#rivervale_lodge

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Siv calls down "Mum, look what I managed to do"

Brekke looks up from her coffee with dread. "Do I need to come up there to see?"

"No, It's something I'm wearing" She comes on down wearing that chain mail shirt she got for yule only... what on earth? Her cleavage is showing? It's cleavage bearing chainmail?

A blink. "I...do not recall that armor looking like...that...before."

"I know right? It's a temporary enchantment but I can get it done permanetly, select chains have transparency cantrips... it looks a lot lilke the Silverhand book, the first cover I mean right?"

"Transparency? The links are still there?" Brekke makes a vague gesture over her own chest to indicate the zone in question, under which lies a little thing called the heart....

"oh sure, i mean, what's the point of armor if it won't protect squat right? " She says "deflect a chimerical arrow as surely as the other part does. "

A grin "mum, I do have a little of you and dad's common sense."

Brekke nods slowly, frowning. "It is...provocative."

"Well, yes, that's part of the ..." A tilt of her head, "You don't like it. I knew dad wouldn't...but ..ah, figured if you knew it was just as protective you might be okay with it. what is it you don't like about it? Or did what I see as a benefit turn out to be a negative to your thinking? The provocative part?"

A deep breath. "It...is different from what I would do, and I perhaps I do not understand. Can you explain the benefit?"

"Ah, well, it's distracting to some, and if those some be foes that's an edge in battle. It creates the illusion of vulnerablity...and I look very sexy wearing it and will make lads drool" She says

Her brow furrows as she considers how to respond to that. "I agree that it would be a distraction, which...yes, may provide an advantage. And if you have sacrificed none of the protection, then yes, they may underestimate you, which would be to your advantage. But Siv...I am not the type of mother who enjoys the thought of young men drooling about her daughter. You are not a possession to be craved."

A purpling blush "Well, no... you make it sound bad when you put it That way. But...I don't know, it makes me feel powerful? To be...I'm not as pretty as some girls but I am pretty and ..there's a power in that. Like troll strength. I'm not ashamed of my troll might ,should I be ashamed of what sex appeal I have?" She seems curious.

A deep sigh. "Siv...I do not know. I was raised a certain way, and I carried those ways into my fae life. I do not understand the way you think of your looks, because I have never been pretty. I do not know what to tell you about this." The furrow remains between her brow. "I think...the idea of the transparent links is...clever." That may be the best she can do.

Siv tilts her head and looks at her mom, really looks at her, "You're prettier than you think, I think. But then... Dad sees you as Helen of Troll. So maybe that balances out your biases." She looks down at her garb "Maybe I'm trying so hard to act like a grown woman I'm being a bit immature about it... you know, swimwear level stuff in winter no less. I guess, on the ship, when it was warm, you and dad never made me feel ashamed of my body, and I'm not saying you doing it now. Heck, North sea cold kept me modest enough" A chuckle "Learned that one. but...sometimes I think I'm being immature and silly, and other times I think someone told you how unpretty you were until you believed it. ANd I'd like to go back in time and pop them in the nose, ye know?" a look at her mom "Tell ye what. Your my mother, and I trust you. If you think this is a bad idea, I'll honor your wisdom and let the glamour of transparency fade. I admit, you have a point it might be having the wrong idea in some headds about how just because I'm on the table I'm a free banquet" A frown "I mean, a sword will teach them otherwise but there is a point of the best way to avoid is not lure. I just..." A smile "I don't know what I'm doing some days, mom, I just want to do it. And I'm not alwayhs good at the big picture. But..."Ahem "And it's none of my biz. If you were to catch dad in your bedroom or in the captains quarters wearing a dress that was revealing? He's not think you not pretty. And you'd have not one inch of you to be ashamed of."

A bit of a grin. "There are reasons he and I are married, Siv, and mutual attraction is one of them, yes. But...my daughter, you have never not been pretty. You have been raised among trolls, and have always been recognized as pretty by trollish standards for your whole life. That was not my experience, and I do not think you can understand what life was for me before I knew my true nature. But...we are talking about you. I do have concerns about the lure aspect of this." A nod to the armor. "You fight well, Siv, and have the resources to defend yourself...but if you do not win your fight, your opponents will already be seeing you as more than simply an enemy combatant...you will have put them in a mind that the goal is not only to defeat you, but to take you and have you as they will. It is a dangerous game to play."

A tilt of her head the other way this time, "like red sonja, who could only sleep with a man if he first defeated her. When I first heard that story Ithought ' neat, not just any wimp will do'...but then someone ruined it for me by pointing out what acurse it might be to be forced to be a prize, even if I were also the dragon he fought. 'Just a prize is ultimately just a possession, and men mothball posessions after they grow bored with them as is their right to do. Better a partner than a prize'..." A sullen look "Killed the whole damn genre for me.." A sigh "Is that kind of what you're saying? I.. do understand... I've been blessed and maybe take some things for granted."

"I think...yes...that is a good comparison. I do not wish you to hide yourself, Siv. I do not ever wish that for you. But..be careful and selective about what you reveal, and when. This is, I think perhaps, too much. But...I will not forbid it."

Siv's brow knits "Well, tis winter and all." Slipping to her older way of speaking for a moment "So silly to be wearing armor unless I need it anyway . It's..." A grateful look to her mom "Sometimes it's enough to know you will let me have my head on a thing even if you disagree. I do like the trust. So... that'l lbe enough for now. Thank you for that and your counsel."

It would seem the chain mail bikini look is getting mothballed till spring

"You have earned the trust, Siv. I do not give it lightly. You are old enough that I must trust you to make your own decisions...but I appreciate that you ask me for my thoughts, sometimes." She rests a hand on her child's head. "I love you, my daughter."

A blush "I love you too, mom" A hug "You go on, I know dad's busy with a new apprentice and you have your own tasks. I'll go dress up warm and handle the snow"

"Yes, ma'am." Brekke looks at her daughter with amusement, then finishes her coffee and readies for a patrol.

She takes Oak and Edelweiss with her so they may bound through the snow.

*GONE*

Siv smiles, she does love her mom "Oh well... bikini summer will be here soon enough" and heads to.. "Oh Hi Bix."

(end scene)

Dagmar might notice Siv shoveling snow again. It's a lost battle, but she tries to keep a mountain from forming around her car

"Too cold for that. Siiiv, c'mon. Inside."

"I just had my ego shrunk, the cold can't do much more" SHe says "Sides, I need to clear paths now and then, lodge might get elderly visitors." She glances. It looks like she did most of that though "Fine. I'll go inside"

"Ego shrunk? Why?"

"Boy saw me in something that showed me off nicely. I thought. Didnt so much as get a look over side eye" ughs

"What boy?"

"Oh, Bix. He's dad's new apprentice. Nice guy actutally, my grumbling aside. Bit full of himself, but he knows machines. He's a DeBuke, but then, isn't every fourth troll?" Siv grins

"New guy? How old is he? Why does it have to be a boy..."

"Well, it might surprise you as so far Rivervale has been a land of tall blue amazons for the most part... but we need boy trolls too" Siv says "And he's between your age and mine would be my guess"

"And he's not staying here to live if it helps, he travels from the farm for lessons"

"...that does help. SO he's sained."

"Yup. Sorry, just you and Nadeen still on the waiting list, but good news is , Imbolc is soon, that means febuary, that means closer to April"

"Sixty five days..."

"Imbolc is balefire day, right?"

"Oh that's one term for it. The Balefire is the most important part of a freehold, what makes it a hold. The festival celebrates the replenishment of the hearth after the long cold of winter. Also known as Bard's Day, this holiday also incorporates competitions among bards and other performers. It was originally sacred to the goddess Brigid, patroness of fire, smithcraft, and poetry and still honors the creative spirit. But it's also important that by then, the Firebrands come to replenish the fire..from the High King fires themselves"

"OH! Will Tove be singing? She has to sing, she's the best!"

"She and her dad will and her dad's really good too," Siv says "And yes. I sing a little myself" She smiles fondly "Tove taught me it so I'd know where to go if I forgot. I..."A bite of her lip then "mom will probably make me sing it. Hope my voice won't annoy"

"I don't think I've really heard you sing. I bet you're good, too."

A blush "I'd like to think I'm good for a layman, thanks. But around Torrin and Tove I do feel a bit shy about chiming up with me own pipes. Now Spencer DeBuke? Lord that boy can sing. He's gonna be a great skald one day, or a rock star. I do like a sea chanty, but mom will have me sing the Rivervale song Tove and I made. She loves it because...well..." Thinking back "I remember she..." Look left, look right "She almost cried. Crazy right?"

"Oh crap" A thought

"What?"