#rivervale_lodge

Torin Torad takes his guitar, and in a deep voice sings for the younger ones...which is just about everyone in the room

"Swords once sharp now gather dust
Much oil and work fight creeping rust
Where once we had no time to care
Reaching for battle brave hands bare"

Jack , of course, sits closest. This is his dad. The man who helped him love music again,, well one of those who did. Torin winks and keeps singing,
"Our lances shone back brighter sun
Our coffers groaned with treasure won
Proud names we held o'er many lands
Proud lords bowed to our commands"

"Then dragons raged and died fierce
As keener, sharper blades did pierce
Swung by bolder, stronger men
Wine and laughter both sweeter then" Melancholy notes of Autumn's gain on once summer forms

"So long ago, in fading dreams
Sometimes fancy it all seems
But by this sword, tis all true!
Laugh? This old blade will answer you!" Pride

"My old tired eyes no longer shine
My hands are weak; far too much wine
And little weapon work yet I fight" He mimes chomping his teeth, sharp despite his years
"Old wolves can still, defiant, bite"
Zane smirks from his reading space.
Which gives the skald an opening for the next lines, "And talk your talk not so loud
Foolish, blind, young and proud
Or I'll rise yet, and we shall see
If you'll ever live as long ... as me!" And he hurls a cushion at the still smirking Zane, scoring a good hit

"HA!! You got him, Dad!" Jack cheers him

"I didn't say anything!" Zane protessts but chuckles

"You were smirk thinking it!" the boy declares

"That he was," Torin nods, then looks to Zane "It didnn't hurt you though did it?"

"Nah, thanks, nice song" Zane smiles

"Got anything.. cheerful?" Zane asks "It feels tense. No news from Caer Falken yett with Jordan and Tiara. It's.... drving me nuts"

"Well, Jack wants me to practice my Weird Al. What, I asked him, was a Weird Al?" Torin looks to his adopted son "And he said?"

"He's old and sing like you but funner" Jack blushes

"Yah," Torin chuckles

"Sorry Skald, no one beats his Weirdnness" Zane says

Sylvi grins. "I can't picture you playing, like, Amish Paradise."

"I'm trying to learn it, " the skald admits "Interesting Cadence"

There's a knock at the door

Sylvi is shocked that Torin's even heard of it. But then there's a knock, and she jumps up to answer.

Opening the door, she looks out.

Jordan half moves through "Leech is on his way to his next life." Even perphial kenning shows him surging with a kind of magic, a glamour writhing and new still settling in him "We're safer"

Sylvi blinks and steps back, letting him in. "Are...are you okay?" Whatever she's kenning has her very puzzled.

"You know me, I'm never okay" he says "But Lane's safe, and you guys made sure his reach after was nothing"

Tiara comes in afer "he won't talk about it"

Sylvi closes the door after Tiara, but she's still looking at Jordan. "That's great...but...something changed."

"Yeah, we won. that's an exciting new thing" he only half jokes "Seriously, I'll be fine"

Zane is starin too "Did you suck down a chimera or something?"

Sylvi passes through the room and hurries into the kitchen.

"Look, when the Mountain appears, or the Hearth or Chief does and orders me to talk... I'll talk" Jordan says

No sooner does he say it than Kerri comes out of the kitchen. "You're back, good." She immediately looks both him and Tiara over to check that they're well.

"Sylvi is calling the Chieftain in from the training ring."

"Well.. shit" Jordan muters then speaks up "Leech is gone. Poof. nextt life heading"

Kerri nods. "Good." She gives him a bit of a searching look, much as Sylvi did, but doesn't say anything else. "Let me get you something to drink."

Brekke comes in through the kitchen, clearly having just been practicing. "You are well?" she asks both.

Tiara says "I'm fine, thank you, Chieftain"

She DOES look at Jordan

Jordan says "Arguably better than ever, and I'm glad leech is gone"

Brekke nods with satisfaction at hearing that, and she takes her seat by the balefire. "Tell me how it was."

Sylvi has followed Brekke back in, anticipating her mother's task and bringing ice tea for Jordan and Tiara.

"he was .... smug until he saw it was a centaur in the room... then he got scared. I liked that" Jordan admits "I told him all his ambitions were ash, everything undone. There would be no payback from beyond. I insulted him, and told him I hoped it hurt. Then.. I approached and ...fate kicked in. He began to age... rapidly ... till there was dust"

Frank comes with them.

Frank heard that, just in time

The Gwydions in the room would know it was true

Zane looks curious as if there is more, when he sees Frank, he moves to get him his cup of coffee

Brekke listens carefully...then frowns at the end.

She doesn't say anything, but continues to watch Jordan.

Frank accepts the coffee when it is offered, but offers it in turn to Brekke with a natural gesture.

Brekke declines the coffee with a slight gesture, then looks back to Jordan again. "There is more."

"You expect me to remember every little thing , GEEZus?" Jordan evades a bit testily. Jerkass works, jerkass he can do. Unfortunately he's in a room with folks far more polished at recogizing acting than he is AT acting.

Frank keeps the coffee, then.