#rivervale_lodge

"For the past year, mostly." She swallows, and sees if standing in a military parade rest makes this easier.

"Yes, and ... the victim, but perhaps a willing one" He says "The art used is called Aphrodisa. In this case, I suspect it switched the love Symon felt for Dagmar to another's advantage, Cairean I suspect. A clurichaun"

She looks up sharply, eyes wide, cheeks purple.

A large blink at Vali, and a sudden look to Dagmar.

"I...see."

"I... we.. we were talking... um.. about how we felt, when... when I told Symon how I felt about him..."

"And.. that.. it went off, and he said he loved Cairrean and, yeah, I..."

"Okay" Vali nods, then says "Chief, I think it is safe to say, for the sake of Symon's dignity and Dagmar's too, we agree the..details are just in this room right now"

She looks at the pair, desperate. "Please."

"Sure thing!" Says Connor, peeking out of a cupboard. "I only told my CLOSEST friends on the walkee talkee!"

(NOT)

A slow nod. "Agreed." As she has more time to process it, Brekke seems increasingly at ease with the idea.

"I don't really want to be in debt to that b-... person... but I absolutely don't want her to have any further hold on Symon."

"He wants to give what's left of the necklace back to her."

"DID Symon agree to it? "

"He... yes. He agreed to wear it."

Brekke's brow furrows. "And...?" Clearly she thinks something is missing.

"Why?" Vali says to clarify

A grimace. "He paid her to use it on him. It was a deal, but she... he paid her in jewelry, and gifts, and a cruise, and... had to pay extra, because he was so 'disgusting and unappealing' to be around."

Vali frowns "Okay, that omen makes a lot more sense. Let me tell you what I saw ? real quick?"

Brekke's look turns stormy. She leans for it. "This is the clurichaun girl?" she asks darkly.

"And he paid her because when he told me how he felt about me... I... I said I didn't feel that way about him. I didn't want to lose our friendship, and..."

She exhales and nods. "Yeah, the clurichaun."

"And it all got so messed up" Vali says with a sigh "Believe it or not, others have made.. similar mistakes. When I was a childling, I loved a girl named Small Anne. I would have died for her. I just couldn't stay with her. "

Brekke regards Vali, thinking back...how long ago was it that he was that young?

She clears her throat. "Mountain, I wish to bar her from Rivervale. Do I have standing, as you see it?"

"How do we protect him, if she demands payment for the treasure?"

Vali goes on with the omen "On three of the candles the flames
flicker back to life, with wisps of smoke spread and solidify taking
forms atop each of three candles. Vague, little more than a fuzzy smoke
outlines without defining features.

Black, Grey, and Red candles, each with a smoke figure atop them, the candleflames burning in their chests.

Grey, arms outstretched, reaching towards the figure that curls atop the Red candle, facing away.

The Black figure gestures, and thin chains of smoke whisk in and wrap
themselves around the Grey figure, twining and squeezing. Grey's arms
lower, then it turns, away from Red to face Black, and the light from
Grey's candleheart dims, flowing along the chains, and strengthening the
fire in the Black figure's core.

The figure floating atop the Red candle remains, unaffected, yet no longer seen by the Grey." Then he adds "Chunk Ching"

Dag drops her eyes to the floor, shoulders curling inwards.

"Sorry, had to get that out" he says to the others "And.. from Rivervale, yes. Rutgers? No. " He says "Symon never QUIT being a PIlalr of the Mountain, not officially. We have every right to ban one who has treated him cavalierly . Right of Demense and all"

"Rutgers though? Is a frontier at best, and beyond your rule, Chief."

"If I maybe blunt? It sounds like Caireann was using Symon as a Sugar daddy beyond anything he expected, but like taking a loan from the mafia, it escalated. It doesn't make the mafia the good guy just because someone else came seeking them out"

Brekke nods at Vali's assessment. "As to compensation to her...." She considers.

"He asked her to do it. Paid her." A frown. "Just... just because I think she was callous and took advantage... I... and I don't know if he could have actually... like, actually could have stopped, on his own?"

"That is coercion. And imprisonment. I abide neither."

"The Compensation must be to the Dreaming, not her. At least as Mountain I say that. Something to think on how. I have an idea"

A nod. "I also have an idea, or part of one. A quest, Mountain?"

He grins "You must be rubbing off on me. Send Symon and Dagmar to the Dreaming to find a lost treasure, something to make amends to the Dreaming. balance restored"

"Something that might do as much good as the necklace was used for bad" he suggestss" No cursed stuff"

She nods. "Cairrean may not agree that it balances the scales. But I do."

"I personally don't care what Cairrean likes."

"I still very much want to punch her in that smug little smirking face."

And then, Vali laughs "Hold on. Dagmar, you still owe the Dreaming, but you do NOT Owe Cairean, in Fact, you were OBLIGATED to break it ... because he was trapped, and RIght of Rescue was in full effect. She DID imprison himl, the fact he agreed to walk in the cell means jack and shit'

"He was trapped and lost... if it were a physical place you'd have dishonored yourself NOT trying to rescue him. "

Her mouth tugs downwards. "I took far too long to rescue him, Mountain."

"We ALL did" He reminds her "And it does not change the fact you were the one who rescued him. "A look at the Chief "Not ideal, but I think better late than never applies here. And I stand by the fact the Escheat overides some business deal"

Brekke nods, but also makes a gesture to Vali for quieter voices, looking towards the babies.

He winces and shushes

"Dagmar, we will stand beside you to defend that the right of rescue applied here. She will have no standing, though she may still seek revenge."

"Well... I understand the Code of Dagda."

"Let's hope she does, too, for her sake."