#rivervale_lodge

When the Hearth arrives back, she doesn't pause to change out of her travel gear before getting to work on making more Heatherbalm cookies. And so it is that she's hard at work in the kitchen while still in riding leathers.

"Did you get revenge, my liege?" Squire Brogan says which in a normal kid would probably translate to a fond 'did you have fun?' question

A sigh. "No. Mortal laws are such that any real vengeance can only happen incrementally. But..." A grin. "I was able to get a few to sit down and shut up while I berated them. We'll see if it makes any difference in the long run."

"One must sometimes bide to sow the seeds of revenge " A nod "I wasn't allowed to partake in the hunt for the shooter. Sally Mae told me we were needed here. I think she was trying to protect me" A sigh "Oh, She's sweeping the halls upstairs, and I think your husband is out back practicing with Echo. Did you want me to get either of them?"

"Not yet. Squire, how are your cantrips coming?" she asks while mixing batter by hand.

"I've mostly been focusing on hospitality, food prep, and sword play, but my primal practice is going smoothly" A bit proud "Yesterday I summoned some elements randomly testing them on the targets. That's why the poppin jay has burn marks"

She nods. "Good progress. I need to ask you now to focus on your Primal. We need to be sure that there is somebody who is able to make these," she indicates the cookie batter, "when I am not here. It will take some time, and it will mean putting your other arts on the back burner for a while."

A nod, "I'll focus on it, Dame" He is resolved "My Wayfare lessons from Gerd are on hold or at least slow for a bit anyway. " A thought "If I might.. uhm... well ,it's against my kith's nature to let others take the lime light, but may i make a suggestion?"

"Mm?"

"Jack Flap, he uses his spring magics a lot, mostly for plants. He learned from DeBukes and your daughter. Recently, he used it to help heal a tree, that means he can probably heal changelings too. He just doesn't think about it. "

Torin's adopted son is a frequent sight in the gardens

And that might explain Brekke's surprise at finding some rot had reversed on a sugar maple which Kerri was told of

She blinks and grins. "Squire Brogan...that's an excellent insight. What do you think of his ability as a baker, though? Think he's got what it takes?"

"His mom is brilaint with herbs, but as a boggan she's not bad at basic bread making... forgive the the kith typecasting" he tries to sound more dignified than his years, but his little chest swells with boyish pride at the praise for his insight "I think he could make something edible, but he'd probably do better if sally mae or I guided him and worked with him on the cookie making. " A beat "Also he might steal one out of every 4"

"Then this is your new task, Squire. You will teach Jack Flap how to bake cookies. Simple cookies at first...and then we will figure out how to infuse them with his Spring arts. They will be different than Heatherbalm, but certainly just as effective, if not moreso."

"I will" he says

A bemused look. "It might not be so easy."

"I am of the Shining Host, he will be guided me, or else I'll sick Connor on him" He adds

She puts down the bowl and makes an intricate series of gestures over the dough before starting to roll it into balls, infusing each with the cantrip, and setting them on a baking tray.

A grin as she works. "You may find the cookie tax becomes very high, with that crew."

A sigh "Yes. It's as you told me, true rulership of the kitchen is complex and nuanced. Probably why so few Sidhe pursue it. We can be impatient"

"It's easier for sidhe in positions where there are thanes to enforce the rules. But I don't think we need a thane of dishwashing, do you?"

He looks amused "Well, it isn't like you havent yanged tig in for the task before"

"That's making a thane DO dishwashing, not having a thane to enforce others doing dishwashing...but point taken." A mutter, "Should probably have a thane of hand-washing, though."

"We just get caught up in fun stuff and well, Speaking as a childling, it's so boring, but necessary" A shake of his head "But Jack has to be told twice, and Connor needs to be told to get both sides of his paws tops and bottoms. Layne's pretty good about it but girls often are. '

"I am glad you are overseeing them."

his brow goes serious knit, a bit trollish, it does rub off "In truth, while I do in the kitchen, it's Connor who is leader of us. Not just the Shadowpaw, which of course you cannot know about being an adult, but he has quiet expectation of the best of us with such... uhm what's the word ? Ferv-ant belief that you don't want to let him down. If he were a sidhe, he'd be a prince"

A bit wistful "I think I shall never inspire that way"

She pauses and turns to look at him. "Squire, that is quite a compliment. Have you told him this?"

"Oh HECK No" suddenly a boy again, a kid, "that would just make our friendship all weird. I will slap him on the back or punch him in the arm lightly, or call him a fuzzhead as the gods of Dudes ordained is proper"

A grin. "Well, okay. Far be it from me to challenge the way of the Dudes."

"Thank you for respecting our culture" he nods somberly

"Of course," she says, equally somber, and then puts the tray of cookies in the oven. "Please keep an eye on those and take them out in 10 minutes. They'll need to go on cooling racks right away. And..." she passes him the now-empty mixing bowl and mixing spoon as if they were a staff and orb of office. "I'm sure you'll be able to take care of these, right?" Looks like there's just enough delicious batter left in there to get a few good tastes.

"MMM yes, yes I will . It's my duty" Somber and yes, already thinking of how to dispose of the excess "Good to have you back, my liege" a farewell

"Thank you, Squire. I'm going to shower and change and unpack." So saying, she heads down the hall to the room she shares with Olgar, taking her travel bag with her.

And Squire Brogan gets to work. Humming the tune to flying higher from rocky movies to make the already fast paced world of cuilanry mastery even more exciting

(End Scene)