#rivervale_lodge

Leaving the two to finish their vine removal and weeding

(End Scene)

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Dagmar watches as Odin looks down on all lesser creatures from the top of the cat tree. He really loves that thing.

"Muahaha, Odin, tallest of all cats!"

Oh yes, he's almost purring.

"At least Twobit has stopped trying to get up there" Tove says shaking her head.

She reaches up to scratch his ears. "Yeah, that was pretty hilarious..."

Purrr

"I think that's when Odin decided he liked it," Hmmmph from Tove

"Well, I'm sure it didn't hurt. Lord Odin, towering over all."

"your homework done?" She asks . Dagmar's dad is at the store.

"Yuh-huh."

"Well, good. I'm about to start dinner, in the mood for anything?"

"Mmm... pork chops?"

"I can make blue box mac and cheese."

"Sure, sounds like a way to speed things up. You know where the blue box is kept. Get me the spices too? I'll have to make sure I don't use much on your father's. I fear we'll never get him to realize what he's missing"

Siiiigh. "Right? Well, more for us." She heads with Tove towards the kitchen.

"Yeah," Tove moves towards the pans and cooking gear right away, starting up the oven, "I am told you're doing very well in track. Got a favorite sport? You prefer Shotput or discuss or javelin? Do they do javilen?"

"I like shotput best, but yeah, I throw javelin. Girls throw hammers, not disks. And THAT is fun, too, because it spins like Mjolnir... "

"Okay, girls get hammers? I like that thinking" She says with a soft laugh, "And yes, I would feel the same I think. Speaking of which, do you want to see that new Avengers movie? "

"Well, yeah."

"Three hours of Thor kicking ass?" She grabs the box of noodles and check the spice rack. "Paprika and... uh... garlic? Anything else?"

"mmm some of the peppers, I won't use much"

"Okay." She passes over the jars.

"Thanks. And of course, my secret barbecue sauce..." She gets that for herself

"What's in it?"

'It wouldn't be a secret if I told you" She says then smiles, "But I promise, no okra"

"Well, is it your secret or a family secret?"

"Well, actually, family" A smile at her "Which means when Jaymes and I marry, we can make things extra officail by telling you the secret if you still want to know"

"So, well, why wait? I can help!"

"You're already helping," She points out then looks thoughtfully at the girl.

"Right... but I wouldn't tell anybody, is what I'm saying." Fill the pot with water, set it on the stove.

"Well, I don't want to offend you, and yes, I can trust you I know that" She says "And as far as I'm concerned you are family. Mmm okay."

A grin!

The secret apparently involves mustard, dill, touch of apple cider....

a bit of vinegar, of course.

Dagmar pays careful attention.

She's also rather meticulous with the kraft - EXACTLY the amount of butter and milk as the box says.

Despite the melodrama she might have appeared to associate with this, Tove really does take care to make it, and show Dagmar how to do it 'just' so. This is a family recipe from Tove's mother, and her mother's mother... and so to be treasured.

"I think Jaymes could handle this..."

"Well, we haven't put in the dragon's blood in yet" She says

"Dragon's blood?"

She pulls out a thick red substance that..certainly smells fiery

"Ohhh..."

"Should we set a bowl aside for his?"

Then a whisper "it's not really dragon's blood, but that's what my mother called it. said it sounded good for a boast, and besides, rumor is it that my great great great great grandmother learned this first from a dragon. Hard one"

"Man, I want to meet a dragon."

"Be careful what you wish for, dragons come in many shapes and dreams, some are wise, some are beastal, some breath fire, of course, but a few breath venomous gas that can poison the land for a decade. Some are great snakes sort of..others more like what you probably imagine..."

"But all of them are cunning, powerful, and dangerous" A thought "Well, there are the dragonkin, like Bookwyrms, Snap Dragons, and Dapper Drakes"