#rivervale_lodge

"Sylvi." The relief rises from him like morning mist off a lake.

"Hi..." She makes a generalized hello wave to all the childlings.

"You texted, Mountain? It sounded serious...?"

"Can we speak privately? The ...kitchen, or barn?"

"Um, sure...?"

She waits for him to lead the way.

He does, out to the kitchen.... a moment of hesitation, and out to the sparring ring nearish the barn. "Here, I suppose."

"O-kayy...." Sylvi says as she stops opposite in the ring, looking dubious.

"We can see if anyone approaches, and this matter is confidential. I have your word for it?" Seriously.

She blinks. "Yeah. I mean, yessir."

Frank beckons her over and meets her in the middle.

Eyes wide, she glances once over each shoulder, then comes close.

"Thane Tiffany brought young Eden here to me today." He relates what happened.

".... she is mortally alone, and lonely, and hurts. She wished a Fair Fortune from me, which I will give her but I'm... concerned. That kind of thing can backfire."

"I thought, perhaps..... you could.....??"

She listens, frowning. When he stops, she blinks. "You...you're asking me to...talk to her? Or set her up on a date?" She looks dubious at the latter possibility.

"Yes. Anything, really. She would be grateful for.... for friends."

"I...I've..." She frowns. "I don't understand. I mean, I've talked with her, and I've tried to do makeup with her a couple of times, but she always freaked out about it. I mean...she always finds a way to not be part of things."

Lily is on the ohter side of the kitchen door.. eavesdropping but ready to back up

"I know her mortal family is... difficult. Is it possible the pooka's curse is... interfering with your efforts?"

"She's not ... unattractive." Uncomfortably "She seems to think. The. Um. Boys her age. Aren't interested?"

A sigh that comes out more as a huff, and Sylvi folds her arms. "I know she was trying to approach Symon, but he's not interested in anybody that way as far as I can tell."

A grunt. "I... Sylvi, I don't know these things. I'm sorry. I know this is. Better suited, perhaps, to other kiths. But. You came to mind."

"Although...huh...the wiping makeup off happened after Symon rejected her one time."

"The...?" unclear.

She looks at him. "What would the Fair Fortune do? How would you...um...direct it?"

A deep sigh. "It's difficult to say. Trying to direct Da'an to favor matters of ... affections.... I could nudge it but stories of such work taking an unanticipated turn are legion."

"As for the form of the bunk... I have some ideas but I would let the moment dictate it."

Sylvi thinks about that a few moments. "Does she know you're talking to me about it? I mean...if I suddenly start talking to her, is she going to know that this is part of the reason why, and be okay with it?"

"I told her I knew someone I thought might help, and she did not object. She did ask for confidence, which you have said you will keep."

"Sylvi, what do -you- think of her?"

"Well...she's.... she's tense. Like, she's always finding something to criticize herself for. She keeps talking about how of course she did something wrong because she's so evil. And I know it's pooka-speak, but...well, as a trope, it gets old."

"I mean, if that's like all she thinks of herself, it's hard to be patient enough to find out more, y'know?"

A thought. "I don't know if she and Gerd hang out much. Then again, Gerd's younger. Not like having friends in her own grade."

Frank nods. "It makes a difference." He agrees.

"Is there -anyone- you know of who she is ... close to?"

She frowns and thinks about it.

Then she shakes her head. "She just...she never seems to get any closer than the edges of any group. It's not that people really push her away or anything. I mean, except Symon.... I mean, mostly it's like she's part piskie, she makes herself easy to overlook. But...I can try."

"I would be endebted to you, Sylvi. This is Mountain work, but ... I cannot imagine how I would go about it myself."

"So...I'll try...but if she's still lonely after a time, will you eventually try the Fair Fortune?"

He nods. "I will."

Frank pauses. "The boggan wilder.... Lucia. Might she have some insight?"

"Well, I think she tried once, but that was a while ago. I can ask her, yeah, but wouldn't that be, like, breaking a confidence?"

Frank looks pained. "It would depend. On how you went about it."

A smirk. "Okay, so we need Subtle Sylvi. Check."

The Mountain seems... small. "I do not know. How I might help her, Sylvi. Except. That you could."

Sylvi blinks. "Mountain? Are you okay?" She half reaches out to him.

On the other side of the door, Lily looks worried at something

He nods. "I can cast a Fair Fortune on her. It might backfire. I would befriend her myself. If I could. I don't want to burden you, Sylvi. But I can't see another choice."

"No, I get it, it's fine. I'll try," she sounds brighter about it and smiles. "It's not a burden. I just feel kind of bad that I didn't realize it was a problem."