#goldfinchfreehold

"Don't you need to be at the college?" Lucia asks her friend

"It's not far," Sylvi hedges.

"You found a new trod or something? I thought it was like... trodless around there?"

"Well, yeah, as far as I know. But I mean, it's not like I'm commuting to UCLA or anything. Forty-minutes drive on a bad day."

She doesn't mention that she wants to be close to home while the lodge is short staffed.

"How're things going with you?" she redirects.

She doesn't have to, "Uh huh. You remember I'm a boggan, right?"

"Yeeees." Sylvi smirks. "It's almost as unfair as if you were a pooka."

An eye roll, "You're just not fooling me is all. You're as dedicated and duty bound as any troll and you're down playing it so you avoid some talk from Grumptown. You know, everyone compares you to your mom, but you're about as sly as your dad when it comes to 'saving the day' and acting like it's no big thing."

"It's not sly," she protests.

"You're running this place with patrols and double checks as much as any elder at the lodge, but you're acting like it's 'no big' even as you make sure we're all coordinated. You're no less prepared than the elders at Rivervale, but you hide how hard it can be so you don't get on your mom or dad's radar? How's that not sly?"

"Well, I mean, I've had plenty of training. My whole life, really. So, it's not as hard for me as it might be for some. But...well, yeah, my folks have their own shit to take care of."

"Don't worry, this is one bit of gossip I won't share" She assures, "I just don't want you damaging your grades for this." She flutters her wings, then says "It's also possible I'm avoiding your attempt to redirect about how I'm doing"

"It's that bad?"

"I'm still doing ambassador stuff at Caer Falken on behalf of Rivervale. I thought I was good at it" Sheepish "Uhm...but there is a snag? And I don't know how to tell the R.V. Elders"

"What kind of snag?" she says, her brown furrowed slightly with concern.

"I'm really attracted to a rival... god he's hot. And I KNOW he's hoping to seduce secrets out of me, or get me to vote with him in the council.... but part of me wants to ...try to outseduce him right back? " She is BLUSHING "It's exciting, and wrong, and so sexy I could scream"

"Ooooh, crap." A sympathetic grin and a slight blush of her own. "I get it. Well...if you know he's trying to get secrets through seduction, it's easy to avoid giving up secrets, right?"

"Oh yeah, I mean, I DO, but I also want to dangle the chance I MIGHT Tell a secret as bait? And what if he double double woos me and i give it up..."A BRIGHTER BLush "I mean, a secret ."

"Among other things," she teases. "Do you think there's some other advantage to playing him, beyond just the power trip?"

"And the potential sex?"

"Samhain is only a month away, power trips and maybe sex sound like enough" She says "But uhm.. yes. I think I can a few of his secrets too, and... also? I could use him seeing things my way on the council. The Count is a good man, but he doesn't always take to the Chieftain's desire to protect what few green belts we have in Bergen"

"I mean...it's a risky game." It doesn't sound like she's trying to discourage the boggan.

"It is... and I am sure the Chief would NOT approve of me chancing it" She sighs "It's just.. how often does a boggan gal get a chance to try this sort of thing? I could get a broken heart, but wow... it's the closest I'll come to some romance novels I like AND I can honestly get some good things done if it goes right"

"Pfft. I think you need to meet more boggans outside of your family. I'm sure there are boggan femme fatales out there."

"Oh, you should hear about the boggans of Earth Runes? It's that Fiona hold Siv was trained at? Sexy Domestics and Naughty maids lurk the halls, like Downton Abbey with a saucier rating"

A grin. "I know EarthRunes. Went to Carnivale there. I can totally believe the naughty-maid thing."

"Oh right!" A grin "Anyway, the boggans have a lot of pull there behind the scenes. I'm happy here in Bergan, so I'm not looking to make a move, but there are times I kind of wish I could vamp things up like that. Of course, my rival IS a Fiona boggan" A bite of her lip Intrigued and worried

"We.. uhm made bread together" A blush

"Oooh....was 'Unchained Melody' playing while you kneaded the dough?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact" She admits "How'd you know?"

"Oh, tell me you've seen 'Ghost'? That scene's a classic."

"Never seen it" She admits "Isn't it some old horror movie?"

Clearly, Lucia somehow missed a cultural wonder

"Mostly it's a romance. Some kinda creepy moments. Some totally 90s effects, but worth it. We should have a viewing party."

"But if he's a Fiona and he's cribbing scenes like that..." she frowns. "Seems sloppy."

"Oh" Her face falls, and she frowns "Like I"m not worth original material?"

"Or like he doesn't have original material. You're sure he's Fiona?"

"Pretty sure, or at least a Fiona affiliate" SHe ponders 'But maybe it's time to pry into just how in the House he is. Wonder if I can catch Siv between deep dreaming plunges?"

"Maybe. What kind of information does he seem to be wanting, anyway?"

"Oh, for one thing? Your mom's recipes. SOme of the GOOD ones " she says

"Well, you can pretend to slip and tell him one...but get it wrong."

"And see where the food appears? That's.. devious! " Approving!

"It also means that if he claims it's her recipe, people will know he's either lying or got bamboozled."

"Trick is, you'll have to make him believe you think it's the right recipe."

"I can fake sincerity... I was a cheerleader too, remember?" A smile

That gets a laugh. "Good point, but he's a fellow boggan."

'Yeah, could be a challenge, but I think I can pull it off. " A nod "I need a way to test him for malice"

"Seems like this might do it. Of course, he might be testing you for accuracy. Either way, you won't give up anything that you don't want to give up," she says, adding a wink.

A BRIGHT blush "Noted. It'll be worth it if I can sway him into voting for more green friendly policies . The Chief would love that, and so would I, darn it. "