#rivervale_lodge

"you didn't notice me until they spoke up, did you?"

the little girl asks

Brenda has drunk much of hers already, she apparently likes coffee

Kyle has taken less of his, and answers Connor "Brenda, the young man deserves a 8.9 for friendliness don't you think?"

Brenda smiles "At the least" And nods to the pooka

"I did not," Brekke confirms to Lily, quietly. "You are skilled."

Lily puffs up a bit happily "thank you. i think parents must cheat some how"

"As a parent, I can confirm this," Brekke says. "It is not always reliable, but there is a special sensitivity to one's own children."

Frank, wordlessly, offers to pour more coffee at the urn and station for those that wish it.

"Eight-point-nine!" He preens over this.

Brenda extends her cup "Thank you"

Brekke also offers her mug to Frank.

Lily sighs "i worried it was something like that. makes it much harder to getaaway with things"

Kyle looks at Frank, a troubled expression

But does not ask for more coffee

Meanwhile, Connor has now curled up by the fire and is dozing.

Every so often a foot twitches a bit, and he murmurs in his sleep. "Zzzz...eight.... point nine.... zzzzzz"

"Mr. Thomas?" Brekke asks. "All is well?" She seems to have caught the expression.

"Apologies.. this..kennning.. mine I mean, I'm new to it. I must be doing it wrong. Something.. I apologize, but when I focus on your husband something feels..." An apolegetic tone "Forgive me, the word that comes to mind is 'ill"

Frank gets the ladies coffee, saying nothing.

"Ah." Brekke looks to Frank apologetically, then nods. "We spoke of Houses before. House Fiona, House Gwydion, for example. The Mountain is of House Liam. That is what you sense."

Frank nods and turns to Kyle. "My House is an Oathbroken one."

Kyle steps back as if he has put his foot in something unpleasant at the word 'oathbroken' whatever troll soul he has been fused with knows the wrongness of it.

Frank is calm, but unapologetic.

"Kyle!" Brenda says "don't be rude."

"My..apologies" Kyle says "This is still new to us all. I should overcome my.. innate reaction in time"

"I am not offended."

"That's an apology?" Brenda says then looks to both "I assure you, Kyle doesn't have bigoted bone in his body and..." At Frank's insistence she calms a bit

(For that matter, Brenda kinda feels funky around Frank. Not in a good way.)

Either her kenning isn't as good, or she's refusing to recognize it

(Fair!)

"Mom, can I go home? " Lily asks "Dad?"

"Mr and Mrs Thomas....Lily..... my House has burdens. But I would not be part of another House. I accept what is mine. The Chieftess will need you to visit from time to time."

Kyle says "I offered to help and I want to be of purpose, and I meant it, mountain. I'm not so feckless as all that. And please again, I will get used to it. Pardon, but my daughter wants to go home. She is probably tired." He picks the sluagh up easily

"She probably DOES need a nap , and we WILL be back to thank you both. Terrific coffee, Brekke" And they make their way out.

Perhaps to leave Frank and Brekke to talk of what they think of the new couple

****************

Not too long after getting the information from Mrs. Joosten at Caer Falken, Sylvi has Gerd, Dagmar, and Siv gather in her room for a pow-wow.

"...so it's worse than we thought, Gerd. I'm sorry, but it looks like he's done this like a game more than once."

"I don't know how to feel about that... sorry for the girls, glad I'm not the only fool who'd fall for it?" Gerd says

(ANd Nadeen!)

((RIGHT!))

"Right. Eiluned are good liars."

Sylvi gives her a sad grin. "Yeah, I think that's the best way to approach it. I mean, yeah, he seems to have had plenty of practice at it, so you got fooled by a pro."

Siv's been filled in "This ass needs to go down. dclearly" She's wearing a new pin but paces

"So, look, Mrs. Joosten says we can use this room at Caer Falken...I think it makes more sense to have all the girls gather there to talk so we can tell them what's up. I can arrange it as an emissary thing, but quietly."

Nadeen frowns "All commoner kith" Looking at the list "This ass is hurting noble common relations"

"And if everything else fails, he eats his teeth?"

"Well, as much as I'd like that too, Dagmar, that's gotta be the absolute last option. Because if that's what we do, then it'll just get written off as barbaric commoners not knowing how to behave."

"I mean, Nadeen, am I wrong there?"