#rivervale_lodge

But, well. Sluagh.

No dirty clothing hides from Kerri for long. Brekke returns.... "A shirt. It has been washed, though." She offers it over.

He takes it, eying it over. A sniff- but that just gives him the scent of the fabric softener she uses. Checking it over, looking for telltale stains, rips, designs. Anything that gives a hint.

The cleaning was good but.. wait.. blood stain, score!

it's not quite wiped clean

A frown, but a thoughtful one. He examines it for long enough that impatient may grow fidgety, running his sensitive fingertips along the fabric, finding a torn edge, and carefully teasing out a single thread that is marked by the stain. He pulls this, running fingers along the length, and holding it up to the light, squinting a bit, his gaze going blurry as he focuses.

And he unwinds, visiions flying by... backwards...from the time that shirt was taken off...

Brekke...does not fidget.

Dagmar watches, curious but mostly patient

He blinks rapidly, eyes flicking as though following an unseen video...

And he gets a week before... visions of the worst neighborhoods in Memphis... of thallian shoving the boy, putting his gift to work to lower defenses and then using it to pick pocket at nicest, mug and kill at worse....

he knows their faces now

His hand twitches, not moving his head, eyes still somewhat glazed as he reaches out blindly. “Paper...” he whispers.

But the name of the boy? They called him Little Shit. Yet, they used L.S.

Why the initials when they enjoyed debasing him?

Anne Marie hands over paper in her purse which carries three times it's mass and volume

and a pencil

Brekke was about to hunt for paper, but the boggan was quicker on the draw (as it were).

The Spriggan is the worst.. he's the one who steals the children. He's the one who trades the mortal ones.. he's the one that Jack knows best (and worst)

There's a bridge..and underpass, they squat there a lot.

Anne Marie whispers to the Chieftain "That drawing shows a great fondness for you and Frank."

He holds the paper in place with right hand and starts rapidly sketching with his left- rough edges first, then adding in detail- focus on one face mostly, a scowl, dark craggy skin, tangled hair and beady eyes- like a cruel caricature of a Piskey. A hint of a background, a bridge overhead, the faces orphaned with no bodies, focused on features- though a fist is also prominent.

Brekke nods in reply to Anne Marie.

Ogre, Boggart... yes.. he gets them. The spriggan stands out.

Then she sees the image he is creating...and scowls.

And then the cantrip ends!

A few final details on the bridge... then he sketches in “L.S.?” And blinks, eyes watering, turning away from the light.

Brekke does not crowd the young man, but she does try to get a better look at the drawing. "L.S.?"

Anne Marie looks tempted to talk to the Chieftain some more, but her focus is Symon. "That was wonderfully done, Symon. You helped so much"

“They call him Little Shit.” No blunting from Symon. “And worse, but mostly that. But if they don’t care about cussing, why use the initials?” A frown, rubbing at his eyes.

He offers the drawing to Anne Marie.

Vali says "Because L.S. stood for something before Little Shit sounds most likely. Should help narrow it down"

"Hm." She nods.

"Well done."

The Chieftain is not effusive with her praise, but sincere.

She takes it, shows it to the others, then looks to the Chieftain "Chieftain. Sir Vali needs time by the fire. Might I talk to you about some legal complications? in private?"

He nods, ducking his head a bit. His hair hides a bit of an embarrassed flush at the rare praise.

A surprised blink, both at the notion of Vali needing the Balefire, and at a matter of legality. "Yes, let us speak. Come and walk with me." And she leads Anne Marie out of the Lodge...after all, matters of law and Balefire may not mix very well."

Indeed, no doubt the very reason Anne Marie wanted it away from here.

Vali blinks as they're left, then he looks at Symon, "Dude, your step mom totally narced on me"

"Boggans."

He raises a thin eyebrow. “What’s had you draining your juice?”

"Parent teacher conference" He says honestly "Borderline autumn person... or autumn sitch. Nasty Divorce. Tug of war.. the kid's the rope"

Vali nods to Dagmar 'yeah, boggans. But we can't get it done without em. And they know it"

“Ugh. Can Anne Marie tilt things in favor of the other parent?”

"Not sure the other parent is the better parent.. on paper" He says "Hard call. I'd name names but.. teacher rules blah"

“Although, a Cold parent might actually be more responsible a guardian than an inattentive dreamer. Getting coked up might give you pretty fun dreams.”

A frown as he ponders that pickle.

"Anyway, TIffany exiled me to the lodge to spend time by the fire anyway. I'm not sure what happened. I paid for the house. I helped pick the house. I have a key to the house. BUt I find I am not in CHARGE of my house. " Baffled

"Jaymes ain't, neither." She shrugs.