#rivervale_lodge

****

It felt like forever, the meeting with Hemlock and other barons.

Court politics is tedious even in small doses. And this was no small dose.

Signe at least has been well behaved. And a conversation starter in more relaxed break times

She has proven to be a charmer, largely for her earnest attention to her early training. Certainly some of the others at court were surprised to hear she came from Silverwolf, but Rivervale's odd alliance with an Ailil hold is no longer news to most.

And she finds Thane Tiffany waiting for her, wearing a sombrero

"Hello, Thane," Brekke says, then "Sit, Signe," in Norwegian to the pup.

"You have been to visit Fenix, it seems."

Signe sits dutifully.she's taken to the language fast

"Your daughter enjoyed the Kerri Snacks, but wouldn't let me hunt a cup of Chubra" tiffany sighs then says "Our damsels are in a sulk"

Brekke gives Signe a brief approving nod. Then a brow. "A sulk? What has happened to cause this?"

"my husband isn't omni Scent" she sniffs "So naturally he's sure he's a bad Mountain. Your husband did what he felt was right, but it didn't go perfectly, so naturally he thinks he screwed up." A low grumble "I know Smurf Village has it's ways but sometimes I get really growly about how much work my damsel has been doing and how hard he is on himself when he feels he screwed up. "

Brekke frowns. "Where are they both?"

"My husband has taken Theon to the zoo... as for your guy? Probably Pawtrolling"

"Mm. I cannot speak to either until later, then. Unless...the Mountain is not actually at the zoo, is he." She is trying to translate the pookaspeak.

"depends on your definition of zoo'

A pause. "The stable."

Tiffany holds up her hands In a hapless gesture

"Anyway... i don't suppose it's too late to fire my damsel? Hey" her eyes light up "How about for sexual harrassment? I'm pretty sure he backed me up in the hallway once. "

A frown. "Thane...I have no intention of dismissing Mountain Vali. It would take an act of great betrayal for me to consider that. If there had been such a betrayal, I think the 'Fire would have alerted me by now."

She grumble grouses

"Are you saying you wish him to be dismissed from the role?"

A guilty look crosses her features

A pause. "Have you told him this?"

"I told him he was making himself a ball of stress and not the sort i wanted to chase"

Lies mixed in there, but there must be

"Hm. And it would be easier for you if I were simply to remove him from the role of Mountain. For surely that would not cause him any stress?" A brow.

A wince "yes. I'm sure he wouldn't take it personally" BLAtAnt lie, then a sigh "i love my damsel and I can't FIX this"

"I may not be able to fix it, either. But I will speak with him to understand more."

A younger wife, wanting to help her husband. The honeymoon maybe over but the love is strong, just frustrated

"Thane, I thank you for speaking with me about this. I do not think the Mountain would have."

"A troll on martyr hill? perish the thought" A sigh "thanks Brekke. I try to keep it light but ... ' hapless shrug "They don't always listen to our ideas, do they? Not.. the way we want'

She considers this a moment. "Perhaps not. But then again, we do not always hear them in the way they wish, I think."

"Now...which way to the 'zoo'?"

She points towards the garden

"My thanks. Signe, come with me." The last in Norwegian.

"Yumpin yimmeny, she knows more norway-ginese than I do" tiffany observes "Oh, she's been guarding the pantry" A chuckle

Signe heels, eager to prove herself

A brief amused look from Brekke, then she goes in search of Vali and Theon.

They are in the gardin, the father letting the boy play with a tonka truck

"Hello, Mountain," Brekke says as she approaches, then "Hello, Theon" with equal gravitas.

Theon looks up at her very intently, then smiles

"Oh, hi, Chief. How'd the visit with the Count go?"

"Signe, gentle" Brekke reminds, then a sigh to the Mountain. "Interminable. No crisis, merely politics. Endless politics. And what of you, here?"

"Quite a to do" He says "your husband saved me from a screw up and saved a human from Thallian"

Signe is gentle with the boy, allowing a dignified wag to show him he is on the approved list

"Tell me more of this." It is an instruction, not an invitation.

"Well, I wrote up a full report, but to summarize, i had a vision of a need for someone to be at the teaneck border, and there was a Polish war hammer of great import. It REALLY Hurts THallian by the way"

"I sent sir frank" he says 'and he ended up discovering Thallian about to sacrifice one Father Pace. "

She is definitely interested in that hammer, but continues listening. A frown and a nod about the sacrifice. She does not seem at all offended that Vali sent Frank, though she does ask, "The thallain were not in your vision?"