#rivervale_lodge

Kerri looks up and grins at the approaching helpful hands. "Perfect. If you would, ladies..." She indicates various bags.

"SUre" Tiara moves faster so gets a bag first

Dagmar snags two armfuls, taking a point of pride in hauling multiples.

Lupe ggrabs one too "How are things, Mrs King?"

That doesn't leave many for Kerri to manage, actually. And she doesn't complain about that, at all.

"Hello, Lupe! Well...things are going all right. How about for you?"

"She's trying to con baked goods. To be fair, I was gonna try the same later."

The last of the bags managed, she continues towards the kitchen entrance of the Lodge.

A laugh. "Con, hm? Well..." A pause. "How about I bring some out for you to share?" she indicates the nearby picnic table.

Lupe admits "All true.. and actually the food was for laer"

"We're going on a quest!"

"I asked Chief."

Tiara hisses "Dagmar.. muggle"

Lupe smirks

"Oh? Hmm...well, that certainly will require some provisioning."

Then a nod to Tiara. "Lupe has a little more than average knowledge about what goes on around here, Tiara. We...sort of bend the rules for her a little bit."

"Just a bit. Some secrets we keep. You try getting a feel of her."

"Lupe's also smart enough to know that that knowledge is dangerous and could get her into trouble with others if she's not careful about it."

"Oh" Tiara says "Sorry"

"It's a dance, of sorts."

"It's complicated in some ways" Lupe assures "But I'll head out so Sam can explainn"

"Thank you for the help, Lupe," Kerri says, relieving her of the bags she carried.

She starts bringing things inside.

Lupe waves "Thanks, Mrs Davidson, you're awesome"

Dag waves to her friend, then turns to help.

Lupe waves back and says "Nice meeting you, Tiara"

And out she goes.

Tiara says "Okay, why Does SHE get to know?"

"Did you kenn her?"

Hopefully the girls remember to bring in the remaining bags.

Kerri is moving around the kitchen, putting things away.

Certainly! Bags in, and now time to put things up where they go.

Dagmar already knows where things go. Kerri hands some things to Tiara when she's standing nearest to their destination, and gives her instructions about where to put them.

"I did.. there was no glow" Tiara explains as she helps

"Got it, Hearth" Tiara helps "Okay sorry to be nosey but I'm curious"

"No glow, but did you notice the funny feeling?"

Kerri asks, "Dagmar, you know better than I...how much are we allowed to share?"

"Well, I think the she's a prodigal. Prodigals are fae who... well, got lost and changed. So - vampires, werewolves, the like."

"I ... didn't " Tiara admits "But..... oh ,she wasn't cold." A pause "Vampires are REAL?"

Kerri was referring to Lupe's specific situation, but in response to Tiara's question, she nods. "Very real."

"Vampires are real and SUPER cold and very scary. Lots of prodigals are dangerous, and so we can't just be trusting everyone."

"Those are some of the things you'll learn in more detail throughout your fosterage. How to identify them and steer clear of them. But Lupe is an ally."

"But Lupe's a proven ally. So Lupe, specifically, is kind of okay. We know what she is, but not all her secrets, and she knows what we are, but not all our secrets."

Kerri nods, adding more flour to the large flour bin, a white puff rising into the air as she does. "It can be a tricky line to walk, but there are advantages."

Tiara listens "Okay, So Lupe is cool Other prodigals , go ttell someone I trust?" A smile

"Yeah. They've helped us, we help them. Usually with lots of caution. And plenty can go wrong - I don't think they'd take well to most redcaps or sluagh."

Nod. "Best bet. And don't tell them what you are."

"Lupe.. well, it was a bad situation, I didn't have a lot of choice. I had to reveal myself."

Kerri frowns at something there, but then just nods. "There weren't any options."

Tiara nods "Okay. I .. I have memories of ... advising some beautiful elf as we walked along marble floors of moonlight but prodigals? I..." A shake of her head "I wish I could get sained tomorrow"