#rivervale_lodge

........ and she finds him at his desk near the window in the Lodge's main room.

"Mountain?" She says "I wanted to apologize"

He looks up, an eyebrow quirked. "Apologize, Sally Mae?"

"Yes sir, you see, Eden was working Knight's heart for me. I didn't realize she was in need. I should have. She was working constantly when she wasn't schooling and it might have .." A sigh "it may have been why she needed to prank and Riki lead her to the WRONG outlet. So this is possibly on me"

"I think that is a stretch, Sally Mae." Frank says, not unkindly. "Pooka need to prank; it is in their nature, no matter if they are working or going to school or... anything."

"Yes sir, but I may have contributed to a lack of time and energy to prank. "

He shakes his head again. "I disagree."

"Well, all right, Mountain. But.. it nags at me anyway just a bit"

"I hope it nags at -them- a bit."

"Well, sir, it's surely so on Eden"

"Mmphm."

"Now can I get you something? A drink or food?"

"Well. Rig's not going anywhere without me, now. So it can't happen again. No, thank you, Sally Mae. Kind of you to offer."

"Oh I'm sorry, did you have to put her up in dry dock? or whatever it's called?"

"Nope. But I removed a few parts that it has to have installed to go anywhere. They're under lock and key, when I need them I'll put them back."

"Sensible, sir. Am I right that the dawntreader is magical?"

"She.... has grown to be, I think. I've had her for a long time, and I guess in order to accommodate my true size and shape and needs...."

"Well, have you talked to her? I mean.. with a willowhisper?"

"No." a bit blankly.

"Maybe she could tell you about herself"

"Maybe." with a hint of doubt "I never felt the need to talk to her. Not like that, of course I -talk- to her but...."

"It was a thought"

"Hmm." apparently not a thought Frank had yet, but now he has!

Siv enters in, she has wrapped her arm in some make shift bandage and starts to walk by

"Siv?" Frank calls to her as he stands, frowning.

"mm yeah da?" She turns

"What happened to your arm?"

"Oh " She says "I suppose if I say 'it got wounded' you'll give me a look won't you?" A bit of a smile

"I'm giving you one -now-."

She looks at Sally Mae "you see what I go through around here?"

"Oh no, " Sally Mae says "Unless it's to fetch food, drink, or something to clean up, leave me out of this"

Siv snorts at the kinian "Some help" then she looks at her dad "I was on a mission for Baron Kealan. Ended in a fight with a bad guy. I won"

That makes him frown harder.

"Ok." he acknowledges.

"Okay now what's wih the frown?" Siv moves to her dad.

Sally Mae says "I'll see if we have a fresh cookie"

"Thank you, Sally Mae. Nothing, Siv." he responds to both.

"Dad, don't give me that, did you want more details is that it? "Siv asks "I wasn't trying to be cheeky"

"No, Siv, I think the less I know the better."

"Soo.. why the frown? The hard frown no less?"

Sally Mae says "out of cookies. Time by the bale?"

Frank sighs. "I dislike when you put yourself at risk, Siv. You know that."

"Dad, it's sweet, but I'm a troll. We're supposed to be at risk so the oher kiths don't have to be. Sides, no risk, and I'd get bored"

She is not fussy, rather touched in fact

He nods.

"But if it makes you feel better, it hit nothing vital, and I caught an enemy spy trying to infiltrate the County so I did good." Pleased

"I'm sure the Count is grateful."

"Probably not, I don't advertise these. Hampers my effectiveness as a spy so I have a code name that gets mentioned to the Count if I get mentioned at all"

"Mmph."

"You are hmmphing about me NOT getting a boast? I thought you and mom were the modest types?"