#rivervale_lodge

Bancroft sputters "I.. more surprising. I didn't know Gerd could flicker flash"

"...Wow."

Gerd suddenly realizes she has spilled the beans "Don't tell Uncle Vali"

"I did not know, but I am not surprised at all. Gerd, I wish for you to go inside and find the book of local maps. Find the one of Lake Tappan and study it. You may need to know its shape. It came in handy for Vegard many times."

"Okay" Her brow knits, but she waves "Bye Bancroft, Later Dagmar- I love your costume!" And she prances off

"Bye Gerd..."

Bancroft dusts himself off and bows, "I have ah, been summoned It seems?"

Brekke inclines her head slowly. "You have. I want to hear your thinking behind this." She indicates the plot of turned soil...which, upon further inspection, might be heart-shaped.

"Ah..Well. " He observes and composes his dignity "yes, chieftain. That would be my doing"

"Forget me nots. It should grow with little trouble if let be... I thought about something more exotic, but the chance of survival would go down"

"I did not know you had such skills. Yes, you have thought this out well, with one exception."

His brow knits "Really." He bends down and looks at it, "Soil is prepared, should get the right amount of moisture, the fertilizer is embeded properly and the seeds were quality. I think I have the timing right " His brow is definitely knit almost troll like.

She clears her throat. "As the old joke ends: location, location, location. You, good thane, have planted your seed in my Lodge's soil, without requesting leave to do so."

"Oh sweet Dagda" For once the normally stoic young man is visibly appalled "I.. Chieftain, I am very .." He kneels "I submit myself to your authority and ask that you do not let my foolish behavior's consequences reflect on my liege or his fief. This was done purely by me in my off hours. Ignorance is no excuse"

Dagmar watches, quiet but all eyes.

Brekke watches him, her expression having gone carefully neutral. A few silent moments. "It does not reflect on your liege or your liege's fief," she confirms. "No...this falls squarely on your shoulders. But I cannot accept ignorance as an argument, as you are well-educated and should know better."

"I should" he agrees

"Then explain."

"I ..apologize. I was... am normally better about this sort of thing. Chieftain. Siv and I had a fight, and she was going away. We made amends, she came to me to extend apology, and I thought perhaps I should extend a sign of my affections as well"

In the lower parking lot, a rumbleroar... diesel engines approaching, pausing, dying.

"I was so caught up in her, how to make her happy, my normal training appeared to fall by the wayside"

A light blush "It's never happened to me before" (Truth)

"Hm." She doesn't seem eager to tell him to stand again. But then she looks past him to the parking lot, and says, "Stand, Bancroft."

"Frank's home?"

The thane stands

"What do you believe to be a fair balance to this act?"

"I don't..." He ponders "I am not sure. I would hate to remove what I have done. But perhaps I could balance it out?" A blush "I'm quite good with flowers"

"Mm. In that case...I think the price for the rent of this portion of land shall be your assistance in tending the rest of the garden plots for each year you wish to keep that plot planted."

He looks about with a precise eye "Accepted. I'll have to make some adjustments with your permission. If you wish maximum effect"

The crunch of footsteps on gravel.

"Daffodils?" She tries again, hopeful.

That gets him an eyebrow. "Adjustments...?"

A hint of bemusement at Dagmar. "They already lie in wait." She nods towards the plot they started at.

"Oh, good!" Happy.

"I like how yellow they are, you know? Just.. they're nice."

A look at Dagmar a slight smile "I'll help with them if the chieftain wishes" Then to the chieftain "Well, you have a good base here, but depending on how it goes I can arrange..." He goes off into a horticultural terminology and suggestions denoting true professional interest

(And is beyond this player)

Brekke's eyes narrow slightly. "I see. You do realize, Thane Bancroft, that I have been cultivating these plots for longer than you have been alive?"

"Yes" He says then says "I mean no sleight. It's just there are some methods that I may know that you might not because of good fortune and fine tutors you did not have. I'll abide in whatever style you like. In truth I.. have not made a large announcement over these skills till now because they are not what is expected of … well, nevermind" He corrects whatever he was about to say by not saying it.

Frank approaches the Lodge and those outside it.

An up-nod for the Mountain.

"Hm. Well...we will discuss it. Welcome home, Mountain," she gives him a slight grin with a nod.

He nods back. "Thank you."

A bow to the mountain, Bancroft is extra courtly now

"Thane Bancroft and I are discussing his gardening skills. He is offering his...expertise."

A light blush on the normally stoic thane

"From what he has demonstrated, he does seem to know what he is doing." She nods to the new, heart-shaped garden plot.

"I would ask that no one tell Siv that I have such studies? At least, not until the flowers bloom?"

Frank regards the plot. "Hmmphm."

"Would you." An arched eyebrow.