#rivervale_lodge

"Tove's gonna show off."

"Your Tove had a hard challenge last year"

He stands, having delivered the butter, and listens.

"My Tove is gonna win." Stubborn and proud.

"You are loyal," She says approvingly, "Now, Adam, to fill you in on what goes on with Imbolc." and she describes, with Dagmar's help, the crafts, bard contests, feasts, and of course, the balefire being brought in to renew

"Loyal and right."

"Wow... you mean... like, in one night there's fire carried from one to.....?"

"From the palace of the high king, to every ohter fire in Concordia... more or less"

"WOW."

"Sylvi was a brand!"

"Huh?"

"One of those entrusted with the balefire lanterns, it's an honored post" Sally Mae says "normally for lovely youth, particularly maidens. But sometimes lads get a shot"

Adam's eyes light, then dim. "Cool. Ok, so.... a... holiday party?"

"Yeah, you should come!"

"Lots of singing."

"Ok, cool."

"Bet we could do a bonfire..."

"We might also watch Ground'shog day, that's a funny movie"

"That too..."

A look at Adam, expression hard to read.

He looks away.

"Family, and Friends, and a feast, sounds good to me" She says, though she bites a lip at something, and sighs a bit, then..mmphs and smiles "yes, a lot of joy if we dare to let it happen"

She drops her eyes back to the potatoes.

And smashes them a bit more diligently.

Siv peeks in "ooo smells good."

Adam shifts his weight...

"Maybe..... can I set the table?"

"Please do, Adam, Siv, what are the rules about sniffing about in the kitchen that the Hearth uses?"

Dag's shoulders roll inwards.

"If you sniff it, you volunte...ooo" Siv sighs

Siv lets Adam to place the table, and helps with the food with Dagmar on the finishing up.

And directing the group of them like a sexier gordan ramsey, Sally Mae enjoys being in charge.

Dag follows marching orders.

Adam is caught up in the moment.

Siv moves a bit stiffly, but helps.

and soon a meal fit for a crowd of Kings, and Thomases, and a few Davidsons and more is ready and laid out

Dag sits between her parents.

And gets fond looks from her father, and fussed over from Tove.

Adam waits for his family.

Oh they show up, Kyle wipes his feet and nods "Pardon us, had to find Lily"

Lily sighs as she almost hid better. ANd her mom plops her down

And soon Adam is sitting iwth his family

Awkwardly.

"Your mom tells me it's a busy day" Mr. Thomas says to Adam.

Tove says "This is delicious, Sally Mae, but I wish you had been here for Dagmar's spaghetti"

"Mmmph." eating.

Purple.

"I understand all the ladies here have really been handlilng it well, and I'm very grateful," Sally Mae says

"Mmmph."

Lily picks at her own food, which is... well, aged.