#baronyofthesilverwolf

******

The girl is tall, fourteen, a troll to enchanted or fae eyes, but one new to the area. She approaches from the main road so she is seen every step of the way. Dogs may smell more than just her. There are food stuffs?

She has backpack that smells of spices and ingredients. At the side of her belt there is a rolling pin, but it also can serve as a war club .

Dogs bark their warnings, and she respects them, as she continues to approach.

The oddest thing maybe the chef's hat

"Hold- who goes there?"

A tall, stern faced troll with a long, thick blond braid, and a policewoman's badge alongside her thane's insignia.

She makes a small gesture, and the dogs, although they do not look overly familiar and fawning over this troll, obey the command and settle back down. All except a silly, teddy bearish looking one who trots right up and sniffs at the visitors bag.

"Nibbler, back." the thane calls.

"I am Kourtney DeBuke, of the farmhold. Respect to you and your hold. I would speak to your Hearth" She says, hand over her heart, and does a pretty good job of hiding her nervousness, but a skilled older troll might notice the tension

A brow arcs a bit. "Perhaps you didn't know that the trod was migrated? Hearth Marseillus of Dark Gate is about an hour's ride South East."

"Oh, I... " Kourtney starts to say then, recovers and straightens "I'm aware this is Silverwolf. And Pardon, I guess you wouldn't call a Hearth. Your best Chef and house manager?"

The other brow goes up, now surprised. "Then you're looking for Steward Marigold. Come, and pay no mind to that beggar. He's had his breakfast, and treats enough besides."

The Glen of Imaal terrier hasn't barked at all, but DOES give Kourtney a doleful look. Starved, it seems to say.

She smiles just a bit at Nibbler. She likes the little ones. "Nibbler seems ot have a different opinion"

"DeBuke, you said? You're due one of the lord's Trod hounds, then." She nods. "At least, your Chief is, as I understand it." She walks companionably enough along with Kourtney, though her gaze is still watching all around them, ever vigilant. "How's the heft on that pin of yours? Looks a right solid bludgeon."

"It'll do" She says "I don't like to use it, because I might roll dough with it, but it has an enchament that it can't really get dirty . I've fought with it before, cracked a skull hard...and three shakes and it was clean again. I'm more of a healer , and I am a Hearth to be." She follows "Yes, it was the talk of the hounds that really brought this place to my attention. I hope Steward Marigold isn't too busy to see me."

A dry chuckle. "You don't know our Marigold. Even if she was one-handedly catering the High King's Wedding, she'd not let a visitor escape empty handed. - or bellied." She nods, then curiously, "Are you kin to one Teesha DeBuke, then?"

chime? Does a rolling pin mean sugar?

""Distanter than most. You know Teesha? She's a force"

A look over at the Never , a nod "How do" as if the Never were a person who deserved a how do greeting

Another nod. What can she say to Chime?

"Saw her go toe-to-toe with..." She clears her throat. "That is, I saw her hawking at Pennons, two years past. She handled her birds well."

"Oh we've got more birds since. Not as many as you have here, but enough to help spook the voles or harry a wyvern. That egg hatched and well, it was the most amazing thing."

Nibbler snuffles at the Never in a friendly manner. Not for food? Then, for friend.

"Oh?" Danica stifles a memory of Calanthe raging over it before deciding it was probably something farm-fitting like a Goose. "Whatever did come of that?"

"It hatched and broke into four full grown birds of prey, one for each cardinal direction. They're each a bit different, but all are swift, strong, and pretty darn smart"

She seems to have nothing to hide

"Oh, begging your pardon, ma'am, if you threw your name I didn't catch it"

"Sorry. Still not so used to visitors that don't already know the handful of us. Officer Danielle Marshall to them, Thane Danica to us." She rests a hand on her chest and gives a nod of greeting.

"Sounds like a fine prize for a fine falconer." Inwardly, she makes a note that she will soon speak to Baroness Nadeen to see if perhaps the DeBukes might have anyone handy to help out in the mews. Surely the Baroness can spin this in Silverwolf's favor somehow.

"Nice to meet you, Thane" SHe says "i've heard a little of the folk here but don't know many details sides you got grand dogs, fine horses, mostly good folk"

"Mostly?" She looks wryly amused at this. "Which ones don't make the cut of your favor?"

A blush "Oh my. DIdn't mean it like that. Just that some folks hadn't been learned about enough to give an honest appraisal. " A beat "I will say Teesha thought her rival was a bit of a sore loser, but Chief Clem was really impressed by Dolph so I guess it balances out?"

"They say that the DeBuke's are straightforward and no-nonsense. I see that's true. As loyal as I am to my Lieges, I have to say, a bit of straight talk can be nice." They approach the front. "Nibbler will show you in to the kitchen. I can guarantee you he knows the way. I'm back on patrol."

"Well, we vary, some of us have tact, some of us think tact is what you eat on the trail while you're doing a long hike" A nod "Thank you, ma'am"

And she follows Nibbler "You're a cute one, ain't you?"

The short tail wags happily!

As promised, the dog trots politely through the halls, but actually stops just outside the doorway to the kitchen. Kourtney can tell despite never having been there - theres universal parallels between all kitchens, great and small, grand and humble, and this one smells like good food.

"courage, Kourtney" she whispers to herself, and knocks

Nibbler stops to tug on a bit of leather - it looks like it used to be a bell pull higher up, as some noble holds have to call their vassals to rooms? But someone had rigged it with... what is that? Baling Twine, a dented harness bell, and scraps of leather - is that a pipe cleaner? Either way, it's at DOG height now.

"Oh dear. I don't know if I'm supposed to stop you from doing that or let it be"

It should be a traditional ding-dong set of chimes.

Should, but...

But, instead of a proper fourth, the lower note is just a half-step too sharp.

DING-dang!

"Well. uhm.. " Kourtney knocks again

The dog's tail waggles FURIOUSLY.

"I'm COMING, hold your little pawsy-wawsies..." Comes a warm, matronly voice, and the door is pushed open by a boggan lady who is holding a bowlful of scraps.

"Oh! You're not a terrier, now, are you? Right good escort they make, now that they've learnt to stop outside the door."

The bowl is set down for Nibbler to dive into, and the boggan wipes her hands on her flour-streaked apron. "Steward Marigold, at your service, how can I help you?"

Chime? Scraps for Nibbler, sweets for Citron?

Marigold eyes the little Never. "Just the one of you, eh? Don't you go telling the whole Nuisance, I won't be having the lot of you buzzing about..." A bit of candied lemon peel is offered over as the deal is brokered.

"No ma'am I... " She inclines her head, the viking braid swaying, "I am Kourtney DeBuke, chosen to become the next Hearth of the Lodge I call home. And in keeping with ancient troll lodge traditions, I have come to challenge you to a cook off, so that in defeat, I may learn. Today I am.. a culinary ronin"

"If that... hoodlum Marseillus sent you to try to finagle the ingredients of my shortbread recipe, he's got another think coming..." She says, but she smiles. "A cook off, is it? Well! Bless my soul, if that isn't just the thing to brighten a cold and gloomy day. You come right on in and take off those boots, there are slippers on the rack, and we'll see about some hot... coffee, I suppose it must be, and discuss the terms, eh?"