#rivervale_lodge

Decorations are up, all sorts, food smells heavenly as it is being prepared

Familiar footsteps on the gravel path leading to the Lodge, and then Frank enters; he carries a couple large duffle bags.

Oak moves up to him happy to greet.

Siv sees he dad "almost ready for celebrations. "

He sets the dufflebags down; is that... is he wearing a little makeup?

She moves to her father and wipes at his face , then looks at the finger? "Da?"

"Mm. Rosy cheeks."

Oooohhh.... yes, his regular Santa gig. That's what in the duffle bags; his costume.

"Awww." She smiles ad gives him a hug "Did you have fun being a santa?"

"Always do. Going to go clean up."

He takes the bags, and heads up.

She smiles as he goes, only to see a figure burst in "Lady Captain, Lady Captain"

"Kassidy" She grreets her squire

the girl holds up a forked looking bit of wood "The Divining Rod... the one you taught me to whitle?"

A smile "Aye?"

"I .. i used it to track Santa... but it lead me here" She blinks

"You don't say?" Lady Captain Siv smiles, a slight glance to the stairs, then back, "And what are you doing trying to track Sannta anwyay?"

"Are you hiding Santa from me?" the normally polie sidhe girl gives an almost imperial pout "I just wanted to see him."

"He was at the malls and oher places earlier" Siv points out

"Yes, but... I wanted to see if I could get to his workshop... just to see" A blush "A little"

"Oh you're as curious as an Eiluned, and I already told you, the magic doesn't work that way" Siv counters

"But...why would my rod tell me Santa was HERE???" A bit of a whine "What... is santa here to complain about me?"

There is a shower running upstairs.

"Nonsense" Siv says "Santa doesn't nneed to complain about anyone" She looks over at the stockings, forbidden to be touched, the ones for the childlings of and near the lodge "If you've been bad, well, there are uses for coal. If he thinks you're good, then candy is sweet. He needn't bother me about it"

"Argh" The squire sighs

And looks at the stockings "Can I just peek a bit early?"

"If I can't you can't," Brogan says walking by.

"ARGH!" A repeat from the girl

Siv gives her most stoic look, "There are rules, squire. We must honor the ancient traditions."

The fact that Siv might have once been on a ship trying to steal an early look a a laden Yule stocking is not being mentioned here. No, Siv is happy that Kassidy thinks her knight neverr stooped to such attempts

"But, didn't you ever.. sneak a peek?" the girl asks

"Me?" Siv looks offended, "I was a dutiful angel who knew patience. Ask anyone" She says. Though 'anyone' isn't here at least not that Siv knows off

The shower shuts off.

"Here, give me that," Siv takes the divininng rod and puts it in what passes for an umbrella stand

Kassidy just groans "But why would santa come here???"

"Santa ggoes to every house with a child" Siv bends down to tell her "And... he has more agents than our spy master"

"oh.." her eyes grow large as she imagines this

"Now, go help fetch more candy canes" Siv motions her squire "if one or two vanish, no harm"

the squire, bribed, rushes off.

Siv smirks pleased, and says "Glad none of the grumps heard me 'angel' talk"

Frank comes down; hair wet, but with a towel at work. Jeans, teeshirt, and.... Christmas socks.

"Hey da" She smiles "Apparently... my squire, who is now given a chore, used a divinning rod to track santa, annnd for SOME reason it led her here"

"Mm."

"Did you tell her?"

"Not so much"

Amused though "She is now worried she might have coal in her stocking"

"Will she?"

"I could never" She admits

Frank chuckles. "Me either."

"I can't let her know I'm a sofee now can I?"