#rivervale_lodge

He looks from one lady to the other.

"Oh dad? Going with you to see Mountain emmit if that's okay?" Siv says

"Now?" Confused.

"No" She laughs and kisses him on the cheek "No dad."

"Lead on, McChief" TO her mom

"Whenever you go, Frank, Siv is saying she would like to go with you." Then she adds, "I have told her. Of Lady Peacock."

"Oh."

Siv gives her dad a LOOK.

"Yes. Now...I will patrol." She goes to him and rests a hand on his shoulder.

His jaw clenches but he nods... and takes her other hand to kiss it.

Siv looks tempted to say one more thing but seems to think better of it, no need to push matters.

A fond look, and she squeezes his hand before moving away. "Ready, Siv?" She heads out the front door.

"Ready, El Capitian"

And out the mother and daughter go...

Making room, Frank bends again, unlaces his boots, and pads upstairs.

From the kitchen, the scent of baking bread.

Vali goes down the steps, being marched by Gerd

And Gerd goes into the kitchen... and "Hearth.. I need you for a moment?"

Kerri is just checking on the loaves in the oven. "Yes, Gerd?" Then she sees Vali, and something about her expression goes a bit stiff. "Vali."

"hearth" he says confused.

"Rocky, huh" Gerd says refering a show she's only really seen once or twice but it seems to fit. "I need to talk to both, on the porch please. I need the sun "

"Well..." another glance at the bread in the oven, and a look at the loaves cooling on the counter...and a nod. "I have some time. Yes." She makes a gesture for Gerd to lead them to the porch.

"Okay, " Vali says "What's going on?" He asks

As they get out onto the porch

"That's the question, isn't it? Vali... what did you do to make the Hearth mad at you?"

He blinks "Wait, I made her mad at me?"

"Gerd..." Kerri frowns. "This isn't something...."

"ANd Unlce Vali, you've been avoiding her... you grab food and gone. Both of you are avoiding each other and it started with my Togail. " She puts hands on hips "And Aunt Kerri, i Know I"m still young and you are Hearth and I am just.. Gerd, and Unlce Vali you always try to protect me and I love you... but because I love you both whatever THIS is ..." She makes a motion at the space between them "I want it fixed, because I need you both and have real problems here.. like this!" SHe gestures to her forehead.

A frown at the blemish from Kerri, because it looks notably uncomfortable. Then she looks at Vali and...waits.

And Vali stares back

Gerd looks at both of them as if waiting for one of them to say something.

A chief-like eyebrow, and Kerri turns back to Gerd. "Gerd, your uncle is upset with me that he wasn't the first to know about your difficulties right before your Togail."

"Little bit. I voiced my concern to you and I moved on" Vali says "Wait, is that why you're avoiding me?" Startled

"Did you. Move on. I see. So all the little digs after that...?" Both eyebrows, voice tense.

"Wait, what digs?" Baffled

Gerd looks tempted to ask questions of them both

"What digs!" Kerri looks astounded. "What digs? '..And I would appreciate being informed...' and '...I am her guardian...' over and over and over again."

"Over and over again? I don't even.. wait.. you mean when I talked to FRANK? That was me not wanting a repeat of the situation again. And I said it to him ONCE. I said it to you when, after two days, you decided to include me in the news regarding Gerd . " He says trying to contain a bristle

Gerd watches both, searching their faces. She knows them.

"If you think you said it only once, you are mistaken, Vali. And while I understand your desires, I did what I felt was right. I may not always be correct, but I have a pretty good track record so far, so I'll thank you to recognize I'm not completely incompetent as Hearth in caring for the members of this my Lodge." She folds her arms, glaring.

"And despite the way you dismiss me, I'm not completley incompetent as a parent figure either" he counters "And if this had been about Sylvi and I had left you out for two days, you'd be livid"

"And I remember the two times... once to you, and once to Frank while you were there yes... but only one was to you" he adds

"A backhanded insult is still an insult."

"Okay," Gerd says "Uncle Vali, before you respond. Did you MEAN that as an insult?"

"Of course not, I was upset and angry but I wasn't..."

"But .. might you have done it without thinking about it conciously? Your tone?" Gerd says "might have slipped?"

"I..." Vali frowns "It's POSSIBLE" he admits

Kerri's jaw is clenched, arms still folded.

"And Aunt Kerri... he seems to think you didn't trust him as a parent figure. Is that the case?"

Gerd tries to keep her head i nthe sun while asking