#rivervale_lodge

Frank returns to the Lodge after Tweak leaves, packs a duffle bag, and departs again.

"So where we going?" Jaymes says

"Looking for that guy. You stay. Dagmar, Tove."

A snort sniff (My daughter's the best warrior of her generation and my wife's no dummy, I'm coming)

Frank gets a travel mug of coffee.

Jaymes gathers some things.

"Uncle Frank?" Sylvi is in the main hall as he gets his coffee. "You...um...." She hesitates. "Should I leave word for the Chieftain?"

Jaymes ponders Sylvi, then "Please tell Tove and Dagmar I'll be out helping the Mountain."

"Sure. I'm going to find the guy."

Sylvi nods seriously to Jaymes. "I will."

"I'll be in Willows, unless I go elsewhere."

At Frank's words, a cautious glance between brothers. "I...okay. I'll tell her." An awkward pause. "Is there anything else i can do? To help?"

Jaymes grunts then realizes Sylvi might need words "The Chief or your mom should have ideas. I know you feel frustrated. We all do. You're good at a lot of things. You'll be put to work I'm sure. If Dagmar seems down.. tell her I miss her too." A nod.

A blink as that might be the most words she's heard Jaymes say ever. "Yessir. And...she knows."

Frank nods agreement with Jayme's assessment, caps his mug, and shoulders his bag. "I'll be in touch."

And Jaymes nods and follows.

Sylvi watches as they go, biting her lip.

And Gerd steps up near hte older girl, frowning, but not saying anything.

Sylvi sighs. "I hate this."

And off he (they) go.

...after they go.

Gerd wrinkles her nose once theyr'e gone, "me too. WHy does Uncle Frank DO that?"

"Cuz what else is he going to do? He's gotta do something."

"Well, the Chief needs him. She's already missing Siv..." Gerd says then adds "Because of the coma" In case someone is listening in, "And now her husband is gone too. he's supposed to be the one guy who knows the Storm has moments she's scared to and he's going. Why are guys so...clueless?" She throws her hands up

Sylvi looks at Gerd, then squints at her. "Is that all you, or...?"

Gerd frowns then sighs and says "Honestly? Sometimes I don't know. Why do you ask?"

"Just...I never think of the Chieftain as being 'scared'."

"No one does, and I don't think that's Vegard that tells me she is. First, everyone gets scared, she's an everyone so yeah, her too. Second, I spent most of my time either adoring or resenting Uncle Vali, remember he was my role model...gods help me, before I came here... so I didn't have this built in 'oooo holy shit, the Brekkeniator 2000, she cannot be stopped, she cannot be killed, she cannot be made to feel afraid' stuff...' I mean, don't get mee wrong, she's awesome, but I'm actually more in awe of YOUR mom. The Chief is... well, no one ever lets her be human... and by human you know what I mean, least of all herself. Even Siv is either too busy butting heads with her or trying to please her sometimes to slow down and .. you know, LOOK."

Sylvi listens, her brows going higher...then she gets a thoughtful look. "Huh. I mean...well...I get it. I just...well...I mean, she's the Chieftain. Isn't being more-than kind of her job?"

"She has to radiate confidence, yes, to reassure us. But if you take too much on and never take time to recover in the short term duty... you risk hurting yourself and then others in the long term. She hasn't had down time since the dreaming quest where she came back with Siv. I don't think" Brow knit "And the point is, NOW is not the time for the mountain to rush out and about willy nilly dragging his own personal cross when his wife is burning energy looking ultra confidant among us, but probably chewing her nails in private more'n dagmar does."

"She needs ONE person she can NOT be strong around. It's supposed to be HIm.. the doof." A frown "I.. I mean, Vegard trained him better than this."

"So...if he's going...does she maybe not want him around?" Sylvi asks with a little tingle of horror. She immediately recants, "No, that's stupid, forget I said it."

Gerd frowns and looks worried

"You think... you think something is .. do you think they're having couple trouble?" NOT forgetting she said it

Sylvi winces. "No, I...oh, geez, I dunno, Gerd. But I mean...if you're saying to think of her like human, too, then you gotta consider...I mean..." A sigh. "The last time he really went away, I was a little girl. It was...well, that was the Chieftain I grew up with. And she was so sad. Like, all the time. She just didn't talk, mostly. Kind of like Jaymes, but uber-Jaymes. And sometimes my mom said she hadn't said anything to her for days...oh, and forget about Samhain. I mean, we really celebrate it, now, you know? Compared to then. Then, it was just...dark. Bad. And now..." A sigh. "I don't know, but it feels just a teeny bit like that again."

Outside, a silver volvo pulls up and parks out of sight of the road.

A slender figure emerges - white hair in a neat braid, eyes behind purple sunglasses. She wears a high-necked blouse with a bow at the neck and a far too elaborate skirt with lace and bustling - full modern victorian finery, despite the heat.

Gerd frowns, "Well. " She says "I'm not having THAT."

She approaches the lodge.

Two large dogs rise on guard. Intelligent fae hounds, like watchman avalanches

One sniffs the air, and barks!

"Not having what," Kerri asks, coming out of the kitchen. "Here, help me wipe down the tables...." But then the dogs bard, and Kerri frowns. She passes the cloths to the girls and goes to the door.

The sluagh waits, primly.

Sylvi takes hers but doesn't start cleaning anything.

Gerd bites her lip, touches the table, and concentrates.

Kerri opens the door, grim-faced...then smiles. "Miss Zara. Oak, it's okay, she's fine."

As she hums Poker face

Sylvi relaxes when she hears her mother. "It's Zara, Gerd. You've met her, right?"

A hand on her chest and a slight bow to the Hearth - no use calling out at this distance.

"Uhm.. I think so." Gerd says "But ...not often."