#baronyofthesilverwolf

"How'd you get out?" The masked nocker looks down

Pearl's paws knead at the air cutely.

"You, you're not my problem" Wudlig informs Pearl, "it's this goomba"

He looks over to Marigold, but does stoop to stroke Pearl, "Hope Dinglehopper didn't get underfoot?"

She beams over at Wudlig. "Not at all. Actually I think that old fluff is keeping Pearl out of trouble. I hope it's alright if I gave him a mite of fish? Poor dear is practically wasting away. Tea or coffee for you?"

"Wasting away? If he gets any bigger, I'll have to craft the lazy hairball a truss," But he pets his own sleeping cat gently at that, "But nah, it won't hurt him. And I'm good with either. My girlfriend likes tea but you don't pull all nighters without coffee so which ever you have a surplus off. "

Her eyes light a bit at the mention of a girlfriend. "Tell me about her?" Bringing out a tray of sandwiches, cookies and tea.

"Gerd, I think you met her? She's.. she's great. I'm not a good looking guy, " he holds up a hand to forestall "Seriously, I am not . I am used to it. The mask is the best looking part of me. But she has a witchy vibe and gave me a chance. Made me feel like not all my beauty is in my work.

"

"You're not good looking? So what?" Marigold pours his cup full. "I'm not slender, never have been, never will be. When I was younger, I got called all sorts of things not worth repeating. But I never let it stand in the way of finding people who see me for what matters. And I can tell you know how to do the same. It IS a lovely mask, by the way."

"You're right, I've met Miss Gerd, she visited with young Connor a few times. Do you know the lad?"

"Thank you, it's more than cosmetic, it let's me see. Dougal thing... my eyes don't work without them," he admits, "Oh, Gerd's brother? yeah, complicated backstory all around there, little Naar's adorable though. First time he saw me he asked if I was a superhero. Nice kid. Could have said villain"

Still, mask or no, she can tell there's an element of worry, and she doesn't think it's about Connor

She offers fresh cream and sugar.

"What's troubling you? It's almost Yule, do you need help finding a present for your sweetie?" She doesn't think that's it, but it's a way to carry the conversation closer...

"Ah heck no, gifts I can do... I make puzzle boxes and other fun stuff... just .. uhm.." He stops "I'm sorry, I think I forgot your name and position? They told me but... my brain's full of blueprints"

"Well, my apologies. I know you of course, you're our new Journeyman I was told to watch for. I'm Steward Marigold, but that's a job and not a title-proper, I'm as common as tea biscuits. Call me Miss Marigold if you wish?"

"Thank you, Miss Marigold, I'll be as formal as our bosses want, but you can just call me Wudlig most times" he doesn't mind "The knighthood never meant as much to me as the work, you know? Sides, she who has the food rules. Just ask Marsellies" A fond snort "This is damned good tea too. Gerd would love it' he gets that look again though "No, no gift for Gerd. I just.. well, w'ere both kids. I know that.. " and she realizes he's probably younger than most of the other wilders here. Not by much in the case of Thistle or Gwen or arty, but still.

Marigold STOPS for a moment, and then smiles a touch. "Oh, dear me, Well, you say you're not big on the Knighthood and I must ake you on your word, because otherwise I would be simply mortified, SIR Wudlig," She says, offering a belated curtsey.

"And kids or not, you're Wilders, and I have a wilder daughter of my own, so I know how things may be... being young doesn't make your feelings any less valid, mmm?"

"Aww don't be a boghead.." He says then adds "ma'am'. I just got from a hold where it's technically a troll lodge" A blush "I just.. I thnink Gerd and I are breaking up"

Marigold laughs, "A 'boghead'? That's a new one." But she frowns a touch at the next comment. "Whyever for? Oh, I know love may be fleeting, but, you certainly don't SEEM happy about it."

"I'm not... I just... well, she's not entirely approving of..some of my choices of late"

Marigold pushes the sandwiches towards him. "Want to talk about it?"

"I shouldn't" he says, taking a s andwich

"It's just .. involving my choice to move here"

"Boggan or no, I can hold my tongue. And I'm a good listener."

"Well, I bailed on a troll lodge, that needs all the help it can get, or that's how she sees it. And she's a troll... more so than she wants to admit. Then, I go to an Ailill hold... whos lord neglected his son... now Gerd's eased up on that since the poor bastar...rr his lordship had some sort of mind whammy on him? But she's still carrying a bit of a grudge there because Connor is her brother.. by choice, no less. Put it all together and she thinks i'm bieng selfish. But there was no room for progress at Darkgate."

She tsks a little. "As little as I want to admit it, she's right about our part, at least. Lord Aiden has not done well by the poor sweet boy, any and all reasons and excuses aside."

Marigold ponders as she sips a cup of tea herself. "Perhaps you might show miss Gerd how your new position here might be used for good? Good for others, not just for yourself. Not that there is anything WRONG with looking out for yourself, not in the slightest! But it just might help smooth things over with your lady?"

She stirs her tea. "Yule is coming up, and it's a time for family. I'm not sure the Baron knows how to celebrate that way. Or if it's even occurred to him that he must, what with all the fuss recently... maybe a new voice that has his ear might help."

"Uhmm..." he looks at her "you trying to get me fired? Some new Nocker mouthning off in his .." Suddenly a thought "Wait, I get what you're saying. I can 'assume' somethings... can't I? Like I ask his lordship what he wants built for his Christmas family visit... as if he already had plans, that might make him plan?"

She taps the side of her nose lightly with a smile.

"Oooo ... your food is delicious and your brain is devious" he smiles "And yeah, it might just make Gerd decide I'm not being totally selfish. Thanks, Marigold"

He notes 'Not that you're not getting something out of that too"

Clever boy

A serene smile.

He seems cheered and enjoys the sandwiches. He IS a teenage boy, and they tend to eat like ravenous wolves if you let them, but he's courteous about it ..for his kith. High praise "This is not drek.."

"Let me know of any favorites. I'll make you a special welcome dinner tonight."

"Careful, don't want to blow the inventory" He half jokes

"Oh, don't you worry about it. We can afford a few appetites. We have Briar, after all."

"Ooh yeah" He grumbles "My first mugging. "

Brows UP! "Is that SO? I'll have a word with her. She knows better than to accost visitors, especially welcome guests, and now members of our household..."

"Well, seems someone tried to steal your puppies? She thought wheover would be furking dumb enough to come back by the main path"

"She's doing her best. She IS still but a childling." Marigold adds, "But that's no excuse to bite first and ask questions later. I'll have her on bread and water for supper. Don't worry, she'll have enough to eat, but maybe that will help her consider the consequences of her actions."

"mmm " torn there "Well she didn't BITE me... to make that clear. And she did pay for it in a way. She tried to grab my mask.. those are my eyes right? I can't see without them.. so I hit her with some Mace... in soda form. So you could argue she learnd somethin"

"I'd say she was being polite, but the truth of it is, sweet little Briar grew up without a proper redcap bite, so she's more used to using other methods. Poor dear. Perhaps she's stronger for it now, though."

"Huh? That's.. furking weird... maybe she's got something to prove" He gets an idea... "Huh... I got a job already, but I wonder... I couldn't give her something to train on... the bite I mean"

"Be careful how you word that, Wudlig. She might take it as an invitation you'd regret... or possibly worse, as an insult."

A mutter "Damn gnashers, they do not appease well. I just meant, maybe like a maze for her to walk through, surprise things that try to 'ambush her'... something for her to get through and tear up. "

"Oh, you can try, and bless your heart. I just, well - if she's less than grateful seeming, know that her heart is still in the right place."

"They got a furked up social system... can't show weakness because for them it draws hunting instincts. It's kind of like us nockers trying to be all mannerly. I furking manage it better than some, but even I will lose it if caught off guard. "

"I do worry about her sometimes, but we cannot dote on her, not much, not without worrying that we'll make her weak. Someday she'll be a wilder all too soon and strike out on her own..." Marigold busies herself with cleaning up a stubborn pan.

"Doesn't mean she won' furking drop by. Hell, Dirk at Rivervale stays with his adoptive mom and actually enforces around the barony. He likes to think of himself as muscle who keeps folks in line, but mostly he just patrols like the trolls do but redcap style"