#goldfinchfreehold

Sylvi sits in one of the studio rooms, texting Lucia.

TXT: Hey! U OK? Went to visit you at the restaurant, but folks said you left?

A wait, then, slow bubbles

TXT: Oh, you hadn't heard? So sorry. I guess word is out. Yes. It sucks but had to be done. I'm no longer living with my folx

TXT: Guess I've been a little out of the loop. You someplace safe?

TXT: Yeah, at RV. Want me to visit and give you the scoop?

TXT: Yeah, or I could come there. What's best for you?

TXT: I'll go to GF. I think a change of scenery now and then is good for me

TXT: CU soon!

Goldfinch doesn't have much to offer in the way of a kitchen, but it does have an electric kettle, some mugs, and some tea, so she starts the water heating before Lucia gets there.

Annd soon it is, as the winged boggan enters in carrying some delicious smelling food "Hey? Pardon me presuming but I thought you guys might want REAL food here?"

"Oh, you're awesome and very insightful. Yes, and I've got some water going for tea. Actual tea or...um...rosemary hibiscus?" she offers, reading the label on the box of teabags.

"Tea Tea is fine" A smile on her face but Sylvi can tell it's a bit forced, "Sorry I didn't come here earlier." She puts the food down. Looks like Gnocchi, Lasagne, and Pesto in large amounts are on the option block "Help yourself, it's fresh"

Sylvi sets up a tea to steep and settles on an herbal blend for herself. Why not? When she sees all the food, her jaw drops. "You've been busy in the kitchen over there!"

She does help herself to some of each.

"Yeah, ironic huh? My parents tell me I need to stop this emmisary rep nonsense for RV, that it's time to stick to stuff of 'substance' like working at the family restaurant, and as long as I live under their roof I'll do as they say, only for me to say 'okay' and leave that roof... and now I'm baking anyway to relieve stress"

"Hey, just because you like doing it doesn't mean you have to do it under their roof or by their rules. But they really pulled that crap? I mean, I guess I can't be totally surprised -- they're pretty traditionalist."

"No kidding" Glumly "They have NO respect for what I do, whta I've been doing. They act like it doesn't matter, but communication between lieges and vassals and others TOTALLY matters"

"Totally," Sylvi agrees. "I'm really surprised, though. I mean, I thought they were so proud of you being the Emissary?"

"I think maybe they were" she says "For the first year, like it was a nice dot on the ole resume? But then I'm 'supposed to move on and get serious' or some nonsense" A scowl "You mom's got me in for a few days, but I'm looking for a new place to stay. Dagmar is thinking I should ask Rowan if she needs or wants a roomie at the apartments. It's not a BAD idea"

"Maybe. Have you met them? I haven't, not for more than a few seconds, but they seem kinda...sketchy?"

"I met them while serving them a meal at my parents resturant before this went south" She says "It..got really tense between them and dagmar which is why I was surprised when Dagmar mentioned them. Maybe they've settled things?"

A blink. "That's a really fast turn-around for Dagmar to change her mind on something. I love her, but you know how she gets."

"Yeah, SET. Dagmar likes what she likes and loathes what she loathes. I think it was partly her unseelie side peeking out...I didn't have enough time to get the best read"

"Oh, okay, that tracks. Seelie Dagmar sometimes does some apologizing for Unseelie Dagmar."

"Well, regardless of how reasonable an idea it might be, how do you feel about possibly rooming with Rowan?"

"I think it will save me money and I can use that. I don't know them well enough to judge, they seem a bit smug at times but at least they're smart . My tolerence for idiots can get low, working with the public serving tables can do that to you" Wryly

"I'll bet. Well, yeah, I don't think you'd have to deal with outright idiocy there, or at least not as much.

A nod "Now if you know someone else looking for a roomie let me know but I think it's time for me to prove to my parents I may love them, but I don't NEED them, not in that way, not anymore"

"Hopefully they'll see that anytime you spend with them will be because you WANT to spend it with them, not because it's required. But it might take them a while to open their eyes to that."

"Yea" She takes a deep breath "Don't tell anyone but I'm scared"

A slight empathetic grin. "Yeah?"

Adding, "I absolutely won't tell. But I don't think anybody would fault you for it."

"Yeah" A nod "I .. just... wow, when they laid that down on me, I knew I HAD to go or I'd never own my own life again, but home .. the resturant, those were ALWAYS places I could go .. now? Now I feel like I'm kind of lost"

"Nice thing about having freeholds to turn to, though, right? Doesn't change what's bad, but at least offers a bit of support to get through the bad."

"And I know it really is bad. At least, it is right now. Probably will be for a while. But at some point, when you're ready and they're ready, you can all talk it out?"

"It does. And as i work for Rivervale I don't even feel like much of a mooch" And another nod "I suppose I can. You're lucky, your folks are SO open minded"

A smirk. "Doesn't mean we always got along, though."

"I do seem to recall you and your mom having some classic clashes now and then. " A chuckle at some memories "I remember your whole 'down with the man, mom dad why don't YOU fight the power' attitude for a year or two. Mind you, it was fun"

"Yes, I've mellowed in my old age." She takes a dramatic pose, then snickers at herself and drops it. "It's more complicated than I thought it was back then, I get that now. I really was a brat, wasn't I."

"Oh please, like I wasn't? Like a lot of boggan girls I was a SHAMELESS gossip. But now that I'm a woman... I don't shamelessly gossip, I proudly inform" A wink

"Ha! I like that. So, you gonna keep proudly informing between Rivervale and Caer Falken? You're not dropping the Emissary role, right?"

"Oh hell no, that's an important job whether my parents see that or not" A firm hurmphh "You think your mom is busy with the transition NOW? If not for me she'd have a lot more folks trying to yank her to this or that court function just to test her. I don't tell your mom this, but I probably cut off a lot of her workload outside the lodge proper. I press claims that she asked me too, and document the minutes if needed. I keep social connections open but not all at once"

"Yeah. I think you're better at that in a lot of ways than I was, but I know I did okay, too. And hey, thanks for looking out for Mom. It'll probably take her a while to really get comfortable in that position."

"Your mom is going to be fine, just folks gotta push the 'new guy' even if she's actually an experienced pro" A nod "I'm actually more worried I maybe out of a job because of her. Once she gets the hang of things she can scmoooze like no one else. No disrespect to Baroness Brekke, but your mom is a lOT more social:"

"No argument here. But that doesn't mean she can be everywhere, right? So I'm guessing your job is safe. Have you talked to her about that, though?"

"Nope. I'm enjoying my life on DeNile"

"Heh. Well, eventually that raft you're on will run ashore and you'll have to deal with it."

"I know, but both she and I are occupied with more important things than that" She points out then smiles "Oh my GOD, I'm not trying to be a jerk but you know that food I brought? I had to almost pencil in a time. Brogan, Sally Mae, Dagmar . Gerd and like two others besides your mom are doing cooking now there. And my folks like only boggans REALLY get it right" She rolls her eyes "I'm glad i brought the food here where at least I won't feel like I'm vying for fridge left over space. How are folks HERE by the way?"

"Yeah, I got the sense at Thanksgiving that Mom kinda got kicked out of the kitchen by the others. Hope she's okay with that. Anyway...people are doing pretty good. Classes are still going, but it's a little tricky for a few people because of, y'now, money issues, so we have to see how that goes moving forward. Oh, and what's your read on Dirk's new groupie?" She grins. "Has Dirk caught on, yet?"