#bergen_county

"Fine fine... but you spread word about how I'm the best at what I furkin do" He sayss "At least if you believe it" And he rings it up fast

"Da's an honest man, if your work is good, folks ask, he'll tell em" Siv assures

Frank nods stoically; to what? Well.

Siv pulls out her wallet this time "I got this da. Or at least will chip in?"

"Mm. 25%, sure."

Siv smirks and pays a quarter of the price

"Fair?" She asks her da with indulgance "or may I go half?"

"I make more than you do." He points our reasonably.

"Oh very well, the last three fourths is yours to pay" She yields

And he does.

Soon they're set up , items will be delivered and they shop around some more "Bit soon for Yule gifts but any ideas for mom? She can be hard to shop for. I WANT to get her fancy nice things but I also wonder if she doesn't much care for those?"

"You've known your mother as long as you've been alive."

"Well, yes," She says "She's not for fancy I guess. "

"Maybe......."

"Socks."

"I could ask Zara for hints on getting good ones" A smile

"Good ones?" Brekke asks as she walks into hearing range through the crowd of merchant booths.

"Good what?"

"Oh, Zara's got a million book suggestions if you get her talking about it" Siv says. True

"Mm." Brekke nods, accepting this.

She looks to Frank. "I thought we might compete in the couples melee, if you are interested."

Siv tries to hide her pleasure at seeing her parents fight by side

"If you wish it."

She nods. "Good." She glances around the merchants. "Has the shopping been good?"

"Enough. I think. Siv may have other viewpoints."

Brekke looks at Siv curiously.

"Da knows how to haggle, so do I" She says "Got a good deal or two out of a nocker. Including a front bumper to install to my car that helps reduce kinetic damage more so than normal in the rare chance of collusion. Hub caps of mithril with norse runes of Journey that make long trips go by just a bit faster that can be tailored to Da's rig if need me, and a Seat cover for Anne Marie" A beat "pardon, Dame Anne Marie. "

"The hubcaps are for your jeep." he mentions.

Siv gives her mom a look that seems to convey a message meant for her

A blink. "Those are fine purchases." Impressed. "For the Jeep? I suppose that is sometimes helpful. But if they can be used for the Dawntreader, that may be of greater help over time." Thinking out loud.

"Let us speak more on that," she suggests, having heard both of their thoughts.

"I think the Dawntreader has longer trips, and needs it more"

"I should say...let us speak more on that after Pennons." A look to Siv.

"OH" A sheepish look "Then I hope you and Da kick ass in the duo melee contests"

"Yes."

"That is...after Pennons."

A slight grin. "Thank you, Siv. I hope you will be able to watch." She looks to Frank. "Perhaps we should prepare."

"Mm. Yes."

Siv says "I'll cheer you on from the sidelines"

A nod to Siv. "Thank you." Then a look to Frank, and she turns to head back to the melee area, pausing for him to walk with her.

And he does walk with her.

Siv gets to watch her parents walk off together. They don't walk hand-in-hand, but they might as well be, the way they move together. And they are gone through the marketplace.

She smiles, knowing that her folks are fare more in sync than many a couple that does hold hands. She smiles, then breaks into a run for the book ie

If Lut and Tig thought they'd have a clean sweep, they prove to be in trouble. While the brothers are used to fighting side by side, so are the Chieftain and the Knight! And the Grumps taught the twins all the twins knew when it came to fighting, they did not, as the saying goes, teach the twins everything the grumps knew!

And aren't quite a few older heads looking just a wee bit pleased when, after a hard fight, the Kings are Triumphant over them in the final round?

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