#rivervale_lodge

"That's all I can help you with " Mountain Vali says

Buck nods, having more advice helps, "Much obliged Vali..."

"Now, if you like, Gerd will pop you over nnearr Silverwolf. They get fussy if we pop among the center of them"

"Yeah, after putting my hoof in my mouth the other night with Sir Frank and your Chief I should probably make it a one nighter"

"You talk to Lane yet?" Vali asks "She was very brave"

"Going to talk to them all" Buck nods

"Well, get to that then. Gerd has her schooling and I don't want her late" Vali says

"Oh right! Winter Break is over... poor kids" Buck says

(end Scene)

Vali comes into the lodge early! Shouldn't he be teaching?

And why is he carrying a dark kin?

albeit a frozen one? "CHIEF?"

Brekke turns from contemplating the 'Fire. She takes a moment to look at him...then she stands. "What is that?" she demands, one hand on her axe as she puts herself between his burden and the balefire.

"A keremet, one of the Adhene who was.. netrual, in the war. I have him on ice so to speak, Winter stasis. His name is Graves, and he was at the High school hunting for a host..." He sets down the fellow in a troll sized chair, then pulls out an ornate snuff box "to put this sidhe soul into"

Her eyes are wide as she watches the thing. "Is this what keremet do, normally?" A frown. "I do not like that he was hunting in our school."

"Apparently he's under an onus, an obligation to deliver this sidhe soul to a new host. He was eying May, and...well, Dagmar still blames herself for Tanya so you can imagine how well she took that. Graves agreed to leave May be, but wanted help picking out a new body. Dagmar realized I was nearby and brought him to me. I got the story, froze him... and.. well, Dagmar said something abou a shame we didn't have a coma patient. Not sure how serious she was, but I can see merit in nthe idea"

The frown doesn't vanish, but it transforms into something more grudging. "I do not like it...but there are worse fates for those who will not recover, I think."

"That was my hope. I apologize for bringinng him here, but I didn't dare risk leaving him behind"

She sighs. "Once the sidhe is...situated...what happens to the keremet?"

"Not sure. I was thinking of escorting him to a trod. Unlike most adhene, they can walk the silver as they didn't side with the Fomorians"

"Mmph." She ponders a moment. "Best to research recent accidents among mortals."

"Already on it. Theree's also anothere option" he says "I can take this to anothre area entirely... outside of Bergen"

The thinks about this. "If you find the host here, in Bergen, then the sidhe will be indebted to both you and the county as host. That might be an advantage. But did you have a specific alternative in mind?"

"Not really" He admits "But I felt I should mention it if you feel we're too hard pressed, or you wanted to...well, forgive me, gain favor with some place that wants a new sidhe ward"

"Also a possibility. I...." She pauses, and looks startled at some thought.

"I?" He coaxes

She seems reluctant to say it. "This...could not be the thing that the Farm needs, that they do not know they need. Could it?" It sounds like she hopes that it isn't.

"I would think they'd go apeshit if one of their kinian fam got taken by a sidhe? I .. I think it would infuriate them" He says "heck, if this thing were to openn near Sally Mae on my watch, the Hearth would starve me out and she's not even related"

"Or am I misunderstanding your point?"

She shakes her head to clear the notion. "It just seemed a strange coincidence of timing. But it is probably not the case. Please, forget that I suggested this."

A pause "Well, it might be far off in that I don' see them turning aside anny new soul, but they'd probably chuck some Arcadian over to..well, us. "

"Mm, true." She looks at the snuff box and the keremet again, and sighs. "This burden has come to us. If a suitable host can be found here, we should provide. If not, then look further afield."

"The question of what's suitable is a moral quandry... that coma victim sounds like a possible less disturbing one. The other optionnn is a bit high hannded, but an unpleasant person could also be a target.. onne who is a cruel, a mortal so bad that even an Ailil would be an improvemet" he stops himself "Pardon, should't brush all wyverns that way"

A brow. "Do we have a clue about the sidhe's nature?"

"I tried to omen, but rather it gave me insight into the pact with Graves here" he gestures to the still Keremet "A debt was owed and invoked. Perhaps the sidhe wanted a safer arrival than to risk appearing in a cold world and dying with no safe body? perhaps they were picky and told him some qualifiers"

"I.. could remove the statis from the Keremet annd let you question him, assuming he remembers such an old debt in detail"

"It would be a wise strategy," she mutters, regarding the sidhe's possible plans. Then she shakes her head. "Leave the adhene frozen." She taps a table with one silver finger, in thought. "He was at the school. He sought youth."

"And a school, not a hospital...he sought health."

"True. And May is a tall athletic girl, even if she feels outshinned by Sam. She's also a dreamer though ,so low banaliy mightt be just as if not more impotant"

"Difficult to find a dreamer not claimed already, and who would willingly surrender a dreamer to be taken and never returned? Perhaps... a children's hospital."

"mmmph" A glance "Probably a lot younger than Graves was instructed to get, but then, the onus is on him, not us, so we need not abide by it iff we donn't wish to"

"Will he be released if we do not meet the onus?"

"I.. have no idea."

A deep breath. "Not my priority."

"I apologize for my ignorance, I've studied, but I have a.. limited lore whenn it comes to Adhene"

"Mountain, seek out news of recent accidents involving teenagers."

"On it" he pulls out one of those annoying 'smart phones' and starts to type

Precisely what she had hoped he would do. As he works, she turns to the balefire and closes her eyes, reaching out to see if the glamour source might offer some suggestions.

The flames seem a bit.. grumpish. So many changes, so fast. Didnn't they just raise a sidhe a few years ago? Well, the Varich was sweet at times, but such a handful... but this is a lodge, not a Tuatha Dae inn? Really? Well... yes, eschat is escheat and that IS a fae soul. almost sheepishly the hold shakes off it's old fogey huff, and seems ot spread it's presennce across the barony

Yes, yes, I understand. I feel much the same. But we must. She offers what support she may as the flames explore possibilities.