#rivervale_lodge

Brekke and Vali return far sooner than expected. There's no way they could have made it to Teaneck in that time! Brekke moves up the stairs quickly, gesturing for Vali to join her, and knocks on her daughter's door. "Siv. It is important."

Siv opens the door, wearing comfy jammies of light material, "Mom? Is there another fight..."

"No. Quickly...whom have you already told of all this?"

"Well my contact knows I went after the Nocker..... but I haven't told her yet of the results. I've been here since the wreck and I haven't texted anyone... I THOUGHT about Bancroft...." She says "But hadn't yet."

Vali ponders "Tiffany knows but she's a pooka...and the only lady who might believe her is.. very good at holding things in reserve"

Brekke frowns...and nods. "Siv...do you remember the tale of our deception on Thyle? After I was attacked?"

"Yes, you bore the name Siv yourself while you faked your own death, the part where you revealed yourself is one of my favorite parts of the tale, must have pestered Torin a hundred times" Siv admits, "But why would..." she stops, "mom? are you suggesting I fake my death?"

"I do not know. I am considering it. As you are hard to scry, it may be to our advantage. But...it may be too late. Too many already know that you live and may have told others."

"Hold on, Dagmar can be trusted, Sylvi is as full of cunning as a hero of legend, and Tove, if she's not told yet... would understand. This might work. And heck, I could have died of my wounds as far as the nocker and his partner and superior know.... this might work, mum."

Vali ponders "I'm not sure any non troll knows..outside of one pooka and she's in maryland."

She nods, but frowns. "Yet...it is cruel. Those who do not know you live must not know, and must believe that we grieve. They will grieve as well. And...they may not trust us again in the future. A dangerous gambit."

A sharp look to Vali. "What of Gerd? Would she have told Adelaide?"

Siv paces then, looks about then, "It might help bring down the foe that much sooner, or at least pull her teeth."

Vali shakes his head, "No, not yet. Those two like to trade secrets in person, it's an eiluned game...akin to what sluagh do."

"She trades our secrets?" Siv looks slightly offended.

"Mm." Brekke looks irritated by that, but not surprised.

Then a thought. "Perhaps not dead, but...not recovering? Unconscious? Cannot be woken?"

"A little Eiluned training worked wonders for me," Vali says "it's why everyone loves me." Straight faced

Vali snaps his fingers, "The sleeping beauty gambit? Say she's in a coma?"

"Will people BUY that?" Siv says "Maybe I'd be better off dead." A pause "You know what i mean."

"They may. You are an unusual fae, Siv, so it is believable that you have unusual reactions to trauma."

"They'll think I'm undone and..yes it might work" Siv says 'Never thought that damn handicap would work for me"

"Think of it less a handicap and more a challenge you are more than up to," Vali says and this he says seriously "YOur nature is unknown, and your mom is right we can capitlize on that"

Brekke nods decisively. "I will tell the others here. Vali, will you go to Jaymes and Tove and Dagmar, tell them? We cannot risk word spreading before we can control the message."

"Right away," Vali says and unless stopped goes off to do so.

Siv looks to her mom "I assume I wiill be 'away in a safe location while folks wait for me to recover' or something. In the mean time, I'll need a disguise. Can you elder form yet , mum?"

Brekke turns back to Siv and considers her...then shakes her head regretfully. "I regret not learning that final step. This means we must impose on Clementine DeBuke."

"Auntie Clem can keep the silence. Don't worry, mum. I may wear a false face but I will not shame my heritage while doing it. I am my mother's savage daughter" a smile

That draws a chuckle, and Brekke rests a hand on her shoulder. "You are that indeed, and so much more. Wait here, then, until I have told the others and contacted Clementine." A nod, and her mother steps out of the room.

And siv nods and.. hides in her room..

(End scene)

Connor has gathered the dogs of the ‘vale together in the safest, happiest place he knows, Kerri’s pantry. In his lap is a large box of biscuits to ensure proper behavior. He solemnly tells them, “it’s gonna get loud, and I don’t like it neither. But this helps.” He hums the tune to the Star Spangled Banner off-key, and with a glimmer of glamour, the sounds coming from outside the room fade away to a soft murmur. No matter how loud fireworks may get tonight, the hounds of RV are safe from the scariest booms and bangs.