#bergen_county

Tove's voice is soon heard greeting the boy... and OF COURSE

Nadeen watches him go, "Huh, guess he's not impressed by swords" She doesn't seem offended and turns to Dagmar "Of course."

She slides out the blade "What do you think?"

"May I?"

"It's very pretty. Looks Russian."

"It does, doesn't it?" She hands it over

Dagmar holds it out, testing the heft and balance.

There is power in the blade. She can kenn it. The balance is exellent, the heft good.. but it is the edge that looks razor sharp.

"I'm thinking of calling it Winterlight" She says

"Yeah?"

"I feel magic... what does it do?"

"For one thing?" She takes it back, and seems to focus. It glows with a clear pale light not unlike how sunlight looks reflecting off snow! "It can get brighter, nearly blinding, but only for a short time. It also cuts really well"

"Perfect for the Dancingsnow."

A glance at the kitchen door, checking in - then again, between food and CJ, there's plenty to occupy Connor with inside.

"Thank you, it feels like.. fate. I took it without a smidge of guilt from the enemy"

"Might be fate!"

"It looks good on you."

"Thank you" she says "I'm so pleased with it, I'm not even going to fuss too much about you guys going on the rescue without me"

"Well, way I hear, bad guys woulda escaped without the two of you."

"THey would have.. the Rover got hurt, but only because he took on the most folks really. Dagmar, I don't remember it all? The the Dreaming BENDS for him like it was a whip in his hands"

"I've travelled with him before, yeah... he's good."

"But I held my own, commanding our foes to their determent... "

"Of course you did."

"And that training the lodge has me do in swordsmanship paid off as well. Those I couldn't command, I cut." A nod "I think I need to work on the speed of my thrust though"

"We could practice. I need more work with swords."

"I'd like that" she says

"Might recruit the kiddo."

"He doesn't like fighting, so swords might not be for him..." Brow furrow. "Maybe staff?"

An amused look "So you're going to tell him to fetch a stick from the practice yard?"

Eyes widen, touch of purple. "No!"

"Just.. I dunno... he's so innocent, you know?"

"he is, but you must teach him some skill at arms or someone less innocent will have an e asier time hurting him" She says, her humor fading to seriousness "We both know innocence itself is not enough to protect one"

"Sorry, My lieges-es... there were a lot of plates to clean. Oh, and you missed breakfasts, Nadeen, but Tove said to tell you there are scones. I didn't even eat them for you." Connor returns, munching on something meaty.

"I had breakfast at home," Nadeen says "But thank you, Connor."

"You had FIRST breakfast." He corrects her.

"I will try a scone" She says as compromise

though a scone might turn out to be a slice of bacon

He dashes back and brings, indeed, whatever baked good Tove may have. It may even BE a scone. And some more bacon, which he will help eat if Nadeen doesn't want any.

Nadeen admits she could use the help eating.

meaning he can have hers though she doesn't word it that way

Dagmar smiles, just a bit.

Nadeen takes Dagmar's hand

Connor licks his hands. Mmm, bacon juices.

"Connor, as a squire, you should learn some kind of combat. Is there something you'd like to use?"

"Like - a sword or an axe or a stave?"

He looks up, tongue stuck out for a bit. Then he remembers and reels it in. "Um. ...for fighting?"

"For fighting."

"Or maybe a shield, like Captain America?"

"Gerd uses a mace" A nod