#elsewhere

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Nadeen takes a breath "Sylvi?"

Snores throughout the main hall of Rivervale Lodge as various wilders still sleep in hammocks and bunks. Perhaps the Hearth's early morning routines can be heard quietly in the kitchen...or maybe it's the Chieftain leaving quietly for a pre-dawn patrol that woke Nadeen. It seems Sylvi's awake, too, as she answers, "Yeah?" in a whisper.

"We need to talk ..." Quietly obviously "I think.. I think I can help you and you help me too"

"Help you?" She shifts to her side to prop herself up on one arm. "What do you need help with?"

"Moving. I'm ... going to Silverwolf" A breath "Soon. And I think..since Dark Gate and it are so close.. well.. we should consider living together"

Sylvi blinks, jaw dropped. "Are you..." she starts full voice, then hushes herself to a whisper. "Are you serious?"

"You're moving too?"

"Yes... I love Aiden, and like Hewitt needing you, he needs me. More than he knows" She admits "I think I've .. grown all I can here."

Sylvi bites her lip. "Baron Aiden...you...for real?" Dubious.

"I mean...I know you were getting more involved, but...I thought it was all strategy."

"It was... " she looks annoyed at the point made "You know? I tried to be ruthless, calculating, manipultive and ambitious only... but no, I got saddled with a house full of mostly seelie trolls who tricked me into being multi dimensional. He needs someone to interact with the people... my job is.. actually going to be a lot like yours as Bridge"

"Okay, that's kind of ironic. You and me both moving to work in the same place with the guy we're in love with for the same kind of job? I should accuse you of copying." All a whisper with a grin.

"In my defense, I still hope to rule by his side and plot ... honestly, I plan to steeple my fingers with ambition quite often" Straight faced for about 5 seconds then she lets an embarrassed smile slip

Sylvi rolls her eyes. "Ailil and Varich, what could possibly go wrong?" A sigh. "Though I admit...SilverWolf is kind of growing on me. So...sharing a house?" A thoughtful look.

"I don't know. Chieftain Hewitt was talking about having me keep space in a house that could serve sort of as a visitor's space for people from out-of-town."

"THIS house.. " She shows on her phone

Sylvi takes the phone carefully and looks at it...and reads the description...then flips through the pictures. "Ohhh, wow...." she breathes.

"Now, I donn't want ot be entirely dependent on Aiden. HOWEVER... if we get the Chieftain and he to agree to both help us equally... I sell my.. my parents house.. I think we can more than cover it"

"How did you find this?" She's looking at distances from DarkGate.

(Probably closer to the border in game than it might be RL)

"I didn't, Aiden suggested it to me. Notice the stables? " A smile "Why am I attracted to equestrians? It's got to be the strong thighs" light blush "But I like riding so it's fine"

"He suggested it to you." A furrowed brow. "Um, Nadeen...I'm guessing he's kind of hoping he won't have to contend with a housemate if he wants to visit you there."

A brow "What the men in our lives HOPE for is lovely, what they GET should never be assumed by them"

"Well...yeah. I'm just saying...he's paying for it?"

"Like, part of it?"

"Did you hear the part where I sell my family home to do cover a bulk?" She reminds "Besides, look at the bedrooms. "

Sylvi looks it over again. "It's really nice," she agrees.

"And can be shaped to our liking somewhat. " A nible of her lip "Look, I don't want to sound like a wimp, but frankly, as much as part of me wants to kick the door down to Siverwolf hold, throw the luggage down and tell them to prepare my chamber , please.. I'm also a bit ..." A harsher whisper "Scared. Okay? I'm scared. And I don't want to face it alone"

"Yeah...but...Nadeen, you'd want to kill me within a week, wouldn't you?" Dubious.

"We've been on a cheer squad, and we'd each have our own room. Nott like we have to be joined a the hip. " She says "Besides, I'm just as likely to get on YOUR nerves, but how was that so different from when we both had things to do at the lodge?"

Sylvi hands her back her phone. "I get it. And I'm scared, too. Like...my stomach is all knots kinda-scared. Like..." she trails off, shakes her head. "Let me think about it, okay? And...even if we aren't in the same house, we can still watch each other's backs, right?"

"And I can talk with Chieftain Hewitt about it," she adds.

She takes it back "Okay. And that'se one more factor. We might each live together but a lot of my tiem will be at Silverwolf so you won't see me all the time" She ponders "I'm probably going to take the offer with our with out you, for the house i mean, and sell my folks house to help pay for it, but I do like the idea of us sharing it. But whatever happens, yes, of course we have each other's backs"

"Yeah I'd be at DarkGate most of the time, too." A deep breath, and an even quieter, more urgent whisper. "Nadeen...am I making a huge mistake? Leaving here?"

"You understand anything I say to answer that after I just urged you to share the house with me might be suspect? Knowing that, you want my honest answer?"

Biting her lip, a quick nod.

"If you go, you risk failure, embarrassment, and a harsh lesson on your limitation- but if you DON'T go now, it will be worse. IF you don't go, you'll be angry at yourself, or even hate yourself, and you might resent the hell out of your mother and father on top of it. You will for years after let it nag at you how it might have been 'if only'. I've seen your winter side, and she is in you. You want to stand up and take the shot the brass ring , at the attention, to be the heroine and get a little adulation. Your seelie side wants to guide, to lead and make something better than it was. If you do go, you risk all I mentioned, but it's just a risk, if you don't even try? It's a SURE thing you feel a failure. And you know I'm at least 80% right. You are wanting to fly, and if you don't take wing at least once ? Any nest you pick will grow, in your mind, to be a cage. And you don't want the Lodge or your family or your fear to be that. Ever."

Sylvi's quiet as she chews on those ideas for a while.

The sidhe certainly seems utterly sure of her judgment, but then, that's what sidhe do sometimes. Confidence in most areas is not a problem for them

Eventually a deep breath...a long exhale...and a nod. "Thanks," she whispers.

"You're welcome" She says with a nod "Did it help?"

"I...I think so. It made sense." Pause. "If you're just lying to manipulate me so you can have a roommate, I'll have my revenge later." A smirk.

"Please. I'm telling the TRUTH to manipulate you so I can I have a room mate. Far more effective" She arches a brow, but her own lip lets slip a smile.

An amused sound. Then a glance across the room to the large hammock where Dagmar's sleeping. "This is gonna suck for her."

A sigh and her own smile is gone "It so is."

"I mean to invite her over a lot. To the house. Fair warning"

"Good." A nod. She stares up at the rafters. After a few moments, "Isn't Aiden kinda...old?"

"Not so old" She says "I know what you're thinking , but remember , he's spent a lot of time in the freehold so despie being Connor's dad he looks more like Connor's older brother in some ways" a beat "he worries he's taking advantage of me" She rolls her eyes "I remind you. I'm a bodyjacking baroness with centuries of experience.. most of which I don't remember but that's neitther here nor there"