#rivervale_lodge

Kerri looks downright puzzled now, and she sets down her pen. "What it stood for....hm. Siv, can you remember exactly what you were saying that made her say that? I mean, the exact words."

"Sec" She eats a bigger bite, and chews it over in more ways than one

"First she said ""Siv...if you are serious about considering Fiona... I want you to speak to your father, both as father and as Mountain. Hear his counsel. And then...if you still are interested...I will help you make contact with a mentor."
"

"And I said "Dad.. already mentioned Earth RUnes to me... to visit a Fiona hold I did take a peek and...I met Baroness Coradel. She's.. interesting, mom. VERY Fiona... I feel a bit inelegant next to her but that's sidhe for you... but she never made me feel bad for ..well, you know NOT being sidhe. But.. what mentor did you have in mind??"

Kerri listens...still puzzled.

"Then... uh... something about "If Almond were still in contact, I would suggest somebody in RowanOak...but... perhaps somebody at EarthRunes is best. This a path you wish to pursue" and

"You may wish to consider how the choice will be received by others you care about, as well.""

And then I said " I think I do. I mean, having to say good bye to Bancroft makes me realize how love is worth.. even if I can't be sure of it myself, I want to help others protect theirs."

"And that's when she said I should talk to you as well" Baffled

THAT gets a blink.

In fact, it gets a jaw drop.

"Okay, did I ..do something weird?" a bit worried now "Weirder than normal for me I mean?"

And then a rueful grin as Kerri looks toward the door leading to the common room and the balefire. "That woman. I thought I was being careful and clever."

Then a sigh. "Siv...tell me, what do you know about some of the societies among our kith? The groups that aren't parts of Households, but part of our culture?"

"Well.. I know about the knights of the way, the rovers, of course. and the Brotherhood of Thor are troll nobles working together... don't know if mom is really a member or not... but PRof Wayburton knows about them.. of course. I think there's some sort of chronicler.. keeper of something? For justice? One works as a scribe for Jessica- her name is Constance."

Kerri nods. "You understand, of course, that some of those are secret societies? That nobody should admit to their existence?"

Siv chuckles "Do I have to have a capsule in my mouth in case I get caught?" Joking

THen blinks "Wait... 'you thought you were being careful and clever'?"

A wince. "Siv...I'm not saying any more unless you swear to me that you'll not repeat it. I've never told your parents, though apparently your mother is more clever than I gave her credit for."

"I could have warned you, falcons.. getting anything past them is a pain in the ass." She says "Mom plus falcon? A nightmare"

THen... "Do you wish a true and proper oath or will my word do?" She says

Kerri actually considers it for a moment. "Your word will do. For now."

"Then I give my word nothing you say will leave this room nor my lips." She looks around for Connor

"Not without your say so to be sure" Then she covers her heart

Kerri also does a pup-check, including that one floor-level cabinet he tends to like. Then she takes a danish for herself and passes another one to Siv before she sits and gestures for Siv to join her.

Siv nods his thanks, and takes the danish- and a seat. Now very curious but smart enough to know pestering won't make it come any faster.

"So...among those secret groups...have you heard of the Protectorate?"

She shakes her head no.

A grin. "Well, the Protectorate sounds like it's a bunch of warriors, but it's not, not in the traditional sense, anyway. The Protectorate are those whose primary goal is to protect love and lovers."

Her turn to have her jaw drop "And this is a troll secret society?"

Kerri makes a gesture to remind Siv to keep her voice down, then nods. "It is. Siv, you've seen what passes for love in sidhe courts, I think. I mean, Bancroft aside, how do most sidhe seem to view courtship?"

"Yes, " then lowering further "Yes. It's..very elaborate.. ardent suitors, bashful beloved... cycles of pursuit and .. I guess it's like a very intricate dance for them"

"I would say it's more of a game...and they keep score. Winners and losers." A frown. "That's not love, not in my book."

A tilts of her head, she's listening still

"The Protectorate tries to help those who are truly in love...or at least, who aren't playing games while they try to figure out if they're in love. Those who honor what love is supposed to be. We try to keep them safe...and we try to help them out."

"I don't mean to be rude.. but.. how? I mean... it's got to be hard o nthe covert"

"It depends. Sometimes it's about passing messages...sometimes it's about distracting a guard or a rival suitor...sometimes it's about encouraging one who has become discouraged to try again. And sometimes...it is about escorting somebody out of a dangerous situation so that they can have the freedom to try to find love again."

"I could do that" She finds herself muttering... "Oh my gosh I have TWO options don't I?"

"I mean..oh I'm sorry" She blushes "That was arrogant of me" whispering

Kerri is grinning. "You sound interested."

"Stunned mostly, then down right intrigued" She admits "how did I miss.. this is all done in secret? Relying on guile and sneaking as much as it does empathy and a sense of duty to the concept of love?"

An amused expression. "That...is very well put. Yes. And it's done in secret, yes, because...well, as you already pointed out, it's not particularly 'trollish' on first glance, is it? But also because being a well-known member of the Protectorate would compromise one's ability to act with subtlety. For instance...I'll have difficulty helping you again in the future without you realizing." A wink.

A blush "Well by now I've learned you give good advice regardless. Wait.." A blink "Did you.. help me at any time with my relationships to.. no wait... you clearly did help I just..argh. I see what you mean. Now I have to wonder if those dates and moments were my doing or..."

"Which is another reason to be secretive; the end result gets questioned if it's recognized as having had help."

"I can promise you that I only nudged occasionally. The rest was all you."

"Wow. " then a nod "Thank you"

"Well, you and him. I'm sorry it didn't work out, by the way."

A sigh "So am I. Neither of us knew he'd be going back to HIbernia this soon ... but you know... 'if'... powerful word that makes you helpless." Then a tilt to her head "Another question-A suicide palm? "

Kerri winces. "Not my finest moment. I was trying to get him off your trail while you were incognito, so I set him on a task to find five of the rarest plants. 'To heal you,' I said. 'For a bunk,' I said. He saw through it in about one-point-five seconds. BUT...he went and got one of the plants anyway. It's a terribly unfortunate name, but...he found it. I'm more than a little impressed by that."

"Yeah, so was I ..shame I had to give it up" She adds "Mom didn't like the sound of it ..and don't tell mom this, but I am aware she puts up with a lot of stress for mysake. If I can reduce it even a little by giving a rare plant away... so be it."

Then she says "how.. how would a troll join the protectorate?"