#bergen_county

Basil admits "Not that I can see or remember"

Rikki rolls her eyes "he should be required o wear a body cam"

Sylvi presses her lips together at Rikki's comment, but just nods and looks around at other members of the group.

Luci shrugs "Never intenntionally unfairo r harmful. Like all of us he might slip, but even that's rare"

Dirk holds up his hand "Does cracking a thallian in half on a raid count as harmful in his role as a moutain? Because honestly he's fun to watch when he finally cuts loose"

Sylvi smiles at that. "I meant harmful to us, Dirk. Good point." She takes a breath. "Okay, so, with one exception..." she nods to Rikki "...it seems like people agree that he tries to do things right. And that's good to hear. Rikki, you've got a complaint, I get that...but you didn't get cracked in half like a thallain, right?"

"Yippee?" Rikki observes

"The problem is, my dad won't see it matters if it's intentional unfair or harmful" Siv finally speaks up "He's staked up everything sees as a possible less than 10 out 10 as 'bad' against himself"

"To forgive others, ewe must first forgive eweself" Tikki observes

"We had fortune cookes before we came here" Eden adds

Sylvi nods. "He's like that. But I'm not asking in order to convince him. I really wanted to know what the truth was. as far as you saw it."

Gerd frowns "Maybe I can channnel Vegarrd and have a talk with him?"

Sylvi bites her lip. "Maybe? You mean...here? Now?"

"No.. I mean.. when I talk to him next?" Gerd shrugs "it's.. not a sure thing"

"Yeah...that...maybe? I don't know if Frank would appreciate it."

"But....maybe he would."

"I don't know how much telling him anything would help. How do we show him?"

Siv bites her lip "I wish I knew"

She shakes her head. "It's like I was saying earlier, Dagmar. He's stubborn. He has decided what the facts are, and it's going to be a while before he thinks otherwise."

"I don't know if there's anything we can do to change how he thinks right now."

Huff.

Sylvi looks around the group again. "I'm...really sorry that some of you...several of you...feel intimidated by the people at the Lodge. I mean...the Lodge is supposed to be for all of us to benefit from."

Symon whispers, "Maybe Lodges really are meant for trolls. It seems that whatever misunderstanding may have been due to something his own kith would have interpreted."

"Better than it was" Jimmy speaks up for the first time "For a while, the Chief took care of the land, but we didn't know she also cared about the people. " the Piskie speaks up "People don't always notice me, but I noticed. I noticed suddenly the Mountain had pillars, and the Hearth Embers, the Storm her bolts or whatever... and you didnn't have to be a troll to do it. Anne Marie got knighted, and she deserved it... so it was ggood to see. They're mostly grumps. By their usual speed, they've been downn right quick. They're always so patient with us, it's only right we're patient with them. Annd they try harder for us than we do for them I think"

"I can't say what it's like for non-trolls, I'm a troll. So..." Shrug. "I know I want my friends here."

Sylvi looks troubled by Symon's words, but Jimmy's seem to cheer her. "They have been trying to do right by everybody. I know that. I...I'm sorry on their behalf if it's not enough."

"Reperations!" Rikki chimes

"Sororicide" Tikki shoots his sister a look

Sylvi gives Rikki a direct look. "Okay...my regret only goes so far. Don't mess with Uncle Frank's truck. The end."

Rikki huffs as she's caught between her brother and Sylvi

Dirk snorts "This is stupid. Why are you apologizinng on someone's behalf? You guys think Hemlock has an open door policy to redcaps or sluagh? You think you even get a foot in the door? If we're gonnna gripe let's remember what the altenantives are."

Sylvi gives Dirk a grateful look. "Thank you."

"Thanks to all of you, really. I...didn't mean to start a visit with a conclave, but it seemed important."

"Hey, when Sylvi Davidson calls, we're there" LUcia smiles

"True that."

"Hey, you know it's mutual, right? I know I'm not...I haven't been here a lot. But...I still want to be in your lives, y'know? You can still call on me and stuff."

"It's true!" Piper pipes up from the back.

A grateful smile to her. Then a deep breath. "So...okay...what else are you all up to?"

"Well, you're busy at Dark Gate" Lucia shruggs and smiles "And we just figured, some of us, that we'd get in yoru way"

The smile fades. "Get in my way? I mean...I'm busy, but...I need you guys," she admits a bit sheepishly.

"Why did't you tell me? I'd pop a whole cavalcade to this fancy house I hear you're living at" Gerd snorts

"Wellllll..." she shrugs uncomfortably "...I've been trying to...y'know...be kind of...independent?"

"Thought you were busy taming the wilderness." Symon shrugs a bit.

Mumble. "You know I miss having you around."

Dirk nnods "With you and Nadeen both gone, there's been a shortage of bossy chicks"

Prissy pushes him into the grass "Bossy enough?"

"Sorry. I really didn't mean to push you guys away. It's been crazy busy, though."

Siv snorts "Another reasonn to call us. We cann help sometimes"

"We're kicking dust around here a lot of the time." He looks away from the two redcaps with a silent sigh.

"Not that -I- mind. Finally some quiet. But if you have work for fighters..." He eyes Dirk pointedly.