#rivervale_lodge

"Our unsained Sidhe ward... one thing we do know about her? She's a Varich. We're trying to teach her better, and fortunately she lives with mortal parents"

"You... have a Varich sidhe here?"

She bristles. "That is not safe."

"In the barony, aye" A look "We make her keep her sword off on the mantle when she's here. Nasty piece o work, Whispermourn"

"A... weapon against sluagh?"

"She claims it'ws more a protection, but we don't like it. It ..has this mouth design on the hilt. sometime's it's closed but when it opens, it lets loose this scream that only slaugh can hear.. a pitch...and it hurts and rattles your kith's ears. She says it makes Sluagh less likely to do 'tricks' but when we found out it HURT Symon, we forbade it's use around him. Flat out"

Zara scowls. "Good."

"Earth Runes has a Varich... we are civil enough."

"I've heard the Varich side of the story but so much hate to last so long... I suppose to Sidhe from Arcadia it was like yesterday but to hold such hatred ... it's a shame. they'd be a better house if they could let go."

She nods. "And the sluagh - the Varich had ordered - nay, commanded - the impossible. You know angry sidhe - could the sluagh have returned empty-handed without punishment?"

A bite of her lip "Sometimes I wonder if maybe the DeBukes weren't right never to come to the accord. But then Bancroft is a sidhe, even if a Scathatch"

"And Sir Magnus was nice. AndSparrow is dear to Da" A thought "Never simple is it?"

"And August is my dearest friend. It is not simple, no."

"And yet some are cruel and seem to see us as little more than playthings to test or torment" She sighs "Ah, thinnk on how grim I'm being now. Sorry. "

Out of the window a figure walks,seemingly on top of the snow.

"All kiths are capable of cruelty and evil."

She peers out, curious. "Who is that?"

She glows?

even in winter coats she glows, dimly

"Oh, that's Blythe Wynn," Siv says "Speaking of evil members of any kith, she was kidnapped nd held hostage by a mad troll name of Erik the Grasp"

"Aye? I know not that kith..."

'nope" Suddenly Siv looks very pleased, "And you will llikely never know another. She is, far as we know, last of her kind. And we saved her. I'm proud beyond words of that"

the msyterious kith is now out of sight.

"Ah yes, the Just-Okay Siv." She sticks out her tongue. It's black.

"Ha, more credit to Dagmar the mighty and Sylvi the Wiley than myself"

"Feh! I shall feh more than Hirim today!"

"I don't know Hirim but that sounds impressive"

"Tis. Have faith."

'Oh, Symon deserves much respect for slipping Blythe out. And Dirk fought too. He's not the brightest bulb in the flowerbed, Dirk, but he can fight"

"Redcaps can, aye."

"THere's more to the talle than that, but the important thing is Blythe is safe, we're okay. Jersey Devils and Crazed near Dauntain trolls dealt with"

It would appear that Siv IS still a troll. Folks are safe now. that's all that matters.

"...Jersey Devil? Truly?"

"Aye. It was the most evil..." She shudders "it was a horrible villainous thing"

"Nightmares are also part of the dreaming - monsters have their place and purpose."

"I suppose but that does'nt mean its not evil"

"Evil exists... but... a snake is not evil, for its poisoned bite. Can the Jersey Devil be aught but its dream?"

"Afraid you'll not sway me on this one, Zara. That thing was evil. It did evil. It was evil. It liked being evil. Whther made that way or not, it was evil"

"Dread? Aye. Fearful, dangerous... but to be evil, I think a being must also be capable of better."

Stubborn troll brow "Evil."

She shrugs. "So you say."

"I do" A firm nod "it'll be back anyway, maybe it WiLL be better this time. I don't know." She looks thoguhtful "You could ask Symon for his take on it I suppose. "

"And his may be different. But I think evil is the result of a choice - to know good, be able to do good... or at least no harm... and to choose, freely, the opposite."

"So you say" Siv says back. then winks

"And the Devil may well have a choice. I know not."

"well, I hope you never met anything like him whatever he be"

"Fair enough. I have encountered evil, and do not relish a new experience with it."

"What evil did you face?" Curious look "And..are you okay? I ..some wounds aren't physical. "

She shakes her head. "I'm fine."

"Fair, and not right for me to pry unwelcome" SHe says then "Blythe Wynn is a Wysp by the way. Or that's what she says. "