#rivervale_lodge

"Love you." he adds.

She stiffens, the sighs "Yes, Da. I love you too. " A nod "Love you, mom. I ..need to talk to Piper and Jonas, they'll worry." Annd off she goes

Frank rubs the base of his horns.

Brekke sighs. "Frank..." She stands and gives Siv a hug before she can leave. "Give Piper and Jonas our best wishes," she adds quietly.

Brekke stays by the door when they are alone. "I should have noticed you were evading. Concealing."

"I spoke the truth, but not to the depths of it. I was afraid, and ashamed. Still am." he agrees quietly.

"I should have noticed," she repeats. "I should have seen...that you were in pain."

Frank gives her a wry look. "It's not a contest." a weak attempt at humor.

Doggedly, she repeats, "I did not notice. I should have." She turns to look at him. "Does that make me a failure as your Chieftain and your wife?"

"No."

"No." She repeats. "I have failed in a specific instance, and I regret that... I regret it deeply. But it does not make me 'a failure' in my roles. Do you understand?"

"I do."

"Fine. Then...you may have failed to achieve specific outcomes in your role as Mountain. That does not mean you have failed in your role as Mountain. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"You would have failed if you had refused to try. You did not do that. You performed your role as you thought best, and you have done much good in that role." She steps closer. "You are only seeing the parts that you deem failures...but there have been many more parts than those alone. And that is because you have not failed to approach the challenge."

Frank nods his agreement.

She gives him a long look. "You are only nodding to appease me, is that true?"

"No, Brekke. I agree with what you have said."

(True)

A brow. "Good. Can you believe it, as well as agree with it?"

"I said that my work as Mountain was not without success. I do believe that. I also believe the harm, and continued potential harm, outweighs the benefits, especially if there is another option available."

A long silence.

"Has there been a harm that you have not told me about?" she says quietly.

"I think you've been present or involved in most." He takes a breath, exhales heavily "I couldn't... I didn't say in front of the girls. They would not have believed or agreed but.... I failed in my duty to them. I drove Jess away, and almost drove Siv away. I certainly didn't recognized what she needed, what her soul needed."

"She's not the only one."

Brekke lets out a long breath, and she takes her seat again. "Frank, if anybody bears the responsibility for distance between us and Jessica or Siv, it is both of us, not you alone."

"I do not disagree, but I must focus on what I can do, what I have done." he explains reasonably.

"Perhaps...but you must not claim a burden that is not yours. We, you and I, both chose how to parent, and we did not always get it right. And sometimes when we did get it right, that was not satisfactory for our strong-minded daughters. That does not mean we were wrong."

She knows he agrees but still feels responsible. He says "I will think about your points. They seem valid."

"Well...I thank you for that." Perhaps a slight hint of irony in her tone. She starts to say something else, but then stops a moment before saying, "No, I will not go on. You need time to think about what has been said."

"Thank you for giving me that time."

"Mm." She nods and grows quiet.

Oak moves to bump Frank and Brekke

Frank puts his hand on the dog's head, petting.

Oak gets pet, plus a few gentle rib thumps. After a few minutes, she rises. "I am going to patrol."

It may be that blue fingertips bump a few times, touching.

Oak loves the attention, but mostly he lets them know it will be okay

"Good patrol." he wishes for her, watching her rise and gather her things.

And yes, she does take his hand and give a fingers a squeeze before standing.

She nods. "Good thinking," she says back. "Perhaps consult the balefire, if it helps."

He nods.

And out she goes, into the night, leaving him to mull over what has been said.

(End Scene)