#rivervale_lodge

A quiet groan. "Right...right. Need to get ready." She looks down at herself. "Need to get dressed, for that matter."

"Hearh, today isn't imbolc, you aren't expected to play a role unnless you want to" Vali says "Balefire is magic.. so i'm the one who has to smell pretty, and for that matter the Chief can show up and as actual ruler witness it, and we celebrae tomrorow"

"Perhaps, but it still takes some wrangling. The Chieftain is still on patrol, I suppose. Balefire feels fine, if a little low-power."

Vali hands her a refreshed cup of coffee "one more swigg?"

A grateful grin as she accepts. "Thank you, Mountain." Then a blink. "Oh! Jordan! Did Jordan make it okay?"

"yeah... apparently his part was brief but crucial?"

"Oh, good. He was so insistent."

"He's a good kid" Vali says "Heavy Burden"

She gives him a curious look. "Beyond what I already know?"

"not sure what you know" he answers "he'll handle it.. pobably"

"Well, I know his chrysalis forced him to realize his parents had been wrong about everything. That took him a while to adjust. But...you mean something yet to happen, it sounds like."

"Oh... hearth, the kids are ...well, whatever else happens, you're gonna burst with pride" a beat "We all will"

Her brow furrows...but then she sighs. "I wish you could tell me, but I know you can't."

She glances over to the early stages of bread-making, and whispers to Vali, "I'm tempted to see what they could do with the whole process."

"Go for it. " A wink "And go shower. Hot water"

"Yes, Mountain," she takes the order willingly enough, and off the Hearth goes to shower.

Siv and her dad bake and cook together "Olgar owes his wife a fancy dinner date after this"

"Mm. Not our job to say."

"Oh, not a job, but a well loved hobby, me having opinions. I do them for free"

"Hmphm."

Frank only sets things out, measures out... and waits.

And Siv does like wise

Sip.

"I think it smells pretty good" at their effors

"Kerri will make it smell better, I'm sure." Frank hasn't gone beyond ingredients, measuring, and setting out equipement.

"Well, at least we saved her time," Siv says "Is it my imaggination or did she have a hang over?"

Frank lifts an eyebrow.

"I didn't see anything."

"I guess I didn't either" Dryly

"not if we want to stay on her ggood side" Vali declares

Frank gets a second coffee.

"Not my part to speculate."

"She'll be happy when her fam is back" Vali says "if I may state the obvious"

"Of course."

And Gerd comes in "We have a trod!"

"You sound happy about it" Siv observes

"Of course! it shows Aiden is finally being serious about his son"

After a bit, Kerri emerges, looking much more like her usual Hearthy self. "Okay...let's see how we're going...Hi, Gerd."

"Hey, Hearth! We have a nnew trod. o more popping there for me if I don' want to"

"Yes, I heard! You get a break from playing shuttle-bus, hm?"

She takes over on the bread-making process, thanking Siv and Frank for their contributions thus far.

"It's more preppeed thann prepared" Siv says

"I am... worried we migghtt lose litle brotherr on his own more often. Gonna miss him if he part times us, but he IS a squire" Gerd paces a bit

"Wellll..." Yes, the dough has been mixed, but not quite kneaded...and it's been sitting for a bit, so already rising, but... "This should be interesting." She goes to work kneading the dough.

"Good point, Gerd. Of course he's squired to Dagmar, but we'll have to figure out what that means when college starts."

She wrestles the bread for a bit, then sets it to finish its rise.

"If Dagmarr is going " Siv points out

A bit of a sigh. "Well, yes. That seems to be the refrain right now. For Sylvi, too."

"So bonkers, they're both SO smart" Gerd says "Waste if they don't try to do more with their education"

Siv winces, but only Kerri or her dad might notice