#rivervale_lodge

"Hmph. I have done my time," she mutters in response to the last comment. Then she straightens, old joints creaking almost audibly. Carefully, she repeats to Vali what the cantrip revealed. "Do the last two mean much to you?"

"Red and black roads, those are trods with no silver that are said to be tied to two of three of the Fomorian courts. Balor terrain to be sure" Vali says "Olgar has been one one or two and lived- He does not recommend it." a frown "The other? Not really. It was as if things answered without answering, trying to avoid a straight one... but there's truth in it. Break out a Thesaurus? "

"Hmph." She gives the darts an accusatory glare. "Vali, would you recover those and keep them safe? I will go talk with Sally Mae." She shakes her head. "Exactly the prison she thought she was destined to have, and once she escapes it, it is set before her again."

"Sounds like I've got the easier job" He says and works to recover those darts "Chief, tell here I'm sorry about my slip." Clearly the Beaumayn still thinks he failed in this, or would have if not for Brekke

"It is not your fault, Vali. We all missed it. I will tell her we all regret it."

She heads back to the Lodge to look for the junior Hearth.

Sally Mae is on a cleaning frenzy in the lodge, despite the fact much of it doesn't need it. Nervous energy, fear and anxiety being channeled into what she knows she can affect.

"Sally Mae. Stop a minute. Come and sit." Brekke takes a seat, not in her great chair by the fire, but on one of the benches by the long tables. She indicates Sally Mae should sit nearby.

Sally Mae stops, takes a deep breath, and takes a seat

Brekke regards her evenly for a moment, then says, "Balor."

"I... He's what???" The mortal woman chokes

A nod. "He carried weapons with the serpent design. Poisoned weapons." A pause. "He is gone. I cast a cantrip to remove his memories of you. I do not know if it will be permanent."

"Oh sweet Frey..., but why? What did he want?" A guilty look "And you said poison, are you okay?"

"I am fine. The weapons never made contact, thanks to Vali." A pause and a sigh. "Some days ago, Vali saw something. It did not make sense at the time...but now the pieces fit. I Sally Mae...he wanted to impregnate you, and I believe it would have been against your will. He had condoms with him that had been intentionally damaged."

The kinian woman's mouth opens then, "He...poked holes to... what the hell? I finally made up my mind to..." A DEEP blush

"I know. I am sorry."

"I do not know why he chose you, though."

She shakes her head. "That did not come out properly. I mean...if it had nothing to do with attraction, but only about reproduction, I am not sure why you were targeted."

that slowly turns to outrage and confusion "Why? WHat would he want to...that's sick. I mean..wait..." A deep breath "No I will not scream or squeel. I... tell me..did he say anything? Any clues? And..what did Vali se?"

"He said little. I cast a cantrip on him before he could, just as you were leaving. As to what Vali saw...Beaumayn have strange rules about their visions. I do not know what I may tell you."

"I see. I'll ask him myself then. But...if I had had his child..." A sigh "Chieftain. My family takes this sort of thing very seriously. Kerri can tell you how she...helped me see myself more my own person with a family I loved and not just a ...a breeder."

"I know, and I understand. I think...if there had been a DeBuke of his blood, he might well have been able to influence the role of the farm and its people. Am I correct there?"

"If the child had become a true troll.. yes...the boy or girl might eventually become a contender for Storm or Hearth or Mountain...but that's so far off it's almost insane thinking- but Balor are crazy, aren't they? Crazy or deformed?"

"I did Whisper the darts he left behind, the poison weapons. I learned that they were made by a slave called Kretin, and that Kretin's master is...well, I did not get a name, but something about whiter than white, and faded. I could not learn a location, unfortunately."

"And yes...crazy or deformed, though the deformation is not always easy to see."

"At least you found clues" She says, still tense "I .. was nearly used like a cow. I want to hurt something. I've never been so mad, so humiliated. Kerri tells me I don't have to go after anyone I don't want to, don't have to snatch up the first available troll...to 'do my family duty'...but as soon as Ordan shows up there I go googoo eyed like some stupid.."

Brekke shakes her head. "I do not blame you. He was handsome, seemingly courteous, romantic. He knew how to appeal to you. You were not foolish...you were duped by a professional."

"I'm surprised he didn't charge..." her eyes flicker with an echo of true giant fury "Thank you, I would have... well, you know what I would have now. " SHe lowers her eyes, "Please, can we not...tell the younger ones about this? Siv, and Sylvi..sometimes they come to me for input, they see me as a role model. I don't want them thinking less of me, or worse, try to emulate that sort of..." A deep breath "not until I know how to warn them without making them think everyone's like that. Twisted inside even if they're nice on the outside."

"Agreed. However, we should alert the Hearth about this, as well as the Mountain." She looks at the seething young woman. "If you want to hit something for a while, I can serve as an excellent pell."

"Yes, they should know, Kerri especially.. this is a Hearth matter , atl east back home it would be... and.." Then she laughs as Brekke offers herself up, "You're.. you're too kind" then she shakes her head. "No.. no I'll probably sew a dress or something, but thank you. I... if I had gotten pregnant, then that would have been it for my life. I would have had to raise a child that was set inside of me by false hood and trickery." (truth)

A quiet moment, and then.... "There would have been...alternatives."

"Not for me" she says "We're not allowed to get abortions on the farm"

It's a Truth. Whether it stuns the Storm or not... that's another matter.

"You are not on the farm," she points out evenly, reasonably. "It would be your decision."

"If I did, I'd never be let back. Escheat. It might be fae, there fore, right of life." She shakes her head

A deep breath and an exhale, and a nod. "True."

"That's how it's seen where I am from," she says "And...even the kinain elders agree. We..." A deep breath "We must seem incredibly primitive at times"

"No. Not primitive. Principled."

"yeah" She lowers her eyes "Well, with Lady Evergreen there to almost guarentee a better chance to breed true we..." Suddenly Sally Mae stops and sits up "Oh oh no."

"Wait....Lady Evergreen does what?"

"She's a Kubera, an tree inaminae...she's the real source of DeBuke being so fecund. Perhaps even more than the balefire she's the reason we thrive... and oh my. Chieftian, Ordan has seen the farm. He knows. "

"He does. But...at this point, many non-DeBukes have sen the farm, SallyMae. It is important that the farm be alerted to this attempted attack. They will be on guard."

"Yes, I have to call Clem. We guard Lady Evergreen but..." A deep breath "We don't advertise what she does for us. But he got a tour."

"Only he didn't take the whole tour I..." A pause "He was afraid of the eye"

"That should probably have been a stronger warning sign," she says reasonably.

"I am an idiot" she says "On second thought you might need to play Pells after I call Clem. Pardon me..." She rises "I have to call now. Is...is there anything you want me to pass on to her?"

"Tell her what I told you. Tell what I learned...put me on the line if necessary. Call now." She nods.

She makes the call... and for a bit, the chief can hear her relate everything...Vali comes in quietly, sees the call is going on and stays quiet looking to the Chief. He has the darts.

She nods to him, frowning at the darts. She finds a box to put them in and secures them to show Frank later. "SallyMae is upset, but coping."

"Tough gi...lady" he corrects himself as they put it away, "You realize Frank is going to want to find Ordan and kick his ass?"