#baronyofthesilverwolf

Briar's eyes widen a bit as Gwen shows up, but she doubles down on the bluster. "Yeah well, it would be cool if they DID. I mean, it's a CHRISTMAS fair. How can it be CHRISTMAS if I can't eat a REINDEER?"

Nearby, a little girl clings tighter to her mom's hand "Mama, no one eats the reindeer, will they??" as they are ushered away.

Slender hand slips into the cooler, snags a packet of something, and it's slipped away, while Briar makes the distraction.

The glassblower, with her magical orbs and fascinating eyes and tiny dragon.... well, Thistle has to be Trina right now. She has Frankie here. And chocolate and candy bacon (and Briar) are where they will go. She keeps a good hold on her litle brother's hand.

It's hard, in such a magical place - not 'real' magic, but... or is this type of Christmas magic the real kind? Is there a difference? Either way, Trina and Thistle bleed into each other, in a way, in this place.

Frankie CHORTLES! "TRINA. LOOK." He points over at a stand where treats are being served. Candied nuts and caramel popcorn, and christmas-colored cotton candy with sugar ornaments on it... being manned by a teenager in bright glittery red and green, one with long plastic caps on his ears to make them pointy, under a similarly pointed and bobbled hat... striped tights, and even curly-toed elf-shoes...

Art is scooping a cone of popcorn and handing it to a patron. It takes him a moment to work the card swiper, but the lady purchasing just smiles, "They keep changing these things, right? I think I just need to tap..." The card is tapped, payment processed, and she is on her way - belatedly Art calls, "Have a Holly Jolly Carthage Christmas!"

Her spirals flush pink. "Oh hey, yeah. Candy. Why don't we see?" She heads towards Art's booth.

"Welcome to Santa's Candy Castle, Can I Elf You?" He rattles off with the air of one who has polished the lines through long use, and then double-takes, and his cheeks turn as red as his bobble-festooned collar!

"Trina! Hi! Look, I found a job after all! I mean, it's just for the length of the festival, but they'll pay me in cash for helping out." A bell hung on his hat tinkles merrily as a Never bats at it.

"Awesome, congrats! Plus, you do good here you can probably get a reference. Art, you might not remember Frankie since he is SO MUCH TALLER than the last time you saw him..."

Art looks at the boy, a little blankly, but he is able to put it together with Trina's gentle reminder. "Frankie, of course. You're Trina's older brother, right?" Attempting a jest.

It works, Frankie laughs!! "NoooOOooo, I'm only EIGHT. But I'll be NINE soon."

"In January, yeah! So, Art the Elf, what's your best candy?"

"A reference? I hadn't thought of that. That's a good idea. Even worth the caramel." His hands are spotted with sticky bits of candy. "I should have gloves like yours. Melted sugar is almost like molten metal or glass, after all."

He laughs at being called an Elf. "Promise you won't tell, ah, any other Elves you know?" Cheeks coloring just a bit. Though, with Art's new confidence, the outfit that would have been idiotic and comical on 'Arty' is somehow more funny and charming on 'Art'... though still ridiculous.

"For walking and snacking, the cinnamon pecans are really nice, and have a little bit of actual substance in them rather than just spun sugar. But the boxes of toffee brittle are very good too, I will be getting some to take home with me for my siblings. At a discount!" He flashes a smile.

"Nice. Okay, pecans it is, for us... and toffee for later. Frankie? You see anything?"

"As for the other elves, well, I'm no snitch."

He laughs, and manages to top off the paper cone of freshly toasted fragrant cinnamon treats with an extra scoop.

"I want the chocolate ones!" "These?" Art points to the caramel-nut-choco clusters that are festively labeled as 'Reindeer Poop'. Frankie chortles at the joke and is given a small baggie of the candies.

Boxes of toffee are set up, and tied with red and green bows. "These will make good gifts, if your family has a sweet tooth. Sweet teeth?"

"Sweet teeth, I think. Dad and Janice both do."

He grins and adds a Candy Cane to each package, secured with the bows. "There we go. Did you see the ornaments? There was something sparkly over there..."

Frankie pipes up, "Yeah, it was the glass! All glittery."

"Maybe you can get your mom an ornament. Do you decorate a tree at both houses?"

"That glassblowing looks... cool, yeah." Wistful, longing.

"We have a tree. Ornaments - there's boxes and boxes. Every thing any of the children of the family ever made, saved for ever to put on the tree. Popsicle stick Santas with eyes that fell off, cardboard candles, ornaments that have all the glitter worn off... Nothing is thrown away."

He looks at Thistle, and offers, "When I get a break, we could go watch for a while? Unless you and Frankie have plans?" It's getting about time for when they were supposed to meet back up with Dad and Janice...

"It's almost time for Frankie to go back to the 'rents. So... so, like, we could watch after?" Blush. "And maybe check out the other booths."

"Thanks for all the goodies. They're gonna make good presents - right, Frankie-stein?"

Actually, here they come! Dad has found a Santa hat somewhere - green and white, though, and he has an arm around Janice. Her stepmother leans into him, smiling at whatever he said. The lady is glowing... is it the pregnancy, or the magic in the air? One of the Nevers buzzes over to examine Janice's earring, and she raises a hand to brush it away absently, as though she felt something on her ear. Definitely something about her...

Frankie mumbles something through a mouthful of chocolate. "Mmmmmmphhh hrhhh!"

Trina squints - Art might recognize her characteristic 'kenning face.' It isn't dissimilar to the one she makes when examining greenware or poking at a troublesome washer.

She raises a gloved hand in greeting. "Hey. Found the reindeer poop, and have done my sisterly obligation of filling him up with sugar."

It's faint. It's not like the glow she sees in Art or the others, or in the Nevers. More like that lady that works for Nadeen, her lady's maid? But bolstered by the Christmas cheer, it's definitely there.

Janice smiles at Trina. "So much sugar, thank you. Do you want to come back with us? Or stay here for the tree lighting?"

"Um. Art and I were thinking of going around..." Obviously, the cold is why she has pink cheeks. Of course, to fae eyes, nockers are always over-rouged.

Janice's brows go up a bit, and she looks at Art in his elf hat, and then a little smile. "Honey, let's get Frankie home. How about we pick up pizza from Checkers on the way?"

Frankie hollers, "PEESA!" Dad laughs, distracted - "Didn't you just eat everything?" "Yeah, but my PIZZA STOMACH isn't full."

"You heard him. Pizza stomach must be FED." She says the last in a faux-deep 'monster voice.'

"RAWRRRR..." Frankie says, arms out in a frankenstein pose, though the roar was more of a godzilla, or maybe a wolfman?

"Okay, Pizza it is." Dad leans over and kisses Trina on the cheek. "Don't stay out too late. And tell Diane we said hello, okay?"

"Will-do!"

Gwen looks at Briar, 'The Reindeer are needed for sledpulling, are you trying to slowdown Christmas?" She looks to the crying child "Don't you worry, Santa's reindeer can outrace even the Winged Wolves of the Southern Woods" A wink to the mom to assure her "Too fast, right miss?"

The vendor is clearly oblivious as a second packet is snuck from the coolers, and then Lizbet gives a thumbs-up to Briar. At the Signal, Briar shrugs, belches, and says "I already ate, anyways."

The little girl gives Gwen a big-eyed look, and the tired mom smiles, leading her away. "Here, let's go back to the petting zoo." Crisis averted.

And now Briar is trying to sidle off into the crowd...

Trina crouches to squeeze Frankie in a smooshy hug, before waving as the trio depart for pizza.

Gwen puts a hand on Briar's shoulder annd whispers "You and Lizbet are in cahoots?"

Not judgmental and she even moves with her a bit, not intendinng to stop an escape so much as talk

A wary glance up at Gwen. "You gonna narc?"

"What's the haul, and what percentage do I get for my silence?" A whisper. Yeah, un trollish, but acting shady might be a gift of sorts for Briar

Her eyes narrow, as the girl calculates. "If we get caught, nothin." Trying to be sly back. "Otherwise, I get all the beef, and she gets the herring."

"Doesn't sound like much for me" She says

"Nope. You didn't help out none. And Bet's already gone with the goods, so you can't snitch me out now. No proof!" A proud smirk.

"Curses, foiled again," She says

"Okay, Art - you need to buy anything in particular? I figured I'd get gifts for, y'know, Yule-folks."

"Not sure if it's that different from Christmas."

Briar GRINS up at Gwen. "Now lemme go. I got more wheelin' and dealing to do, and you're harshing my style!" She holds a bag behind her back where Gwen can't quite see it.

Her eyes do drift back to the glass. But there's a lot of good artisans, too. Lots of better choices than what she'd tried.

"OKay okay..." She does let go "Cool yule to you"

"Candy is clearly a good choice for the kids. There's the lady with all the handmade soaps - I was thinking Bluebell might like that..."