#bergen_county

"My, uh, my family. Friends. Nab."

"Ah?" Gently, encouraging.

"Yeah. Uh, yes. That's precious. They are. Like, everything else could be replaced, you know?"

A glance and an eyebrow.

He looks stricken. "Is that wrong?" a note of yearning in his voice.

"If I said it was, would you abandon your family for me?"

He looks plainly horrified.

"I.... I...." he stops to think, closing his eyes.

"No... no Oath? I mean. Like, if it were right now, we don't have an Oath, right? Not yet?"

"No, we do not." Calmly.

"I want that. But.... my family needs me. I couldn't just abandon them. You wouldn't make me, would you?"

"If you oathed, I could."

"Then.... no." He says, with his eyes still shut. "That wouldn't be right. I love my family."

She smiles. "Good." Approval?

He risks looking.

"There are sidhe who wish to be worshiped. Who would perhaps demand it - or, more subtly, seduce."

"You, young man, are very vulnerable to the latter."

He seems mesmerized, and nods agreement.

"Hmph."

"And why, do you think, that that might be an area of concern?"

He thinks... or at least stares at her for a bit.... and shakes his head. No clue.

"Alright then, consider this homework. Return to me when you have an answer. You may speak to others, seek opinions and advice."

"Wait, wait.... uh....." He slams his eyes shut again, forehead wrinkled, scowling to think.

"I am not about to disappear, Adam."

"I advise you to take your time and to really think about this."

"Because.... wait, like.... why would it bother you if I got seduced by someone? Or.... what was the question?"

"Yes, then - why am I concerned that you are vulnerable to seduction. What could the consequences be - to you, and to your family?"

"Because.... because... like, then someone else could get me to do stuff for them? Or tell them things. Split loyalties."

She nods. "That's a start."

"And.... maybe you're worried I might get distracted from what I'm supposed to be doing?"

She turns, and reaches to place a flawless hand on Adam's cheek and to look him in the eye. "Tell me, Adam - I ask this, because I so need your help - I would be pleased with you - can you tell me about how I could help the Chieftain? What plagues her, that I may lighten her burden? As a Baroness, I am in a position to help her and her people - surely, there are places where she is vulnerable...." Coaxing, confidential - oh, she trusts him! Needs him!

His eyes open at the touch and he trembles. "I.... I just patrol, I don't... I can find out! I'll ask." He offers.

"Oh, you do more than patrol. You're a smart young man - you see things..."

She strokes his cheek with the back of her hand, a feather-light caress.

He exhales, and doesn't inhale, as he leans slightly into the touch.

"Surely, you can think of one little weakness, for me..."

With his eyes open, the power of speech seems to have left him along with his breath.

"Well then. Work on it."

He nods slowly, agreeing.

"What else can you tell me about the Lodge? You may entertain me as I paint."

His eyes light up at the invitation.

He nods rapidly. "Well.... have you been there? I mean, you must have?"

"Oh, I have - many times! But as a guest. As a Crash of the Storm, though - surely, you see things and know things I don't. You know the people better, too."

"Not really? They don't like me much there. So I just try and keep my mouth shut and do what they tell me. Some there are cool." He allows. "The Kings live there.... not Dagmar's family, but they leave close. I mean the Chief and the Mountain. Siv used to, she's their daughter. One of them; the other is in Mexico, she's a Countess. And the Davidsons live there too. The Lodge, not Mexico. Miss Kerri and her husband Olgar and daughter Sylvi. Olgar's kind of a bad ass and looks like it, too. Sylvi's a cheerleader and she does make up stuff. I think she's some kind of.... diplomate? She's got a boyfriend upstate. In New York."

"Other people come and go, I guess. Conner and Jack are there a lot, they're little kids."

"They don't like you?"

"Not much." It doesn't seem to bother him overly.

"Do you like them?"

"Some, yes."

"Who do you like?"