#rivervale_lodge

Siv goes looking for her mother or father.

Brekke is working in the gardens after a patrol. She is enjoying the feel of the soil in her hands as she carefully culls the weeds from the vegetable beds.

"mom?" A pause "Ah, to put it bluntly? did you and dad decide how long I'd be grounded for? Been awhile now"

"Mm." Brekke glances up at her, then goes back to her work. "What do you think? How would you make that decision?"

"I might be considered bias, but it's been a week, maybe more. I am caught up on my overdue work, my report, retook the test... got a B Plus on it. I am sorry I let you down and left you out. I did deserve a grounding and I have not complained, but I'm no good to anyone, not you nor the folks of this barony if I'm cooling my heels while there are patrols to be done and folks to tend to...even if part of that tending is friendship and casual greets"

Brekke brushes off her hands and gets to her feet, nodding thoughtfully. "That is reasonable...but you did leave one thing out. You were grounded for a reason. Have you made a decision about how to avoid being grounded again in the future?"

"Well, killing the school staff for tattling seems a bit excessive so i figured I'd go with plan B and try very hard to keep you in the loop more often" Siv sighs "Mom.. I make mistakes, and I know mistakes have consequences but I would never shame Rivervale intentionally."

There's the sound of gravel crunching bootsteps.

"Of course, Siv. I would never think that of you. But you seem to forget that I, like you, am fae. I cannot help you navigate the mortal world if you do not tell me when you face its conflicts. Of course you needed to be absent for good reasons. Advise me, and I can help."

"I know, I guess." She starts to help her mom with the garden "I'm near an adult now, mortal wise, been a wilder for awhile. Maybe subconsciously I don't want to be a drain and would rather fix my own... be a bit independent. Of course, that was foolish of me , the school only knows I'm your daughter and that I missed school days. So wham, you got side swiped by my actions. Wasn't fair to you or da. In me effort for adventures of my own I forgot the basic rule of verse and song... 'no troll is an island'"

Brekke turns to look at the approaching footsteps, grinning slightly.

Frank heaves into view.

"Mm. Well...I admit our caution in your early days here may have made you wary of telling us of your adventures. And I do not want you to venture too far and ignore your obligations of school." Then to Frank, "And what are you up to?"

Two bags of mulch are balanced on each shoulder, a total of four. "Bringing you mulch."

"Morning, Siv."

"Good timing, thank you. Siv thinks she should be released from her grounding. I think she has learned enough from it. Do you agree?"

"Hi, Da" She gives her dad a peck on the cheek

"Grounded till she's 30." He says easily.

"Frank..." she chides with some amusement.

A sigh

"You asked." He points out.

"Siv, did you tell your father the reasons why you were absent?" An eyebrow at Frank.

"Oh.. I thought you did" She says surprised

Frank hrmphs and sets the mulch down.

"I summarized."

She opens up one of the bags and sets to work.

Siv helps her mom while they talk

He stands with his hands on his hips. "What have you learned, then?"

"That I do not regret the missions or the things I did on the days I skipped school, most had to be done... but I do regret not warning you and mom about them . Wasn't fair to get you flat footed out of the blue without my absenteesm. I learned also that not knowing how long how a grounding is makes the grounding SO much worse "

A bit of a chuckle at the last.

"I think those are all valid lessons. Of course, the only way we'll know for sure if you have really learned them is if you use them. And you'd have to be off grounding for that to happen."

"Agreed. But Frank, a thing I have learned in this...we have been so cautious with Siv, she has not felt free to share her work with us when she needs to. That must not continue."

"Oh you guys had a reason to be scared I mean...I was scared for a bit."

Frank lifts an eyebrow. "Best news I've heard all week."

A matching eyebrow. "Agreed. I did not know you had it in you, Siv."

A groan "Jessica did not warn me enough about your collective humor"

A chuckle then as she turns back to the garden work. "Fear is healthy, if taken in the right proportions. I am glad you have sense."

"You have your dross with you?"

Siv tends to laying down mulch where her mother directs, "Must have rubbed off. Now, as far as me being discouraged, I admit, the 'daughter dungeon' talk makes a girl gunshy" A brow at her dad

"No da, I'm at the lodge. I take it when I go to mortal places like school and so on" Siv says

He hrmphs again.

"But you have been carrying your dross. You have not gone and left it behind without thinking." A suggestion that this statement had better be true.

"Oh yes, and every mission I went on on those absents I took more than one. Cantrips and my own protection" She says truthfully "Sense, remember?"

"Well. I suppose." Frank allows. "Brekke, if you're ok with letting her off being grounded, I am."

Brekke nods. "You have sense. I want to make sure you have enough sense."

A measuring look at her daughter, then a nod. "I am."

"If I get too much sense I'll be a grump" Hurmph "Not for years thanks"

"No. The world needs wilder-Siv for a good, long time, yet."

"I agree. Ok, fine. You're free."

"Thank you both, I'd hug you each but .. Mulch hands"