#rivervale_lodge

And another letter comes back to Rivervale. This one dropped off by an older Clurichaun man dressed very dapper.

This time, Brekke is there to receive it. "Thank you. Will you take food and drink?" she offers to the messenger.

"I shall," the man bows, "Herald Innish, in Service to Baroness Coradel. Though my mission here is merely a courtesy to Captain Siv. " He takes off his fine hat as he prepares to come in, and has already wiped his boots

Her daughter's name makes Brekke look at the sealed letter with some eagerness to read, but instead she sets it aside and directs the herald to a seat. "And I am Chieftain Brekke. Welcome to Rivervale. Please be comfortable. What will you drink?"

"Coffee'd be fine, Chieftain. Though your daughter tells me you take it strong I'll chance it." A twinkle in the old herald's eyes.

A slight grin. "You are courageous." And she does provide the coffee. "Do you take it black? We have fixings...." she indicates the pitchers and bowl of sugar.

"I'll try it black, then admit my limits if need be after" the man says "If I may confess, your ladyship, I took up this task partly because my curiosity was stirred. I have been to only a few lodges and none so famous as this one. Your daughter talked to me about it so I feel I almost know it"

That pleases her, clearly, as she passes him the mug (chosen from the smaller-than-troll-standard sizes). "Let me bring food, and then we may speak more." She goes into the kitchen.

"Sounds grand" he drinks it, "Oh. Now that's enough to keep these old bones going"

She is only gone a few minutes, then returns with a platter of breads, cheeses, and a couple of jam jars, as well as a plate for each of them. Setting this on the table, she takes a nearby seat. "And so does the Lodge meet your expectations?"

"Oh this looks fine" He says of the platter, "A fine selection, " A grin "And a finer lodge. Tis tall, no surprise there. I like it, it has a good feel to it... doens't feel very courtly though but Siv says you dont' really hold court as you would in a sidhe hold more letting folks come to you or you coming to them? Does it work better for you then?"

"Hm." She considers the question. "I have attended formal courts. I see the merits, in times of crisis, for courtly systems to maintain order. But...well, there are enough noble courts to keep those rules. I am content to listen and speak with my people, not above them."

"This is where a shorter kith such as myself is tempted to maqke a joke about that 'not above them' line, Chieftain, but there's a reason I leave jestering to SHalimar," A nod "Thank you. Well I know that heralds are often seen as agents of their lieges. I used to work for an Eiluned Baron, rest his soul, and there was truth in it, but I also learned to respect the specifics of a situation and if you dont' mind me type casting a bit? A Gwydion troll seems to scream for a call for respectful honesty and even a dare I say it straight forward admission of interest? "

She takes a bit of the food herself, as an invitation for him to follow suit, but her brow furrows at his comment. "I do not understand."

He takes a bit "Begging your pardon. But in some noble courts, a herald is used to scout out another noble's hold . I wanted to assure you of my good intentions." he says, each word ringing true.

A slow nod. "Scout out..." she repeats, weighing the term. "In the sense of...recruitment?" A bit of a wry grin. "Your court already has my daughter, Herald. Or...if you mean for conquest, well...I am not concerned that that is your intent." Then a curious look. "You have been used for military reconnaisance in the past?"

"More espionage, to be honest, but once for military purposes.. aye. I am not ashamed of it. It saved lives." He sips "I have regrets, but never in the saving of lives. Ah, but you don't want to hear about dark days when I could go on about your daughter I'm guessing?" A knowing look "Got a son of my own... so I know how it is to want to keep track of them. "

She clears her throat. Yes, he clearly read her on that. "She has written, and she tells me her studies go well. But...I am concerned by what she does not say. You speak of espionage, and I do not wish now to use your knowledge to spy upon her, but...can you tell me if she seems satisfied with her life at EarthRunes?" Carefully even tone, but the motherly concern is unmistakable.

"Spying? No. But I would gladly share some personal observations with you that Siv herself may not be aware of," He says and sips, "And for her own good. I am a grump and graybeard, and if I get the aches and pains what go with it, then that means I get to meddle in wilder ways and ignore when they make faces sour about it. Should be a balance to my Autumn years I think. To be fair, she has the most fun when she's not thinking on it I've noticed. Folks need to see the forest AND the tree some time if you get my meaning, but most of us are predisposed to one or the other, and happier for it. "

"Your daughter seems happiest when she's dealing with one tree. Fearless in fact. She leaps blind and lands skillfully and nary a twitch. Her stress comes on her when she tries to get a picture of the vastness of it all, if you ken my meaning? She builds trouble for herself if she tries to over think it all"

Brekke nods. "She has always been like this, preferring the action of a moment over considering strategy and a long view. I understand this. It is a simpler way to live." A bit of a wry grin at this admission. "I am not always good at the long view, myself."

"Well, there's a danger to that long view, seeing folks as rungs to a ladder, and losing empathy. But I suppose what I'm saying is that I think sometimes she gets in her own way when she tries to figure out how to please all. "

A sigh. "Yes. Not to share too much that is private, but I have recently written to her on this. She seemed to think she had failed us somehow, and been sent away. That is not the case." A troubled brow as she sips her coffee and steals a glance at the message on the mantle waiting to be read.

"You're a good mother from what little I know," he says "Me? I pushed my son too hard to be like me and drove him out of my life for many years. Fool that I was, I did not realize until it was too late. She's a bit lonely, your daughter. Everyone's friendly to her, so I'm not sure why, but a Boggan friend of mine observes that she often feels a bit alone in the crowd. "

"I thank you. And yes, I do not wish to push her away, or to make her think she is being pushed. Our older daughter, she became remote because we tried to hold her too close..." A slightly helpless gesture. "The middle ground is elusive." A pause and a thought. "Has she offered anybody a ride on her ship? If she could show them her skills on the water, perhaps she could feel more that she..." she casts about for the phrase "...that she is understood by others there."

"In truth, she seems to think she's supposed to stay where she is. But I have seen her sneak out a few times"

A puzzled look. "Has the Baroness told her this is necessary?"

"I Had wondered if YOU had" he says brow raised

Clearly, the baroness had not

"No. Or..." Then a sigh. "We told her she should remain at EarthRunes to complete her studies, rather than also try to return here and perform duties and chores here as well. She was exhausting herself. But we did not intend...." She shakes her head. "Does she think she has been exiled?"

"Teenagers tend to create more drama in their heads than their parents ever really provided. I have a feeling she's taken that 'remain at Earth Runes' to study way too literal I'm thinking"

Brekke mutters something that Innish might reasonably conclude is a Norwegian curse.

"I wondered" He says "Well, she maybe coming ot light of her own. I'll leave you to htat scroll you've been eyeballing for the last few minutes. You're kind to feed me and more given that. But I thought maybe you should know..." He finishes his coffee then says "I do not know Fiona as well as some, but I can tell you I think she has the making of it, and she's also got some heroing in her blood. Those times she slipped out? Twas to help folks, to uphold that code of Dagda... folks in trouble, weak, unable to fend. She defied what she saw as her exile to do what's right, which means, if you don't mind me saying, you and the Sir your husband have raised her right."

Brekke takes a deep breath, and bows her head. "Herald...your words are comfort and encouragement. Thank you. I know that that is who she is...but it is good to hear that it is also what she is doing."

He wipes his mouth on a napkin, the nods "Glad. Now I leave you to that scroll. " He rises, and bows, "I hope it brings you more smile than worry"

She rises as well and walks him to the door. "Do you wish escort to the trod, Herald?"

"No I'm good." ANd he heads off with a thanks

"Travel safely."

After the clurichaun leaves, Brekke goes to retrieve and open the letter, taking her seat by the Balefire to read it.

The dreaded phone rings.

And the phone rings just as she was about to read

She pauses halfway into her chair, sighs, and stands again to go to the phone closet to answer it. "Hello?"

...carrying the letter with her.

"Brekke."

A pleased sound. "Hello, My Heart. It is good to hear you."

"It goes well?"

A telling pause. "Yes. We are in Roanoak, at Pine Lodge. We are well."

"Roanoak. Mm. Will you see the Count?"

"Not this time. Lord Mayor Elmer at Pine Lodge."

"Ah. Elmer and his wife are good hosts." A pause. "There is something else...?"