#rivervale_lodge

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The following day, Brekke sends word asking Vali to meet her at Rivervale for a discussion. If he arrives at the appointed time, he finds her looking over the garden, pruning and weeding a bit where necessary.

He does show up, "Chieftain, you called for me?"

Vali's eyes dance over the garden... "You and Jack really aced the garden this year"

"Vali, yes. I did. Thank you for coming. And yes...Jack has brought fresh eyes an ideas." She looks at the Lodge for a moment, then says, "Come, let us walk." She turns to head into the woods along one of the paths.

He moves along, easy strides, "Lodge has been crazy these last few months.. but I think we count most of what happened as win"

She nods. "I think so, yes. We have had to work hard, but we have experienced great victories." A glance at him. "What do you think has been the most important event, recently?"

"Interesting question, lot to choose from. Leech being taken down for good seems the obvious answer, but I think ties restored actually tops it"

"Ties restored...." An unspoken invitation to elaborate.

"It's ... gguess work, but I think some friends had a good talk, and some bridges saved from burning," he answers

"Hmm. I think I do not often see such things happening. I am glad you are aware of them." She is silent for a few moments. "I wonder if you are also aware of a change that is approaching, but has not yet been discussed broadly."

"i'd like to play the 'of course I know I'm a Beaumayn' card, but fun as that is, I think this is too important for me to make the jokes first. What's up?" His brows knit

"Well..." A thoughtful pause as she walks, and then a sigh. "I am not so artful at speaking that I could hint clearly without saying, and so I had better simply say it. Frank is planning to step down from his role as Mountain soon."

"Is he... and I'm not joking, is he of failing health?"

She sighs. "If he is, he has not told me so. Our bodies age, of course, but...." She trails off a moment before continuing, "I do not think it is that."

Though a hint of doubt there.

"Then thank the Dreaming" He puts a hand on her shoulder "Don't let me fill your mind with worry. The reason I ask was,, I had.. hints that one day... well, there are a lot of ways to be retired .. some of them QUITE ugly . Black's not your color nor does it look well on your daughters, chieftain." He looks relieved in fact. Whatever he saw, it had a nnasty option and he's glad it's not taken that fork

A sharp look. "Hints? Vali, if you do not wish to fill my mind with worry, you are doing a poor job of that goal."

"Right. I saw an imagge of a mountain shrinking , and a new mountain rising... about 3 months ago."

"If it is that, he has not said so. I will ask him."

"So.. I'm glad the CAUSE of this coming to pass isn't death. Better?"

"Ah." She nods. "Yes, he has decided it is time to pass the task on. He will still be of the Lodge, but he wishes to return to the road, as well. Another shall be Mountain."

"Fair.. now, as a friend.. WHY does he want to quit the job? He's so good at it. I loved my grandpa but in some ways Frank is better than he was. the Old Hornshield sometimes lacked subtlety. Probably where Gerd gets her 'zap, lake town' attitude from"

A slow exhale as they walk. "I believe he has grown to feel the role as a burden, a task that he has undertaken as a duty, not a pleasure. He has been doing it a long time, since Vegard chose him, and I think he feels that it has, recently, taken him further from himself. I do not argue this -- if it is his wish to make a change, I support this... if we can count on a suitable Mountain in his place."

"If it's what he wants" A nod, a nose wrinkle "Damn. Breaking in a new Elder is hard."

"It might be. It might not." She stops walking. "Vali, I will say it simply: I wish to have you take his place as Mountain, if you are willing."

If they're still walking, she'll surely notice he's lost a step . "Me?"

She has stopped walking, and turns to face him. "You."

"Well, I'll be honest," He looks at her "I'm incredibly flattered, and evenn more so intimidated. You realize I'll be under the eyes of TWO former mountains while I'm working? Sir Frank, and Gerd who was one in a past life. If they break out the Olympic judging cards, I'm not sure how well I'll score" Vali's expression is thoughtful "Does Frank think I'd be a good one? I know it's your choice, but I'd like to have his blessing in this"

"I think you should have that conversation with Frank. He knows what the role entails better than I do, and can tell you what his opinion is better than I can. I do know he is concerned about putting you in this role as you are about to become a father."

"mmm" A nod "I suppose the father thing is a factor but... between you and me? While I may just be her uncle in blood, there's no threat to the son or daughter tiffany annd I are going to have that wouldnn't have equally rattled me for my niece. Kind of like if you heard Dagmar was in danger, whoever was threatening her better hope he wasn't in SPeake's reach. Or am I guessing on that? You seem fond of your neice"

A slight grin and a nod. "You have the right of it. And good, yes. Vali, I think you would do the task well, from what I do know of the task. You have recorded our histories, in your own way. You know the heart of Rivervale as well as any, and far better than a stranger would. Perhaps sometime in the future we will need to turn to outsiders to fill a role at the Lodge, but I do not think that time is now. Am I right that you would accept the role of Mountain?"

"Yes, I would, tiffanny will understand, though she might joke about a raise" He nods "If Frank gives his blessing, please connsider it accepted. My style will be different, that is obvious, but I promise while i might joke around, I'll always give my all" He offers his hand

"If he gives his blessing..." she repeats, and then nods and takes his hand in a firm clasp. "I would not ask you if I did not think you would give your all. Thank you, Vali. This eases my mind. Please speak with him soon, tell him of this conversation."

"I will, and thank you again, this is an honor" then as the clasp ends "I better go talk to Tiffany or Frank, which ever I see first"

"Be certain of Tiffany's feelings on this, Vali. I would not give her a reason to resent me."

"Tell me after you have spoken with them both." She lets him depart, and continues on to do a short patrol.

"I hear you.. she's probably wagging arounnd in dog form... says she's testing patrols from that perspective" Annd off he goes

(end scene)