#rivervale_lodge

"But, like, how much does it really matter if I get suspended? I'm just gonna work at some store."

"Maybe Jaymes can get it from the school. And it matters. I mean...it's gotta matter, right? Like...maybe you're good at something you don't even know about yet, and you'll want to do something else that needs a good reputation."

"I dunno. I was planning to get out at sixteen, y'know? Get a job and save up money and emancipate..."

She looks off in the distance, in the direction of the Barn. "Now, I don't know."

Sylvi watches her a long moment. "Why would you want to leave this?"

"I....I don't."

A careful smile. "Well...speaking for myself, I don't want you to leave, either."

"Jaymes is real nice. And Kerri's better'n any foster mom I've ever had. And everybody says, if I make it a whole year, I make it that long, then we can do the magic oath that'd make it real."

Her cheeks purple, and she looks away - embarrassed by the outburst, perhaps.

"Mom's the best," Sylvi nods. "And yeah...I really think...you and Jaymes are really good. I mean, you're kind of making it real already, you know? The oath more makes it official."

"Nuh-uh. The oath is magic. Frank said so. It'd be real, not just words."

"Like... really-real."

Sylvi grins. "Yeah. Really-real."

"So then I'd be Siv's cousin. Sort of."

Quiet, she watches for frogs again a moment. "Hey. What about Tove?"

"My cousin, too, sort of."

"So, like, not just Jaymes but a whole family..." she folds her arms over her knees. "Tove? Jaymes likes her, and she likes him, but they're both dumb."

"I like her. It'd be nice if she stayed."

"I mean, not cousins by blood, but I do call the Mountain 'Uncle Frank' y'know? He and Mom are like that."

"I really hope she does, but yeah, Jaymes doesn't...get it. I think."

"Well, ain't nobody by blood except my birth mom. And she sucks."

"Or maybe....oooh, do you think they're sneaking off when we don't know? Seeing each other on the sly?"

"Well, me and Siv, we took care of this stupid British pansy boy that was making moves on her this summer."

"Wait, WHAT?" Not much chance of frogs now. "Wait, I want to hear about that! Tell me!"

"Oh, right - he just SHOWED UP, looking for Tove! He was all, 'hon hon hon, I'm so faaaaaaaaaancy.' And he had a stupid accent."

Both dogs sigh in defeat and abandon the hunt, beginning to snuffle at leaves and twigs.

"Where'd he come from?"

"Me and Siv were working on the Kestrel, after we took this really cool trip to Baltimore - pardon, "Charm" and met a Countess!"

"I forget where - somewhere big? Not here. He'd have taken Tove away."

"Yeah, I heard you met Countess Akanthea. Wow. The Chieftain does NOT like her."

Once you go Skunk, all other women are junk

"Yeah, why is that? She seems cool."

"Don't know. Nobody really talks about it."

"I mean, there's the whole Gwydion versus Eiluned thing, to start...but beyond that, I don't know."

"It was SO different, like, all kinds of shee and fancy architecture...."

"Oh, just wait until you have to go to Caer Falken for some fancy ball or something. It's really fancy, too. And you'll have to really mind manners there. Which...well, it kind of happens, anyway."

"Siv went to a ball." Her nose wrinkles. "Why would you want to?"

"Get all dressed up and wear heels and have to, like, dance with boys?"

"Sometimes we have to, because the Chieftain's a baroness and Mom's a knight, and it's a duty. I've had to go since I was little, at least once a year. And Count Hemlock always is...nice." She says it carefully. "But it's awkward. All the nobles are just..." She trails off and frowns. "Anyway...maybe you won't have to go."

"Probably not. Like, it's different for nobles."

Pause. "Hey, does that mean Siv, like, is gonna be a baroness?"

A frown of thought. "I don't know. I...maybe? But I don't think it's going to work that way. I mean...huh...I guess it could. But it doesn't have to." Then a bit of a chuckle. "Can you just see Siv as a baroness? 'All you all, pipe down or I make ye walk the bloomin' plank! Arrr!!'"

She smothers a laugh with her hand. "Pirate queen, totally."

"Like, she'll have the BIGGEST HAT."

"And feathers, too. Boy, I'm glad I don't hafta mess with that."

"And a really big chimerical parrot!" Another laugh.

"Oh, imagine if it talks back to her!"

"Sassy parrot."

"Oh, it totally would! They'd have arguments all up and down the Kestrel's deck, and up the ropes and down again!" Giggling.

"They would! Oh, I bet she'd curse up a STORM, too!"