#rivervale_lodge

While the visiting troll studies her kith, she may notice that someone is studying her.

A childling with puppy-dog ears sits cross legged with a book on his lap, but without turning the pages as he discretely examines her. When Gwen looks up, Connor quickly looks back down at his book! Which... may actually be upside down.

She smiles at that, just a bit "It says here..." She reads her book "That pooka rely on trolls and that if they're ever in trrouble, they should get behind us"

Kerri came into the hall just in time to hear that part, and she grins. She's carrying a tray of fresh coffee mugs and sets them by the urn.

"Oh, I'm behind my Dagmar all the time. She has much longer legs so it takes me a while to catch up."

"Dame Dagmar is quite the impessive troll. I'm Gwen, of Silverwolf" She holds out a hand

He beams and reaches over to shake, his paw - er, hand, much smaller in hers. "I can do that! Connor, sit. Connor, SHAKE!"

"You have a lot of self discipline" She says in that deadpan ways trolls do, and gives an approving nod

Kerri looks over at Vali with an amused expression.

"I don't suppose anybody would be hungry for cinnamon rolls?" she offers to the room at large.

Vali returnns it. Gwen seems likable. Though she's definitely one of the coffee clutch now

Connor sits UP. "No one likes those."

"Excellent. Wouldn't want them to go to waste. I'll bring them right out."

"Well, " Gwenn looks at connor, sees his intterest "I HAVE been wondering if htey go well with coffee, and I really only need one, but if I had help eating extra, I'd welcome them"

"Oh, I think you'll be very pleased with that experiment," Kerri says to Gwen. And she heads back to the kitchen.

Connor reaches over and taps curiously at Gwen's arm.

It's kind of like pressing a sheet of stone that has cushier tile under it

It's solid

"The Dreaming gave me some natural armor" Gwen explains, "I don't know why; it has challenges, and it has advantages, and I can see it as either one. It helps me protect those I care about so I try to see it as a gift. "

"It's pretty." He says, tail wagging. "Not as pretty as a plate full of cinnamon rolls, but almost as good."

"Very little is as pretty as a plate full of cinnamon rolls," But she smiles "I'm glad you like it though"

And on that note, Kerri returns and places the platter of cut-up cinnamon rolls in reach. "I cut them into bite-size pieces so they're easier to manage while reading. And please make use of those napkins! No sugar-paste or crumbs in the books, right, Connor?"

"Marigold has the same rules, Hearth" she assures and grabs a napkin for connor then one for herself letting the boy get the first roll

Connor DOES take the first roll... and then passes it to Gwen.

(Even if he licks some stolen frosting off his fingers.)

"Oh, that reminds me...I mustn't let you leave without taking some items up to Marigold, if you don't mind."

Gwenn takes it "Thank you, Squire, you're a true gent." Then she looks up at the Hearth, but her eyes dance with a question "Of course"

Kerri grins. "How is your reading going?" she asks Gwen.

Connor perhaps doesn't catch the undertones of the subtle pastry war, but he doesn't mind, he has a face full of cinnamon and frosting.

"Going well thank you, Hearth. The Thanes told me some basics, and the folks at Darkgate told me more, but their mounttain she's more on the mystical side and very busy. This is a lot more detailed. " Then she dares "I hope the pastries I brrought over from Marigold when I came here were ...satisfactory? She really hoped you'd enjoy"

Kerri automatically hands Connor a napkin while listening to Gwen.

"They're lovely!" Kerri assures Gwen. And indeed, she did serve those very pastries after dinner the first night that Gwen and Lavender were here. "Marigold is wonderfully skilled."

"They were okay. Hearth Kerri knows how to make 'em better though. Because she makes hers TROLL SIZED."

Connor is a big proponent for larger pastries.

Kerri ruffles Connor's hair briefly. "My fan club."

Gwen humphs "Well, I respect his loyalty, but you understand I must have my own side as well. Lines drawn but respect all around all that" amusement anyway

"Maybe if you brought more I could taste 'em again to better judge." Connor offers.

Licking his fingers first, then using the napkin - after all, why waste frosting on a cloth?

A brow at Gwen. "And now you see his criminal-mastermind nature."

thump thump thump goes the tail

"DIabolical" Gwen agrees with a smile "I can see how he's got his dad's cleverness"

thump... the tail stops.

At that, Vali's brows shoot up annd he looks to he Hearth

A startled blink. "Ah." Then she nods. "Connor is remarkably clever, and more than a little adventurous. Connor, do you want to tell the story of the beanstalk?" she suggests to distract from the difficult topic.

"Oh! Yes. The beanstalk that we definitely-did-not-climb."

Gwen realizes she ..said something wrong, and shoots the Hearth a grateful look, then asks Connorr "was it a COFFEE bean stalk?"

"Mm." Kerri gives a skeptical look at Connor, then another glance to Vali before she says, "Scuse me, bread in the oven," and heads back to the kitchen.

A laugh at the notion of a coffee bean stalk as she goes.

"Coffee? Coffee comes from coffee dust." He laughs at how silly Gwen is. "It all started when my friend Jack planted jellybeans... He's in the Shadowpaw, you see." The story is winding and meandering, but Connor is rapt in the telling! Perhaps some of the bits - a talking Fish? Hardly. The part where Connor's Muscles grew Three Sizes that day and he was able to carry off an entire toy chest before a Giantess noticed? Perhaps not!

"And then we had to pick up every jelly bean." Connor finishes, with a hang-dog look. "And do a week of chores for EVERY bean we found!"

"Wow... you must have gotten SWOLE" Gwen says, "Clearly the shadowpaw are a mighty tribe, and your braves raid restored balance to the lands. " A beat "A week of chores for every been? Even the green ones?"