#rivervale_lodge

"Thyle sounds like it was full of assholes."

"It had some good people too, but they thought I was bad so their prejudice kept them from realizing that I was pretty amazing. "

a wink at that last

Snort-grin.

"There were... other types, much worse types than those who would snub." A shiver "But I dont' think you want to hear about that"

"But the Island had good folk too. Honest"

"Someone hurt you?" She puffs up, making fists.

"Someone ..tried to do worse than hurt me" she confesses "But I'm okay"

SCOWL.

Now Tove bites HER Lip, "You really want to know? It's.. rather ugly"

"I wanna hurt them."

"Well, if it helps, they got hurt." She says

"Someone forgot that just because my father was oathbroken, I still had MY might"

"You stopped them?"

"I had help, but yes... I broke a lute across their face and that kind of stopped him from pulling my clothe-" She stops "I'm sorry you don't need to hear that."

"I'm glad you stopped him."

"Being strong, that means you can stop them."

"Not always, but... it sure helps. I still felt humiliated and dirty and... it took me a bit to sort through that"

"Sam couldn't." She offers.

"Oh baby, I'm sorry. I mean, we kind of .. we read your foster reports. They didn't believe you, did they?"

She shakes her head. "Why would they?"

"But Dagmar can. And Tove did. So... go big blue?"

"See, now I want to hurt someone"

Grunt.

"You are a very brave girl to have endured what you did and still have so much love in your heart. "

"That's... I think that part's Dagmar, you know?"

"I know, the same, but... like, before I changed maybe it couldn't hurt all of me?"

"ANd maybe that's why it took so long to wake up."

Tove strokes her hair "It's not quite a clear divide...the souls and spirits are still one, even if something sleeps in you...I think the Sam part was strong too, but in a different way... but yes, the abuse you took might have made your fae side hide longer"

"...I dumped Adam."

She gets.. a hug, gentle, "That can hurt on either side."

"Well, he wants a girlfriend ready to do stuff."

"I don't think I'm ready for that."

"Then you two are moving at different paces and it's wise to recognize that" SHe says "he didnt.. push you did he? Try to make you feel bad for not doing it or anything?"

She shakes her head.

"I'm glad, and it reflects well on him. Yes, if he wants that, and you're not ready then you were wise to part as boyfriend girlfriend... I hope you two can remain friend friends"

Nervous look and a nod. "Me too."

"But if it doesn't happen that way, it doesn't mean you were wrong. Life is full of meetings and partings"

"But I don't want him to, like... be mad or upset or whatever?"

"He'll probably feel a bit sad it didn't work out, just like you do. But sometimes breakups are like a bandaid... it actually hurts less to pull it off quick and fast than to try to peel it off inches at a time"

She nods.

"You can do everything right, and it still won't be perfect. That's not a failing, that's life"

"I guess."

"Doesn't make it easy to deal with sometime I admit." A nod, "Thank you for trusting me with this. All of this. It's hard I know"

She shrugs.

"I wish I could be normal."

"You're not sure you're ready when A boy wants to? That's actually more normal than you might think. I think you're too wonderful to be normal but I can understand...wanting to just.. be at times. Sadly, you appear to be as spectacular as your dad"

Tove smiles wistful "You're growing up so fast"

"Am not."

"Besides, you'll have a real baby soon."