#rivervale_lodge

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Brekke is checking over the hull of the Kestrel.

Which she may notice is looking good... but everything is polished... there's a hint of extra lingering glamour.

"Hm."

Siv was heading back inside after a good work out in a junk yard, but, well, if anything draws her eye, it's someone with THEIR ship. "Mum?"

"Siv." Brekke turns and smiles, offering a welcome-home hug. "I knew you were returned, obviously," she nods towards the ship, "but we seem to have been missing each other."

"I just got back really, mom" She hugs her, and takes a breath. It's been a very emotional time for her, "Saw dad." Less than thrilled "Talked to Dagmar. " Then she looks at the Kestrel "She got hurt.. here. Amazing work though, Only thing that might give a clue it was damaged is it's too darn clean. Dame Agincourt ap Dougal healed her up. "

Brekke listens to the abrupt confession without comment, follows Siv to the spot indicated, runs her hand over it...nods. "Masterful. Dame Agincourt. I must send my thanks. Where was this?"

"Repairs were done in Earth Runes where I had to drop off Squire Colton and Seana. "

She nods. "Your father told me of your success in your quest. I am glad." Understatement. "I heard parts of what happened with the one lodge, in Alaska. Dangerous."

"My only regret is that the Chieftain, sworn to a foe but still in charge of the lodge's fire, had to seal it to be opened by a quest later. She thought it the only way to deny them victory completely. Though Colton and I won our respective fights and bought Time for Seana to shatter the control crystal or whatever it was called." She looks away "Still makes me FURIOUS... tricking folks into oaths by playing with their heads? If there's any justice in Da'an the problems of those two want to be tyrants have only begun."

She nods. "We must listen for news of them. They will not accept the consequences of their actions easily." Pause. "You know that is what they did to your father, in a way. The Leanhaun. They fooled him into believing he had broken his Truehearts oath to me. That is how they were able to keep him prisoner so very long." Her voice is low.

"Yes. I've heard. It was horrible" A deep breath.

"Yes." Distant, but then she brings herself back, looks Siv over. "Were you hurt in this fight?"

She crosses her arms as if expecting something bad, "Yess. So was Colton. We were both healed up before we got here though. It was a tough fight" She loosens a bit at an oddly happy memory "She thought I was all flourish and fell for a feint because I let her buy that. Very gratifying."

A bit of a chuckle there. "You used your strengths." A deep breath, and a nod. "Good."

She relaxes further, "Thank you. It felt good to help even if it wasn't ideal. Eight souls freed... seemed... like a win." Then "The other lodges we told were less eventful, and with mixed reactions. About five plan to get into contact with here and the DeBukes...mostly messengers."

Brekke nods. "Five. With a sixth sealed, protected. Good. We can help each other." She puts a hand on Siv's shoulder. "You have done well, Siv."

For a moment the girl looks like she wants to hug her mother fiercely for that, but...a look of distrust, of caution crosses her features "But?"

A blink. "But? You have done well. You were sent to deliver a message, to alert the lodges. You did this, and you went beyond and liberated a captive lodge. You have done well."

Again, a sense of trollish understatement.

"I thought you talked to dad?" Confusion

Eyebrow. "I have. Tell me what you were expecting me to say."

"Well... the same thing he did. How I screwed up because I don't think because I talk... and how my troll telepathy should have know know the Chieftain of Ice River couldn't tell a joke from fact. How if and when they delivered a ship it would eat up valuable space..because oh 'siv did you know, we aren't a sea port? ' " An angry look "Because I'm not just a fool. I'm a SELFISH fool it seems who just tries his limits by making such OBVIOUS mistakes as other people having their own..." A low breath and hiss "Their own minds. THAT's what I expected you to say. He did after all"

She listens quietly. Blinks once. "That...does not sound at all like your father. Perhaps you are right...your troll telepathy is not functioning correctly." Eyebrow.

"Great. I tell jokes, dad tells me how they ruined things. But you learned how to poke fun so.. progress. Can I go?"

Her daughter looks..angry, and unable to bring true stoic energy up, hurt.

A blink. "Siv..." Then a pause and she starts again. "Go where?" Asked with curiosity, not skepticism.

"to my r..." Then a quieter voice as what 'where' could be where it could be "You probably dont want to ask that question mom"

"I think I do," her mother replies quietly. "And I think I am ready to hear the answer."

"Anywhere but here. Anywhere I don't have this damned phone used like a cow brand and tracker on me. Anywhere where I'm not expected to be Jessica... stoic, sensible, utterly honorable in the most stait laced of ways. I want to go where I'm treated as a full changeling wilder with the same freedoms as any other wilder. I want to go somewhere where I'm allowed to fly a ship meant for flying when there ISN'T Doom as a reason... or Aill visits, or something else bad. Do you know how damned guilty I feel at times when I perk up because I'll get to hit the sea or sky as a crisis maybe on the wind, then I think of who might be hurt while I'm feeling happy? Can you even... I Know ... you and dad went thorugh so much, you both faced trials... dad was litterally hunted, you were beat down by your mortal life....my pain can never match what you've all been through I'm sure, but that's just another thing. It never can, and I don't care if I'm losing some crazy contest. All I know is that in my own personal story, my parents have become my jailors, my honor and duty are my chains however long, and that even when I've done good... someone thinks I did it the wrong way. I...love these woods... nine times out of ten I do. I love the lodge. I do... nine times out of ten. But every once in awhile... I hate it. Because the only time I'm free of it is when all is wrong for others. I wish I had a more pleasant unseelie side. I'd embrace it, I would. Then maybe, maybe if I thought honor was a lie and passion before duty= well, maybe I'd not be the daughter you two want even more than I'm not now... but I'd be happier for it."

It comes out in a tumble ... and seems to be snowballing out of her mouth like a wild animal clawing free from the tether of a her tongue. And only after it's all out does Siv seemed to realize how much escaped.

Brekke listens quietly, her brows furrowed. And yes, even with her stoic nature, it's clear that a few of those barbs hurt...but she listens without interrupting.

Then...she nods.

"I'm sorry, mom. I tried to warn you not to ask again I... but I'm sorry"

Brekke shakes her head slowly. "Nothing to apologize for. I do not see things the way you see them, but this is how you feel. Siv...later, today, you and your father and I, let us speak together. We have much to discuss."

"I really don't want to face dad again. Ten minutes.. I wasn't here ten minutes when I found out my victory was in fact a burden on the Fief. What am I supposed to say to him? This..this has to change. I can't lay down ultimatiums to my chief and a daughter shouldn't demand much of her mom... but this has to change.. and I don't think Dad can accept that. He's so... damaged. God knows he has reason to be. but it feels like he's trying for ... I don't know. Jessica 2.0 but one that stays with him."

"Siv, I think you are drastically misunderstanding your father's reaction. And...you did not ask how I feel about you having your own ship..." A gentle reminder with an arched brow.

"No, I didn't. Probably because after dad's response I'm afraid of what the answer will be. " She admits.

"Do you wish to know, now?"

"Give me a moment to mentally put my big girl britches on." She closes her eyes, takes a breath then opens them "Please do."

"Honestly...relieved. With your own ship, I no longer need to feel guilty about being reluctant to let you take the Kestrel. You are an excellent pilot, Siv, but the Kestrel...it means so very much to me. I am greedy about it, you see, and that is not very honorable of me." An admission. "But if you have your own to venture in...well, I will be concerned for you, but you are hardly unskilled at seacraft."

"And," she adds, "it is a ship you have earned by your own actions. That...is how it should be." A nod.

"You? Greedy?" A blink . Does not troll pute.

She nods confirmation. "Greedy. About that ship? About this Lodge? About my family? Greedy."

"But.. regarding the Kestrel, you're saying... that it isn't about... me being in danger, it's about you not wanting to share her?" Making sure here.

Her mother...actually blushes. "I am not proud of this, but...well, of course, I do not like you being in danger, either, but it is part of what it means to be a troll. We stand forth and serve and protect. We put ourselves at risk. It is part of our role. But as to the ship...yes, that is largely it."

Siv hugs her mother FIERCELY crying happily "Oh mom, we DO have something in common!"

A bit startled, but she returns the hug. "I...ah...which part?"

"You.. you want things... and not just for others sake , or the greater good... you want... you love the ship and you don't want to share her! That's..wonderful. Sometimes I don't much want to share her with you and dad! We have something in common!"