#rivervale_lodge

Olgar listens to the story of what happened and says "Okay, I heard it all, and the one part I still can't get over you is that apparently Dirk is trying to see if 'Big K' gets a pass"

Kerri shrugs. "Could be worse. Could be 'Special K' -- though I half-expect Vali to try that one."

"How do you know he hasn't already when you're out of the room?" Olgar grins "NAH, he's a joker but I don't think he'd cross that line. He's had to teach a special ed class once"

"Good point. Anyway...Dirk let himself get tortured to protect his cat. I can let him call me a not-so-bad nickname."

"Damn, Dirk is a tough shit, and not so little anymore, even by OUR Standards" Troll to troll, he looks around to make sure they're alone, and says "You want my input or my support? Not that they're opposed all the time"

She thinks for a second. "Both, I think." Her expression is serious and attentive -- she respects his opinion on stuff like this.

"Okay, first, You did the right thing insisting Dagmar take you along. I could be all 'you're not a warrior' blah blah, but you are Chief, and for your first challenge, leading from the front sent a good image. NOW you can be behind the lines and not questioned... image and rep so to speak. "

She nods. "Sort of what I was thinking. I mean...I definitely didn't want Dagmar facing an entire corby alone, and I half-thought maybe I could get through to Dirk if it were really him. Which it wasn't, but still...."

"But you figured it out... and I'm tempted to give Echo a freaking STEAK... now, the down side. You were... too soft on the corby" He says "Don't be afraid to remand them to Hemlock next time, make him work for that fancy hat. But banishment from our little barony ain't much of a punishment for threats , kidnapping and more. Now, it IS your call, but you might have wanted to play it up that you COULD have had them in a cell without edible parts"

A frown and she looks off for a moment before replying. "To be honest, banishment wasn't my first thought. Or my second."

"What was your first one? " He says "Your first knee jerk instinct?"

She turns and looks him in the eye. "Kill them."

Then a shake of her head. "Not that I'd have been able to. And Dagmar wouldn't have. She's smart that way."

Olgar does not seem surprised "You knew it was too much, wrong, illegal, unethical, and unwise. So you went the other way, too far the other way" He touches her arm "You're not a bad person for a violent thought towards ones who hurt one of your people"

A deep breath and an exhale as she nods. "Yeah, I...I think I scared myself, and then I overcompensated. I mean, I also considered dictuming the crowd of them, but I didn't want to tip my hand so fast."

"I can see that" He nods "Dirk wants to hunt them down one by one and beat them up. Let him. It'll be off your turf anyway, and drive a point home "

Another nod. "I was actually going to invite him to do that, but that would be like treating him as a hunting hound. It's his vengeance. I'm going to stay out of his way."

A half-smirk. "I don't really want to have the reputation of a mob boss, but that might be where this is going."

"Or, maybe it's just the season."

"Would that make me your moll?" He smiles "Think of it as more of a warlord if you like... Fuck around and Find Out is as old as time"

A brief flash of a past life, ruling with a steel grip in a time of famine, saving all that can be saved

Even if they aren't grateful

A sharp inhale, and a quick clearing shake of her head. "You really want to encourage that, hm?" That smirk is turning into a proper toothy grin.

"More like I don't want you ashamed" Olgar smiles "Now, if I wanted to tease about your winter side I'd bring up that arm wrestling contest"

Unfair, there were also drinks involved in that!

She narrows her eyes at him. "You wanna go, right now?" She offers up an arm, elbow propped on the table between them.

Followed by a wink.

He takes a position, elbow on table, Takes her hand "On three..." He says "one..." then he moves up and pulls a bit to reach for a kiss instead

Oh, he gets that kiss, with interest.

When they part, she murmurs, "Keep advising me. I won't always thank you for it."

The interest is returned, then..."Not if I do it right, you won't. But it is just advice. In private unless you ask for it in public. And the big choices are on you.. and I'll back your play in public"

"Damn right you will." Despite the bravado, he can tell she's grateful for that support.

"Want to go upstairs and 'arm wrestle' there?" He grins

"You read my mind." She takes his hand as she stands and leads the way upstairs.

And up they go, with a chance for her to put the pressures of leadership aside and enjoy some mutual pressure of a different kind, a dance the two of them have gotten VERY good at, even if they do say so themselves.

(End Scene)