#elsewhere

Ah, that gets a grin. "Well done," she rumbles. And she crouches down to pet a puppy.

"I'm a goat! I feel like dancing!" the boy beams

After a few minutes of puppy appreciation, Brekke stands again and nods to the chancellor. "Congratulations, to you and your son." Then to the others, "We must go."

Frank nods and stands from his crouch. "Gerd, ready?" Zane having been licked into good health by now.

"OH heck yes" Gerd says "Where's my brother?"

Zane says "Brother..." and he glances a the boy and winces at something

"Zane, let me help you," Brekke offers, frowning at something. "I will carry you if you allow."

"I'm fine.. all this glamour . Just a twinge of injury" A lie.. but he does look healed

Siv says "Who is going on the Narwhal?"

"I think everybody should go on the Narwhal except for myself. I will drive the Jeep back." A frown as she looks around. "Where are Dagmar, Connor, and Symon?"

"Out in the Jeep" Gerd says "I think Connor is heaven" She looks out a window"

"Let's go collect him up and get back to RiverVale." Frank frowns. "Brekke, it will take some time to return in the jeep. Why not let me drive it back, or leave it here till tomorrow?"

PRANCE, PRANCE, SYRUPPY GLEE

She frowns, considering Frank's offer...then nods. "Agreed. Zane, you still have the keys," she reminds.

Frank holds a hand out for them.

"Oh right" He hands it over "Sorry"

She shakes her head. "No apologies necessary. Frank, bring those three back with you, please. Everybody else...to the Narwhal, with your permission, Lady Captain Siv."

Brekke is being very businesslike, even in spite of the glamour storm.

Frank nods. "See you at the Lodge."

Connor dashed off and heads up the ship.

"Aye, Chieftain"

Gerd catches him trying to load a dozen puppies on board... they will probably fade with the sunrise, but he has fun playing with them

Angus still looks less than he was... the glamour flush a recovery yet.... this has taken much

Syrupy paw prints ALL OVER THE DECK

"Oh.." Siv looks ready to weep "My poor ship"

Gerd helps with the puppies "I guess you deserve a few"

AND THEY ALL GET BACK TO THE LODGE!

A few minutes later, Brekke and Symon step back out into the darkness. The weather is cool, but not unbearable.

"I did not think you would wish attention, but I did wish to speak with you."

He lingers nearer the door. “Yes, chief.”

She regards him. "You showed great courage today, Symon. I am very impressed, and very grateful."

He ducks his head a bit, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Just carrying through on what I said I’d do, is all.”

"You did so without hesitation. You did not seek alternatives -- you went back in to aid an ally in need. Am I right that you rescued the spider?"

He nods. “I didn’t realize it was a pooka when I promised. It was just professional courtesy. Slug to bug, you know.”

"Still...a promise kept. And had you not sought out that ally, we would not have had an idea of what was beyond the wall."

"I know you do not wish to be praised in public. But I praise you now. Well done."

A glance to the Lodge, then back to him. "Is Zane correct? You feel un-heard?"

A shrug. “I’m a sluagh. It’s our thing.” But he doesn't quite meet her gaze.

"Perhaps. What did I not hear that I should have?"

“It felt rushed. Hindsight is 20-20, but I was still trying to think things through when you were ready to roll in. Then I rushed into things too quickly once there. Maybe if I hadn’t prodded the spider in the first place, she’s not have gotten zapped.”

“This might be on me, but I sent it a call for help in both places. Yeah, if I’d sent proper messages, Zane wouldn’t have fought those golems alone. He was lucky to walk away from that.” Bluntly. “But the address wasn't far. Someone could have gone. But yeah. That’s on me for not being more clear I guess.”

“And...” he swallows, not always this willing to go on about anything... “The machine. An unlucky hit might have electrocuted us both. Or killed the Baron instead. Why send in a sneak if you're busting through the walls anyways?”

He falls silent.

She listens quietly and considers for a few moments before nodding. "It was not what I thought it would be. When I realized there was a deeper problem, I thought we had a bit of time. But when I read the note, I was no longer certain. And when your ally was wounded, and you urged me to move quickly, I did. It was not what I should have done, at least, not in the way that I did."

"While you went inside, I tried to re-enter by the front. It went...badly. Very badly."

Her brow furrows. "When we got inside, I think...my judgment was not what it should have been. And I did not know if you had reached your goal. And so I acted rashly."

He flushes a bit, a murky grey green. “I don’t mean to criticize.”

A blink. "Why not? It is important to recognize where a campaign was flawed."

“Yeah, but you're the Great hero and Baroness. I’m just a slug along for the ride.”

She raises a brow. "You are Symon of Rivervale. You have proven your skill and your worth multiple times. You are not simply 'a slug along for the ride.' Do you think I asked you to join me today because I could call on no one else? I selected you and Zane as the two I needed for the work I thought would be necessary. The work turned out to be different than I expected, and still you met the challenge."

“I guess...” More fidgeting. “Would rather be seen as the former though, to be honest. I feel... out of sorts. I don’t know why I rushed in there. Maybe it was the spider. They’re misunderstood too. And who would go out of their way to help one?” He tries to reason.

She doesn't answer right away. His fidgeting makes her think of Olgar's obvious discomfort around Beltane. "If it helps, I have not intention of asking people to see you heroically, even if I think your actions were heroic. Your reputation need not be sullied with seelie-ness."

“It’s not like there's a problem with being seelie...” He reasons back awkwardly. “It’s just not who I am.” No Ping... he apparently believes it true. Whether or not it may be.