#rivervale_lodge

She looks mortified at that. "Do you really have to?"

"Your mom already knowsp lenty..she's gonna want the whole story don't you think?"

"Well...well, yeah...but she's going to stress and then she's going to get that face...."

"Your mom spent hours as a sluagh, Siv knows you 'borrowed' her car , and the Chief is going to learn you and Dagmar went to Goblin Twon in a situation that might have lead to the winterpalace of the high King."

"And you think you can avoid stress?"

"Mom was a sluagh???" She seems to be stuck on this point.

"Yes, and not a happy one. " He says "She sent me after you. Not that I wasn't about to go along. Trust me, your mother has imagination, and whatever was going on in her creepy sluagh mind was probably worse than anything you could do. TO be a parent is to watch every True Crime show and worry your'e kid is in a future episode"

She sighs...then looks hopeful. "At least Siv knows I borrowed her car for a good cause...?"

"Nope. Siv doesn't know why you took it, she htought you were going to see Colton... and instead you car napped her. She's miffed."

Another lip-bite. "Ohhh...Colton...I was going to...but then I got distracted...." A sigh. "Think he's going to be mad?"

"Not sure. " Her father admits. "But your mom is furious, I am not entirely in a good mood... your boyfriend might be annoyed, your cousin is miffed to mad, and the Chief will give you the brow. Not your day, kiddo."

A heavy sigh. "Stupid Cookies."

"Vali is our main suspect but we're not sure" He says "Look, you can't blame this ALL on the cookie. You had new feelings. But Jimmy? Far as I know, he didn't nearly get used in an intrigue in Goblin Town, or even go all the way to car stealing. You're gonna have to take at least 70% responsilbity for your actions here. "

She makes an arms-out gesture. "Dad! It's not like I've done stuff that reckless before! I just...got caught up in the moment! What, you think I'm going to go run right out and do it all over again?"

"And I was bringing the car back."

"With the problem boyfriend. Which, I might add, is bonus points for me, trying to help them fix up their stuff, because Bancroft was about to go home, and Siv's miserable!"

"I could have gone to see my boyfriend, but no! I went to help with hers! So....so, yeah!"

He gives her a long look, "So.. you're saying there was a problem, and you had to fix it? "

"Even though no one asked you to, and both Siv and Bancroft are older than you? If not necessarily more mature?"

"I tried to get Siv to go talk to him, Dad, but she had already given up! I had to!"

"why?" It's a simple question, no scorn.

She furrows her brow, confused by the question. "Because...because...because I needed to help them stop hurting. Because...it was the right thing to do."

"huh." He says "And you felt that right to your bones? "

She nods immediately in reply. "I...don't know if that was piskey-me or me-me...."

"I think, when your trollishness was missing, some..restraints gave way... replaced by a new kith urges, but it might have revealed somethings to yourself about yourself. Don't you think?

"

She frowns, thinking. "Maybe? I mean...yeah, okay, I was kind of an idiot, but I was an idiot with the best of intentions." A bit of a wry grin.

"Oh yeah, that'll keep you alive" He says "It seems to indicate to me that you're a born meddler and it's a good thing you've got leadership skills to go along with that big heart of yours. It shows me that you care for the lodge, we knew that, but even in your moment of potential freedom, you are looking after your own. At the same, you really wanted an adventure, to do something that wasn't same old same old? SO I 'm trying to read into this.. feeling proud of you, and at the same time wondering if you want to stretch your wings more. And, of cours,e pondering how long a grounding your mother and i should give you."

"A grounding??? Dad! Is anybody else getting grounded for cookie-induced behavior???"

"Since when do I judge by others?" a raised brow "Go in there, see your mom, ,and see if you can pleads your case, but don't expect us to care about how much someone ELSE'S kid does or does not get grounded. I don't love them the way I love you.. now scoot." He directs giving directions

And letting her know where her mom maybe found.

Dejected, put-upon, and with a keen sense of moral high-ground, Sylvi sighs and heads inside, pausing to give her Dad a kiss on the cheek as she goes...even if he doesn't deserve it.

"Yeah, I know. Love you too." He says as he takes the kiss, and gives her a half hug and watches her go.

Once she's gone, and out of earshot, he breaks out into laughter. "It's incredible. She's got a gift." He lets it happen, then breathes a sigh of relief. His daughter has questions, about Osmun Glytch, and Olgar isn't sure he's ready for that.

(end Scene)

***************

In the afternoon of the next day, there's a knock on the door of the barnhouse.

Dagmar is at the kitchen table... with math

"COMING." She tromps to open the door.

It's Sylvi, looking a bit sheepish. She gives a half wave. "Hey. Um...you busy?"

"Just math. Come in?"

"We got ice tea and Dr. Pepper and OJ..."

"Oh, uh...ice tea is great." She follows in and to the kitchen, glancing at the math homework. "I have to finish mine, too. Fell behind...wasn't expecting, well, all that."

"Glad to see you're you again. And yeah - what a day!" She snags two glasses and the pitcher from the fridge.

"Pretty good, though. I think, overall."

"Pfft. Well, I thought so...but my folks are still negotiating how long I'll be grounded for." A sigh as she settles in a chair.

"Oof. Well - did you really steal Siv's car?"

She places a glass by the other trolless.

"I borrowed it! And brought it back unharmed! And for a good cause!"

She frowns. "It made perfect sense at the time, anyway." She takes a sip of the ice tea. "Thanks."