#bergen_county

The trip to Caer Falken is pleasant, the weather good this day

Squire Valter is a reasonable escort. ... that is to say, he doesn't talk too much.

This suits Brekke well.

As they close on Caer Falken, the near dreaming shows glorious signs of it's lord. Green and Gold in the area are not the ONLY colors, but they seem extra vibrant. Clouds look like racing gryphons

It's a very different tone than the Lodge, but the signs of Brekke's oldest friend among the fae and her liege lord please her, and she grins slightly.

Indeed, they close in on the great holding...and now see signs of kithain actvitiy. Two satyrs have a picnic on the green. A troll thane makes wide walks /patrols. On a balcony, a lady sidhe the Cheiftain does not recognize looks out.

And at the door, a valet boggan looks ready to take their cloaks or whatever

Brekke makes note of the female sidhe. She offers her cloak to the boggan. "Baroness Brekke to see the Count if he is available."

"This is Squire Valter," she adds.

"Of course, Baroness" the boggan takes the cloaks "One moment , please. I'll see if the Count is availble. Would you be wiling to wait in the Green Parlor room?"

"Yes. Thank you." She's familiar with the Green Parlor and moves in that direction, nodding Squire Valter to follow.

The Squire follows. The Green Parlor is.. just that, One of Three Parlors, this one predominantly Gwydion green. Immaculately cared for, the celtic designs within are breath taking.

Yes, this is one of the rooms that is designed in a manner that Brekke likes a great deal. A bit too fancy, perhaps, but still very appealing. "Squire Valter, you have been to Caer Falken before, but I am not sure how much of it you have seen."

"I have not have the pleasure of this particular room" he says looking about. "the designs are very different to the ocean side hold I once called home."

She nods. "The Count has good taste." She notes a tray with a water pitcher and goblets to one side. "Help yourself, if you thirst."

He nods and does so.

The door opens, and the valet returns, "Baroness. I'm terribly sorry. The Count is unavaible at this time. Would you be willing to talk to Sir Hurstvale? "

Brekke nods. "I would." She had expected she might not be able to see Hemlock on such short notice. "The Count is well?" she adds.

"It's not my place to conjecture" The Valet says, but is a boggan and gossip will get out "He's quite busy to be sure."

"And..." He adds, "Well, the Duke's rarely made impositions on this scale. Some say it's less trouble expected here, than there maybe some at the ducal court"

Brekke's brow furrows. "You refer to the Duke's census. What sort of trouble?"

"There are rumors that the Queen of Apples herself is taking broom to ground" THe boggan says

A frown. "But no idea what her concern might be?"

"Oh too many ideas I fear, signal to noise ratio"

"Hm." She nods. "Well. Please do tell Sir Hurstvale I would speak with him."

The valet bows and bobs out

Squire Valter waits, then says "This sounds more convulted than I expected, Chieftain"

"Agreed," she grumbles, frowning. "The Queen is involved." She shakes her head.

"Mab is one of the oldest and respected of Queens in Concordia, is she not?"

"She is," she says with a nod. "She has been for all of my time, and since before then."

A nod "If she is 'shaking things up' after all these years, it denotes something grand indeed, and the Count maybe caught in the wake "

The idea of her liege being caught in anything raises her hackles, but she merely grunts and nods.

There is a knock at the door

"Enter," Brekke says.

Sir Hurstvale enters in, a Fiona, he is also a graybeard, the passions of his House tempered by age, experience, and some wisdom. He bows to his superior, "Baroness. I do not know if you remember me well. Sir Hurstvale ap Fiona? I'm temporarily acting as secretary and intmediary of a sort while the Count is occupied." A nod to Valter, "Squire."

The squire has bowed

Brekke nods in return to the bow. "Sir Hurstvale, yes, I recall you. This is Squire Valter. I have received notification of the upcoming census, but I wish to know more. What can you tell me about this?"

Troll bluntness.

The Fiona ponders then says "His grace, Duke of gardens, rarely pressures the Count, but a census was called. One of the Duke's most valued knights, Sir Waytin Thunderspike will be entrusted with the census . It strikes me as a kind of inventory and inspection combination."

The name Thunderspike rings a bell. The knight in question is a troll

"Hm. But...why now?"

"The very thing our liege asked when the news came to him, I'm told, though a bit more colorfully put" Hurstvale admits, "We have only conjecture, but there are rumors that there is some sort of shift, perhaps a retirement, higher up"

A blink. Then a quiet moment. "Is the Queen well?" she asks seriously.

"The Count is an Apples man, through and through as you know. I think , but do not know, that he wonders that also. He shares your concern. There is talk that if Mab retire, Princess Lenore will be elevated to take her place IF retirement or worse arises... but it is also possible a Duke would be elevated"

Another quiet moment of thought. "It is sensible, of course."

"I have heard of Sir Thunderspike, but I do not know him well. What can you tell me of him?"

"In such a case, a census would be required for coordination, up to date and complete... as for Sir Thunderspike, a celebrated hero who has done much in a short career. A wilder of impeccable honor and said to be savvy as well. His last known venture was the destruction of a dream of Talos, a great bronze monster... House Balor denies involvement there, but Sir Thunderspike swears it was their work, and not just some mad nocker's contraption"

She nods thoughtfully. "Well, it will be an honor to host him." A thought. "Will the census account only for the noble holdings, or must the commoner mews be accounted for as well?"

"A good question, and yes, they must be accounted for as well. However, out of respect for commoner mews , Sir Thunderstrike agrees to be supervisxed in his inspection throughout"

"Wise of him. I will make sure they are prepared for a visit."