#rivervale_lodge

Of all the folks one might expect at the lodge, Storm Colton isn't one of them, but yet there he is.

"Colton!" Kerri is, indeed, surprised. "Come in!"

"Is everything okay at Darkgate?"

"Actually, I'm not sure" He says sounding suprised "Ever since Valentine's Day, I find my hours..reduced? the Chief is taking over more of my duties. He says I'm great, but he needs to be more 'hannds on'"

She has ushered him inside. "Really? Well...I suppose if the gate is sealed, that makes sense. Not always on such high alert as you were."

"I suppose" he says "It's MORE Sealed but there's always a risk" He comes in "I keep wondering whatt I did wrong, but he says I didnn't. I... did your husband tell the Chief to give me a break? " He moves in "if so I appreciate the.. concern but..."

"Ahhhhh, I'm not sure?" She seems to have been taken off guard by the question, and now smiles. "Hungry? Can I get you something?"

"Well, hold loyalty demands I say our Hearth keeps me well fed att all times" A look left and right "But I have missed your cooking- strictly off the record"

That gets him a wink. "Well, come to the kitchen, let's gets some good Rivervale food in you." She leads the way. "Maybe something a little...simple and solid? Bread and meat and cheese?" She knows that Marseilles' talents tend to be over-fancy.

"Meat is good" He says

"and thank you. How's Sylvi? I thought of going to goldfinch, but ... well, I have something for the lodge from the Chief anyway" he has a backpack

She gestures him to take a seat on one of the kitchen stools, and then she puts together a plate of good, solid food for him.

"She's fine! Busy...Goldfinch, of course, and school, and the cheer team is having a competition soon, and...well..." A bit of a sigh.

"Oh, I should show up for that" He says "the competition I mean." A brow "Well?"

Kerri puts the plate in front of him, along with a large glass of cider. A pause. "She...hasn't spoken with you about college, has she?"

"Not so much" He says "Probably she feels conflicted about it. I think she'd love it, but she's also just got back so... I don't know her choice."

A sigh and a nod. "I don't want to go behind her back, but I thought you might have some idea that she hasn't shared with me. I don't think she's quite figured it out, no.

"I haven't talked too much, but I can guess a few things"

She gives him a look, then very pointedly puts a pastry on a plate and slides it across the table to him. Clearly, encouragement.

"Go on."

Almost reluctantly, he states speculatively, "Sylvi is a natural leader, but she also has some anti authoritarian tendencies. Going to a place just to be bossed around when she already knows what she feels she needs to know? Add to that the feeling she's deserting goldfinch to do it? I think it bugs her, and she feels pushed by others hopes and expectations"

Kerri blinks. She processes this a few moments. "Oh. I...hadn't considered the loss of authority factor."

"I can't say what her top pet peeve is, but unproven people feeling entitled to boss her around? In the top five"

"I suppose...it would be as if I were expected to...well, go work at Caer Falken for four years."

A tap on his nose. then "Oh... would you like to see our gift to the hold?"

"to Rivervale I mean?"

"Oh! Sorry, yes. Of course!" She shakes off the other thoughts and refocuses on whatever he has in the backpack.

he pulls it out "I didn't wrap it, but I figure you might get a kick out of it"

"top quality metal, damascus pattern"

"Ohhhhh...." A tone of reverence. "Oh, Colton...they're beautiful." She reaches out to touch one without picking it up.

"This is your Chieftain's work?"

"Well, they're yours" He smiles

"And, yes, Chief Hewitt wanted to thank Rivervale for support. We wouldn't be there without the Chief Brekke's actions as you recall"

"Oh, they're.... oh, wait!" She turns away and heads down a hall away from the kitchen. "Stay right there a moment!" She vanishes through a door.

"No need to repay or gift us back it's..." But it's too late

An amused look, "She's as bad as Sylvi says"

"No no no!" she says as she comes right back, a small pouch in her hands. "Not a gift, but...well, haven't you ever heard that you can't give a knife as a gift or it will sever the friendship?"

"Oh!" realizaion "I assure you, the Chief NEVER meant that"

"No, of course! But...we have to make it not-a-gift." She smiles and reaches into the pouch. "Open your hand."

He opens it

HHis hand that is

She presses five coins into his palm, one at a time, each one clearly old.

"What kind of coins are these?" He looks "tthey look old"

"They're a variety. None would be particularly valuable to a collector, but they're all made of silver, and I think they're all over a hundred years old." She grins. "I figured they might come in handy some day, this is a good occasion for them."

"It's a symbolic gesture, Colton, so don't go letting your Chieftain think I've done something to up the ante here. They're just coins...perhaps a weeee bit of dross amongst them."

"Oh.... " he says "Silver? I... thank you. I'm a bit in awe. You know what we can do with this? Smithing wise?"

"Um...no. Not my strength, smithing. And...it's not much silver, really." She indicates the coins...they do all fit in the palm of his had, even if some of them are a bit big.

"Oh, we can use this little for a lot" He says with pride "and I use the term little tongue in cheek" he ponders "Oh, before I forgett, your payment is accepted on behalf of Darkgate"

A grateful nod...and she finally picks up one of the knives, checking the weight and feel of it. "Oh...lovely..." she murmurs.