#rivervale_lodge

The nocker is a stranger indeed... a wilder, he has a mask on that looks like a long nosed carnival half mask with moonstone eyes as part of it. he wears a tabard with an odd symbol of a silver cat under three gold stars

She blinks at him. "I...well, hello. You are new here. Are you seeking haven?"

"No no, seeking Gerd.. but I.. I got a gift for her. I'm Wudlig.. journeyman. We met in Rome? She needed a ride... anyway I.. uh got her something"

"Oh! Oh, well...come in, Journeyman. I'll see if she's available. Would you care for something to eat or drink?"

He blushes ... "Furk I .. uh.. this might have been a bad idea... just.. a drink is nice. Thank you."

And he comes in. The dogs sniff him carefully

"Soda is okay? Or coffee?"

"Oh either is good. I live on caffine in many forms" He assures "Furk.. this place ..I could hide an air crraft in here"

She chuckles a bit. "Wait a moment, please." She vanishes into the kitchen.

he looks really nervous... .a small box in his hands now on the table

A moment later, she's out with a glass of cola for him, suitably sized for a nocker. "Here, have that. I'll ask her to come down, assuming she's here. Oh, I'm Hearth Kerri, by the way." And she heads up the stairs to knock on Gerd's door.

Connor's door closed, he did not come out to greet the visitor even when the dogs barked. Still deep in contemplation.

Gerd says "Dont' worry" through the door "I'm not ... I'm not doing it"

Kerri looks at Connor's door briefly, but then says to Gerd, "I'm glad, but that's not why I came up. You have a visitor. Journeyman Wudlig."

"Wudlig? " Startled "What's HE doing here?"

"He says he has a gift...?"

"I can tell him you're not available, if you prefer."

Connor's door cracks, just a touch, and an eye peers out.

"I.. not mhy best but.. a gift? What the heck.." A startled look "Five minutes to put my face on? " Confused wilder girl

"I'll see if I can get him to wait that long," Kerri says with a smile, adding, "I don't think it will be too difficult."

She turns and spots Connor peeping out. "Would you like to come down, Connor?"

Gerd says "Well, okay.. uhmm be there soon thank you" dash in side

"Uhn. I can talk to him? Quick?"

The Hearth nods to Connor and gestures for him to go ahead of her to the stairs.

The nocker takes a drink

Some soft rummaging, before he trots down the stairs. A glance at Kerri but he doesn't meet her eyes, much like a guilty pup, averted and ears and tails down as he goes down to meet the journeyman.

"Hey thank you for the col.. oh... geez.." he looks down down "You are not hearth kerri. OH! hey, little guy. Wudlig's my name.. you're the one all the fuss was about last night. Hope you're okay?"

"I broke my leg coming up the step, and they had to put me out to pasture." And he extends a hand out to Wudlig, offering a shiny river stone, smoothly worn, and with a glimmer of glamour.

Kerri follows down the steps shortly after.

"Ah, look, that's sweet but I can't take that . I didn't make anything for you or do anything" He says surprised "Gotta earn it you know? Glad you got better.. the whole pasture thing"

He shakes his head. "It's because you had to bring your Watermelon out on the road at night and bring people to find me. Please?"

"And you got pulled over by the nice lady Tig. But maybe you're in their System now, even though there aren't plates on a pumpkin and pumpkins go on plates."

"Oh I've been on House Ailil's radar before" he says "more ways than one. It's okay... tell you what.. you give it to Gerd. I'm trying to suck up to.. I mean.. I got her a gift"

He blushes and mumbles

Kerri clears her throat. "Gerd will be down in a few minutes. She's just finishing something up."

"Are you hungry, Journeyman?"

Connor looks flustered, and pockets it. A glance at the stairs, and he hurriedly asks, "Will you accept an apology? For the trouble? If someone had one." And offers out his hand again, empty, but cupped as if holding something.

"Ah no , no thank you Hearth. Cola's fine.. maybe I should go.. just leave my gift... " he says nervously

The nocker looks over the boy, and grins at something "Hey.. you're good. No. I am not going to have you slip that on me, but YES, I accept the apology"

"Oh, I think she'll be right down. You're from Carthage?"

He bows to the Nocker. "Nk you, Apology accepted accepted. And thank you for being nice to Rosethorn. She was terrible to me once, and I'll never forget it." A sidelong glance outside, trying to get a glance at the pumpkin again, but then he hurries back up the stairs - not ready to tackle GERD yet.

"Nope.. I just took her there" He says to Kerri "See.. she needed a ride from Rome. I was working at the Dark Gate Fortress..." the nocker says "So mostly I hang near Storm Colton and Chief Hewitt helping them put up some security and.. stuff" /He rises.. then bows Connor in return "Oh the redcap girl? Yeah.. normally Caps make me nervous but she was kinda scary adorable. And has an interest in the craft"

"Ah, Connor...kitchen, please." Kerri beckons him.

"Oh!" she says to the nocker. "Then you've probably met my daughter, Sylvi."

"Oh yeah, Sylvi's good... do not play poker with that girl" A warning "Just don't."

A grin. "Her father's doing, there." Though something in that expression might suggest that the Hearth has had a fair amount to do with Sylvi's poker skills, too.

Connor stops, halfway to the stairs, and flinches, returning. "Hearth?"

A nod towards the kitchen for Connor. "Please."

He ducks into the kitchen.

"Heh" Wudlig grins then sees Connor go then frowns "Urr I realize he's in trouble, but .. poor kid had a rough patch I think? Not mhy biz but.. he seems like a good one. "