#rivervale_lodge

He checks.

TXT: Dad. Incoming by the lake's weakest point. Going to have four people

It would appear Jonas got a text too

He grunts

"Jonas, leave the wood for now, come with me." And Frank heads to meet Siv.

He nods and follows

The lake is mostly frozzen over, but the Narwal is tough stuff, and breaks through the thinest part of the ice . Perhaps there's a power in the name for it has held on despite the cold well

Siv stands frosty behind the wheel as she looks about

Frank waits patiently.

"Welcome to Jersey, folks" Siv calls out "Come on out"

And from the warmth of the interior of the ship come four figures, shivering. A pooka, a nocker, a sluagh, and what must be a Kinain

The ramp falls out to allow them to go to the thicker ice

"Jonas, escort our visitors to the lakehouse, please."

"This way, folks, please." He says "We'll get you warm soon"

The sluagh and the Kinian, he realizes are elderly.. and Jonas takes extra caution with them. The pooka and nocker are two wilder boys on the young side of wilderhood

Frank waits for Siv on shore.

Siv gets onto shore, taking her bottle out, and making a motion. As ever, the ship shrinks and spills and now fits in the bottle. She says "I'll drop off the blankets and things stored in it later today.. "

"Return them to Kerri?" he asks.

"Oh no, I'm going out again with them to drop off at locations for mortals I can't transport. Relations to kithain who are't kinian enough to be in the loop. I can't transport them safely without risking right of ignorance but I'll be damned if I'm going to let them freeze" her face scrunches

"I just need to make sure we have wood and maybe food here to bring there. Hope Kerri doesn't mind using her Cauldron?"

"You haven't asked yet?"

"I texted. No reply. She might be busy, she could have forgotten to recharge... "

"And in an emergency situation, where immediate action was necessary....."

"Then I'd start up the cauldron, handle it myself, and leave a note promising to clean up the mess" Siv says "Da? what's this about?"

"When did you leave Rivervale on this mission?"

"This morning.. early. like 4"

Frank smooths his beard. "I must have missed the note."

"I wasn't going tto wake you all at four in the morning. I had it covered no need to bother others. They needed transport"

"So you left a note so we could prepare, and I missed it. Damn."

Siv's chin juts out for a moment

then she takes a breath "My apologies if I've caused difficulty for you or the lodge"

"That remains to be seen." Frank says not ungently.

"I'll handle it.." She says "No need to create work for the rest of you" She takes her ship under her arm "I didn't expect those four but they were in an expecially bad state. Clem healed them some, but their home is trashed."

Frank nods. "Siv, I have no quarrel with what you did or for who. How could I?"

"It is the how."

"Dot the i's, cross the ts... remember thank you welcome and always please" A low mutter "Dad. I'll handle it. I'm sure there's a lessonn you want me to learn but right now, I have to go help some more...and the demand is bigger than my screw ups"

"You should have told us, so we could prepare. It's only fair to the Lodge, Kerri, and your mother." he says evenly "Let me know when you are on the way back, and I will meet you with transportation and readiness."

"YES, I apologize.. again, for causing difficulty for you and the lodge" Siv says , a slight nose crinkle "I'll be going by ship so while that offer is appreciated, not needed. Faster my way"

"Siv. We can accommodate. I'm sure of it. Bring them here."

"Dad, I can't bring mortals here, that's why I'm heading out to bring them food and blankets" Less irked, now confused "It's not safe to transport mortals with my ship ... Right of ignorance risk at the least"

"I didn't realize this trip was for mortals." He nods. "Safe journey."

"I'm sorry dad. Might be me being terse. I don't like letting you down or screwing up and I did. Look, Therre maybe another group of changelings but tha'ts something I'm stumbling onto more than seeking out. Most of those are getting fed at the DeBukes, though they're a bit maxed out for space with the school on top of things. In fact, some of hte older students are being put to work on a kind of extra credit program"

"But my PLANN right now is to haul cargo to those that need it most"

"Like father, like daughter."

"Wheels..ffft where do those get you?" But.. the gives her father a one armed hug , then heads off to get supplies

Frank stand for a while, looking at the lake and then the lakehouse, lit with activity, before he goes to move the firewood down to the dock.

He gives Siv time to explain what she must to those she must, if she does.

It's a while before he gets home.

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