#bergen_county

Sylvi frowns, grumpy concession to reality.

"If we're smart, and know we have time, we'd get the non combatants out early."

"IF we know where it will be exactly yes. Perhaps"

"Or we build up defenses. Or a trap?"

Jaymes shrugs

"That's...we tried...." A frown and she shakes her head. "Maybe this time something'll work." Then a sigh. "Heck of a thing to start the school year with, huh?"

A nod.

"Well, last year was all bugs...."

"We took care of that."

"We'll take care of this!"

A frown. And hmmm

"Some might say this is Skallstryke's da'an, and our da'an is to die to him in a great and horrid cycle. We shall see but do not be too sure of victory"

A half-grin to Dagmar.

"Well, I'm not gonna just defeat myself now."

"I know Uncle Frank is looking for more of the old stories. I've heard some. A Lodge falls...and that includes some dead...but some survive. Some always survive."

"Right..."

Sylvi nods to Jaymes, glad that he's being truthful about it.

"mm yes.. some do " A nod "Good point." Then a smirk at Dagmar "Well, yes. We don't have to give up, either. Be wrong to. But just don't get too sure of victory. We save as many lives as we can..whatever the story."

"And if it hits another Lodge, we help them there, or we help them here."

"We slay the dragon." A pause. "Maybe a treasure? Some magic blade?"

"Or, like, magic nuke..."

"That's what I'm saying, Dagmar. We...they...tried. Maybe there's something out there that'll do it, but it hasn't been found yet."

A grunt then nod at Sylvi, but "We'll see what the mountains learn."

"So? We'll try better."

Jaymes puts a hand on his daughter's shoulder, "We will definitely try. That is a given, yes. And whatever happens..." A lower voice, "Proud of you."

A frown, and she looks at her drink. "Yeah. Better."

"We'll try, and we'll do it." Blithe confidence. "Chief'll find something."

Jaymes looks at Sylvi, "Whatever you tried in whatever life...pretty sure it was something we should know about. Your dad tells me that when shit is on the line you don't do anything half assed, so ..." Mmmph

"I think I fought him once. Didn't die."

Got hurt..." A frown. "There was this horse..."

Sylvi bites her lip. "I'm not sure on all of it. What I remember is a spell. A group of us, thirteen. Kelby was there, I think...past Kelby, I mean. We...we made ourselves poison. A really, really bad poison. And...we sacrificed ourselves, so it would eat the poison and we would kill it." Her voice has gone quiet at the end.

"I don't remember after the spell...."

"A horse? Somehow I'm not as surprised" Jaymes nods "Given how you adore Stormwake." Then to Sylvi he nods "We'll make a note. See if Frank can find a record of the Dragon being affected or some such"

Sylvi nods and sips her ice tea quietly.

"Maybe it's like the movie - the dragon has a horcrux, right? Hid part of his heart so he won't die?"

"You two talk, if you want. I need to talk to Tove. " A thought "You're also allowed to play and goof off a little. Teen stuff"

Another attempt at a grin to Jaymes. "Yessir."

"Maybe it's like a Horcrux...but it could also just be that it's like us. We keep coming back...so does it."

"Oh, so it's multiple dragons..."

"Well, then we totally CAN kill it, for this go round."

Jaymes leaves the two to brainstorm. MMm maybe they'll find something... but in his gut, he hopes that if anyone is put on evacuating innocents duty, it's his daughter. Fatherhood makes me a selfish bastard. Who knew?

Sylvi brainstorms with the far more optimistic Dagmar.. for quite a long while.

(End scene)