#rivervale_lodge

He finds Dirk slumping through the streets. the boy is wearing a backpack, THAT'S unusual

Frank ensures he approaches the boy, not creeping up in front of him. Maybe he idles the motor a little louder than necessary, announcing himself.

Dirk looks over "Huh? Oh. Hey " he says

"Need a lift?"

He looks at the man then frowns "I don't think so. Do I?" As if Frank would know

"Why Not? Hop in." The Jeep is open.

"Okay," he gets in looking.. resigned "Probably better this way"

"What's up?"

"Well, uh, is.." Dirk now looks truly confused "I mean, where you going to drop me off in front of one of the far trods , or on the edge of the county or at a bus stop or what? I mean.. your choice I just.. you know, tell mom it's what you guys had to do... "

"Dirk.... are you running away?"

"No, that would be stupid and pussy like" A snort "I'm just prepared for this .. yknow, thing"

Frank takes a scenic route to no where. "What thing?"

"Banishment? that's why you're here right? " He says "Banishing me?"

"No. Why would you be banished?"

"to help the Chief" he says "This way no question of..."then suspicion "To help the Chief if she needed it."

"How would banishing you help the Chieftess?" He sounds puzzled.

"uh..." A pause "nothing" And he clams up

A deep rumble; the Mountain chuckles. "Dirk....."

"Please, speak with me."

"Well, we got a dead balor on our hands. "

"Mmm. And?"

"Just... if anyone gets in trouble... it's my fault." A firm nod "And that's all I'm saying. "

"Not what I heard." Mildly as they wind along.

He starts to say something then thinks.. what would symon do? Symon would subtly get information. he decides to try this

"Well, what the fuck have your heard?"

"The Chieftess, as Lady of the Land, killed a Balor who used cold iron, as is the Chieftess's duty."

Dirk says "And if someone says she didn't kill her right, she gets in trouble. So... redcap"

An EYEBROW. "You are taking responsibility for the execution and feel you will be banished because of it?"

"Uhm.. huh what?" A blink then a scowl, and even Frank might feel that this young once punk has grown MORE dangeorus for his increased discipline, and that is not a bad thing "Look, Mountain ... I aint smart, but I aint' dumb. Redcaps get away with shit no one else would.. we also get banished or sent away because of that same thing. this ain't about me giving a SHIT about honor.. it's about the Chief's honor needs to be above reproach. "

Frank puffs with amusement. "Yes. You know what happens if a Gwydion's honor is insulted. Is that our situation?"

"Not yet, but the Balor are gonna say she was out of her own barony if they find out.. they're gonna say one of their own is SUPER Dead... they're gonna give her nothing but shit and I think they might find out.. so I need to be the one folks can point to. I MADE SURE OF THAT. "

"What did you do, Dirk?" Calmly.

"I tore the bitch's throat out and I'm glad I did" He says with a snap of teeth in the air. "The Chief didn't kill her, not the FINAL death. I did that. I saw it in the CHief's eyes... she.. she knew that balor would revive again. Might do this again. She knew she was out of her own fief... she wanted to pass execution, but she wasn't sure she had the right... honor and justice and shit were all a jangle.. and that bitch was a psycho sadist rapist.... not lioke she's ever stop.. you don't 'fix' balor crazy. So I went to that comatose cow's throat and I BIT. I did what no one else could do...I killed another kithain... they're gonna say in cold blood, but there was NOTHING Cold about it"

"I did it hating that stupid elf for all the pain she caused to the Chief and everyone else. I stopped a threat because the rest of you have to be good and honorable and nice and I wasn't gonna let you lose that so you hated yourselves.. Or let her wander loose again and have you hate yourselves when she raped another! So.. I tore her damn throat out and I made the world a better fucking place. So now, I get banished maybe.. but I kept the peace. And if it's what I pay.. I pay it."

"Mmm."

He stares at the Mountains' calm demeanor, then looks front at the window again "Fuck I miss the days when a Cap could talk about murdering people and at least make them nervous. "

"I am old." He points out. "And I hear a young man speaking about putting my wife's interests ahead of his own. That does not bother me."

"I... " A frown "You gotta WORD it that way?" as if this has indeed ruined the cool.

"Just between us." Reassuring.

"Please... I swear... even the girls treat me like I'm harmless.. I might as well start lactating or something at this rate" Disgust

"You ever say that to a female redcap?"

A pause "Well, no. I'm stupid, but I don't want to DIE" he snorts

"Good." The landscape looks familiar.

"WHere are we going?" He asks

Dirk's phone gets a text, if he hasn't eaten it.

"Lodge."

Dirk looks down at the text and reads, squinting

TXT: Keep your bra on. He texts back then says to the Mountain "Ok. Need me for something there?"