#baronyofthesilverwolf

"I think they're gone..."

"...for now.."

Muppet struts a bit. Who the dawg? who the hero ? uh huh.

"Yeah yeah, mutt." She reaches down to rumple his ears. "Beans?"

"BEANS!" Squeaks Binky, holding a stack that threatens to topple his hat off.

"Yeah, probably gonna have to snap some greenbeans. It's actually kind of meditative. Is that weird?"

"More beans than Gnome." She takes the stack off his shoulder.

Marigold gathers up her veggies. "If you ladies could drop those in the kitchen, I'll get them cleaned up. More tomatoes than I expected, might can some of them, or maybe a tomato jam...."

"Jam? From tomatoes?"

"Oh my yes. It's sweet and savory, and goes down a treat on sandwiches or savory cheese scones..."

Gwen nods "Sure thing mom. Muppet, heel" Firm command

"With a grilled cheese, or dollop into a soup, or on white beans...." She goes on.

And Muppet does

"Burger or charcuterie, as a chutney or dip..."

"Huh. Only jam I've ever had is strawberry."

"Have you never had a sweet onion jam? It can't be beat on a turkey sandwich with sourdough!"

"Sounds fancy." She follows along, carrying baskets.

"Ah ,stop, Muppet, outside" She says firmly

Muppet stops outside but squirms. Howcome IVAN gets inside?

If dogs could Smirk, Ivan certainly is as the bear dog trots in alongside Gwen.

Indeed, Gwen seems perfectly okay with this favoritism.

Marigold quickly settles into a routine of washing and setting aside the fresh produce. "Katrina, sweetie, the Baron mentioned you would need some space for working in. He had a mind to clear you a counter top down with Miss Willy, but I told him that just won't do. Wilders need their own room to grow. Would you prefer a room inside for now, or we can put together a shop space outside until something more permanent is formalized? The weather is lovely right now."

"I... don't think I need one, thanks." She takes to the green beans, snapping off the ends.

Gwen says "You sure? Be nice to have more folks my own age nearby more often.. no offense, mom"

"Well, I don't need a shop. You come here, right? And it feels nice to be here. Like how the school is always too cold?"

"Don't be silly, Miss Thistle. You'll go quite bonkers without some space of your own to create in. Inside or out, it's one or the other, but neither isn't an option." Quite firm.

"Yeah, banality cold is worse than regular cold" A shudder "And oh I can show you my room if you want to see what a room for you here might be like? "

"Why would I get a room here? You live here, but I've got a home."

"Do you have a workspace or shoproom at home? Someplace you can work and create?"

"And really, Marigold, it's fine. I know the Baron offered a space..."

She scowls at the beans. "Uh. Yeah. I got space at home."

"That's wonderful. What sort of work do you do there?" Marigold asks as she chops tomatoes.

She shrugs. "Stuff." Avoidant tone.

Gwen helps with the beans

Marigold sets the knife down. "Miss Thistle, we only just met, but you know, I've been around for quite some time, fae and mortal worlds alike. I've known more than a few teenagers in my days, and a nocker or two as well. If you don't have a workshop, you'll be as unhappy as a bird in a cage. It's my job here as Steward, and to you as a fledge, to make sure that you have what you need. If you don't help me with that, then it's my failing to you. You need to help us help you, dear."

And Gwen keeps working

"I don't WANT a furkin' workshop! I'll leave Willy's alone just fine!"

"This isn't about Willy's workshop," Gwen tells her gently "It's about your vision and a place to make your dreams happen"

"I don't want one. I don't want to make nuthin'."

"I..." Gwen stops "Sorry"

A sigh. "You don't mean that. A Nocker that doesn't want to make anything would be as rare as a selfish boggan. You can't say you don't want to create, oh, you may say it, but I won't believe it. The Baron has already said that you're getting a workshop, so arguing will just make my day harder. Don't want to decide between indoors and out, then we'll just have two, or one that's both."

"Is that all nockers do? Make stuff?"

"No, sometimes they fix stuff, sometimes they hang out with friends, sometimes they watch movies. But making is a large part of who you are inside, just like being a guardian is part of me, but not ALL of me" Gwen explains "I'm sorry Willy came down so hard on you, but I've seen when you craft. It makes you happy"

"Nockers are the master artisans of the Fae. They have abilities beyond even boggans and Dougals and other craftspeople, to turn the stuff of dreams into creation. Need something done quickly and solid, you call a boggan crew. A fine weapon, a Dougal's your smith. But something creative and new and adventuresome, why, a Nocker dreams the dreams of invention. Willy Wonka would have been a Nocker, you know."

She bristles. "Maybe somebody else."

A pause. "I can fix stuff. I fix lots of stuff around home."

"Is that so? Now, I don't suppose you'd know what to do about a stand mixer that won't run, would you? I checked the manual and it says to take apart and re-grease the mechanism, but, well, to start, the dang thing weighs about 30 pounds, so I've just been making dough by hand rather than mess with the thing."

"I could look at it."

"That thing's been given mom trouble for awhile now" a nod

"I stuck it off under this counter." Showing Thistle where it is.