#rivervale_lodge

A hand reaches over to give his arm a soft squeeze. "She's lucky to have you. I know trolls are protective and all, but I can see how much you care beyond the normal blue streak." Smiling to Jonas.

"I know, I know" She says "i'm okay now mom.. I'm... well I'm better" A breath "I was not... but it was very touch and go. You see, one of the guards... Tantalus never had him near, was an Autum person"

A scowl, protective in hindsight. "You were drained."

Jonas gives Piper a grateful look, "She's..easy to love, but it's hard to step back when she wants me to. I am, I think, a profoundly selfish individual at times."

"Jonas kept me intact as best he could. " Siv says "Every day, a bit of his glamour to fight the banality, to restore some glamour. I wore the form of a brutee. he came as the wild life... he risked himself often."

Siv might get the impression that Brekke wants to punish this Autumn Person.

"You know that old saying - what is it, Corinthians? Love is patient, love is kind? Sure, that's true, but the rest of that is kinda just wishful thinking. Love is also selfish - and it can be messy. But.. that's okay. When you feel like that for someone, it... it feels like they almost take the place of self, and you want more that anything to keep them close and protect them like your own heart... "

A sigh and a nod. "That was wisely done, him coming to you that way." She is safe, she is well, this is a story of what is done, she is safe....

Siv looks up, and at her mother's epxression looks.. torn "Mum.. about the cold one. He was.. banal to the extreme.. but I tell myself he was also an abuser of mortals, a slaver a murderer.. and more. "

"With him around, even the TWO of us weren't always enough" Siv says "So... mom.. I killed him. He would have undone me... revealed me.. and then the whole plan would be exposed. "

"I killed a son of Adam and I fear father will nae understand" Siv looks away

"Oh...Siv..." She reaches out to draw her daughter close again.

A smile , a real one, from Jonas to Piper "I normally consider myself quite orderly. Siv has... well... I welcome the mess. Thank you. It's good you understand. it .. helps?"

Siv does not fight the hug

Quietly to her, "We have all done ills we wish we had not done. You made a choice in order to save the innocent. I believe he will understand."

"Mom he's Liam and I honor... what he believes in. But he's always acted like any mortal can be redeemed and I.. I cut that off.. that chance."

Brekke can feel the fear in her daughter, the fear of her father and her being torn further apart

She rubs at her own eyes a bit. "I'm still new to all this myself. I've made my own mistakes and caused pain when I only wanted..." A shake of her head. "...It can feel like you're drowning and might lose yourself, but maybe you want to... or maybe you don't know what you want. ...Messy, right? Sorry, now I'm projecting. Siv, she's the one who will learn the ways of love... maybe that's why so many Satyrs fall for Fiona, the real ones, ones who live up to their best selves. I think.. she'll shine."

"Siv, any mortal can be redeemed...but not every mortal will give you the chance to redeem them. It sounds to me as though this one, and the situation, forced your hand. Do you agree?"

"Yes" Jonas says "And I need to be with her without being IN her way. " A look to Piper "She's been trying to find others that I would find acceptable ..." Then he says with a frown "Ah, nevermind"

Siv bites her lip, and thinks about it, really does "Aye. If he had held a knife to my throat he would not have been more dangerous to me, and my charges than he was"

Piper looks up at Jonas, questioning.

"Then, Siv, I believe your father will understand. But I cannot promise that it will be so. You will know when you tell him." A look of support and confidence.

"You are dating Adam so the question I was considering is not functionally valid" Jonas says

Siv says "I'd rather face a corby of redcaps than explain it to dad. The risk would be lower" And despite the NONSENSE of those words, it registers as true.

She blinks, and drops her gaze. "We actually... broke up. Not too long ago... right after the Raid, actually." Her voice soft. "I worry that I hurt him, but... I didn't know what else to do. It didn't feel right. -I- didn't feel right. But I'm not sure... what he - what that means, to you? He may be Fiona someday, a real one, a sidhe. Or maybe kinain can become a member of a house.." Trying to find the connection. "He's... determined, and I am sure he'll find his way." Perhaps hopeful thinking.

"I have been amazed at Adam's strength in truth and in a away I'm sorry you two didn't work out" Jonas says "In another way I am.. trolls don't often share. But seeing how you care about Siv... if you should wish to approach her, I think I would not just tolerate, but... approve??" he sounds surprised

The slightest hint of humor in her mother's expression. "That may be...but you must still tell him, Siv."

"I will" siv nods, honestly "Can't join a House of Courage and wuss out there eh?" A nod and a bit of a smile back, then "Oh.." Serious again "But it got worse"

"At the time... I was half convinced I was going to storm the walls at Ardent Harbor, and maybe get thrown in the Count's mirror prisons for my audacity. Or else lose myself to the pits of despair, like that swamp in the never ending story... And... well, obviously... neither of those happened, at least not yet." A dry chuckle, without much humor. "But it was more than that." And she blinks, watching Jonas, and trying to follow. And her eyes widen slightly when she gets to the destination... and she's taken aback a bit. Something she hadn't considered, an eye opening potentiality.

A blink and her expression goes stony. "Worse," she echoes. "How worse?"

Jonas.. blushes then chuckles "Storm walls eh? That.. hyou and Siv are a bit alike"

"Tantalus did grow suspicious. He tried to encourage me to prove myself AND restore myself... Mum, he offered me some of the slaves to Ravage." Siv shudders

Her jaw tightens. "Siv...."

"I didn't. I would never" Siv says lifting her chin up, "NEVER. But i was low on glaamour, the spells that masked me threatened to slip.. and Jonas could offer no mmore... that's where Piper came in mom, though she didn't know it.. she got a bottle, with a glamour note in it, telling her to drop the note off at THIS location... and leave. She did... and I stumbled onto it. Someone else was looking out for me mom, and used Piper to do it. It wasn't a lot of glamour.. but it kept me going on a day I was about ot fade." A breath "And... then Caspian had to stick around. So I Killed him.... " A lie "Or more accurately, faked killing him... so it looked like right of life meant nothing to me. THAT won Tantalus over"

Relief, and a blink before more relief that killing-Caspian was a ruse. "But...where did the note in the bottle come from? Who sent it?"

She takes her time thinking on this. "I know... at least, I think I know, what it means for you to be able to offer this. Most satyrs pride themselves on being free from jealousy, but I've felt a touch of the green-eyed monster before. And when someone is precious, I can see wanting them to have eyes only for you. But Siv is... she's SIV, and she's wild, and free, and the kind of creature no one could tame, but just love and let soar free and feel, like... blessed, if you know she will come back to you." Her voice wistful, as she looks back to Jonas. "I... think I'd like that, very much. But... and don't get me wrong... I only just broke up with Adam. What this is... could be, is something I wouldn't want to... to mess up. With thinking it might be , like, a rebound? Siv means more to me than the night we had before, already. I wouldn't want to ruin that. So... and I get it if the answer is no, but maybe... a little time? And then, if she - if you're both still open to the idea?"

"I don't know.. someone was looking out for me... and they used Piper to do it.." A frown "Which scared the poor dear girl terribly I should say" Hurumph, then she says "But from myside, things still got bad. I sent missives. I plotted vectors... tactical suggestions, gave numbers... but I had to get glamour. And so... I began to leech off a bit from the only non mortal source I could. Tantalus and his treasures..his cantrips he used to enslave them... or drive them made with lust. It made me sick mom.. sick in the soul. But.. I'm actually getting ahead a bit. For the sickness was not dealt with until AFTER Tantalus was dead, slain by the Da'an he accumalted hisself"

His daughter sounds quite profesional in her talk of vectors, strategems and more. It would appear Siv has gotten better at planning , while she still prefers improv and fly by the seat of her pants, she has rounded out

Her expression goes more grim as Siv speaks. "I learned of his death...but I was not told of your....of the harm to you."

Siv may get the sense that, while Brekke still wants to fold her up in a warm blanket and protect her, she is still listening to her as if she is a sensible adult.

Jonas nods "Quite understandable, your time has not been in a vaccuum clearly, and I would not mean to dishonor you or Adam in this regard, nor cast aspirtions on your sincerity. Take your time. I cannot say how she will react no matter what time you approach or don't. But I can say that I am... no, this isn't gratitude.. I'm not 'thanking you' by giving you her, shes' not mine to give. But it is an a growing certainty that you mean nothing but good for her and mgiht make her happy if the two of you reach an understanding. You should strive for that when is best for you I think"

Siv says "the harm to me was somewhat self inflicted though done to keep mortals safe and the plan working... and the others did not know of it at first." She relates when the move began.. . Jonas injured, the others coming onto the shore. How she had to tell Zara not to let the Giant spider die for it was her friend. The brave efforts of August, Caspian, and Earl.. the damned Balor, the bitch redcap... "I missed most of the fight. I had to.. I had to use it to smuggle out the mortals... to the Liam fleet as it were. It was not an easy victory. Earl nearly died with a belly full of Iron. Damn Balor. Tantalus' was killed by some of the remaining women ... mortal women... for Fate he had tasked three fold and brought on himself despite the warning he was given. I do not miss him nor will I shed a single tear for him. Ever." a bit bitter there then "But.. I had poisoned mhyself with his glamour, mother, and the glamour from his treasures. I was filled with a growing hatred for my own sex... I lusted after them, which is no crime, but I also saw them as mere wanton play things... there was not a drop of glamoru in me that was trruly mine... but rather his."

Brekke listens attentively, seriously, does not ask questions...and looks distinctly uncomfortable and angry at the final points. After a moment of teeth grinding, she manages, "But that is not the case now."

"Yours to give or not, it's still your heart being affected - so I think I understand what you mean, and what it meant for you to ask." Her cheeks color a bit. "I'll certainly be thinking on it... we all need some time, I think, after this... everything."

"No, and that is thanks in part to you" Siv says and hugs her mother "The box you made, I poured the glmaour into.. using my magics to change a prop I would not shift easily... it became the long boat you see before you... with Tantulas symbol on it... as I poured out every last part of my glamour WILLINGLY forgetting myself.. I almost.. stoppedm other I almost couldn't do it... but everyoen believed in me. Jessica put her hand on my shoulder, Jonas was there loving, Zara near slapped me with a challenge to fight, and PIper was every bit there to tell me I was worth fighting for. Oh the things, the hateful things i said mother... I will not repeat them. And still they stood by me, but it did not seem enough, isn't that tragic? So much love and I oculdn't quite shake the hate... and then I saw on the other side of the objecti n my hands .. while it was still shifting, the Narwhal symbol.. the one YOU Put there and I realized where it came from and the love... I.. it gave me enough to go on. I was not just a hateful monster drunk too deep of a poison, or even a spy, I was Siv Waveborne King... and the love of my mother was so strong Daan itself insited it be seen and reached across kingdoms to help ... I found the might because of it all mother, and your work no small part I swear it on my bones. "

"PIper.. she sang good things. her voice is STRONG mother.. magic... the glamour was directed.. And Jessica.. jessica BURNED the box turned ship... and she and Fenix.. mom I know it sounds crazy but I swear that freehold has a soul if not a mind"

"They.. they risked the taint and cleaned it.. cleaned it..hell, they kicked its ass!"

Brekke welcomes Siv's hug, and then does not release her as Siv finishes her tale. She looks at the boat, its intricate detail and yet cleanness of line. Siv can feel her taking a deep breath...and the exhale has a hint of a shudder to it. Her glamour makes sense, now...but we nearly lost her, lost to ugliness and hatred.

After some moments she says, very quietly, "I am glad the women killed him, yet I envy them the opportunity." Her anger is deep. Another deep breath. "You are free of him, entirely?"