#rivervale_lodge

Siv looks at her and her dad "Do you love him?"

A blink. "We are fond of him. He is a fine child," she repeats. Then she shakes her head, "Siv..."

"No, actually, I was going to say you shouldn't adopt him" SHe says "I'm guessing you'd think I'd think the other?"

A bemused look. "I have learned to not try to guess what you would think. Please tell me your thoughts."

"Tis simple, feigning love is wrong, even if you mean it to make another feel better...perhaps especially. If neither of you love the boy, you should not pretend to be his mother and father nor should you feel forced to. He will resent it, he will hurt, but better he feel pain brief and sharp than the slow cutting on all invovled of living a lie of love. It would be a betrayal of self as well as him. "

A look, then to her father she asks "Dad, do you love the boy?"

"No."

"Not as I should for a child."

"For...for a nephew, perhaps?" Brekke is searching for the right descriptor.

"Then it would be wrong to claim to be his new mum and da" Siv says with surprising stoicness

"For a childling, for Fae like us, for one that needs protection and care."

Frank nods agreement with Siv.

"I have already told him we do not think to adopt him. That we were looking for his mother. I do not think, though, that he understood completely."

"I have heard of young twits, good hearted, who mistake somethings for exile that are not." A blush "Hits even wilders. Per chance flat out tell him he is never ever going back to that woman or Memphis?"

Frank nods. "We will be sure he understands."

"Want me to do it?" Siv says "I can live with his hate if hate he does for this"

Again, stoic

"No, Siv. We need to be able to speak with him about this."

Frank frowns slightly.

"As ye feel is right, of course." Siv says "And sorry I am if I seem cold. I do not like the idea of anyone, not even a child, trying to trap my parents into a false life"

A blink. "Trap? You think...Siv, I do not think he is..." A pause. "All children manipulate to some degree, Siv."

"-All- children......"

"I know, and no I don't mean malice filled" She says "But he's scared, and desperate, and when one is that afraid, one is likely to take what one can how one can."

"Mm." She looks to Frank. "As we left in the Kestrel, he called after, referred to you as 'Dad.' "

Frank looks grave. "That... is not good."

"Nope, it's not. " Siv says

"No...but...he is a satyr. He will be resilient."

Siv bites her bottom lip "It'll sting."

"Would it be cheating to use a fair fortune on him?"

A blink. "You can do this?"

"Not me, but Dad does a little soothsay, and so does Vali" A look at her father "Not sure Dad's up there yet, but Vali can"

"Mm." A nod. "I think...this child could use all the help he can get, given the lot he was handed to start."

"I agree."

Siv nods "Okay, and sorry to bring everything down. I just..well, guess I'm protective of you both"

Frank grunts. "Our job to be protective of you." He grumbles.

Brekke is quiet.

"Well, you taught me too well and there was spill over, sue me" She says

Then smiles

Frank looks at Brekke.

Distracted by thought, she comes back to them, nods. "We can afford to allow you to be protective, now and then." And a sigh. "Speaking of that, you must call Jessica, Frank. Tell her what happened. If she finds that Siv knows and she was not told...." An eyebrow.

"Oh bother." Siv sighs "That's probably true"

"Specially if she learns.. ah mmph" She clams up

"Or...Siv...perhaps you should tell her."

Then a blink. "If she learns...?"

A grunt. "I will call her. Unless you'd like to come with me to her?"

"I got nosey about this just because I got a bad feeling.. a sense of dread out of nowhere"

Frank frowns. "Jess would have called...."

"Exactly.. if she finds out I got a bad feeling and she didn't she'll blame herself for being less in tune or some nonsense, when more like it was just chance"

"Chance. Or you may have some gift we do not know. It is a difference, not a failing on her part. But Siv, this does give you an added responsibility. As much as I do not wish to have the two of you breaking down doors on all sides, it is your job to contact your sister when something like this happens. Understood?"

Frank nods agreement.