#goldfinchfreehold

Clem enters in the hold, looking about

"Goldfinch" She nods approvingly

And keeps going in, past the crowds, looking about for sylvi

Sylvi is in one of the rooms, seated at a large folding table with some school books, her laptop, and her phone to her ear. She waves at Clem as she comes in.

clem smiles, and slips in quiet as she can, waiting for the call or whatever to finish.

"Yeah, sure!" she says into her phone. "No, totally...yeah, absolutely...kay, right, later."

She taps the phone off, then gets up from her seat. "Clem! What the heck?!" She offers a big hug.

Clem returns the hug "Hey, Glamour gal. Nice hold"

"Thanks! I forgot, you haven't been here yet. Want the tour? Or is there something urgent going on?"

"Well, tour would be fine, but best I fill you in on the necessaries back home. the farm I mean. You got time/'

"Absolutely. Tell you what...we'll do both, kinda. Come on." She puts her laptop in a safe place, then leads the way to the back staircase and down into the freehold proper.

And off they go clem admires the fire "Oh that's a fiesty one" a beat "You know about Great aunt Agnes?"

A fond smile to the balefire, but then she gets serious. "Yeah, I know. She's not...she's still here, right?! I mean, you're not here to tell me....?"

"Less than a week. In a week, she'll.. " A breath "She'll gift her life into our fire"

"Oh. Oh...wow. Oh...dammit, Clem...." Another hug, this one because of the mutual hurt.

It's returned, Clem doesn't cry but ... yes, there's hurt in there "You don't have to come to the ceremony but you're family so you've the right"

"No, I need to be there. Um...I think Gerd might want to be, too. And Chieftain Brekke...and probably Mom. I don't know who else, for sure. Would all of us be okay? Or would that be, like, too much?"

"They're all welcome. Gonna invite Jessica too. Mind you, family gets to be.. closer to her at the end. But yes."

"Sure, yeah, totally. Um. I don't...should we bring anything? Man, that feels weird asking."

"Just yourselves. Food or beverage if you like but we'll provide that"

"Okay. We can do that. Um...is she still...y'know, still Agnes right now? I've never known a grump who forgot this way. When I've seen people forget, it's been more traumatic, y'know?"

"She can't get 20 feet past the balefire" A sigh

Her eyes widen. "Wow. That's...wow."

"Yes." then "Now, come on. Let's finish this fine tour" a distraction obvious, but a reminder of the positives in the world even in the shadow of loss looming

(End scene)