#goldfinchfreehold

"True" A smile , tad forced

"Baaaabe, what's wrong? THey still treating you well there? Do I have to go bust some heads?"

"They treat me fine" She laughs a bit at that, "I don't sic you on folks, it's like a war crime you fierce one. but I'll be working a lot less hours, upkeep isn't as good money and has a lot less time. I mean, a one day our of two week job..." A shake of her head "I need to nose around"

"I wish you had a nose for accounting. Would help ME out. But it's boring work, and worse than that, MATH."

"Accounting? " Curious "You need an accountant?"

"I think we could use one. I didn't think it would be so complicated, but... that's one area I'm underwater. Sallie May helped out with the initial setup, but I don't want to go crying to her every time there's a balance off. We have income, expenses, taxes, write-offs... it's not just a Freehold, it's a business, and I'm terrified if I screw up there'll be some sort of tax audit or something and it will be my fault."

"Well Jonas knows ssome acounting but oh... Anne Marie would collapse without him" She ponders

"Symon is off to college.. and apparently in hot water with you" curious about that but going on

"Yeah, I thought about Jonas, of course, and then realized not to mention it because he WOULD try to do both."

"He would, wouldn't he?" A pondering "I wonder if Eir Frey or Happy know accounting? Or Squire valter?"

"They're Lodge trolls, and brought in to take care of gaps when Dagmar leaves and such. I can't poach there." Piper reminder her.

"I'll keep looking. I hadn't really started, to be honest, but I see the need more and more."

"Gerd poached them from texas, we can poach them from Rivervale without guilt... it's not likely mother will take them ALL. Though a shame if she can't. Oh, Ives DeBuke is staying"

"LEast for a year or so."

"I think we need someone who fits Goldfinch. Not people chosen because they'd fit the lodge."

A curious look "You say 'we' like that, you're really feeling a connection to Goldfinch aren't you?"

An uncomfortable squirm.

"Well, yeah. It's... it's like, home. Just like you and Jonas are."

"Just like Jonas and I are... " A brow lift "This Hussy is my competition now? I knew it, that coy bird guise didn't fool me, I've seen the way she gives you that 'come hither and get glamour' look...." Faux offense, then a smile "You do realize you just ranked her with your lovers? Why didn't you tell me that yo ufelt that... wow"

"Well, everyone needs a Freehold, right? The Lodge is wonderful... but it was never my home. Not like it is for you."

"mmm" A nod "Aye, though sometimes I think I need a little distance from home. They love me, but they don't always get me" Or respect me

"But I'm glad for you, Goldfinch is wonderful. We'll find an accountant who also understands it" She assures

"Even a less banal mortal would do, but a kithain or kinain would be great, because welll... I don't want to say we're cooking the books, but there IS some creative accounting."

"Kinain, that's ... not a bad notion. I mean, Sally Mae glides between worlds amazingly well"

"And it means the banality of all the math might not hit so hard." Piper's nose wrinkles, she might be biased.

"It might surprise you but some nockers think math is amazingly glamourous. Mind you, I don't see it, but they have formulas and equations and more"

"Mmm Margilita... no she's too young still, wilder or no"

"Ew. But if they like it..."

"I should run this by Sylvi. I need to tell her about the instruments, too."

"You should. " A nod "And let me know if I can help by transporting some stuff about by ship or any other way for that matter. I got groceries covered and.." realization "Oh my word. Hold on a sec. I got an idea , I got an idea"

"Are you going to sign up to be the first Ship edition of KNight's Heart?"

"You KNOW I'm gonna call it Knightboat if you do..."

"Knight SHIP" Ignoring the show she's referencing "And no... no.. the DeBukes have Hearth trainess, lots of them. Rivervale got a bunch of troll try outs, but what about their kinain? What if there's someone as good as Sally Mae at math, okay not that good but close, who might like it here? A kinain.. or someone in the area of Iowa who wants to take on the job at least for a bit?"

Piper considers. "They're still going to have troll stubbornness, but not the same flavor of Lodge trolls. I can get behind their independent streak, too - not a big fan of Noble Sidhe myself, you know that. At least not the bossy kind."

"Is that why you're always on top then?' A joke, and not even accurate , but her eyes dance

"Pfft." PROD.

"It's a long shot but worth looking into. " Siv says "For that matter, here I am boasting of a ship and I could transport a kinain from another area.. oh, Fenix. I coudl also look there"

A groan. "If you're going to Fenix, you should go in the winter and take me."

"Oh grouse grouse grouse about freezing, that's all you ever do. A bit of a Jersey Winter makes you perk up nicely" A smile "And more receptive to snuggling"

"Then maybe we should take a trip up to Alaska. I've always wanted to see the Northern Lights, hear some Inuit folk music..."

"Oh, wow, that's odd."

"Hm?"

"Gerd is going there"

"Well, there's enough Alaska to share."

"OH I was thinking we might go with her or visit her, kill two birds with one stone? Unless there was a particular area? "

"No, it's just an idea." She grins. "Someday. I'm so busy here right now... and I'm not going to miss any Jersey SUMMER if I can avoid it."

"YOu could tan on the roof of this plac,e you know that right?"

"Oooh. It could be an advertising campaign."

"Preferably wearing clothes, or you'll have Jonas looking for a roof sized parasol" A smile

"Fur IS clothes." She complains.