#rivervale_lodge

"What if he clams up? And... what if the Chief thinks I was.." A blush "some stupid bimbo?"

Sylvi looks at her. "Do you think you were some stupid bimbo? Or do you think you're smart, but naive in this case? Cause I'm telling you, I think you just got taken advantage of in a game you're new at."

"I didn't think it was a game at all" She admits with a blush "I DO feel stupid"

"And if you try to take some other kind of revenge, the Chieftain's going end up involved eventually."

"Uncle Vali tried to warn me..."

"Boys suck."

"Yeah, well...it shouldn't be a game, but that's how they do it at court."

"Does Vali know?"

"Oh god no" Gerd says "he'd FREEZE the boy break him into piece,s then put him back wrong and have him heather balmed"

"Wow." Sylvi considers the imagery. "Tempting."

"So, we could tell Vali."

"YEah it is." An admission "no we don't. I will not have him .. no.. he's too important to tell"

which may make it seem like the girl is making no sense

"Gerd...." Sylvi gives her a direct look. "What's his house?"

"This sucks."

"Oh crap.. it's Eiluned. The boon won't help"

Gerd slumps "I suck"

A sigh. "Okay...he said he loved you. Did he say anything about loving only you? Or that you were being exclusive?"

"he said I was the 'only one' does that count?" Yup. Would kind of like to die now

"You don't suck!"

"I'll cave his FACE in. Make it so he's not so pretty and people can see what he's like."

"Thanks, Dags I just.." A sigh "I thought I was sooo worldly, so cool"

"Yeah, that counts. And Dagmar, you know you can't."

"I mean, you could, but it would be a Really Bad Idea."

Scowl.

"Listen...he doesn't 'get away' with it if you break up with him, and tell him why. If you were going to try to stay with him, like cling to him because you were afraid to lose him, then he'd be getting away with it."

"Wait, you mean.. just call him out in front of everyone, break up with him where like lots of folks can see it, and make sure he doesn't have any wiggle room to get out of what I say?" Startled

Deep breath. "No. That's not what I mean. Because if he's surrounded by his friends while you do it, he's going to have them all on his side, and they'll mock you for being naive. I mean, you can do it, but you've gotta brace yourself for what you're going to get. I'd stand by you, though. And Dagmar will, right?"

"Right."

"Bet his friends are jerks, too."

"Personally, I'd say break up with him privately, and chalk it up to a lesson learned. BUT...do it in front of his friends, with us there to stand with you, and if he does go too far in insulting you, that's when Dagmar stands up to champion you." A nod to the troll knight.

"What do you think, Dagmar?"

Gerd looks troubled by the naive part

"I am team smash the jerk, yes."

"And yeah, Dagmar, some of his friends are probably jerks, too...but if she splits up with him while this other girl is there, too...well, did the other girl get told she was the 'only one'?"

"Yeah, he was telling her the same things... only SHE was showing her top off" Hmmph

"Yeah, so...." Sylvi blinks. "Oh. Oh, wait a minute. Problem."

"We want to shame him...but if she doesn't realize what's going on, we'll be shaming her, too. That's not fair."

"We've gotta find her."

"Maybe get her to dump him, too?"

"After she stole my..' Gerd stops herself "oh geez, he really got into my head. I was thinking the meanest shit about her"

"If he was saying the same things, she probably doesn't even know."

"Oh, crap, he's Eiluned...of course he's going to be good at keeping secrets, even from girlfriends."

Scowwwwllllll.

"You'd recognize her again, if you saw her? With her clothes on, I mean?"

"Think there might be even more?" A pause. "...Boggans?"

A grin and a nod. "Boggans."

"They'd probably know, right?"

"Yeah sure I'd recongize her..." A pause "Wait, wasn't there one nice boggan that night, the one helping Nadeen personally?"

"Yup. And yeah, there might be more, but let's hope not."