#rivervale_lodge

"I will not even try to convince Siv to quit." Frank responds "Even if I could, which I can't. She does what she wants."

Frank just gives Vali a glare and a snort.

Brekke wears an expression of discomfort.

Kerri frowns. "It's a valid question, Frank. Do you view being seen as a Pillar to be an insult somehow, when you were previously Mountain?"

"It's an asinine question. No. But I will not put myself in that place on a half-assed plan."

"You are assuming you know Siv's answer. She may be perfectly willing to do it," Kerri points out. "I suggest we find out."

Grunt.

"I will ask her," Brekke says.

Vali frowns "So, it's half assed? To expect someone to get off his..."A breath

Frank folds his arms over his chest.

Brekke quiets again, but Kerri slaps a hand on the tabletop. "Enough. We don't have time for posturing and attitude. Mountain, what role do you want Frank to fill, specifically? What duties?"

"Frank. As Mountain, I'm going to have the occaisional task I will ned you to take part in or even help with, whether you're a pillar or not. And not just you. Though when you face a dragon, you don't grab aa kitchen knife when a mithrel blade is handy"

Another grunt; acknowledgement.

He looks at Kerri, "The last time, I gave him his choice of Paperwork, or Ritual prep, to give you a example. It was not paperwork in as in 'do this months' for me, or ritual prep as in 'run the whole thing after you script it out'. It was in needing assistance for that day, and it was declined. The only thing he agreed to was the one thing I DIDN'T have authority over, having him take up my patrol, which is Storm's preogative .." A look to Brekke "Sorry if I over stepped there , Chief, but I was this close to begging for help for extra time"

Brekke shakes her head. "No need to be sorry, Mountain."

Kerri looks to Frank. "So, we need you to do the tasks that the Mountain asks of you, in an effort to get him the help he needs. Agreed?"

"He doesn't have a plan." Frank says stolidly "He doesn't have a plan to handle the work load. I won't be here all the time. He said it; Siv is a third of the way trained. If the three of you agree on this, then I will do it. While I'm here."

Kerri nods...then pauses. "Do you intend to be away more than usual?"

"What sort of plan does it take to say "i Need assistants" and for that matter 'assistance'? I am going over the list of candiates. That's how Siv came up"

Vali looks a bit irked

"I plan to work." to Kerri. "It's a start." to Vali.

"Frank," Brekke says quietly, "can you think of another likely one besides Siv? One who could be trained as well?"

Vali looks at Kerri "I think I better switch to Grape soda because more booze is likely to remove some restraints right now" He rises "I'll get it"

For her part, Kerri sticks with another shot of whiskey.

He gets himself a grape soda.

"Torin or Tove perhaps."

Brekke looks to Vali to gauge his opinion.

"Actually," Kerri says, "I like those suggestions."

"Torin has a little son too now. Jack Flap. And he helps with his wife's shop. Tove is multiclassing as a skald/mother/woodcrafter and youtube influencer. Don't get me wrong, I considered both, but given MY Reason for needing help involves actually seeing Theon now and then, I thought someone without young children might be best"

"I don't know about Lut or Tig.... possibly one of the recent DeBuke arrivals."

"Hm." Kerri nods at Vali's explanation.

"It would help if you would recruit them, I think, Frank," Brekke says.

Vali rasies a brow at that, "I would like at least veto over who might be pillar or who might not"

Frank nods, agreeing with Vali "Vali should do it."

Brekke blinks, and nods. "I meant to take some of the burden of the task from you, Mountain. Apologies."

"And I appreciate it, and Frank needs to make a list of recommendations for me when he has time. I just didn't want someone else put in a position of being invited to be a Pillar and then find out it was news to me. I gave my reasons why Torin and Tove were on my 'less than ideal' category. As for one of the DeBukes who came here. Not sure...both of them seem to lean storm."

"My go to Pillar right now is Frank, then Siv, but I'll hunt for alternatives with Frank's help " A nod