#rivervale_lodge

A horn blows from outside the door. A trumpet?

"I suppose I could make hot-dog pizza...." Kerri muses.

"if anyone could do that it would be..." Olgar turns "Huh"

"Oh, we need a world with cheeseburgers, too... hey, what's that?"

Sylvi also puts her food down and goes quickly to see who is out there, blowing a horn....

Frank sets his food down and stands. The dogs snuffle over....

And it's a crowd! The County's childlings… and Vali! They're holding a banner that says "Joyous Greening HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHIEF"

Gerd calls out to Sylvi "Can she see us? Open the door wider"

Frank's eyes go WIDE.

Sylvi gapes for a moment, then wavers at the doorway. "But she....she doesn't...." A desperate look back...and then a surrender as Gerd is being adorable, and she opens the door wider. "Um...some folks to see you, Chieftain...."

When Brekke catches sight of the group, she seems to turn into a replica of that statue for a moment.

Frank facepalms.

"...It's your birthday?"

"Kids, hit it" Vali says

Brekke doesn't quite catch the sigh that escapes her. "It is."

Gerd starts off, "Happy Birthday to you..." And all the kids begin to sing. "Happy Birthday to you..."

Meanwhile, Kerri is making her way to Vali with a forced smile and gritted teeth. "Vali....you know she doesn't like...."

"Oh - happy birthday!" Not singing, but genuine.

Frank looks up to give Brekke an apologetic look.

Brekke endures the celebratory song with what she hopes is a kindly expression, though she may mostly look like she's got indigestion.

Vali says to Kerri "Shh.. here, she's mad at me, so give her this gift from the children" He hands over an exceptionally LARGE birthday card, tall as a human.

And the children finish up.

"Did she like it?" One of them says

"She looks like she has gas" Another says

Brekke clears her throat and starts to speak...but that's when Kerri brings the card over, so she's awkwardly interrupted. She takes the card and looks at it in all it's sizableness.

Every childling has put their name, and notes stickies that are taped so they don't fall off.... ''Thank you for keeping me safe'' , ''You once helped my mom in a flood! I love my mom even if she feeds me greenbeans, to THANK you'', ''You totally creamed Baron Kelean again and it never is not funny- every pennons'', ''You have a lovely braid, and you're nice'', ''My dad was low on glamour, you probably don't 'member'', ''Thank you for saving me from that chimera'"

Siv peeks, she can't help it.

Brekke reads over the card with great dignity and solemnity, and nods to the childlings. "This is a wonderful gift. Thank you all."

They cheer

"Stage two! " gerd yells "No feelings left behind!"

Vali nods,, clearly happy that line was remembered

That gets a puzzled look from the Chieftain.

Dag smiles, watching the small (relatively) herd of kids.

"This one is for Dagmar King" Vali says

And the kids begin to sing "For she's a jolly good fellow"

The banner flips over to read 'THOR SAVE THE KINGS'

The new banner gets a chuckle from Brekke.

And another facepalm from Frank.

Sylvi cheers, and Kerri applauds.

An abrupt chuckle. "Oh, jesus..."

Siv grins "I love it."

And James looks at Brekke "Vali does know you can banish him right?"

"He had better."

And Siv mutters to Dagmar "Tell them thanks or they may do it again"

"...Sing? I mean, it's kind of fun."

Frank returns to ... well, the pizza's gone but the coffee and Brekke are still there.

He murmurs to her.

She shakes her head and grins slightly at Frank, and settles back in her seat, first carefully setting the card aside where it can be appreciated by others.

The kids do sing it one more time, and then Vali thanks them all, and says "Okay, off to the workhouses with you little Dickensian urchins"//They giggle at Dickensian, and walk off, singing "It's a hard knock life" /Vali turns around "Happy Birthday, Chief. And Dagmar? Glad you and Jaymes got the mortal part down Congratulations"

Frank does take a few minutes to read the card.