#rivervale_lodge

Vali has requested Frank come in to the lodge for a talk

Frank stays close to the Lodge this time of year; in a week or so he'll be on a run Over The Road for for now? He's here. He's laying on the floor with Oak when Vali enters.

Vali smiles "You've got him well trained"

Frank grunts; hard to say exactly who Vali is speaking of.

Indeed, but Vali says "Can I get you a drink, Frank? "

Oak just wags

"Nah. Thanks."

"Gotcha. Frank. I need your help" A sip "I'm a bit overwhelmed. Maybe it's a failing in me, but the Mountain Duties have proven to be too much for me to handle AND be a father, a husbaNd, a teacher, and a writer. I know you don't want the job back, but I need you to at least be an assistant. A pillar of the Mountain"

Frank rolls to his back and stares up at the ceiling for a bit.

"Won't be here."

"You're here now" He says "And when your here, I need your help"

"Who else?"

"Well, Symon and Zane are both gone..."

A grunt.

"So... so far, I'm a bit short handed. Hence the need for your assitance when you're here"

"Now if you have suggestions for other Mountain Pillars I'm happy to hear the ideas"

He stares up at the ceilling some more, cogniting. "Your pillars. You find them."

"Talk to Brekke."

"Well I found one" He says and points to Frank

Frank rolls his head to look at Vali, and appears irritated "Who else?"

"Well, there's you, and who ever else I can figure out" He says with a shrug "Work in progress. "

He grunts, looking away again "Talk to Brekke."

"I'm talking to you right now" He reminds "As for recruiting, I may ask her opinion, but it would be just that. I have to make the choices. And I'm choosing you for number 1. I'll find number 2 soon as possible. You prefer Paperwork, or Ritual prep?"

"Pass" then, grudgingly "For now."

"Pardon?" A brow

Frank declines to repeat himself.

"Frank, am I Mountain or not?"

"Yes."

"Right, hard to tell which part you're answering too. I realize this time of year you go a bit mono syllabeic, but no, you don't get to pass 'for now'. Kerri can assign random Hearth Tasks. And I can assign random Mountain related tasks. Particularly with those I KNOW are good at it. YOu're not being saddled with all of it, or even much of it, but I do need your help . The LODGE needs the help. I'm this close to being oathbroken over this. Truehearts? Wife first. Remember that?"

"Talk to Brekke."

Frank seems to rally for a moment, sitting up and inhaling a deep breath through his nose, as if scenting.

"Told her. This moment would come. Talk to her."

"Brekke's not Mountain."

"Mountain is part of triad."

"That's -three-."

"Right, and this is my baliwick, not Storm, not Hearth"

"You can count to three, but you seem to think a third , me, doesn't count"

"You are only one of three."

"Yes, and I am telling you I have a task for you. Just like Hearth or Storm might. Only they aren't told to talk to Me when they do it"

Frank shifts his jaw and wets his lips, as if seeking a morsel of food in his mouth.

"Choice for Pillar, Crash, and Embers made together. Discussed. Do that."

A SLOW breath "Frank. It was also set up that we could pick replacements... that's .." He holds up notes "I've got that on record. Further more, you told me when you stepped down I could rely on you to help. That's on record up here" He taps his head "I'm telling you, I need the help. I need YOUR help"

He holds up a finger. "No plan." A second "Half-baked idea." A third "Stupid." He puts the fingers down.

"You're not stupid. And my plan's not stupid either. HOWEVER, fine. You can help me in a third way. You and Oak take an extra patrol today. The one I was set up to do. That'll buy me more time to take care of the paperwork and still juggle other things. It's not a Mountain thing so I can't order you to do that, but I surely would appreciate it"

Frank scraches his beard, and nods.

"THANK you" He says and turns to the desk and takes some papers out, definitely feeling a headache coming on

Oak moves to the door at the word 'patrol'

Frank sits on the floor, watching Vali.

"Frank, now would be good"

Then he adds "Please"

A grunt, and he stands. He joins Oak and they depart.