#rivervale_lodge

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Dirk doesn't like showers, but Mister and Mrs. Lee insist on it. So he does. no big. He got his own gear. He lathers the shampoo in his hair, and gets it over with. Like many redcaps, he inclines to ginger hood. Or he did, as he lathers, his locks take on a lovely pastel pink hue.

Toweling off, the boy cares little for his looks so doesn't bother to really notice his hair is now cotton candy color. And out he goes.

The snake slithers away unseen.

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Kerri's in the kitchen. This comes as a surprise to nobody. She's working at a little tray of finger foods...again, no big surprise here. However, she does not bring it out to the main hall...instead, she sets it up on the center island in the kitchen...which somehow seems to feel a bit more like a formal Hearth sanctum than a simple kitchen.

Some barking announcing someone is here. A voice, female "Yes, yes, I know. SO true"

"In the kitchen!" Kerri calls out. She's been expecting this visitor.

Tiffany comes in wearing not her usual New Agengard uniform but a hoodie with jacket and non descript clothes.

"Tiffany...thank you, I appreciate you coming. Have a seat, if you like, and help yourself." There's an array of nibbly foods on trays. "Can I get you something to drink?"

her tail is down, her ears limper than usual and she keeps looking about even i nthe kitchen as if expecting something unpleasant. "Cyanide or coffee would be fine"

Kerri nods and goes out to get coffee from the urn, bringing Tiffany a mug. She efficiently sets out a little cream and sugar service as well, then fetches herself a glass of water before settling on a stool at the island. "You look upset."

"Look, I know trolls have a gift to get you talking, but if my dam..ex-damsel sees me like this I'm just going to think of all our cool rated PG 13 romantic montages and then I'm going to get that stomach twist thing and I'll have to murder everyone who saw me cry. So... you sure he's not in state right now?"

"I specifically requested him to make himself scarce once you confirmed you could come up. We've got an hour or so before he returns, at least." A pause, and she helps herself to a bit of food by way of permission-giving. "So...why ex-damsel?"

" the rolled up newspaper was mortifying, I don't remember who had it..."

A frown. "A...punishment? Or a threat?"

A long sip, but she sets the cup down, "I shoot people and blow them up." Frustration makes her hands shake, the same hands that disarm bombs? "Strong bred woman who don't need no man? A threat I could laugh at. Punishment I could laugh at if you tell me the safety word. NO, I was told I was loved got to stay here forever. The mists outlined things so nicely but that? that i read in the book of reading me the acts."

"But...you don't remember who said it...." Confirming.

"I remember a scarecrow, boy she was fun at parties."

"But she threw her voice"

"A scarecrow? Here? That would have been the Chieftain. But...but if you were banned here, Tiffany, she would have told me. She hasn't, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't her. Or if it was her, you misunderstood."

"look, all I know is I was in some charming land, then I ended up maroooned, someone told me to get the hell out, and there was such hate... and there was a scarecrow nearby. SHe threw her voice. I remember.. someoen kept me from attacking the scarecrow. And I know, that I'm welcome here by someone Vali sees as second cousins twice removed."

Kerri frowns and quietly tries to work that out.

"And Vali won't leave this place...his shoes are glued. And his duty is to blueberry girl and that's dandy, but if I stay with Damsel, it's going to tear... tear him. And that'll hurt the damsel and you don't hurt your damsel .. so it's better if I take the sublte hint I got last yule and stay away so he can find a new gal..." A grumble "probably some sidhe bitch with wide hips and glow face."

"Tiffany, stop. You are not unwelcome here. Whatever you're remembering, it is a Samhain memory, so it's broken at best. There's been absolutely no discussion of you having caused any harm here, none that I'm aware of, anyway. And if the Chieftain were interested in banning anybody, she'd make sure that both the Mountain and Hearth were informed. She hasn't, so you aren't. And Vali...well, he's hurting because you've made him an ex-damsel, and he doesn't understand why it's happened."

A wince, one almost expect her to whine, "look, it was getting too real anyway. You know? I had it all, job I liked, damsel for my unnatural spooning urges. But it's just a story, a woman can't have it all these days..." her mein dims a bit "And there comes a time a spaniel has to pick a path and just settle like a setter"

"Because long-distance relationships are hard?" A sympathetic tone.

"Because my damsel is in a taffy pull and I'm on one end of it"

"Has he said that? Or more to the point...is he saying that it's more than he can manage?"

"Uhmm..." Nod "ABSOLUTELY"

"So...you're taking away his opportunity to have an opinion about it by cutting him off first? Tiffany...just by virtue of how you're looking, this isn't doing you any good, either." Gently, but truthfully.

"It's a new shampoo" Guardedly

"Mm-hm." A slight grin, and a sip.

"You don't know my damsel, he has ... this protective streak that I've never seen in trolls, and if he finds out that someone here hurt my feelings, besides realizing I'm a huge blubbering whiner...,he'll fuss at whoever fussed and then chaos!"

A bemused look. "You think that Vali has never caused chaos here before?" She shakes her head. "Tiffany, if anybody made you feel unwelcome here, it was not one of the triad, and it was not done with our knowledge. Nobody had a right to do that on our behalf, and I can't think of a reason why I'd want you banned. If it happened, and we figure out who did it, we'll sort it out. Chaos? Perhaps...but temporary chaos. And trust me, we've gotten pretty good at managing temporary chaos over the years."

"Actually trolls are the most fun to pick on when you're a pranksome boggan like me" A pause "Did I say that outloud?"

Wry, "Well, yes...I've known a pooka or two over time. We're easy targets." A shrug. "Still standing."

"Honest to gosh I don't know why you wear heels" Then she smiles, "I suppose I need to buy flowers for the big lug again."

Siv comes into the kitchen, most likely to snitch food

"Flowers sound appropriate." Kerri grins, confident the issue is resolved, at least so far. Then she turns to the new arrival. "Siv, come have a snack. Tiffany's visiting."

Siv turns to see Siv, then her face falls and her eyes darken for a moment "Won't be long."

Tiffany hears the girl's voice and spills her coffee

Kerri's grin fades. "Siv." A firm warning. "Careful. What is going on?"

"Nothing, Aunt Kerri" THe girl grabs an apple "Sorry to be o trouble." And she smiles "I'll be off now"

"Um, no, Miss Siv. Come sit yourself down here, right now." The Hearth has spoken.

Siv stiffens, there's a moment of consideration of defiance. But she sits down "All right, but I feel like a third wheel here. Never been to hang around when I'm not needed..."A bit of her of her apple "or wanted"

Tiffany sighs "I think I should probably do a patrol or three off the clock."

Kerri blinks, and looks from one to the other. "The two of you."

THe pooka has grabbed a paper towel and is cleaning

"Mm no, Tiffany, you're staying." To her credit, she did not do the first thing on her mind and say sit, stay.