#brightwindsbarony

"So if you see any of... special gifts, we can honorably sweeten the pot for them"

"True."

"I can tell you, the Ifrit have tempers, prickly about their honor, but we've worked with Gwydions"

"Zahab seems to have made friends with nessa. She seems ready to go 'full Concordian'"

"I will, of course, give shelter to the children unless, perhaps, the Farm or EarthRunes has room?"

"I can ask around" He nods "Kushaaneh seems to have found a friend in Grete"

"Now that is good, too."

"They arm wrestle wiht Ganbold" Amusement "Most of the time he loses... but he's so good natured about it it's almost endearing"

A quiet grin.

"Ross, Rose and Nessa seem to be glad they took him in... oh and Pepper and Mary Ellen have learned some Mongolian dishes that are tasty. I was thinking for Pennons maybe giving the kids a contest whee they are the stars migght work well"

"Like... fighting or cooking?"

"Maybe a water battle..."

"I thought some sort of dodge ball, but Hope suggested Hide and Seek"

"Oh!"

"A water battle might work too mind. What would you like for them?"

"Oh, balloons and water guns and maybe some little pools to splash in or sprinklers to run through? The goal is chaos."

He looks amused "So how do we determine who wins?"

A shrug and a smile.

"If I might make one suggestion?" He proposes "Grete seems tto dislike swimming. I'm sure splashing is different, but if we set up large rocks they could duck behind, she might feel like she had an element on HER side"

"Smart."

"Well, you're the one who thought of Splash fight Chaos. They'll love it"

"We should be prepared for mud."

"mmm maybe a few.. not too serious prizes? Such as 'muddiest contestant'? "

"Muddiest, biggest splash, fastest arm?"

"We'll have at least five prizes in things like that. They'll like it"

"And cookies shaped like medals?"

"What, no medals shaped like cookies?" The often grim scathach deadpans, humor in his eyes

A chuckle.

"I'm sure Mary Ellen would love the medal shaped cookies"

"And be up to the challenge"

"Maybe a cooking contest?"

"We have rather a few here... could set it up like that show, with the mystery baskets?"

"For the kids or more for the older ones? " Regarding the cooking contest

"More the older ones - Pepper, Mary Ellen - maybe Cliff? He's talented, but he can be taciturn."

"I think that's a contest we all win on." a nod

"Agreed."

"We could get some weird and rare ingredients... truffle, maybe?"

Sparrow, rather notoriously, lives on burgers and pb&j sandwiches and ramen.

"I liike that. I'll ask Hope to make the orders"

"... Maybe Hope should be a judge?"

"She's fair minded" A nod "I think she'd agree. "

"And if she orders, she couldn't compete - knowing the ingredients would be an advantage."

"I'll warn her of that. though she claims she's not so much a cook as a beverage wizard"

"Well, and defer to her expertise on ingredients for the challenge."

"Ready for the melee?" A smile

"Oh yes. Are you?"

"I think I'm going to get very sore with all the talent we've got in melee this year, two wilder Gwydions, onne Dairean, thanes galore... and then you. "

"It will be exciting. I'm looking forward to it."

"Good. Oh speaking of which, third place is a really fantastic whetstone donated by thane Oswald, you remember him I hope? Star wars fan?"

"Well, he says Earth Runnes wishes it's best and donated as third place prize a whetstone that causes blades to make those 'whrrr' light saber sounds when you swing them for an hour?"