#rivervale_lodge

"No, Brenda. I felt I needed to push you hard to get you to fight your mindset and see what was happening. Remember, your first response was that you were fine with Lily being here, and that you 'still' love her ...the way you said 'still,' Brenda, concerned me." Kerri's tone is more gentle, but not by much. "I did what I felt I needed to do."

The satyress clamps down on whatever she is tempted to say but her eyes smolder

and not with desire.

Brekke gives a deep, weary sigh. "Brenda...I have said I want you to stay here. Has it ever occurred to you that you did not need to do as I said?"

"Right of demense says otherwise. " She says

"Beyond asking you to please sit again and to let your husband handle your son for the moment, I have not asked anything of you, and I have given you no order that must be obeyed."

"Well, then, I'll be going. I'll think aobut if I want to pick my daughter up later"

"Do you wish escort, Brenda?" Brekke offers. "I could go with you, or Sylvi."

"I doubt I'm good company" She rises and heads to the door, then stops and looks at Kerri

Kerri returns the look steadily, seriously.

"I said 'still' when I talked about loving her meaning that how I showed that love changed, not that the love had or was less. " She looks tempted to say more but clamps down.

Kerri takes a moment, then nods. "My mistake on that point, then."

"Your mistake..." A breath "Yes. I should go." And out she does before she says something further.

Gerd watches her go " i dont' think I'm ever going to have kids."

Kerri sighs. "It's not always easy, but...it's not without its rewards."

"People really get crazy protective about it" SHe says then "You okay, Aunt Kerri?" She doesn't call her Aunt often as well, the relation is more informal that way

Kerri exhales. "I don't know, Gerd. Chieftain, Mountain, unless you need me, I'm going to get some work done in the kitchen."

She nods

And watches her go

"Of course, Hearth." Brekke nods. Kerri nods back and vanishines into the kitchen.

Gerd looks at Brekke, "Chief, you can bust me if you want after, but with your permission I'm going to race off and get Olgar. " A pause "You DO know not to blame yourself for any of this right? "

"Olgar...yes. He knows...well, how to speak the language." Brekke has a wry look. "And yes, Gerd. I am not to blame here, I understand that. But I will be if I do nothing to prevent it from continuing or recurring."

"Hey, I got an old man in my head who is worried about you is all" A lie... and Brekke realizes it's Gerd who was worrying but doesn't want to be seen as too big a softie, "And I was thinking Rover Olgar might be needed in there" A look to the kitchen "More than out there. " She says "See you, Chieftain. Hopefully Easter tomorrow will be nicer than the eve before it"

"You may be right. And thank you, Gerd."

And out she goes.

It is not five minutes when Olgar can be heard entering the kitchen door

In the kitchen, Kerri is not bustling. She's sitting, rather drooped, on one of the kitchen stools. She looks up as he comes in. "You're home."

"Yeah, that happens" he says, "And... my wife is looking a touch wilted." He moves to her side "Did the foot rub wear off that fast?"

"No..." A sigh, and she leans heavily on the counter. "I took a stand that I thought was right, and I may have totally screwed things up." And she relates the situation with the Thomases.

He listens and shakes his head, "Your least favorite part of the job, huh?"

"To say the least. And Olgar, I'll tell you, Adam had better mind himself for the near future, because I have just about lost my last nerve when it comes to that boy."

"You think he ordered Nabuni to do it?" A scratch of his chin

"You don't?"

"I think Nabuni isn't always straight with Adam. She's a touch unseelie herself and honesty is not her best policy"

"That doesn't mean he's off the hook, it 's just he may not be as in control as it might appear. Flopsy doesn't always listen to Sylvi." A thought "Come to think of it, you or the Chief might want to talk to flopsy, isnt' he kind of head spokes chimera?"

A deep, cleansing breath. "Okay...okay, so maybe it's not Adam's intent, but he sure seems to be part of the motivation. But...that's a good idea about Flopsy."

"I get some great ideas. One time? There was this super beautiful uber competent babe... pre feminist days so I did call her that, and at first I wanted just to get into her pants.. which, by the way, would have been awesome... but eventually I figured out I really ought to marry... genius of me. Worked out great. "

A bit of a smirk. "The fact that she was looking to have a kid did nothing to seal that particular deal?"

"You got me" He admits with a nod "I told her that she'd ruin my good reputation if I became a single father, and she relented so my family wouldn't cast me out"

And a soft kiss on her lips then "I notice you don't disagree with the 'worked out great' part"

"Mm..." A kiss in return. "Seems to be fairly successful. So far."

Then more seriously, "You might need to give the Thomases unseelie boot camp."

"Yeah? I don't kinow if they like me much... the face puts them off" he says "But ...what the hell... that just means they won't expect nice." A nod "I did it for some DeBukes"

"I recall. I did know about that, you know." She gently touches his blighted cheek.

"Yeah, I gave up trying to pull fast ones on you a long time ago" A pause "mostly. I don't want you taking me for granted and I understand a little mental stimulation is good for truehearts"

"I don't mind the occasional cleverness," she admits.

"Good thing I'm occasionally clever then" he strokes her hair "When do you want me to start on the unseelie lessons?"

She closes her eyes into the touch. "Well, what I want is to say 'tomorrow' and have you pick me up and carry me to our room and make me forget about how frustrating this night has been...but you really should go and see if they're okay now, I think. Maybe not give them a full lesson now, but check to see if, they're...about to explode, or something."

"Keep em out of trouble.." A kiss "And this is why you're the best. They're mad, and you're still looking out for them. Like you look out for us all..." and if a bird makes it's notes heard whirling over the two of them, well, maybe it's coincidence, or maybe it's a sign how much tenderness and heat combined she still stirs him too "You're too damn good for us all.. lucky for me, you don't always see that." A wink and he slides his hands away off her "I'll go check now"

A wry grin and a sigh. "You say things like that, and I'll get a swelled head." She catches one of his hands and kisses his work-worn knuckles. "Thank you."