#rivervale_lodge

"Oh! Oh, Siv, you missed it? Star has foaled, and the baby is wonderful. He has wings!"

"WHAT? OH wow.." She blurts then covers her mouth "Sorry. I just..wow. No I didn't know it had.. I was packing things from Earth Runes and starting to move stuff and.. oh my..wings?"

"Wings. Stormwake is insufferably proud."

"We don't know if they'll work yet, mind you."

"I bet he is. Well, let me know if you want me to take the treats out for the horses, it'll give me an excuse to see them. Oh this is wonderful news. I feel like I've missed everything, Kerri. I .." A look around "I really missed all this."

"Did you? I thought you found our little Lodge too constraining. It sounds like you've been very successful at EarthRunes and abroad. But it's nice to have you back. You have...oh, vibrance." Kerri smiles.

"Oh don't say th... did I ever speak of the lodge in those terms?" Horrorfied "Please tell me I didn't make a habit of being that big a wench?"

"Well...not in those terms. But you made more than occasional comments about how you needed to be free." A gentle tease.

"Aye aye" A blush "And I still do long for it, but I tell you in honesty that a place can be bigger and yet restraining in a new way ... I am perhaps not the wild spirit I thought I was. " A smile "But I am glad I bring vibrance. Ah, I do want to have fun."

"i've been thinking of using the Narwhal to take some of the other wilders out about , give them a look at the world"

"Hmmm...a Fiona captain with a shipful of wilders. What could possibly go wrong?" Still teasing. "You know some of the wilders have duties here. You'll want to be careful about luring them without clearing it with those who oversee them, right?"

"Does this mean I don't get to play local temptress and instigator??" A sigh "All that training for naught" then she admits "Truth, and no doubt mother and you and da will be in their rights to expect me to take up a few regular duties here. "

"Oh, don't for a second think you're going to get out of chores and duties. What do you think would suit you best in that regard? I'm pretty sure taking a round of patrols is pretty much a given."

"Well, I don't know..patrols aye, always need of that and no great burden to my thinking" Siv says "But... beyond that? that's a fair one... seems you've got more than enough help in the kitchen when it comes to cooking. Though I'm grateful for some of what you taught me there. mmm Da's got Zane and Symon for research back up. And Mum's best right hand for fighting, among the wilders anyway, is Dagmar. What... what can I give Rivervale ? Besides the obvious and wondrous Vibrance?"

The last part added with Dimples

A bit of a laugh. "Well...Hearth isn't all about the kitchen. Perhaps we might find a role that has you reaching out to other local fae somehow. I don't think mortal contact is the best option for you, though."

"Not mortal, but among the common folk? Aye. No shame in Reeving" She says "not that we have such titles"

"Oh, and here she comes insisting on court titles." A mock curtsy, followed by a wink.

"Ack. You knoew what i mean... would a Reeve work be it's own thing/ An Ember of the hearth? What ? Would it step on toes for Sylvi? I'd not do that. She's better with people than I will ever be"

"Well...let's sort out your oathing to Fiona first, and then we'll see. Siv...you know you may change a bit when you take the oath, don't you? Your own nature will be influenced by the House you join, even if only slightly. Let's see how you feel after that, and then we'll sort out a space for you. Fair?"

"Oh yes. I hear it could make me brave and reckless..." A worried look "And I was such a demure creature"

then a smile slips

A laugh. "Yes, 'poor Siv, so shy and retiring' is what we all say."

"I know.. but your point is made, I will be just a bit different as a Fiona" A sigh "Apparently mtoher and father seem to worry I'll have a male harem trotting in and out"

"I assured them that's not a plan.. though Jonas is.. well, I love him so... but even there I may have some social life on the Narwhal..captain;s quarters"

"Well...as we've got childlings up there, I'm sure you'll be sensitive to that."

A glance over. "You and he have had some discussions about being flexible?"

"Oh I have but in truth , after all he did for me, when he..." She says "I know I owe no man my body even if he kill a dragon. But seeing how brave and resourceful and loyal he is I find I want others less. I.. am I making sense?"

Kerri's eyes twinkle. "Perfect sense."

A suscipsious look "There it is again. That pleased look"

A blink, and the grin goes away. "I don't know what you're talking about," she says as she wipes down a counter.

Then a side glance and a wink.

that gets a hug "Oh Aunt Kerri, I have missed you."

The hug is returned, a proper Aunt hug. "I've missed you, too, and I'm so glad you're happy and finding your way."

"I am. Oh, I plan to vissit Earth Runes now and then.. .it took a long time, but i made friends. Huh, even the baroness, and at times I wanted to strangle her but mostly because she had the nerve to see through the bullshit I was myself falling for. "

"Ohhh, I think I might approve of a sidhe with a strong bullshit meter. What other friends, hm?"

"Well, Zara is my best friend there" She admits, "But she was a friend before. Among the Fiona I'm something of a wallflower, but Vince is a sweet charming goof of a pooka with depth that's ..well, he has the heart of a Lion in more ways than one. Leo and I broke a few rules.. she's a damn good archer. And Baron August is an oasis of reserve that's quite refreshing. There's others... at first I didn't know how to fit in with any of them. Too worried about doing so I think"

"Well, I can't imagine it was easy, coming from the background of your mother's idea of 'baronial court' and trying to shift gears into a far more sidhe-styled approach."

"Oh it was bonkers. I thought Caer Falken visits had prepared me, but Earth Runes is thriving with passions, romances, abrupt adventures, fashion and gossip. The whole thing seemed chaotic, yet it was more like dancing... to minstrels who were just a bit in their cups. Steps lively and quick. "

"I felt so clodish, clumsy... and the more I felt like that, the more it seemed to be true"

"Really? But it seems as if you found your footing, somehow. Must be all that scrambling along the rigging."

"It helped. Actually that ship like duel and acrobatic set up really broke the ice for me in some areas. Nothing like something you're great at to give you confidence. Not to boast TOO much" A smile

"Oh, that sounds splendid. Was it there when you arrived?"

"Nope. I made the suggestion and they set it up ..started as a discussion about the Princess Bride if I recall" She laaughs "Of course, with the planks and one tunnel and a ramp what it's used as MOSTLY is a pooka playground where they get ot move about in critter form. Kept my ego in check to have my time beat by a possum"

Kerri laughs. "It sounds like a proper playground, which includes making sure the older children play safely around the toddlers."

"Oh yes, there are childlings there too. And yes, somehow the Fiona manage to keep them from seeing TOO much"

"That must be a tricky balancing act!"

"Well, they have a Warder, kind of a positon that is part Thane/Part Governess."

"Very wise. I hope the Warder gets the occasional break, too."