#bergen_county

He scowls. "Next time I'll let you run out onto the pennons Fairground in your hospital gown. And I hope it's one of the ones that's breezy in the back."

But then smirks again, at that mental image.

A soft snort and headshake. A glance at the pup, worry peeking through.

He looks okay! His ears are pink and his nose is damp, and he snoozles, looking much better for the touch of glamour she gave him. Simply worn out!

A snerk, then Gerd moves to Connor "he's fine, Dagmar. that glamour you gave him was a good idea. I think it gave him heroic dreams"

"Maybe we should hold off jousting..."

"Are you kidding? " Gerd says 'People would riot"

"I mean me? Not the whole joust."

A sneeze, and he blinks awake. Aww, puppy eyes.

"Then Connor would riot" Gerd says "he wants to cheer for you. So do we'

"Hey kiddo."

"Hey little brother. I was just bragging on you and fussing about you trying to pull rank."

He wriggles under the discarded blanket, and pokes out his head, hair mussed from the nap. "Um. Would I do that?" He looks guilty.

Gerd kisses him on the forehead, much like Vali used to do to her "If you ever did i'm sure you'd seriously reconsdier trying it in the future"

"Uh huh." He gives a glance to Dagmar, and his chin wibbles. "Dame, I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Why are you sorry? You were a hero today!"

He sniffs hugely, trying to avoid the tears. Heros don't cry, right? "I was a bad Squire. I ran away and left Gerd behind, and I caused a big storm, and I broke your thing."

"You rescued Gerd! She told me, and you know I can tell a lie."

"Kiddo..." A frown, and then she scoops him into a hug. "I'm proud of you, right?"

"I ran away first." He sniffs. And accepts the hug.

"But then I thought that Gerd would never ever leave ME behind even if there was a... a thousand thousand bombs.

"And then you went back. And that's what matters."

"Why did they hate pastries?" He looks confused and sad, and maybe not asking the real thing he means.

"Only the Fiona aren't scared. Being scared and helping anyways is brave."

A sigh. "I don't really know. Like.. there are jerk rulers, but Hemlock's not a jerk."

"But they blew up KERRI!" Then he turns pink. "-I- blew it up."

"Technically, WE blew it up. Me into the air, then you pressed the button" Gerd reminds

"Margalita is going to be SO MAD." He remarks.

Gerd laughs

"But... like.. wasn't the bomb from the bad guys?"

"I stole their boom button."

"Nice!"

"And you set it off where it would hurt the lest people?"

"He did. Just wen I asked him too. High into the storm"

"Right..."

"So, Connor, you helped and were brave and listened to your sister."

He nods dolefully. "But I also blew up the Thanes. With thunder and lightning." Tail tucked. "I'm sorry I broke your present."

"It wasn't THEIR fault!" He addds, "But they SHOT GERD."

"They shot me in the leg as a crazy witch flew towards their count.

Brow?

He frowns. "You're s'posed to use your WORDS."

"There didn't seem to be much time so I decided to lob the booth with the bomb into the air and detonate it HIGH up" A pause "The thunderstorm was not planned, but it did seem to get folks out of the area away from the bomb blast in case things went wrong. "

"Yeah, that storm was weird - was it one of them? That's some big magic."

Hands behind his back, and doesn't meet her gaze.

"Connor?"

"It was weird!" He agrees.

Gerd raises a brow at that but mentions nothing

"I feel like something is missing here."

A sigh, and she rumples his ears. "Whatever, my squire's a hero. Nobody got badly hurt."

"The bad guys! Did someone get them? They tied Gerd UP! And put a SOCK in her mouth! You're not SUPPOSED to chew up socks. That's naughty."