#rivervale_lodge

"Dog biskies??" There is ONE kid left here, and he pops his head out of the hallways. "We're having Dog biskies?" 🐶

"Hey, Connor" a smile "How about a cookie instead?"

"No raisins. They're like flies on the windowsills, and Mackeral eats all the flies so she'll get mad if I gobble up her cookies."

Piper rolls her eyes a bit, amused, but goes to find cookies and biscuits, probably not too difficult in Kerri's well organized kitchen.

Connor moves over and plops on the floor next to Vali, leaning his head against the new-grump's leg. "You came back. But now you're going to leave again to your brand new house and your brand new kids. Are you taking Gerd with you, too?"

Vali picks up COnnor and puts him on his lap, "Easy big guy. I have a house yes, but I will be here a lot too. And Gerd is staying here ..she covets my old room and she doesn't want to leave her little brother" A beat "That's you by the way."

He leans into the hug and settles onto the lap. Trolls have the BEST laps. Boggans are a close second for comfort, but Trolls are roomy! "Will you bring my friends back to visit, too? Foam is too little and she gets lost easy. And I'm not just her little brother, I'm her best brother. She said so, and trolls don't lie."

"Foam.. oh.. I don't know, honey. Foam might be getting a new family near the sea" Alarmed look

"Oh. Well, that's good. She needs to splish splash in the waves and not just in the bath. Baths are TERRIBLE." He nods sagely, not picking up on whatever has Vali so suddenly alarmed.

The door swings open and Tiffany comes in "Damsel!"

"Noooo, she comes to steal my lap!" Connor bemoans, waving to the Thane, his tail wagging as well.

"Steal is such a harsh word, let's say...conquer" She grabs the kid, picks him up, and sets him to the side gently enough before settling into Vali's lap herself and kissing him tail wagging furiously.

A bit of glamour in the kiss and Vali becomes more himself

Piper returns with a box of biscuits and a plate of cookies. "Oh, Thane Tiffany! The goblins let you escape? I had thought they'd have you hogtied and hornswaggled by now." A grin.

"They're about to do a ritual sacrifice on your AUnt. I'll miss her," Tiffany says "You rescued another woman's damsel I was texted? Normally I'd frown but we'll let it slide this time- thanks"

"Uh. Don't mention it?" She blinks, a little confused by the pooka, but going along with it and offers them all cookies. "Wait, you inflected them all on Auntie M? What'd she do to you? Ha! I hope Zane got snagged to babysit."

"Well, my boyfriend was back and he's behind on child support..." She explains "So I dropped them off on your mom at a low gallop"

"Child suppo..." Vali blinks "Okay. How many kids are there?"

Tiff says "Pickles? you want to tell him?" Asking Piper

"There was five at last count." A grin. "That is, if you've managed not to kennel Ikenna yet."

Connor sneaks a treat out of both the cookie tray and the biscuit box, and is alternating bites.

"Five? Oh baby... I ah.. didn't see that coming?" Vali says to Tiffany

Tiffany sees Connor eating the dog biscuit and makes a face. But then looks at Vali "Yeah, well, they're all terrible horrible creatures"

"duh worthst." Connor comments through a mouthful, and reaches for another cookie.

"Are you going to ruin your supper if you eat all those?" Piper asks, moving the cookies away after he nabs the second one.

"I don't know..." Connor answers, and tugs Vali's sleeve. "What's for dinner? Use your magic spy-eye, because if it's pork chops I'll keep room, but if it's salad then I want to roon my supper."

Vali closes his eyes "I sense a great celebration to honor my victory... for I have gone into the deepest dreaming and achieved my quest."

"...Great celebrations never have SALAD." Piper remarks with a grin.

Connor wags his tail in agreement!

"What's in the package? Is it my Connor-day present? You missed the party. So that's probably for me." The boy plucks curiously at the wrapping.

"I missed a party?" He says "no sorry, this isn't for kids... it's like the anti trix" He says

"Well, if the kids are over at Aunty's, I'd better go check in there. And leave you two love birds... well, love bird and love bird-dog.... to catch up. " Piper grins. "Connor, can you give a biscuit to Edelweiss for me? She was a very good dog. For her, mind you, you had two already."

"I'd never steal from Edie! She's Boss Dog, even Oak listens to her." Connor responds, and heads out on his errand.

"Thanks again, Piper" Vali waves, but then looks at Tiffany "You said they were all horrible terrible creatures"

A wave, and she's off to rescue her auntie.

(Aunt M will need it, though she finds Ikenna adorable)

"Ahh.. well.. " Tiff blinks "Well.. okay.. one or three might have..."

and the two talk quietly for a time

......................

When Brekke returns from teaching a course at the Y, she finds the two lovebirds sitting close to the fire and conspiring in murmurs. "Vali, Tiffany...is all well?"

"Better than well, Chieftain," Vali says. He looks a touch faded, "i've returned with my goal."

"That is after Piper gave him directions," Tiffany says "And a mint, he was getting a little stale"

Vali winces, then says "I was getting to that. Piper found me having forgotten myself. I ..had to use all my glamour at once to escape the Dreaming with my prize"

Tiffany glares at her boyfriend "Permission to slap him silly, sire?"

"Forgotten." Brekke approaches him, looking concerned. "I may grant that permission, Thane. I am glad Piper found you, Vali, and aided you."

Vali's mein is solid, barely, in balefire light. "Yes. I owe her a debt. But, if I may, procede with the ta da ta dahs?"

"Mm." She still looks concerned, but nods. "Please, yes. Complete your quest."

He draws removes the cover on the blade and shows it. The glamour from it is almost overpowering. How he was disenchanted while carrying it is hard to guess, though perhaps the tarp he had over it had something to do with that.

"Broken and reforged, it cuts like truth. And yes, it slays dragons." Vali says "It's not easy to wield."

A deep inhale from the Chieftain. "It...it is magnificent." A pause. "It has a name?"

"Many, Gram, though it weighs more. Balmung, Nothung.... and , of course, Fafnir's Doom"

A slow nod, and she grins. "Vali...you have done very, very well."