#rivervale_lodge

"Yeah, " She laughs "Vali kind of wasted his money too. I'm sure he was hoping somoene would be around at firnost when I went there for that little song... and instead, no one."

"No one?"

"Main room looked empty" She says "MIght have been someone up in the bedrooms..." She ponders "Lord knows the troll bedroom there is huge enough they'd have to be at the door to hear below"

Frank sighs.

"What?" Blink

"Do you remember how Jess found her way to Renaissance."

"Yeah... she was Nameless or Westward hanging out in Firnost."

He nods. "And?"

"Well, she hung out in the rafters, but had to get the sluagh's okay first and..." a wince

"Uh oh"

Frank waits, watching .... there it is.

"Well. I hope I didn't hurt their ears, but at least I know sluagh won't be singing it loud enough for others to hear even if they liked it."

Still embarrassed now at the thought she might have done a song attack on some unsuspecting sluagh

Frank sips his coffee.

"Fine. OTHER than sluagh, no one heard it there."

"And sluagh would never use something like that....."

A sigh "Well fine... If they do I act like it's no big deal, which it isn't. Dagmar DOES deserve praise, and the song was not bad thank you ,and there are certainly worse singers than me so... not like I'm subject to anything more than mild embarrassment"

"Siv.... might want to consider carefully what jobs you take from Vali."

"You know his sense of humor."

"Oh he's pretty harmless" Siv says "Well, unless you're a Thallian then he's a bit... intense."

"Gerd says his jokes are his way of coping with some of the ugliness he's seen."

"Mm. Ever been on the receiving end of one of his jokes?"

Frank nods. "I suppose I can see that."

"Yes... I was THIIS big.." She makes a smurf sized gesture " for much of Pranksgiving" A sigh "Mom smiled" As if betrayed

"He turned my Rig pink." Frank points out.

"I don't think that was him, Dad."

"He took credit for it."

"Well he said he wouldn't prank any of the grumps... and if you mean the tire?" A smile "Dad... does it seem the sort of thing he'd SIGN?"

Footsteps

And Vali comes in from the main door, "Hey"

"Let's ask. Vali, did you prank me or my Rig on Highsummer?"

"What?" Vali blinks "No. I went after the wilders...well, except Dagmar."

"Hm. -Someone- got the Rig, and wanted you to get the blame."

"Wait, you really thought I.. okay, it was beatiful work but... I didn't do it"

"He believes you," Siv says "But didn't you see the writing on the tire?"

"I did.. not" He admits

"Sorry I lied ' is what it said" Siv says "Oh my god it was funny though"

"it was all llike really girly and... " A cough "Sorry dad" Siv collects herself

"Doesn't bother me that much. What bothers me more is that someone thought it would."

"Well, they have to at least know you... know that you love the rig" Vali ponders "But maybe not know yhou as well as many?"

"Hmmphm."

"Look... I got pranked myself" Vali says "And it's all in good fun. So whoever did i t... we give them props, it's high summer there should be one day they can get away with it.. . and then move on."A smile "God.. what happened to Dirk.. I about died. Which one of you..." Alaugh "Which one of you did that?"

"I don't generally Prank."

"You gave Siv $20 to sing a song about Dagmar at Firnost?"

"I DO prank some, but what happened to Dirk was way beyond me" Siv admits

Vali smile at Frank "Yes I did. Your daughter has a nice voice but is shy about singing anywhere but Rivervale. At least lately, and I noticed. Seemed like a way to motivate that was fun."

"Plenty of sluagh at Firnost."

"If her daughter is the loudest thing at firnost, then I'd be surprised. Have you heard the jukebox down there?" He says

Siv blinks and looks back and forth trying to read her father's mood here

Frank nods. "I have. It likes to play it's own selections."