#goldfinchfreehold

"Listen, one other thing I really need to put out there now: we're still part of Rivervale barony. We're under the Chieftain's authority, as far as nobility is concerned. While I'm freeholder, we're allies with the Lodge. I can't control what the next freeholder will do. But I really recommend that we do our best not to piss off the Chieftain. We're not reliant on the Lodge...but we also don't want to be something she feels she needs to shut down, got it?"

“There will be a LAUNDRY list of things to be done. Electrical that will need to be to code from a licensed electrician, repairs and fixes, grunt work like cleaning and painting, and that’s not even speaking of affording new equipment yet. But I’m taking it in baby steps, and if anyone WANTS to help, just come to me.”

(Put before Sylvi’s post)

(Yup!)

Romona blushes "Sure" (To Piper's request)

Symon asks, “Where is the line drawn? Does the Freehold have personal autonomy, like the Chief does under Count Hemlock?”

Rikki wrikles her nose at mention of the lodge guys bu says "I'll set fire to the place " then tries again "I'll lay low when the federallis come"

“Or if things don’t go how the Lodge likes it once a new freeholder is in charge, will they turn it upside down, shake until the dissonants fall out, and put a new ‘Holder in place?”

"Dagmar," Siv asks "Can you make a bed frame?"

"Uh, probably."

"My understanding," Sylvi says slowly in response to Symon's questions, "is that the Chieftain knows the Lodge isn't serving everybody's needs, and she wants to give us personal autonomy as much as possible. But I'm guessing that if a future freeholder decides to go Shadow Court or something, all bets are off!" Trying for humor with hyperbole.

He nods, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"So...ah...I think that's everything I wanted to cover." She looks to Piper to see if there's anything she wants to add.

Siv nods "Folks might need to sleep here now and then"

Sylvi nods about the bed.

“I’ll see about tricking out the break room I found upstairs for bare subsistence. Folk who know me, don’t worry - I WON’T be setting up to cook anything. But we can keep some granola bars and stuff on hand, and an electric kettle for instant coffee and the like. If you’re on guard here, we won’t let you starve, but it won’t be Chef Kerri’s Kitchen. More like Piper’s Vending Machine.”

"Yeah, no cauldron here, Dirk."

A giggle breaks out from Rikki

“And… it might be a take and replace policy. Drink the soda? Try to bring some more.” A sheepish grin. “I work a mortal job, but it don’t pay enough to keep a redcap fed.”

A joke, but respectful towards Dirk with a nod.

"Yeah, I think that's fair. Please, everybody, contribute what you can. Bring food to share when possible. If you find something cool at a tag sale or whatever and you think it would fit here, upstairs or down, bring it along. And if you think some repair needs to be done, make sure you mention it to one of us."

"No problem, I'll bite bricks"

She looks around the room. "I think that's it, then. Thanks, everybody. I'm really glad that you're all here in this," she finishes, looking around the room to meet everybody's eyes in turn. Then she stands and steps down from the platform, moving her chair back to floor level.

“woo!” Piper jumps off the stage, towards Siv. “STAGE DIVE!”

Siv catches her "Ack!"

A laugh! “I keep her on her toes.”

Sylvi laughs! And it's a relieved laugh...she wasn't sure how that meeting was going to go.

Symon catches her glance, and raises a hand… thumb out, it hovers…. Then slowly turns… UP.

That earns Symon a smile, and she puts a fist over her heart in salute, then winks.

"You do" Siv says to Piper

Piper whispers in Siv’s ear, “Good call on that bed.” With a GRIN.

She goes over to Symon and murmurs, "You play hardball."

Rikki says "Ah.. the Vending machine? How do I get a waiver on that?"

A chuckle at Rikki. "We'll talk."

“I’m playing both sides. I’ll devil’s advocate, but I’ll be your advocate too.” He whispers to Sylvi. “I saw your look at some of those questions. Not going to apologize. Better to ask now, then let them fester unasked. Like lancing a good, juicy boil.”

A face at Symon. "Ew. But I get it. Actually, I was counting on it. If you didn't want to be a part of this, I'd be worried."

"Ooo, Symon, I found this youtube channel... You might like it."

Siv is about to say something saucy but then admits "Love ya babe, but it really was that sometimes folks nened a place to crash"

Symon GRINS at the face she makes. She knows he says this stuff to get to her, and He knows she gives him the reaction he likes. Give and take! That’s how friendship works.

“Yeah, Dags? Is it that zit lady? I put it on Mom’s DVR and she watched it because she only saw the “doctor” part and you should have heard the shriek she made.”

"Yeah! She's a Lee, too!"

"Oh, Anne Marie might not like it much. Tove sure doesn't."

"Oh, do we have to?" About the zit conversation.

Piper grins to Siv. “I know!” Cheeky.

"I'll just be over here...." she says, moving away to chat with others.

"Come over, we can watch it when mom's in the She Shed."

Symon grins to Dagmar. “You know, if we watch it on Sylvi’s phone when she’s not looking, it will come up with similar stuff in her recommendations for WEEKS.”

Rikki vanishes for a bit. There's a sound of coins, annd ...clunk?

But for now, there's fun and excitmentt and chatter...and the bogganns conspire

(end Scene)