#rivervale_lodge

"My past becomes -their- present. Their present danger, their present threat, and then their past to follow them. They are not making their own futures. They're following a rutted and overgrown, ill-marked path I stumbled down years ago." He sighs bitterly. "Yes, they are doing good work in the world and I could not be prouder of that. It is myself I am ashamed of; my part in this mess."

"Frank...that is true for all of us. And I understand that sting of regret. But you bring more good to their lives than you bring ill. Do not be ashamed."

Another defeated sigh; he's always had trouble with this kind of thing.

"Or...if not being ashamed is too difficult...then at least know that, even as you are and even with your past...I love you still." Her voice lower...and offering.

That does get him to look at her; wounded puppy. -Oak- couldn't do better. In fact, Frank might have given him lessons. It is, however, sincere.

He meets a look of certainty. She nods and reaches out for his hand.

He takes it, slowly.

She holds his hand warmly. After a moment she says, "You know that Siv does not resent you." Checking.

A sour look. "Siv is probably grateful for the opportunity to risk her neck."

Bemused. "I think you are not wrong. Pirate."

This sigh is more resigned that depressed.

That gets a hint of a grin and a squeeze of fingers.

He squeezes back, then glances past her, behind her, and then behind himself.

She echoes the glance, not certain what he's looking for.

Frank steps forward and wraps his arms around her, having assured they are unobserved.

Momentarily surprised, but then she returns the embrace, some tension of the last few days washing away.

He relaxes bits he didn't realize he was holding tension in, as he stands in her arms.

And they stand there, just holding each other for several long moments.

But eventually she gives a light squeeze before stepping back, releasing him a bit.

He squeezes back as she does; they know each other so well that the unspoken cues are second nature. "Okay?"

A nod. "Yes." She grins slightly, then nods at the truck. "She is well?"

Frank looks at the truck sheepishly. "I was .... fooling around with it. She's fine."

She nods. "I suspected. Like my extra patrols." Her own sheepish look.

A small, soft chuff of amusement.

"Oh...be at dinner tonight, Frank. I have told Dagmar that I will offer her a boon for her rescue of Siv and Vali."

He nods. "Good. She is worthy of a boon. I will be there."

She nods. "Good." A bit of a grin and a glimmer in her eye.

Frank notes the glimmer and glances at the Rig.

A bemused look as she follows his glance.

He lifts an eyebrow, looking back at Brekke.

An eyebrow...a challenge? With a hint of a grin.

"You know, now that I say it.... I think I would like you to look at something. In the Rig. Not sure it's, um, right."

"Mm. Of course. I will be glad to...help."

Frank leads her over, opens the door and hands her in, and follows.

And locks the door.

((End Scene 😉 ))

At Rivervale, a humbler Gerd is looking chagrined

Frank is moving around the garden beds in the summer evening heat, whistling.

The whistling catches the goth troll's attention, and she peeks out the window

He moves around mulching in work-jeans-and-boots, a teeshirt.

She smooths her dyed hair, then toes outside with a lace parosel

Frank drops 8 bags of mulch outside the garden beds and rips two open. With his fingers.

Gently, she watches him, then says "You're..happy again." Both satisfied and confused

"Sure. Always was. You?" He dumps the bags out like he's tossing a teabag and opens more.

"You were not" an accusation, "you and the chief were ..." She bites down, "Well, I'm glad you're happy now because I need your advice... and you are the mountain, and this is kind of spiritual I guess?"

"Sure." He looks up and dusts off his hands, calm. "What can I help you with?"

"I was a complete bitch to both Uncle Vali and Hearth Kerri recently and I don't know how to apologize to them. They... Hearth Kerri fussed at me about ignoring her rank and she's been reaaaaally touchy about that lately...when I thought I had earned her trust and she called me selfish and I guess I was...but I just couldn't stand being unworthy of Hearthdom and I ..popped out. Now I'm thinking maybe I'm meant to go Mountain even though I'm nnot the old man and will never be as good so that's why I thought Hearth but no... too selfish to be Hearth and then there's Uncle Vali who is just trying to help me and I'm PICKING Fights iwth him and I Don't know why"

ALLINARUSH

Frank listens.

NOW she waits, waiting him as if expecting that wisdom is peculating and will pop out ANNNNY second now

He takes a breath and sits on the mulch bags; can't be comfortable but.... "Take a seat?" He gestures to the other pile. "Thank you for mentioning Kerri's .... well, touchiness about her rank. I hadn't realized. You know we've been... busy."