#fenixtj

"Cautious." Some agreement.

"Ok. Then you can't use the County or Fenix as an excuse to hide behind. Let's be honest, Fenix has been good to you and while she'd likely lie for you if she could, you know she deserves better." A brow that.. okay THAT Looked like mom. Just for a moment "And so do you. It's okay to be ...cautious. Your heart is on the line. Troll Wills are iron, our bodies strong as a mountain slide, but ...our hearts? Big and vulnerable. Trust me I know" A sigh "But you won't keep your heart from pain by trying to close it off.. that's just a slower more constant pain in the long run."

"I'm content with what I have." Stolidly.

"Contentment is for cows" Siv says

Jessica glowers at that.

"Stand by it" She says "You know darn well Auntie Clem was at her most ridiculous when she tried to organize things 'just so' for her romantic life or deny it entirely until it 'fit'"

Of course, to Jessica Clem is just Clem. Not an Auntie.

But the point stands...perhaps.

She folds her arms across her chest. "I don't find Clem ridiculous; makes sense to me."

"That's not what she said, she said you gave her good advice once about somethings regarding her love life"

Clem has a big mouth

"Yeah, well."

"It okay to aim for higher than contentment. It's okay to have duty AND Love. Heck, it's part of the darn seelie code. You think Love Conquering All is on the list just because it sounds snazzy?"

"It's also ok to be happy with what you have."

"But you're not happy" She says "you're..." Air quotes "Content"

"It's ok to be content!"

"Not when you can have love.. not when you can at least try for Love. Love Conquers all. Contentment is...empty, compared to that. And news? You're not content anyway, or this whole thing with Duff wouldn't bother you so. You would be content to have him where he is, you where you are... and hey, no guilt, no conflicting trouble. But you have guilt, you have inner conflict. Your using Contenment as a shield but your shield has huge holes in it."

"Hmmphm."

"You know I'm right" She says "But I won't press... lord knows you're as stubborn as dad when you're on a ... " Then a thought "I could do it"

"Do what?"

"I.. not sure..o h I suppose it's only right I tell you. Fine. YOu're busy. After Samhain, if all goes well. I might have time to hunt down a treasure or something to help you find your true love."

"Siv?"

"Dad always says there's an oath or some sort of magic for everything. There was a dragonlance.. there's got to be a mirror or compas or something would let you find your true love." A pleased look "yeah. I coudl do that. Bring it here, hand it over.. and you take a peek"

"Siv, drop it." Firm.

"I don't want you to do that."

"I'm not saying I will. I'm saying I could and I'm offering. " SHe says "As someone who cares and as a sister."

"Appreciate it, but don't."

"Fine. I know well enough by now that love forced is not love at all." She says "But stop trying to hide behind contentment... you're not. And duty is not equal to Love... love gets a mention in the Seelie Code but Duty not at all. Duty gets a mention in the Unseelie one... as second to passion. Both codes are with me on this. You deserve love and should be willing to fight for it. I know it scares you but you're Jessica flipping king... you won't let your fear own you" A nod "Not if you think about it that way. I'll be brave enough to admit how I feel about Jonas and risk getting my heart broke again. You? do what you have to, but then make room for love. ..and you'd be surprised how well it fits right next to honor .. mom and dad are a living example of that. Neither of us will ever have what they have, but we can and will have something just as wonderful but more us- if we strive"

"Hmmphm."

"I'll think about it."

A breath then.."Thank you."

"Nah. Hey. Thanks. I know...it came from a good place."

"mm..yeah.. but will it sink into that stuborn set of horns?" She reaches to give a loving noogie to her sister's head.

She ducks her head out of the way. "Hey...."

Her sister stops, "Okay. Pushing my luck there " instead she turns it into a hug.

-That- she does get returned.

"I better go before I cramp your style. Sis, you're going to be a great Countess. Let me know if I can help, or the family can. Okay? I had fun being your wildcard."

"Let me get you an escort out to Tidemarch."

"No need. I can sneak there if I have to. Unless it would make you feel more at ease"

"It would."

"Then I yield to your excellency's demands" A bow, bit of a tease in it.

An eyeroll. "Come on......" And Jessica is part of the escort, herself.

And no trouble abounds... the bottle is opened, the Narwhal appears, and her sister leaps up and says "Remember, Rivervale is only a text to me and a few minutes away" She waves from the deck to her sister

Jessica waves back.

And then the ship plunges into the water and is gone

Jessica takes deep breath, and heads back to Fenix.

The folks of Fenix gossip about Siv, those that knew of her. Some like her a lot, and it was good she visited , some think she's the Chapulleh's pushy sister and stirs up trouble.

With luck, the gossip and rumors about Siv won't reach Jessica's ears. She would look poorly on anyone noising it about.

Well, then boggans will shush when giants walk by ,and definitely not ask her which it is.

Jessica finds the Balefire, and sits with it.