESOURCES. Vali brought it up to him but I think it didn't click. Your dad is smart, but he's still in Rover mode, more than Storm mode in SOME areas."

Sylvi knows her mom, and while Dad might not think of resources in some terms, and probably DOES need to, Mom is ALL about resources and making sure everyone has 'enough' and SHE will decide is enough. Hard to believe Chief Kerri would not be offended if someone just plucked from the Lodge Garden without a by your leave and ASSUMED they could take without so much as..well, so much as a please or 'begging your pardon'

Sylvi's eyes widen. "Holy crap. That's gonna be a major fuck-around-and-find-out situation. Not enough popcorn in the county."

"Gerd, have you pointed this out to her? I mean, it sounds like you're seeing things really clearly, and maybe you could get her to understand? Dad, too."

"Well" She ponders "Like I said, Uncle Valli already dropped a hint to the Storm and I feel he got a bit nodded at and ignored. Now, I like your dad. He's great, but I LOVE my Uncle, so I'm reluctant to ... not sure how to word this... go act as if my uncle needs a translator when one shouldn't be needed? As for your mom... " SHe looks a bit more troubled "I think there I SHOULD have but she just seemed to be so busy that at first it didn't seem like something she needed to be bothered with. Instead I've been working in the background to prepare for eventualities, even asked Dame Anne Marie to help counter the gossip and ... " A troubled look "Possibly the Unseelie side of me tries to get 'clever'. I suppose that makes me about as bad as the ones who are 'working around her'.." A frown "Darn it."

She shakes her head. "I think we all walk on eggshells around each other a bit near Samhain. No harm, no foul. But if both you and Vali are seeing the same thing that Ylva is talking about, then that's something to consider." A slightly frustrated noise. "I don't know if Mom will listen to me about this, either...but I can try."

"If you want, I'll go to her with it, but I think you should try first. I don't think she'll see it as an attack so much as geniune concern, and yeah, if you need me to talk to her too after I will"

"Thanks, Gerd. Yeah, I think that's best. Okay...I'll be back in a bit." She turns and moves off into the festival, preoccupied.

ANd Gerd turns to see a kid who wants a Vader mask painted on. She breaks out the face paint and gets to work

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