#bergen_county

"It's not much, just these boxes. I put most of my personal equipment in storage." Symon tells Dagmar, as he shows her the scant supplies he is taking to Rutgers from his home. Only one suitcase of clothing, a box of books, a box of gaming supplies, and a smaller box marked "misc".

"Mom offered to drive me over, we don't really need a truck, but...she would have gotten all soppy eyed again."

"And nobody needs that, yeah."

"The place is furnished, so that simplifies things."

"Yeah, I just have some books, some gaming stuff, and some dross and spell components. I kept my skulls down to a minimum. Only functional, not the ones that are just decor."

Brow.

"Functional skulls?"

"...Right! Like, you wouldn't toss around a baseball that had some famous signature on it, would you? THAT would be decor."

He explains, without explaining anything at all.

"....You have signed skulls?"

"No, it was just a metaphor - I mean, yes, but... well, that was a long story?"

"They make for good autumn bunks, is what I mean. Functional."

"Still, the sooner we get settled, the better. Classes start soon." He looks a bit frustrated.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just worried about Lily. I've been keeping an eye on her, but... I can't, really, from here."

"Maybe... Lovecraft?"

"She does what she wants, but she might be able to be convinced."

He looks thoughtful. "If I asked her to watchover and keep Lily safe, it would be fifty fifty. If I asked her to spy on her, that might go over better."

"That makes sense." A tug at the corner of her mouth, a trollish grin.

"Have you worked things out with Connor? He's gonna have a lot of time free without you around to follow around and tag after, won't he??"

Her mouth turns downwards and she shifts her gaze away.

"What? Don't tell me you haven't talked to him yet."

"Mmph."

"Daaaagmar." He rolls his eyes, his voice a mildly admonishing hiss.

"You want my advice?"

"I'm gonna hurt him."

"Is that your plan, or your expectation?" Leaning against the side of the truck.

"I don't want to hurt him."

"Okay, good, that's better. Then think about it this way. He wants to help out, right? How about you go to bat for him? There's going to be all sorts of gaps with people leaving for college. I know that the Chief is looking to bring in a bunch of new trolls, but why not give Connor a go? He's... well, he's a pooka, and all that goes along with that, but... he's not dumb. He may be immature, but he's older than some wilders, when it comes to life experience. He knows the lodge well - maybe even better than Lily, and she SNOOPS.

You have to do this, but it's not that you don't need a Squire any more. You need him to help pick up where you left off, until you come back. I'd say just to Knight him and be done with it, to be honest, but you seem to like having him tag along."

"He's not a direct fighter, but he could do patrols. He's good at magic..."

"You've trained him yourself, you know what he can do." Symon nods, encouraging.

"And he helps a LOT with the horses."

"Well, there you go. You COULD ask Chief to Knight Him. He's probably done something or other to deserve it."

"Might help him be more independent and less... following around like a puppy?"

"Chief might not go for it, though."

"He's older, but he's still a kid."

"So?" He shrugs. "Kids sain with knighthoods and Baronships all the time. Jessica King has a countess ward."

"I just... I dunno."

"Do you think he'd fuck things up? Bring dishonor to the hold?"

"No!"

"But he's... I dunno. Happy?"

"But you felt like it was important to change, to grow. That's why we're going. His options are limited, is what I'm saying. He can't grow as a mortal. Not for a damn long time."

"I'm not doing him any good away."

A slow blink. "Why do you say that?"

"I mean, wanting to keep him as a squire because.. because, I dunno..."

"Because he feels like a kid brother, because it makes me happy the be there for him, in a way I never... like, when I was his age? I didn't have anybody, and..."

"And you have the oath, too." He muses quietly.

"So, I mean, I guess I like having him as a squire, so that's not a good reason to... to stop him from growing?"

"I just... I didn't think of him as ready, but I'm... I'm leaving him..." She trails off.

"Huh. Well, for one, it was an idea, but I don't even know if he'd WANT to be a Knight. I sure as hell didn't." Symon reasons. "The rest of it? You can't know for sure how he really feels without talking to him. So you might be moping around for nothing."