#bergen_county

"I mean lessons in the ESCHEAT and stuff," Zane says

"Maybe, how about I teach her?" She offers.

"I'm ok with that, but I don't want to go upstairs with Zane."

Mrs. Thomas laughs lightly "Thank you, Zane, but my husband and daughter and I will be going to the lodge, we have directions, and be taught there." A smile to Piper "Kind though"

"No offence, Dude."

A laugh! "Are you suuuuure?"

Zane shoots his cousin a look like 'whose side are you on?'

Mrs. Thomas gives everyone a soda "All three of you go out, Piper, keep Adam out of trouble you don't agree with. Zane, go tell your folks about us, please. "

She moves over and links her fingers with Adam's. "How about that walk?"

Zane says "of course, with delight. Welcome to the Pan-theon.." Oh so clever

Adam turns down the soda but nods to Piper. "Ok...."

"Cute" Mrs. T admits, but also makes sure Zane has his soda and exit.

The satyr wilder guy exits, pretty sure his magazine could easily gain another page.

And Piper leads Adam out for a meandering walk - at least until they find somewhere quiet to continue their talk from earlier. Which may help ensure her ranking on a magazine page as well.

(End scene)

********************************

Frank steps out, walking through the cold night air.

The patrol is familiar. Brekke walks next to him, silent except for her steps.

And this continues for several minutes.

Frank seems content in the comforting pattern of the patrol.

They eventually reach a point that would be half-way through the patrol, a point where they'd start turning back towards the Lodge...and Brekke pauses there. "I would know your thoughts, My Heart."

A very long pause. "I am not sure I know them, myself."

"I am troubled."

"Yes. Tell me."

He shakes his head. "Not sure I can. I do not like any of this. But. It is done."

"That does not mean your troubled thoughts are resolved. Tell me."

"Brekke..... I'm not likely to resolve my troubles tonight. It's been 20 years or more working on them, after all."

An eyebrow. "This...is more than the immediate issue, then."

"No. Not really." His breath puffs out several times. "I disagree, fundamentally, with what's happened. I believe there was a flaw in the premise of it all; that there -had- to be an exchange made."

"But the exchange is made, the Count is at Caer Falken, and I'm assured that all is well." A shrug..... but he frowns.

Brekke is quiet for a long pause. "Mountain...if anybody else had arranged for this to happen...if I had not been the one to settle on this choice...what would you say should happen?"

Frank thinks about it.

"Before or after the fact?"

"After. We cannot go back to before."

A long pause. "20 years ago, I might have ridden against someone who made this kind of decision."

A pause, and Brekke nods slowly. "Yes."

"Of course, I have worked hard to overcome a distrust of authority figures in that time."

"And, I have never had to make those kinds of choices for anyone."

A slight wry sound. "Of course."

"And true." A sigh. "Frank...I saw no other option, and I saw time running out. I wish to know what happened when Olgar took the boy to the Dreaming, but..." she shakes her head.

After another moment, "Twenty years ago, after riding against this foe...what would you have demanded as consequence?"

Frank shakes his head and looks away.

"You do not know? Or you do not wish to say?"

"I am not sure, and I do not wish to speculate."

Brekke frowns, looking away.

"That long ago, Brekke.... I was in a different place."

"As was I."

Frank nods acceptance of this.

A sigh. "I cannot change what has happened. I made the decision I made. I would..." she pauses. "I wish to do what I can to balance the act I ordered, in your view, my Mountain, and my Heart."