#rivervale_lodge

*********

Kerri has been in damage control mode, grateful for Sally Mae and Squire Broggan

And, of course, for the cauldron which eases up some of the work. This tense, though. Vampires. Why did it have to be vampires?

She grabs a tray of bread rolls out of the oven and pops them into a basket lined with a checkered cloth to keep them warm.

A knock at the door

A glance to Sally Mae and Brogan. "The worst of the immediate danger is over, I think. You should both get some rest."

"Enter!"

She says it automatically....then stiffens. Was it the outside door?

Sally Mae does look a bit worn "Well, fair but remember as a kinian I might be able to do some more banal things"

it was the outside door, and in comes... Dame Doomwind of House Aesin, and near the sidhe, Zane

"Greetings?" The Dame says, her English much much better

Kerri relaxes slightly. "Welcome, Dame. And hello, Zane. Come in...would you like something to eat or drink?"

"I merely wished to offer my services to patrol," The Dame offers, "The Baron of Teaneck gave me permission to offer my services here for a day. One more strong sword might be of use, yes?"

"Yes, absolutely. I am sure the Chieftain would welcome the assistance. Baron Kealan is very thoughtful."

"I shall pass on your compliment" A nod "I shall do a random patrol unless there is a specific area" a look to Zane "As it is, I think your PIllar of the Mountain wants to talk to you about a matter not for non rivervale ears"

Zane winces as he's figured out

An intrigued look at that exchange, and she nods. "Here..." she quickly wraps a couple of warm rolls and a hunk of cheese in a cloth and offers it to Doomwind. "I think a random patrol makes good sense. Be wary...you have heard that there are vampires involved in all this?"

"I have" A nod "I shall text you if I see signs of one. "A frown and sniff "Though I do not text well." At the food she thanks her with a "Tusen Takk"

And she withdraws.

Kerri smiles. "Go safely, Dame."

Zane watches her go, then sighs "Okay. I really need to work on my poker face if strangers are reading me like that"

"Apparently," Kerri agrees. "Brogan, Sally Mae, get some rest," she adds, inviting them to depart the kitchen.

Sally Mae yawns "I'd put up a fight but that would at this point it would just be DeBuke stubborn hood"

"is stubborn hood a word?" the squire gives her an odd look

"Is now" And she guides him out

"Out," she says to both of them, not unkindly.

Then she directs Zane to take a seat on one of the stools, and she fetches him his preferred soda from the fridge.

Zane takes the soda with gratitude "Okay. You ever get all butt hurt over a mentor not seeming to trust you? "

A blink...and she takes a few moments to reflect. "Well...yes. Why do you ask?"

"Because I think I made an ass out of myself with the Mountain or maybe hurt his feelings too. I..." he sighs "you know about the vampire right?"

She nods, putting the basket of rolls and the butter dish in easy reach of him, should he wish them.

He takes one, nibbling more than digging in, "I was interogatting the vampire. Learning what i could."

Her eyes widen. "You were what?"

"I used chicanery to make the Child of Lilith think i was his superior, got information?"

She frowns with concern, her brows making that deep line between them, but she reserves further comment -- merely nods for him to continue.

"yeah, I know" he looks just a bit faded, "Dame Anne Marie knew I was doing this. But.. when the Mountain found out, it felt like he was breathing down my neck and micro managing every little thing. Did I know how banal they were? This one not so much thank goodness... Did I have back up? Dirk on speed dial. Shot gun under table. But everything I brought up, it seemed ... it was like he didn't believe me when I said i had it covered. I Was ready to share what i learned about interogating the Vampire, but it was like he was interrogating me. I get he didn't like the idea of me working my way up the prodigal chain, but the Child of Lilith was following HIS 'sire's' orders"

Kerri listens, and considers, and takes a deep breath. "Zane...I'd probably have had a thing or two to say about it, too, if I'd known ahead of time. Dirk on speed dial is good -- Dirk in the next room would have been preferable. I don't like the idea of any of us facing one of them alone."

"And yes, I realize you were disguised by cantrip. But...it still doesn't make me comfortable."

"Well, he was also handcuffed.. it just seemed the more I explained, the pickier and pickier The Mountain got ... and I ... when he finally let up, I was still mad, and I felt like he was accusing me of breaking the Escheat and treating me like because I wasn't a troll he had to coddle me. I.. I really want him to respect me and it felt like he didn't. EVERYTHING I said felt like he had to pick at it. 'I have a shot gun ready' 'you have a shotgun with the vampire' and I kind of... snapped. I Got so ticked, I pointed out the vampire was STAKED. HELPLESS. That my spell worked. That the vampire was hand cuffed AND staked and didn't know about the shotgun. I....then .. finally he seemed to accept that I had it covered after what felt like forever of him riding my back about it. He didn't apologize for it... he just nodded all calm and like hadn't been busting my chops for I don't know how long and 'thanked me' for the talk. I got snapish... told him "I could say you're welcome, but it wouldn't be true" A huff "And that the exchange made me think he don't trust me without double checking everything I do. I told him I'd stay out of it from then on if htat's what he wanted, but I was already worried about Dagmar and her folks, and not in the best mood anyway and it ticke me off to be micro managed... trolls are not the only ones who get to protect friends"

Kerri nods slowly. "You were worried and ticked off about Dagmar and her folks...and he was coping with the fact that his brother nearly died. I think you were both under serious stress, and your stresses didn't mesh well. Making more stress." A pause. "Zane, Frank is your mentor. Why?"

"Because he's wise, and has much to teach. He's...he's the Mountain! I mean, I have other mentors, heck, even learned from the OTHER Mountain, but Frank's patient, and kind and.. shit I'll say it, he appreciates me, normally. I think maybe your'e right. I was stressed, and got a bit ...over passionate... and he got stressed and got protective. I think maybe on top of it, I had a flash back to when my dad would always try to 'improve' whatever I did even when I was satisfied." A shake os his head "Which isn't fair to the Mountain, that's MY Baggage, not his. It's more like what.. I think maybe I cut Sir Frank more than I realized. It's hard to tell with him. He's reserved, but I think maybe he meant it to be help and I not only got annoyed I told him where to stick it, not overtly but... it wasn't fair of me to treat him that way. I don't want him thinking I don't need him still. I just want a longer reach?"

The satyr wilder has beccoem more and more a man, but the vulnerablity there might make Kerri remember when he was a high strung younger wilder/near childling

Where did the time go?

Kerri gives a slight grin, appreciating the clarity of his self-evaluation. "I think all of that is fair, although I wasn't a witness. And I think that you, a passionate and impulsive young man who is made moreso by your kith, chose as one of your mentors a troll -- a kith that is already protective by nature, and an individual troll who bears that burden closer to his heart than many. There is likely to be conflict. And in the moment -- consider it. He wasn't present to protect his brother. He's damn sure going to want to protect anybody else that he can." She considers for a moment. "If he's thinking that you don't need or want him anymore, he hasn't said so to me. If he does...well...I'll see what I can do to set the stage for that message to get through to him."

"Thanks." A beat "he does know that it's not HIS Fault that Jaymes was shot right? I mean, he can't guard everyone he loves 24/7 by hovering over them. Even the Chief would get annoyed by that and she loves him more than life's breath"

Another slight grin at his phrasing, then a sigh. "I don't know. I haven't had the chance to speak with him about it. But even if he knows he can't guard everybody, I think he'd rather take the blame on himself than for a moment entertain the notion of blaming some other Rivervaler for a lapse in judgment or alertness."

"umph, sounds like him" A shake of his head "And they say we satyrs can be high maintenance. No wonder Piper has to put her hoof down with Siv now and then"

"I'll admit it," the Hearth says good-naturedly, "as a kith, we tend to irritate people when we're just trying ot do the right thing."

"Oh, speaking of Piper... Siv and Jonas want to give her more to do to help around here because she's been asking, but while all this is going on, they may go into protective mode. SO if you can think of a task for a disturbingly short but talented satyress musician, you may want to suggest it." Clearly he cares for his kin, even if he teases her about her height

"Hmm. Well, she's always welcome to lend a hand here for general this-and-that...but I'll put my mind to the question and see if I can come up with something a more specifically appropriate to her. But yes...you may want to keep in touch with her about the protective-mode thing. She's outnumbered, and will need to vent to somebody who understands, sometimes."