#rivervale_lodge

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Dirk has been a handful, skipping school, bullying has gone down but still pops up sometimes. He's not a troll boy and lacks the discipline of one. Still, he respects strength, and Frank and Brekke have those and he seems to feel he owes the chief so givees her the least lip or grief.

So it is, Frank maybe surprised to find a boggan, Symonn's step mom, on his door stop

Frank, the Mountain of Rivervale, is working on some mundane paperwork in preparation for a OTR job coming up. He answers the door with a puzzled expression... then looks down. "Ah. Miss Anne Marie. Please come in." He rumbles.

She smooths her dress, "Thank you, Mr. King. I hope this isn't a bad time but I wanted to talk to either you or your wife"

She does enter

"Not at all. Can I offer you anything?"

"Hearth Kerri usually leaves a few things out for folks in the kitchen..."

"Oh I'm fine, thank you so much. Maybe tea or coffee, but no need for a meal. this is..well, not a social call in the standard sense. It's regarding Dirk"

"Dirk." Frank acknowledges and gets coffee, as it's right there in the room.

"I have been meaning to get down to his mother's... place."

"Yes, well, I think at this stage , reconcilation is not possible" Anne Marie takes one of the chairs meant for chidllings and guests "And that leaves your lodge with something of a crowded situation. Given Samantha's..pardon me, Dagmar's own case history, I don't think staying at Jaymes' place is a solution. I have talked things over with my husband, and my step son..and, well," The boggan says "We are willing to foster him. It's unusual, but not unheard of."

Frank blinks. "Well. That's... kind, and generous of you. He's not a problem here, you know." He says gently. "Sure, it's a little tight but... not the first or the last time."

"Oh I miht still be asking for the Chief to step in as an authority figure now and then, " She says "But from what I understand as he can't share a room with the girls Dirk is often on cots or what not here. Far better than the treatment he had from his mother, of course, but while this placei s huge, Dirk has little privacy here. or, did you and the chief plan on eventually adopting him yourself?"

"We haven't discussed it." Somewhat blankly.

Frank scratches his beard. "You're right of course. We'd noticed that it's often a matter of finding a corner to sleep in, and of course privacy.... but...."

"But he's a teenage boy and they work by different rules than girls. Trust me, I know. well, Symon seems to have taken a shine to him, and asked me to see if we could offer him a place. Now, I love my step son, he's a good boy" Proudly "But he is also a nightmare kith with summer kith hovering about him and sluagh tend to withdraw. Dagmar seems to have brought him into your fold a bit, which I'm eternally grateful for, but.. he actually wants Dirk about? It's ...startling to me. I wonder if he feels an empathy. Sluagh and redcaps don't always get along, but they do have that nightmare angle to share yes? My step son doesn't often ask me for things, Mr. King . It's not something I take lightly."

Frank nods in agreement with all this. "I don't disagree with you on any of that. All right. Will you let me speak to the Chieftess about this?"

Muttered "And a couple of other things...."

"Of course, the chieftain is still my liege too and I'll abide by her choices. I think she's a wonderful authority figure to the wilders and childlings about here, and you yourself have earned the respect of the fief so many times and I've always felt the door is open and I'm welcome. I've met Siv, wonderful girl, you two should be proud and if you took Dirk under your wing, I'm sure you'd be wonderful, but as I said, Symon doesn't ask me for things often, and my heart goes out to Dirk anyway. " A smile, "I hope I am not being too much of a pest in coming on this suddenly? Normally my kith is known for coming by with gossip or just chatter like 'oh did Siv ever choose to dance over gymnastics or decline both so she could patrol more' or 'Has that rascal Connor slipped off to Firnost' again? Sweet boy"

"Not at all Miss Anne Marie. I'm honored by your words, and I think it's a good idea. It's ok if we think and talk about it?"

"of course, sorry thought I said, oh I do go on." She nods "Yes, but the sooner you talk, and I apologize if It seems like I'm rushing you, the sooner you do the sooner I can paperwork started. The autumn world is very much hurry hurrry hurry...waiiiitt..o kay, hurry again"

He chuckles, the sound a distance avalanche. "I understand. And yes, we'll talk today." Somewhat grimly.

"Thank you so much" She finishes her coffee, "For your time, consideration ,and the coffee. Rivervale has been a wonderful influence on my step son. Oh he's such a good boy, but I've detained you long enough. If you see Kerri please tell her that Korean Fusion recipe was a hit. She'll know the one"

Clearly the boggan is ready to depart and feels she's kept this very important mountain long enough

He nods and rises. "I will tell her."

She rises and departs, leaving Frank with a lot to think about.

He sees her to the door, then settles back down... but his paperwork remains untouched for a time.

(end scene)