#rivervale_lodge

"That looked painful."

He takes it and drinks "I saw.. a lot more than I thought I would... " A cough "He's.. not responsible for this. No part in it...the chains maybe going along similar paths, well worn trenches... but he did not pull them taut...nor have a hand in the crafting... " and she might overhear him "Poor bastard"

"You are certain? Vali...?" And a puzzled expression at his final mutter. "Why poor?"

"That part I can't tell you about" he says... then pauses and corrects "Won't tell you about. Let's just say.. nothing written in stone, but there's a chance he... a chance he will have an ending full of such loss that all he has done in his life will seem for naught."

Truth.

She blinks. A long silent moment. Then her jaw sets. "Da'an is cruel, sometimes."

A laugh.. one of ..not humor. then "pardon."

"But if you are certain he has no part in this...then I will stop some ideas that have been put in motion." A nod.

"I.. don't suppose you'll tell me what those are? " He rises wiping himself off

She offers to help him up. "Jessica contacted us. She said the question had been raised of whether the migrant relocation could be being misused. I spoke to the Mountain, and we have been making the first steps of confronting...that person. He will be glad to know it is not necessary that we do so."

"I can see why." He does take the help seeming a bit..shocky still "Chief. SOmetime later, i may ask you to be at a certain place at a certain time. If you can I hope you agree to it"

She considers this seriously. "Vali...can you tell me if my being there would harm any of the people of my barony, or cause me to break an oath?"

"I can, and will, and it won't... in fact, if you are there at the right place at hte right time, I am 99% sure you will do exactly as I expect not because I have any influence, but because you are as constant as the NOrth star in some ideals. You could defy it, but then, you would not be the Chieftain I know"

True

A deep breath. "I hope, then, that I live up to your expectations. Yes, I agree to be there when you call, if I can find a way to do it."

"whew' He says with relief then rubs at his eyes "I may have to switch patrols with Jonas"

"Vali, sometimes it is difficult to follow conversations with you."

She follows that with a nod. "If you need to switch, I will speak with him."

A smile "Would it be terrible of me to say sometimes I enjoy being cryptic?"

"I do not know about terrible, but it is certainly not surprising," she replies with a bit of a grin.

"Yup. You don't need the Gwydion Radar for that one" A smile "Other times it is a pain in my ass too so it balances. But Tiffany does say neither New Agengard nor Rivervale put me in time out enough as a child. So you're not alone"

A slight chuckle. "Well...however we may have spoiled you, we are glad of your presence here. Thank you, Vali."

"Cup of coffee and a chat about oh, the garden or anything?" He offers with a gesture to the lodge

And smiles "ANd glad to be here, thanks"

"Ah! The garden, yes. " He has picked a good topic, and she leads him inside to get that coffee. "All these years, and I have never considered testing jelly beans for planting, but Jack and Connor....."

and Vali listens... why didn't I think of that

()End scene)