#rivervale_lodge

"What if I need help?" She is confused

"Tough stuff. The more secrets you hold, the more alone you are. That is the burden of them." He states, "Keep too many and you risk losing folks. I need you to learn that."

"Mom's not going to like it if I lie when she asks what I'm doing..." She protests

"Oh THAT you can do. I'm talking your peers. Sylvi, Dagmar,m the others near your age. If your parents ask? Tell them it's meant to be a surprise but that you will tell them if they insist. If they insist, you flat out tell them you have to go get Shruberies and can even tell them why. That is if you really want me to accept your apology." He says

"I..." the idea of telling her parents ONLY boggles her mind, then she feels abit ashamed as she shouldn't think like that "I can get saplings instead you say?"

"Yup." He says "put as much or as little work as you think your apologies are worth"

She stiffens "I don't much like you right now, Uncle Vali"

"Good, sometimes the best lessons come from moments in our lives we absolutely despise. The important thing is to learn from them. You going to take the quest, or just accept your apology is rejected? Your call." He says

GLARE, the girl takes the money, tucks it into her pocket, "Fine! I'll get the damn shrubberies, and they'll be the best damn Shrubberies ever!"

"Talk is cheap, Shrubberies less so." He motions with a thumb for her to get a move on. "Good luck."

STOMP STOMP STOMP that would do Dagmar proud, and off Siv goes.

Vali waits til lshe's out of earshot, then begins to shake with soft laughter "oh my god, she's never seen the movie. I have actually sent someone on a quest for shruberies, and they might even learn a lesson? Oh my god... this is.. I am amazing some days I really am" A cough "I just Brekke doesn't throw ME into the sparring ring." A pause "Again."

(End Scene)

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Siv looks around trying to avoid Vali, and find her mom

Brekke is sitting by the Balefire, and she seems to be working on a bit of carving.

She waits until her mom is done with whatever line or nick she's doing for the moment, and only then says "mom, got a moment?"

She seems to be working on a...twig? Something small and delicate. A nod, but she doesn't stop. "Come and sit." She indicates a nearby seat.

She sits watching her mom working with pride. She likes her mom's woodwork better than Tove's. "I was wondering if you'd help me with a bit of payback on someone."

"Hmm. I do not know that I approve of the notion to begin with...unless it is well deserved, perhaps." A slight grin. "What is it?"

"Well...." She takes a breath "I was hoping you could make Vali think you'd received a ransom note for me safe return from a sidhe count in Norway"

"And the note would include a mention of how I tried to get a seed from the Royal Birch"

A blink. She carefully lowers the carving work into her lap. And blinks again. "I..." A pause. "No. No, I do not think I will. But now I am intrigued."

"Well if you insist on more details , i will tell you but it will spoil something of ..well gift might not be the right word, another part of me atonement." A sigh "Should have known faking me kidnapping would be a hard sell. Darn it."

"I am curious, but I can also get by with not knowing. But Siv, such a 'payback' would be cruel...and possibly dangerous, if Vali were to try to rescue you."

"Well, I thought you'd break out laughing by the time he was in a panic or I'd pop in fast, but fair point I ..." Embarrassed "He sent me on a quest to fidn something, turns out it was based on a silly movie I never saw... and when I asked around for locales and knowledge... well, a slaugh lass had a chuckle and was nice enough to warn me I'd been Monty Pythoned"

At first still frowning at the notion of Vali sending her daughter on a quest, she then leans back and actually gives a slight grin. "I see. So he has had a bit of a prank on you?"

"Yeah. But..he also gave me a firm talking to so I'm actually going to do it. He...didn't take accept the apology I gave him, not for his own sake, but for yours and Hearth Kerri's and Tiffany's and damn it if he didn't have some points oI'm going to do it anyway. I'm just not going to feel the drive to go to Norway to do it. And before you get mad, that was ME blowing things out of proprotion, most like I could.. oh heck with it, I'm just going to spoil it and tell you you're getting one' Embarrassed "he sent me bring three shrubberies, or trees and plant them nearby to make it up to all three of you"

Now the amusement is clear on her face. "Shrubberies? Really? Oh, Vali...." She chuckles and shakes her head, returning her attention to the carving. "He is still a mischievous child at heart. Well...if you feel the price is fair, then I support you trying to meet the task. Shrubberies....hmmm...."

A wounded look as her mother chuckles "Et tu ,mama?"

but she smiles a bit anyway

A bemused eyebrow at the girl. "I took my payment in the ring, but if Vali feels more is owed, I do not see a need to argue. Besides...it will keep you busy."

"And out of trouble I imagine you hope. Fine and fair,' " A thoughtful look, "Actually, there's another reason I let the cat out of the bag. If I'm to get shrubberies or saplings or the like anyway, well, you know these woods better than I. What do you think woud lbe best? I could get a Norweigan spruce, if someone didn't cut it down for a christmas tree next year or three?"

"Hmmm...." Brekke holds up the little carved tree (much like a spruce itself) and twirls it for a moment. "Let me think...."

She admires the work while her mom thinks "Is that hint , perhaps?"

"Hm? Ha...no, I was actually thinking." She chuffs amusement before continuing. "I think that we could protect the spruce, yes. For the other two...well, you might speak to the Hearth for what would fit her best, and likewise for Tiffany...though I imagine several tree-related jokes may be the result, there."

"Are there types of Dogwoods this far north?" A faux beleaguered look that might look a bit like her mom's

She nods. "They thrive here, and flower in many colors."

Then realization "Oh I should TOTALLY ask Aunt Kerri. See if there's like an herb or fruit tree she wants to...like an apple tree? Close to home? "

"or maple we could get syrup from"

An approving nod. "There. Yes. Exactly."

Siv actually looks excited now for this project

And her mother looks pleased at her excitement.

"Thanks, mum I... well, I will find anohter way to prank vali but nothing as drastic as Faking a kidnapping, honest"

"Though maybe I'll end up thanking him too. " Begrudging

"A desire for 'payback' often ends that way, I find." Still that carefully contained amusement.

"Hrummph" she states but her eyes twinkle then "oh uhm.. mum, that nice lady sluagh who clued me in on Shrubbery quests? I believe you know her."

An eyebrow then. "A nice lady sluagh? Sounds like Miss Zara. Was she here?"

"it was miss Zara," a nod "no she wasn't here, but I met her at firnost because I was using the library there to look up on magic trees and myths and so forth. You know? I wanted to TRY To plan this time and not just hare off like I so often do and risk making your eye twitch... and way, we talked a bit, and i was thinking Symon might like more sluagh now and then to talk to... and I couldn't invite her on anyone's behalf but I told her we never rejected anyone normally but I'd ask for her. she said she'd always been treated with courtesy here. so can I invite her as a guest? I warned her about Nadeen so they could avoid each other"

A surprised look. "Firnost." This seems to be the salient point that has stuck out from that.