#rivervale_lodge

She plays with the chords a bit on the refrain, working in the lyrics from the first animated version as well.

"Roads go ever, ever on,
Under cloud and under star,
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Will turn at last to home afar.
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
Under the mountains in the moon."

The boy's eyes widen, then settle... and both he and Lydia are mezmorized

Hopefully, interesting enough to distract from the argument, long enough for cookies to appear.

Dag drifts a bit as she returns, listening - wanting the song to finish first.

And she sets the ukulele aside - so as not to get any sticky fingers on it. Also apparently intrested in what Dagmar might have brought.

A moment, and she asks, "Lydia was having trouble with the bridge on one of her harmonica songs. I thought maybe she could run it by your mom. If you think she has time to give it a listen?"

"I am having trouble, and Tove is really really g ood" Lydia says

"Oh, probably?"

"Tove loves music."

"uhm... do you need help with the cookies?" Jack flap asks Dagmar

"They're for sharing with people who don't shout."

Jack Flap looks sheepish "Oh."

Lydia blushes "Sorry"

"Well, nobody is shouting right now."

They brighten and nod

almost in sync

Piper also pinks a little bit, feeling sheepish. "I was gonna say, I hope you don't mind me visiting now and again. Tove's a genius in ways I'll neve come close to. But I try to stop in when you're not home, because I don't want to horn in on your family time." She taps one of her horns. "Pun not really intended."

"Um. You can stop by whenever?"

She perks up with a smile. "You mean it? Well, I'll try not to abuse it. But if I'm ever like, intruding, you just tell me to f- to flit right off, and I'll head off in two shakes of a faun's tail. I can get lost in a tune and not realize I've been working on it for hours until my fingers cramp, or Zane finally beats on the door because he can't stand to hear it one more time."

"f- means something else" Lydia whispers to Jack.

Jack says "Yeah, it means Fu-" he starts to explain since she seems confused

But the quick might stop him

"Why wouldn't you come over? I mmean, Tove does Tove stuff..."

"Well, uh." A glance at the kids, and she shrugs with an easy smile. "Oh, no reason, I guess. It's just best to be invited, than intrude, y'know?"

"Jack said a dirty word" Lydia says. Apparently no one managed to stop him.

"I get that."

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, that's what she meant, I thought you was asking" the boy says

"Well, isnt' there a swear jar?"

that last from Lydia

"I don't have money, I'm a refugee" The boy says alarmed

"Well, we don't want you to live like a refugee." Her mouth twitches, and it's all she can do not to reach for the ukulele. "Words can be rude, but only if people let them. Still, most people think that word is very rude. So let's try not to use it. You can pay... um... one cookie." And she reaches out to snag one off the plate.

"Okay" He says

"Can I still have one to eat?" Hopeful

"Yes."

"Thank you" he snatches one ofrh imself and eats it before he cusses again

The girl takes one too.

"Thank you for the cookie, Dame Dagmar" Lydia says

"My momma Viola, she would say, "I cuss, you cuss, we all cuss for Asparagus. And if I'd said a cuss word, she would fill my plate up." Her nose wrinkles. "I HATED asparagus."

"She wouldn't MAKE me eat it, but I wouldn't get anything else while it was still there. I learned not to say anything she found rude right quick." Her eyes gleam. "...where she could hear it."

"Least it's not Okra," Jack flap makes a face "That stuff needs Jesus"

Nose-wrinkle. "Evil little wheels."

"I know, rite!" Jack flap says finding someone who GETS it

"Oh, now you gotta be playing me. Okra is good. You just got to have it cooked up right in a southern way, fried up and battered." A grin. "Then again, I think you could batter up cardboard and deep fry it and I'd say it's good with a dip of ranch."

"NOPE."

"It's weird and ugly and smells bad.."

A wistful smile. "Southern Popcorn, with a cornmeal dredge." Though, it seems like maybe she's a bit lonesome for something other than the food.

"I'm from the south, there's no saving it" Jack Flap assures "it's the devil's food...but with no chocolate"

"We'll get you some, Piper" Lydia says , taking her side a little. Though she must admit she's not sure she sees how it could be good.

She gives Lydia a grin. "It's not as good as cookies though. I'll admit that."