#rivervale_lodge

"Probably best for your well being were I to find you first, if you tried. My Guile is much more subtle than I am."

"Your Guile?" Then Vali smiles and looks to Olgar "She's given Symon a nickname, that's adorable."

"Whatever you say, Damsel," Olgar says using Tiffany's nick name for Vali in return "But I wouldn't tease on THAT if I were you."

Vali grunts ("Touche") then adds "No, not make fun. I am DELIGHTED though for both"

She claps a hand over her mouth, purple, but she shrugs. It's a fair cop.

The others don't mock her blush, and act like they see nothing

"Anyway, maybe another way to show we're glad Symon is back more.. clasily? A few gifts for him to cary to him on our behalf?" Vali says "He's been a friend to. .no , scratch that, a part of this lodge for years now"

"I... I don't know if he'd like that." Blushing harder. "Like, no big fuss. Please?"

"All right" Vali yields "I can't speak for the others, but I'll ignore it "

Olgar rolls his eyes "Vali, you got to tailor the 'gift' more than that. Symon doesn't want things and he sure doesn't want a fuss. Work with the Chief so Dagmar gets no patrols or duties when we know Symon has his own spare time so these two oathbirds can get what they REALLY Want, time with each other. "

"I'm not giving up patrols!"

"I missed out on so many already..."

"Not giving them up" Vali sees where Olgar is going "Scheduling them so you still have them, but they're timed better for Symon. For example, he's not an early morning person. Maybe you could do some Early morning patrols instead of late evening. I think the Chief would understand that"

She bites on her lip and nods.

"Well, timed better for Symon and you" Vali says "What, you think I don't ask for specific patrol times so I can spend time with Tiffany and Theon? I should have thought of this myself. And you are behind a bit, but not as much as you think. Squire Valter enjoys patrols, and knows the routes by now. Lut and Tig are still around... even if one of them is smitten with your ex Gym teacher. Siv is a mother, but tries hard to do her part, though lately I've been using her as a pillar. The reminds me, Symon is a pillar of the Mountain still, so I might call him in and see if he still honors that... your Guile is smart, damned smart, and Id be a fool not to hope for a bit of that in our service. If he declines I'll have to let him go as he likes but hopefully we can find a way to make it work to his advantage."

Olgar adds "Sally Mae and Brogan still got Kerri's back when it comes to Hearth stuff" Olgar nods "And we even got this new childling chipping in. And Gerd, Gerd can always..."

"Gerd does enough" Vali says it FIRMLY. Which catches Olgar off guard but he nods

"Ylva? She seems promising."

A thoughtful pause. "But perhaps you should see what Gerd wants. She's a troll, Vali."

"She's not unseelie" Olgar shakes his head "Otherwise she'd be great"

Vali is caught off guard at Dagmar giving her two cents on that "Well, she already cooks a lot both here and at our house, flicker flashes folks around, acts as an Emmisary, AND patrols, Dame. I am worried she's heading towards burn out"

"Gerd is a wilder, and accomplished, and brings a lot to the table. The answer to burn-out isn't taking things off her plate before seeing what she wants there."

"mmm" Vali says listening ("Good point that")

Olgar also concedes "Vali, sometimes Sylvi and I.. I mean, you know my views, but every now and then, her mother and I tried to push her down some paths we thought would be great for her. Took us a bit to realize what we thought was best for her might not jibe with what made her happy"

"I remember" Vali says "In your and Kerri's defense, she's a smart but STUBBORN girl who insists on learning the hard way sometimes."

"I know," Olgar agrees "Gets it from her mother's side" A wink to both

"Hmph." Amused.

Vali nods then ponders "Well for a time , folks were taking her hard work for granted so she seemed to b e short of time to unwind. In trying to correct that, I MIGHT be in danger of going too far the other way" He nods to Dagmar "You're right. I'll ask HER what she wants on her plate. It wont be easy , mind you. She is so damn eager to please"

"Well, she's a troll."

"She's a troll not a boggan" He says

Olgar's turn to smirk "Can I tell Anne Marie you said that?"

"No," Vali answers promptly "No you may not"

Vali ssays "My point is, she can't do it all in record time when no one is looking and that IS a fact."

"No, but I mean she wants to be useful. There's a balance, sure. Understanding she's worthy even if she's not serving. But... like.. you know what happens if you don't give a Border Collie a job?" Third slice of pizza.

"It alarms me that I DO know, and that I am not offended." He's married to a dog pooka after all, and recalls the one time he accidentally referred to his then not yet wife as a 'cocker' and got an hour long lecture on SPRINGER heritage, "They get bored and destructive "

"THat might explain the frequent lake threats" Olgar observes

"She's cut down on those" Vali defends

"They give themselves a job, is what. Clear expectations help a lot."

"Point taken, I'll talk to her" Vali says "Boon me if you doubt" And he was speaking the truth

"Don't need to. I know you want to protect her. Again, trolls. I think we all have to fight against our impulse to put those we love in a bottle."

"Voice of recent experience?" Vali arches a brow but smiles

An easy shrug.

"Lovecraft would bite me if I tried."

"Symon's problem is he looks for a way to bottle himself" Olgar observes "Fine for short term, but no way to live"

"Even for a privacy loving sluagh" a nod from Vali "But he's a good kid under it all" PAuse "Pardon, young man." A nod to Dagmar as if to send an apology teleapthicaly via her

"Symon likes privacy, he's not afraid of taking action or risks."

"True, for such a wriggly guy, hes got a spine of steel when it counts" Vali admits "Want another Dr. Pepper?"

Gerd appears! Literally

"Still working on the first - hey Gerd! There's pizza!"

"Yeah? " She moves along "is there one with mushrooms?"