#bergen_county

"Good."

"We win." High-five to Dagmar.

"You know, troll smugness is NOT as cute nor attractive as you two seem to thinnk it is" hurumph

But she also reaches to pat each on a shoulder

Sylvi grins. "For real...I'm impressed, Nadeen. I know this could cost you a lot, but you're trying to do what you believe is right even in spite of that."

"Oh don't confuse this for honor. I'm willingg to do some rotten low down praggmatic moves to do the right thing"

"Well, you aren't willing to do anything."

"Well, I'm snitching love letters and spilling what would be seen as Silverwolf secrets. Trust me, that's enough for Calannthe o try to get rid of me if she learns"

"But you won't risk hurting Connor."

"Calanthe's ideas of what's acceptable don't rate very high on my charts. And Dagmar's right -- you know where to draw a line. But...yeah, seriously, this is like treason in your barony." A frown. "I'm sorry you're in this position, Nadeen."

"I prefer the term Enlightened Barony improvement initiative to the T word, thank you" And a look to Dagmar "I told you once, if I can help father learn to treat his son properly again, I will. I just.. don't know how possible it is. If I fail, and it is possible to fail on my part, I am sorry. I know it won't just me being shorted of love they want"

Shrug.

An exhale. "Okay. Let's keep thinking of options, but I'll stop at the Farm and explain the situation, and ask if she'd be willing to help. I know she'll keep a secret."

"You have my permission, Bridge" a nod

A bemused look. "Uh...thanks?"

"And Dagmar? I know Symon is amazing, but call Bix. He should be able to fix that phone" A smile "I wan to be able to sennd vidoes of our horses to you"

She darkens.

Sylvi's gone a little quiet, too, swirling what's left of her juice in her glass.

And Nadeen blinks "Okay. What did I say wrong?"

Sylvi shakes her head. "I can't speak for Dagmar, but...I just miss this."

"Yeah, well..."

"We got a problem to focus on."

"I know, I know...."

"So...yeah." She finishes her juice.

Nadeen sips her own "Yes I .. I miss this too. Sorry If I ... said something wrong, Dagmar"

Sylvi stands. "I better go talk to Clem. Nadeen, I'll meet you back at the Lodge so we can head back up at the same time if you want, or you can go ahead before me, whichever."

"I.. guess... we've taken up enough of Dagmar's time"

Nadeen seems a bit shaken by something

"thank you both for your help. It .. meansn a lot to me." She rises "I think .. I should head home now, before I... I'll meet you at the house, Sylvi"

"So... yeah. Bye."

Sylvi stares at Dagmar a moment. "Seriously? 'Yeah...bye'?"

"Come, Pyshka" And she takes her dog and.. well, flees

"What do you want me to say?"

Jaw-jut as Nadeen flees.

Sylvi tilts her head, looking at Dagmar a moment. "It was like old times for a few minutes here. We were doing okay. And it can be like that a lot...the trod means we're not that far apart. But if you're going to fucking punish us every time we have to leave..." A shrug. "What do you want me to say?"

"I wasn't punishing you!"

Blink. " ' Yeah...bye.' "

"I mean, for real?"

"I don't want to fight."

"No, you don't want to care."

She folds her arms across her chest.

"It's easier if we're the bad guys who left."

Then she closes her eyes and exhales. "Sorry...sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

Dagmar is still quiet, her expression trying to pull into... something... but she's keeping it corralled into a conflicted scowl.

She is not looking at Sylvi, though.

"I just think...if you're going to resent the fact that we're away, we're just going to get further apart. And I don't want that. But it seems like that's what you want...and I guess I kind of get it. I just don't have to like it."

"That's what happens. "

"Don't have to like it, but that's what happens, every time."

"That's what happens when you treat people like you don't want to be around them when they show up, yeah."

"You're just gonna leave again."