#rivervale_lodge

Lily sighs

A sluagh doesn't admit when she's feeling lonely

***********

A fine bright day, summer's heat giving way to incoming autumn, finds Brekke out at the stable, tending to the horses.

Familiar footsteps approach.

She finishes putting fresh hay in the last stall, then goes out to meet him as he approaches. A pleased expression, but also curious.

"Hello."

"Do you have a moment?"

"Of course." She brushes off her hands. "Trouble?"

"We have a guest staying with us for the moment. Could be problematic."

She frowns. "How?"

He offers her a letter. "Count Hemlock has assigned me a squire; a nine-year-old Sidhe of my House."

A blink, and both brows go up. She takes the letter and reads.

A heavy sigh. "I do not know why I have not learned to anticipate him doing these things," she mutters.

She hands the letter back. "It is in his nature to assign, not request. That said, he has a point -- without a Liam household locally, it would be difficult for her to find a knight. What is she like?"

"She strikes me as precocious, but that's only on a first meeting."

"Mm. But not offensively so?"

He makes a so-so gesture.

And he takes the letter. "Hemlock's action complicates my plans to get back on the road." he points out.

"Yes." She considers, then gets a skeptical look. "I believe I see two possibilities behind this. One, the Count is unaware of your goals and has inadvertently put an obstacle in your path. Two, he is completely aware of the conflict his is presenting, and this is his sneaky way of assigning me a squire."

"Of course...there is Carowyn. Or Colton, in DarkGate."

Frank frowns. "I would not abandon her."

He exhales, frustrated. "Would you welcome her here? That is, accept her if I were to keep her as my squire?"

"Of course," she answers without hesitation. "And continue her training when you travel, if needed."

"She will need paperwork and a cover story. Education. So on. There are those who would say I'm not the best person to squire a Sidhe, Brekke."

At this point, one MIGHT Notice the tiny shadow being stretched out behind a tree as the sunshifts. It is no sluagh shadow either

Brekke certainly sees it

"This is true..." she says, but nods toward the shadow in case he missed it.

Mmm judging by the silhoutte's head is shaped, it could be a girl with naturally curly hair

"It is interesting that Hemlock made that selection, in fact. He could easily have sent her to EarthRunes. But he chose you. That says something."

Frank nods as well, and asks a question with his eyes. Call her over to meet you?

She nods.

"Kassidy. Come here please, and meet someone."

"doh" migh be heard softly. She has to come out, but will confirm she was listening in. Still, she doesn't keep them waiting, and slips out to bow "Hello, Baroness. I am Squire Kassidy. Charmed" She probably means charmed as a statement, but it comes across more as hopeful question

Brekke looks down at the girl, and she nods. "I am glad to meet you, Squire. Sir Franklyn has told me you have been assigned here. How did you come to Count Hemlock's court in the first place?"

"Well, my dream dance was about a year and three months ago in the Hackensack area, and I was taken right in to Caer Falken for training . They didn't know I was a Liam yet, neither did I. It was very busy, but I studied hard, and then, well, I got my saining. Which was good, I remembered more, and I was a squire which is nice. Of course, I'm also a Liam, so for the last three months he was trying to find me a knight.... but not many wanted a Liam squire" She shrugs, "And that's fine" Lie. It was not fine , not with her, "So I had to wait. Then I was told to come here. I guess I shouldn't have walked in the rain but more important people were using the carriages"

A bit of a frown at the last, but she doesn't make any comment on it. "Squire, I know you are in a difficult position due to your house, but I wish you to answer honestly -- what are your thoughts about being sent to squire to a troll?"

"WELL..." She admits "I have met trolls before, of course, they make excellent guards, and I've seen some good nobles among them so I know they're not new to knighthood . But I haven't really studied the.. uhm.. your kith, in detail. I hear you do things differently and that may take some getting used to. I hear good things about the knights here, like Sir Franklyn and Dame Dagmarr, and Lady Captain Waveborne...and they're all trolls so that's promising. I really shouldn'tt worry.." Hedging at something there

A brow. "But...?"

A bite of her lip "There's no way I can ever be as strong as a troll, or have the reach and if you want a squire who fights as well as a troll I may not be able to cut it." She fidgets "It worries me" Quite true "But I'll try, really hard, and I'm good at other things"

Frank would see that Brekke is covering a hint of amusement, but Kassidy is unlikely to recognize that expression. "Other things, such as...?"

"No one is questioning your value, Kassidy." Frank rumbles gently.

A nod of agreement at Frank's comment.

And he does glance at Brekke; he is not as amused.

She returns the glance briefly before returning her attention to Kassidy.

Kassidy says "I.. you're Liam, sir, you know how most value us." or don't, is the unspoken response, then she brightens as the Chief asks "Oh, yes, things I'm good at. Well, I'm very smart for my age. I do know the basics of sword play already, and musing. I'm told I'm really good at kenning, I can sense glamour really well. Uhm wha else? Oh, I skip rope really well, which if you were a girl childling, you'd understand that's a good skill to have"

All true!

She nods. "And...your weaknesses?" Spoken in the same tone as the request for her strengths.

A glance back to the tree "Well, I am a 9 year old kid. I might get curious now and then." Then she adds "For a time, they thouht I might be an Eiluned" She rolls her eyes. Clearly she's nnot a fan of the black and SIlver, or at least not a fan of someone mislabeling her

Frank rubs the base of his horns.