#rivervale_lodge

Kerri goes to SallyMae and Sylvi when Lily isn't immediately visible. "Have you seen Lily this morning?"

"Sure did. I gave her a bit of a breakfast, week old waffles and vinegary syrup"

"Good, good...did she come out to hunt eggs?"

"I am not sure she did..."

Sally Mae looks troubled "Could she be looking for eggs inside the lodge itself?"

"I think that's very likely. Excuse me." And Kerri goes into the Lodge.

And into the lodge she goes

She looks about and finds...

Well, she doesn't exactly expect to spot her as soon as she walks in....

"it doesn't feel right is all" A whisper

" i love learning secrets, and I don't like my mom and dad being treated bad"

She catches the whisper and pauses, looking for its source.

"But they're nice to me so and it isn't like ... like I ... Idon't know"

Kerri waits to hear if she hears another voice responding.

Eventually, if she hears no response, she whispers, "Lily? Are you here?"

"You do know, hospitality is sacred and... " Avoice, Squire Brogan? yes. they're in a pantry

And as she speaks, Lily says "i'm busted"

"You were already busted"

Kerri debates pretending she didn't hear them, but....no. "Lily, Brogan, can you come out, please?"

They do come out, Lily covered in dust. Brogan less so.

"You're missing the egg hunt," she points out gently.

"I was ..." Lily bites her lip

Brogan dusts himself off "Lily, don't disobey the Hearth. Go out and have fun. My knight decrees it. And you never actually DID anything wrong"

"No, no, it's not a decree. Lily, if you don't want to go out, you don't have to. But I think Sylvi hid some extra carefully with you in mind, in the shadier spaces where some childlings might not go." She pauses. "It's up to you. But I do want to let you know...I went and spoke with your parents this morning. We patched up our argument."

Lily toothless mouth breaks into a relieved smile "So it's all good now?"

"I think so. And I know they'll be here later this morning." A pause. "I think you'll find they're feeling much more like their usual selves."

She curtseys "Thank you, Dame Kerri. I will go hunt the eggs.. the special ones"

"Good. Enjoy." And she watches the girl go.

A deep breath, and she turns to Brogan. "Are you okay?"

"Of course. " he smoothes himself "I'm Daireann and under the Hearth. However, Lily was acting oddly, and snooping"

Kerri is silent for a moment. "How did you react?"

"I was ready to use a dictum.." then he sighs "Then she broke down crying. I realized I had spotted her because she wished me too. I'm... not always good at understanding girls, or commoners for taht matter.. but I find commonor girl tears unsettling and not with any place near a kitchen when theres work to be done so I decided to stop it by trying what you do. Listening"

A deep breath. "Brogan...I think perhaps you did better today than I did yesterday. Thank you. I won't ask you what she said; I'll just thank you for being there to hear her. Now...how about you see if there are still any eggs to be found out there, hm?"

"You may have had a hard time yesterday, but the many ddays weeks before that you..well, you do it all the time. Remember the old sidhe saying, Lady Knight"

A bemused look. "Which old sidhe saying would that be?"

"Only Sidhe are Perfect " a grin then blush "Sorry, had to. Uhm.. I guess I could hunt, but I'm not sure i will excell at it"

"Hm." A sound of brief amusement, then a nod. "Go. Do your best, and ask others for tips."

"One way to influence others is to let them know you see how clever they are." She winks at him.

"mmm yes.. that might work. Thank you" He bows and heads off

She nods respectfully...then takes a moment to just be in the sanctuary that is her kitchen.

And she feels the warmth and live that waits here even when it's just her. Solitude. Kitchens are often considered the heart of a home in modern thinking, and perhaps older as well, but now and then, it's nice to have this as a spot to the side of everything. Where she can listen without being heard. Where she can think, or just let her mind clear, and not worry.

Now and then...it's peaceful, like this. Peaceful, and centering. It's her space.

And she finds... a bow?

not the sort you shoot, a bow on the liquor cabinet

However...she's Hearth, and there's a celebration, and she's got a job to do! Time to start making a bazillion little snacks.... oh, wait...what's this?

She grins. "Somebody likes me, it seems." And she opens the liquor cabinet.

Casa Madero. Shiraz Casa Grande. Shiraz
From “Casa Madero” this wine is 100% Shiraz. This wine is aged for 24-26 months in new American oak barrels which provide a taste of black fruit, cinnamon, hazelnut and semisweet chocolate. You will love pairing it with steaks, mature cheeses, lamb and desserts made from bitter chocolate.

"Ooooooohhhh....Now, who in the world put this here?"

No signature, no sign, save a note that says "To Hearth Kerri, for all you do." And a mention of what the wine is good with

Ack, if only she didn't have to make a bazillion little snacks! Investigating this wine (including by sampling) will have to wait