#rivervale_lodge

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"You brought this on yourself" Jonas drops the fishfood into the tank. The three angry fish glare.

The attempted escape was not appreciated this morning.

"You should be grateful, while Dame Dagmar is the soul of the Code of Dagda, you would not have liked it if she had felt forced to remove a limb to get you to comply with staying put" A joke?

"Instead, you tried it on my own watch of your internment. My methods are embarrassing, but far less likely to shatter a femur."

The fish plot revenge.

Then Mackerel Meows.

"Oh, there's my back up." Jonas says and eyes the fish with a bit of a smile.

(End Scene)

Vali finds it on his shift to watch the prisoners. He stares at the Fish in the tank, and fights the urge to chuckle

Brekke notes this as she enters the hall. A curious frown. "We have fish, now?"

"No, we have horse thieves" He says truthfully, but enjoying how it probably will make brows shoot up

A blink, another look at the fish, and then a dubious look at Vali before she sighs. "Explain."

"Oh, where to begin," but he disciplines himself, "Short version? While some of the lodge were out visiting Jessica, horse thieves tried to lure Stormwake and Star out... and then steal them. They had a magic rope that apparently sort of dictums horses, or maybe more than horses? Dagmar was coming back from patrol.. Star raised a fuss."

Brekke looks a quiet combination of concerned, outraged, and guilty at her own absence. But she merely nods tensely that he should continue the tale.

"Edelweiss charged forward as well... and when the lady who was in charge of the three started to take off on a controlled Stormwake.. she leaped onto Star, and hooked her with flyswatter...."

"They battled?"

"Rather one sided in the fight, but yes, the horse thieves did try to do violence. Dagmar came without a scratch on her that I hear of. And Chief?" A brow

"Yes?" Brekke is pacing, unsettled.

"I can understand the outrage, but nix the guilt if that's what I'm reading. We had Lut, Tig, Dagmar and Jonas in the area. It was foiled. Our security is fine"

"Hm. They came on this land, they dared to take my steed...." Oh, she's definitely leaning more towards outrage than guilt, now.

Then she pauses. "Vali...what does this have to do with the fish?"

"Oh right' A chuckle again "You can thank Jonas for that. They were taking watch over the prisoners. When ah... apparently they tried to make a break for it. This is Jonas solution. He renews the spell now and then on each"

Brekke blinks, then looks at the fish tank. She comes over to get a closer look at the aquatic inmates.

Three very angry guppies

"They have been given fish food?"

"Yes, but we have to be careful not to overfeed" Vali tries to say it with a straight face

She says it with a dry tone.

"And we have Mackerel now interested in helping" Speaking of Siv's cat

She looks over at him with a raised brow. "Well...as long as Mackerel does not help too closely...I believe these three may stay as our guests for a time." She taps a finger against the glass, enough to make a resounding knock in the water.

Yup. THey bounce in there with well deserved irritation

"I could learn to like Jonas," Amusement.

"Indeed. His talents have advantages." Then her frown returns. "You said there were three plus the lady. There are three fish here...where is the lady?"

A glance of some alarm in Mackerel's direction.

"Pardon, three in total, the leader was the lady" He clarifies.

Mackerel does lick her chops, but more with interest than satisfaction

"Ah." She nods, reassured.

"From what I am told, one of them said they did not bend knee to nobles. In a way, that's good. They aren't balor spies or the like. Just.. gutsy as hell neer do wells"

"Mm. I think we keep them in watery custody for a week, and then figure out what to do with them from there." She straightens and shakes her head in amazement. "Dagmar continues to surpass my expectations."

"I suspect she also got a wish but it may not have sunk in yet"

"A...wish?"

"Last night was the first night she got to ride Star." Vali points out.

A blink. "That...yes. Yes, she has wished that...."

"Hmm."

A nod "I think Dagmar was feeling unworthy or worried she'd hurt Star or some such... but it was Star who nearly had that one on the left for dinner" He points a a fish with a notch in the fin.

"Star is beautiful, but she is not frail."

"No she's not. She's big enough and tough enough to handle a troll." Then a smile "Up to you, but I'd say Dagmar has earned riding rights to either horse when you're not in need."

Brekke nods slowly at that. "I think...she has earned more than that. I must speak with her about this. She is not here now?"