#bergen_county

"You were unexpected."

"Ah," Nadeen says "What a pleasant surprise" She moves towards Dame Calanthe and looks her over and her companions.

"And so the weather rewards me. Pardon, I had thought perhaps it was Rivervale custom to show up unannounced." A crook of a smile shows that perhaps this is intended as a joke rather than a barb, but who can tell?

Dagmar makes sure Connor has a robe tossed on, and a hat - hiding the two most obvious markers.

"Something like that. Though I'm not sure what to say about the weather you brought..."

The troll bears Silverwolf badge, and her horse, a sturdy mare, stands by. As Nadeen approaches, she abandons the search for umbrella and moves to stand at her mounted Lady's side.

"Baroness Nadeen Dancingsnow ap Varich," She says "We've only 'met' via corespondence"

Is the troll one of the twins?

"I warned you, lady, that the weather was intemperate." A male voice speaks up, the last companion. From closer observation, he has the stout form of a boggan, and rides a grey mule. His packed equipment is rather peculiar and not at all typical saddlebags, including several posts and one large, domed carrier that is covered with sheer silk, masking what may be inside. "Veritas will not care for the damp."

"Lady Dancingsnow, a pleasure." Calanthe slides off her horse, handing the reins over to the troll and giving her the appropriate bow of a Knight to a Baroness, no more and no less. "Dame Dagmar, you remember Thane Linnea? And the fusspot is Dolph."

"Is that a hawk?" Curiosity runs ahead of caution.

"I remember, yes." She looks up at the glooming sky and frowns. "We should seek cover."

A somewhat annoyed tone. "Yes, and soon to be a DAMP hawk." says the Boggan. The thunder rumbles, and Linnea has to shorten the reins as the flighty mare in the lead tries to rear in surprise.

The sidhe looks up at the sky and frowns, as though she considers ORDERING it to better behavior. "Have you a stable that can accomodate our mounts?"

"Dame Calanthe, have you come on some official business? Is one of your childlings missing in an odd turn of the wheel?" Nadeen inquires

Dagmar calculates. "Will the mule and the mare tolerate sharing a loose-box?"

Two mares, and a mule. "Aquila will do well in a stall where she will not see lightning, if you have one." Speaking of her own skittish mount. "The others can be loose or paddocked. I would bring Veritas inside, stables as you have no mews."

And to Nadeen, she gives a shake of her head. "I have no childlings I would claim as my -own-. Only one nephew by blood, and he is the reason for my visit." A glance over and a small frown. "Pray, is one of those... mud golems, your new squire, Dame?"

She nods. "We have three stalls and a loose box across... I'd prefer not to move Stormwake and Star from their stalls, though they stable well enough together."

A grin. "One of them is, yes. They were making castles."

"Children at play" Nadeen waves off the mud golem comment "Tis the nature of the spring ones.."

Connor moves forward from where he was frantically whispering to Jack about who these folk are, and he gives a bow to the Knight. "Lady. Um. I don't think... do you want a hug?"

Etiquette and decorum prevents a recoil, but her lip twitches slightly. "I should think you'd rather a dip in the trough first."

Jack says "Our castle seemed so mighty, then it fell. The towers wouldn't support each other.. uhm Dame" He bows clumsy

"Perhaps you are not fated for a career in engineering." Linnea comments to the small one.

Dolph is watching the sky and calculating the approach by time between flashes and thunder. "That will do very nicely, Dame, if you would show us, I can take care of the mounts. Hup, Glaucus, Smokey." Clicking his toungue, and the horse and mule flick ears and respond.

The Ailil may feel something... the emanations of the Dark Star. There is a Beaumayn somewhere in the area.

"I just mucked out the stalls, too. Nice and clean." Connor wags his tail, his towel cape swishing.

"Okay, come on. Let's troop." Gathering gear in hand, she leads down the path towards the lodge,

Calanthe is looking over Nadeen - curiously, and then starts to follow. 'I had meant to show you Veritas in flight, but the weather conditions do not seem favorable. And a gift, for the new squire, as would be fitting his station." Speaking to Dagmar.

Nadeen seems not to care that she wears a thin robe over a bikini, in fact, the robe seems to fit her like a rather fine haze in this weather

Dolph handles the horses with the ease of practice, calming the flighty mare that shows hints of fae blood, and the sturdy grey mare and mule that do not, with equal aplomb.

Linnea walks to watch the rear, and gives the boys a smile, though her guard is up and she watches the trail.

"That is generous. Maybe the sky will clear up before you.. well, you can't go home through a thunderstorm, anyways, not a-horseback."

"The notice about the squiring was rather brief, though I've come to expect that from my own thane." A flick of her head towards Linnea. "Straightforward to a fault, and to the point. Can't hardly fault that. And I suppose a celebration for a simple squiring may be unexpected for a ...rustic holding."

Eyebrow.

"The notice was sent right after it happened, seems like. It's only been a few days."

"I forget, your views at Silver Wolf Barony maybe a bit... hyperfocused," Nadeen says "Rivervale is a lodge honoring trollish traditions above all. Things are done differently here." Said with a tone of 'and now you know'

"Surely if a celebration was planned, an invitation would have been included." And a small bow of her head. "I do not mean to judge your customs by what I may expect of my own holding."

Linnea rolls her eyes, perhaps unseen, in a "I could have told you that" expression.

"I'm sure any insult you deliver in your insistence is completely mischance," Nadeen says "The Chieftain here herself has grown to incorporate and embrace many kithain while still holding to more nordic ceremony."

"We hadn't planned a party, yet. We've had a lot going on."

"Mm. So the rumors have it."

An inclined nod to Nadeen at her remark, a political acknowledgement without response.

"I do know sidhe holds tend to be a bit more formal than trollish ones."

"Oh, how lovely" Nadeen says with a nod to the boggan at that, "It is nice the Dame respects the prowess of the boggan network.. or so I assume by the rumors comment. Your kith is easy to underestimate, sirrah"

A few fat drops spatter down on the company, and Dagmar picks up her stride a bit.

A "Hmmph." He has fallen back to adjust the silks over the falcon cage. A whistle, muffled is heard - but still sharp pitched. Connor's ears prick!

But he bows to acknowledge the compliment.

Grunt, nod at the path ahead - where the stable and paddock are visible.

"If your endeavors had needed support, I do trust that you may have reached out to Silver Wolf. Ailil and Gwydion are unlikely bedfellows, but we are not one to turn a blind eye to suffering."

"Oh, we have many allies, "Nadeen says offhandedly.

Stormwake snorts as new scents come in

"I wouldn't think to say anything like that."