#baronyofthesilverwolf

"Thanks for the card, it was sweet" Gwen tells Chet Jr at his porch. She's dressed warmly, bundled up. Marigold insists

The strapping blond lad rubs the back of his neck, grinning a little. "It wasn't too cheesy?"

"I'll tell you a secret, girls might groan and fuss at cheesy, might even tease you, but that's only because we dont' want other girls to think we're uncool. So a lot of us actually like it" She says and means it then feels her cheeks heat a bit "I don't know that many people here so it's nice that someone thought of me"

A chuckle. "This is going to sound even cheesier... but you're not really like the other girls at school. Not to sound like I'm bragging, but a lot of girls want to go out with me, but then I find out that they really want to be going out with 'The Quarterback' or they think that because my family has a big name, I'll buy them a lot of things. But you gave me the time of day without knowing anything about me, and even after my Dad was an ass."

The house they stand in front of is large and lovely, with a large deck, bay windows, and a small balcony on the upper level. However, it does show some signs of neglect. Clogged gutters with icicles hanging precariously, a forlorn string of abandoned xmas lights still dangling, and the walk unshoveled. The driveway at least is mostly cleared, but that is apparently Chet's work, from the shovel sitting nearby and him wearing only a light jacket, warmed instead by the exertion.

"I have to say, your dad didn't really make your family name a winner for me. Your mom seemed nice. But yeah. And I'm a Lacrosse girl" A grin "Hey, football season is over.. do you get to do a sport or activity YOU want to do?"

She is, inside, rather delighted to be 'not like other girls' yes, it's a vanity, yes every girl says she's not like other girls, but darn it, the line from a boy is gratifying

Of course, every girl also wants to fit in somewhere. Ah.. no wonders teenagers are so mixed up she admits to herself

"At school it's just basketball, and swim team right now. Sometimes the guys will get together for field hockey, but it's too snowy right now." He shuffles a bit, before awkwardly offering, "Do you ice skate? A lot of c- a lot of kids hang out down by the pond. If it's not too cold. They were talking about doing movies at the library in one of the auditoriums too, but probably just educational stuff."

"oh.. I.. uhm.. I don't." She admits "never learned" ANd she wonders if she'd break through the ice ..her stone skin "Truth to tell I get nervous around ice and water. I don't know if it's full hydrophoba but.." A sigh "You must think I'm a wimp"

He shakes his head. "No, that's smart. Falling through the ice can be a death sentence. They drill that in our heads REAL good. Some time back, I think before I was born maybe? A kid tried to walk out on the river edge on the ice... it looked frozen over, but the water still runs beneath so it's just a little they still tell us that story to scare us. It works, though."

"I can imagine," She says "I take it the kid in that story died? Or did they rescue him? Or is this one of those 'on a moonlight night, you can still hear him cry out in surprise, a splash sound, and the image is gone'"

He shakes his head. "They fished him out, but it was too late. Or that's how it goes. Now I wonder if it's actually something that happened, or just a story to scare us? Either way, it worked." Now he looks curious.

"Creepy but neat" she admits "And it works, now I am NEVER getting on the ice" A grin

He laughs. "Oh, uh. I'd invite you in, but..." He searches for a minute. "...but the house is a mess. Did you want to go for a walk or something?"

A brow "A mess? Maybe I could help clean up?" A suspicion

He grins, trying to laugh it off. "Actually, I probably should finish the shoveling. Hey, you want to meet some kids from school? We were planning a bonfire later. Nothing fancy, Bill's dad runs a pallet refurb company and the ones he can't fix he scraps. When we get enough, we haul them out to burn. It's fun though, and I could introduce you."

"I'd like that" she says "I can help you shovel snow too. In my own interest. Keeps you from being too tired when you introduce me later."

He grins! "Sure! And if you're bored, there's always folk around here who'll kick a few bucks to have their walk shoveled. I do Mr. Hornby's for free, because he's in a chair. Even if Dad says..." He stops, and kicks some snow off his boots. "Let me grab you another shovel."

She looks at him, "You help a guy who is in wheel chair who is glad for the help because it's hard for him to do it himself?"

"Well, yeah." He says, as though it should be obvious. "He has good stories, too. He's a veteran - he doesn't like to talk about the fighting, but he used to travel all over."

"Sounds like a cool guy to meet, and YOU... uhm.."A blush "You sound like a real man standing up to help a neighbor like that. What's best in men. "

She feels a bit like a bitch .. isn't this manipulation? But.. she also knows he means it, SHE means it. So many guys in her life were abusive assholes, or insecure twerps on power trips, and then here is this guy right in front of her using his muscle and drive to help a neighbor.

And something in her trollish heart gets a little flustered at how she likes this boy the more she learns of him

"You want to stop by there? We can do his first. It's harder on him because he can't walk through the snow - it's annoying for most, but he's trapped there, basically. Unless he got a snowmobile..." A grin. "Or like, one of those snow-speeders from Star Wars?"

"If you have a snow speeder and are holding out on me I'm so gonna be miffed at you. Yeah, let's go help him out" she says

"One sec." He ducks inside the garage, and returns with a jacket and hat, and a second shovel for Gwen.

"He lives just down the road." Leading her down the block, and pointing out as he goes. "Miranda lives over there, that lump under the snow is her trampoline. She does gymnastics and our moms hang out some times. And don't skip through THAT yard, the couple there is nasty and will filibuster town council meetings saying that other people should buy them a fence if their kids are cutting through." A cheeky grin. "But it IS the quickest way around the corner."

Soon they arrive at a smaller house, which shows no sign of anyone leaving for a while. The snow has even drifted up against the door, though lights are on inside. "Here we are..." Chuck stops to shove snow from the mailbox, and gathers a weeks worth of letters and catalogues, shoving them into pockets. "It looks like the snow got blown all up his ramp. Let's start there?"

"Glad your mom has a friend. We all need them. " A note about the yard that should not be crossed. She wonders if she should let Briar have at as a treat one day? And they get to the smaller house, and she nods "Definitely. " She moves to the ramp area and starts to shovel. THIS she's done before, and troll muscle and all that hard work and training at Silverwolf pays off

Chuck takes up a spot at the end of the drive and calls over, "Race you to the middle?" Grinning as he starts shoveling, scooping the large mounds of heavy, wet snow and flinging them to the side with satisfaction.

"Oh you are on!" And she gets to it!

Her scoops are mighty! Mighty scoops!

Chuck does his best, but Gwen beats him easily to the middle. Still, he's not mad, but more admiring. "You're strong for a" Stopping, and he tries that again. "You're really strong." Nodding. "Then again, I've been at it for a while." He grins.

"Hello?" A voice calls out, through front window, opened just a crack, the sills and rubber stiff with ice and cold. "Jr, is that you? Clear the door so it doesn't all fall on my stoop and get in here. Bring your gal with you, too."

She laughs "And you're classy, for ... you're classy" Appreciative of both the praise and hi s taking sensitivities into account. He's not all upset that I beat him? WOW

"Oh, Hello sir.." Suddenly feeling a bit shy at meeting a stranger "I'm Gwen"

A husky laugh. "You don't need to call me sir, I mustered out years ago. Gwen, is it? Come out of the cold once the door is clear, it's unlocked. I'll get some water going." The window closes, and a click at the door.

Chuck adds, "It's cool. I know him, he's not ... you know, a weirdo. But if you don't want to come in, I get that too. Never too safe." He heads over to scrape the last of the drifts from the doorway.

"I'll go with you" she tells Chuck, "He seems interesting and maybe nice.

"

She helps get the last bit, then when they have a clear path for the man , plus a bit more, she opens the door "Well, incoming. Hide the bodies if you got any"

A laugh! "The only bodies who stop by here are grocery delivery and Junior, and if I killed the former I'd waste away and if I killed the latter I'd waste away of boredom."

Inside, it's a cozy house, small, but amply sized for a bachelor living alone. The furniture is worn yet comfortable, and the walls decorated with all sorts of eye-catching decor. Here a world map richly framed and covered with colorful pushpins, there a wooden mask, what looks like a replica... or perhaps real... spear, and there a blue glass eye over a doorway, staring at her. There are also hand-holds, and sturdy bars here and there to help him get around.

The occupant is no less colorful in his wear - a bright hawaiian shirt, and a colorful woven blanket over his lap, as he pushes the chair closer to greet them. His skin is a rich brown, hair cropped short, and a wide smile. And yet, despite the colorful clothes and cheer, something about him seems... tired, perhaps, or faded.

He offers a hand to her. "Private First Class Tiberius Hornsby - or which ways I was, now it's just Mr. Hornsby, or as I keep telling Junior to call me, 'Tib'."

She almost gets lost in the colors and sensations of it all and a smile blooms on her place. "This is a wonderful home, Mr. Hornsby..err Tib" A blush and she shakes the hand. She kens the blue eye, and then the man himself. It's not her strongest gift but wow, this place feels full of dreams by appearances

"I see you eyeing my eye." He laughs a bit at his own joke, though Chuck groans. "He says that to everyone."

"It's a Nazar Boncuk - I got it in Turkey. Evil Eye, but don't let it fool you - it's supposed to drive away evil, not draw it near." His hand is warm, welcome in her grasp chilled from the cold, and yet, feels a bit cold and empty. Opening her gaze with kenning, she sees that the rather plain spear is adorned by feathers in a riot of colors that surely came from no mortal bird, the 'Evil Eye' peers around and even WINKS at her... and something swims just behind Mr. Hornsby's gaze, aching to awaken.

She's stunned and not for the first time. Is he.. is he like I was?Before or is he sleeping or.. omygawd

then she realizes she's probably got 'whoa' face and tries to blame in on the evil eye "Oh sure, now I'm going to be all spooked out while I try to sleep" She looks about "Where did you get the spear from? "

His eyes glitter just a bit, but it's weak. "Oh, you don't want to hear me prattle on. It's a boring story anyways." The kettle whistles, and he deftly wheels about, heading into the next room. "Back in a jiff!"

Chuck says to Gwen, "He always says that no one wants to hear him, but he tells a great tale. I don't know if I believe half of it, he's a superstitious guy, but..." He points to a small box open on a side table. Within, metal glints, a gold heart against a purple ribbon. "He's a hero, so even if he WAS boring, I'd come listen and keep him company."

"No kidding. I mean, not every soldier did good things in every war but.. he must have been very brave"

"He was some sort of journalist in the military, so at least, not likely one of the ones going out shooting." A small frown, but it lightens. "And he got to travel and get the OTHER cool stories."

"Y'all come on in, tea's ready." Tib calls from the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to indicate every soldier was..." A blush then "Yeah some cool stories" She nods

And she goes on in .

Set on the table is not a normal tea set, but it is eye catching! Small glass cups with a rosy colored brew, and instead of the sugar and cream customary on Marigold's table, sticks with crystalline geodes sparkling on the end.

"Oh wow... uhm and suddenly I feel like a cretin" the girl says

"I picked this up in Iran, I got a taste for this tea they make, with cardamom and rosehips. You can stir it with the candy sticks instead of adding sugar." Tib says.

"If I was really proper, I'd have some baklava or something with saffron rice for you... but the groceries didn't make it through this week. I always have these on hand though." Offering out a blue metal tin sewing kit - wait, no, Danish butter cookies.

"It's my pleasure, Miss Gwen." He grins over to her. "I don't get to entertain guests much these days. I'd wear a mask to be polite, but hell, I haven't seen a soul in a couple weeks."