#rivervale_lodge

"I liked all of them."

"I'm glad. "She rises then, "Dagmar, do you really think I can make a living on youtube, bake an award winning pie, and sell my wood work at Pennons?"

"Well, yeah. Of course. Maybe not everything right now, because sometimes stuff doesn't work the first time."

"But you believe in me" The older woman says "And so does Jaymes. mmm that explains it"

"Explains what?"

"One of the reasons I adore you both" She give her a hug "I guess I can be a little selfish, but I like how you both make me feel about myself"

"Well... you're my friend, right?"

"I am. And I'm lucky to be one of them" She says

"And Jaymes likes you a lot. I bet he'll buy something at Pennons."

"That would be pleasing, I confess, but somedays it's nice just having him on my arm."

She purples. "Mushy stuff."

"Opops. sorry. See, that's why we're friends. You tolerate my bad habbits" oh so serious nod

"Hmph. Your bad habits?"

"Who else?" She says curious

"I have bad habits, lots of them."

"I was thinking, though - if I ever get, like, a coat of arms... could I put a badger on it?"

"I..." She smiles "I don't see why not. And I'm flattered. I got that wood work right then"

"It's my favorite thing."

Yup,. Beaming troll lady "Mm maybe one day I can make a bigger one"

A shrug. "He's great as is."

"True, and you're great as is too"

Purple and a little shrug. But... not a direct disagreement. "You guys think so."

"We do" She says "Jaymes is lucky he got you first I'd adopt you myself"

"It ain't final yet. But I'm almost halfway through... April, right? I can make it til April without screwing up."

Tove looks thoughtful, then nods "you can make it" but do you have to? I wonder

A soft knocking at the door.

And it cracks, and Symon peeks through. “Hey, Jaymes said you were out here. Miss, uh, Tove? Sorry to interrupt anything?”

"Hey Symon!"

"Hello, Symon." She says "Odd, I almost expected Connor for some reason"

A wry snort. “Why, has he been rolling in something dead?” A mimed sniff at his own shirt. “Dags, did you hear about the punishment? At Pennons?” Her earlier jubilation at the news is reversed in Symon’s hangdog look.

"Right? Won't it be fun? We get to see the BIG hold..."

Tove says "The chieftain seems most insistent"

“And we ar expected to fight? I guess I’ve lived long enough this incarnation...” Woeful.

A pause, assessing the look. "Bet there's lots of conversations and stuff to sneak around and listen to?"

"You're expected to help and support. I think that includes just loading up gear and such":

He sighs. “I can fetch and carry like a busboy, sure... but there was that bit about representing the hold in competitions...” a sudden look up. “Maybe that bit was just for the girls, the trolls, eh?”

"Maybe there's, like, games? You're smart."

He looks unsure. “Pennons traditionally is for celebration of martial combat. That’s your boat, eh? At least I have Spooky Day coming up.”

"Halloween! Yeah!"

"Well, it's also for song and crafts. Do you do any crafts, Symon?"

“Yeah, that too.” A smirk, thoughtful, and then he gives Tove a thoughtful glance. “You know, I’d had something in mind, maybe. Specific crafts, or just, like, open, for anything? I’ve made miniatures before...” a faint mottled flush, embarrassed. “Just nerd sh- stuff.”

(DOUBLE THOUGHTFUL:thinking_face::thinking_face:)

"Bring some, if anyone gives you grief, send them my way" Tove is herself a troll, and willing to defend

"For the game thing, right? The dragon one?"

"You promised we'd get to try it out."

“You did that badger? The one you got?” Glancing from Tove to Dagmar. Then a duck of his head. “Yeah, it’s like... hard to see you getting excited though after fighting REAL giant bugs and not just rolling dice...”

"I dunno. Are there any games where you could be, like, a superhero? That's different from fighting chimera."

“Mutants and Masterminds.” He answers immediately, not even having to think.

"yes, I did the badger" Tove looks thoughtful "mm Symon. I have an idea."

“I got one too... Ann Marie wants me to get a new hobby...” a quite disturbing smile spreads across thin lips, but he looks to Tove. “What’s yours?”