#rivervale_lodge

Frank hears scuffling on the roof of the lodge. It sounds too large to be a squirel

Frank steps outside to look up, examining the roof.

A string of ...autumn leaves falls down, wait, leaves on a string

Fall harvest decorations?

"Who's there?" he calls up.

Siv's head peeks out, "Ah, myself and two childlings, Da. Lily wanted to put up decor and I was worried she'd fall... and Cleo was up here too and the next thing I knew instead of getting them down I was ah.. helping" Sheepishly

Two shy girls peek over the roof edge. Lily whispers a hello but he's not sure he can hear more.

Cleo just blushes and ducks back

"Alright." he goes back inside.

Cleo looks at Siv "Does your dad like anyone?"

"Course he does. If he didn't like my mom I wouldn't be here" Siv assures

"Why is that?" Lily inquires

"Uhm, pardon?" Siv blinks

"Why would you not be here if they didn't like each other?" Lily elaborates

"Why IS that?" Cleo agrees

"Ah.. oh boy" Siv says. As a Fiona one would expect her to be open about the birds and the bees but these kids are just that

"no, you're a girl" Cleo says

Lily looks at Siv clinically "By all standard judgements, Cleo's right"

Siv blinks "Well, ah, thanks. You know what? After we put the decorations up, you two should ask my dad why his love of my mom helps me be here. He's a very wise man, and who would know better than he?"

The childlings nod, and resolve to do so as soon as the decorations are done

Frank, inside, can hear a few more sounds on the roof

He also notices his old desk has some stuff piling up. Mountain Vali appears to be a bit behind

Oak moves back to his side, and looks UP at the sounds as if to ask 'should I be worried about this?'

Frank's beard moves and he rumples the dog's ears. "Nah. Siv's got it."

And Oak wags at that, ressassured. If Frank is cool with it, so is he

Indeed, he leans into the rumple. Oak loves everyone here, but Frank is HIS person

"Good boy." Frank murmurs.

MInutes later, SIv comes in with the kids "Okay kids, you sit down, and I'll get you some snacks. Da? You want anything?"

"Hey there. No, thank you. I'm fine." Frank is settled in a chair, glass of cider at hand, reading.

"Girls did a great job" Siv says "You should look at when you get a chance, though I guess that's inevitable. Sure the hearth will like it" And into the kitchen Siv goes

Cleo and Lily look over at each other, a quick game of rock paper scissors played

Lily wins, so Cleo nervously goes up "Sir Frank Sir?" the boggan girl ahems

"Yes, Cleo?"

"We were wondering, Lily and I? We were wondering Why WOULDN'T Siv be here if you and Chief Brekke didn't like each other?" The girl inquires

Frank puts his book down.

"Say that again?" curiously.

"Uhm" Cleo tries again "We asked Siv if you liked anybody. And she said yes, because if you didn't like her mom she wouldn't be here. We asked why wouldn't she would not be here if you didn't like the Chief. She said you were wise and we should ask YOU why your love of Miss Brekke helps her be here?"

"Seeing as you are old and therefore wise" A nod from Lily of respect

And boggan and sluagh wait patiently for their answer

Frank's beard moves, just a little.

"Mmm. I don't like Brekke."

Cleo gasps

"Intersting" Lily murmers now intrigued

"I love her. Very much."

"In that love, she adopted our oldest, Jessica. And in the Dreaming on a Quest, we had Siv."

Then he kind of tilts his head back and forth. "Well. That's not entirely true. I love Brekke, very much... and I like her too."

Lily sighs "This love stuff seems most untidy, you mean to say old age doesn't.. cure it?" As if it were a rather nasty skin rash

"Mmm... if anything, makes it worse."

"Terminal then?" Lily pries just a bit further

Cleo whispers but loud enough frank can hear "THey're trolls, they tend to be very bondable. I hear when one goes, the other dies in the next 10 years 8 times out of ten"