#rivervale_lodge

Some time after Pennons, adjacent or beside a quest, TWO horses are to be prepared for at the Lodge. Dagmar has never been afraid of work.

Ylva has been assigned to help her and does, wanting to learn all she can

"We'll have two coming, and they're very different."

"Can you ride?"

SHe ponders "I think you asked me that before and offered me lessons. It's okay if you forgot, old folks are like that" She is understanding

BROW.

A curious look "yes, ma'am?"

A giggle from the haylofts.

"Ma'am?"

"How old do you think I am?"

A louder, stifled giggle.

"She's older than her teeth, she is!" Connor calls out.

"Yeah, yeah, thanks Short-Stack."

"I can't even legally drink yet!"

"Tell that to Dr. Pepper! Don't you have stock in the company?"

Ylva looks up and says "Oh hello. Yes, I figured older than her teeth but maybe not older than her fangs" A look at the wilder "Oh, you can't legally drink? I guess you just looked it. No worries"

Connor has about as much hay in his hair and caught in his tail as he has successfully pitched around.

"I'd be way richer if I had stock in Dr. Pepper."

Huff.

"Anyways. Lady O is gonna be good for the childlings, I think. She's nice."

"She's nice! And she doesn't try to bite. I thought Swilla was the redcap, but turns out that 'Vengy is, who'da thunk it?"

"Oh, Swilla" Ylva makes a face for a moment

"He's been through a lot, I think."

"Oh, Ylva..." Connor makes a face at her, twisting up his nose like something smells bad.

"And so has she."

A look at Connor then she sighs "I guess she has and I should be nice to her"

"No one has to be nice." Connor says helpfully. "But it IS nice to give someone a chance to earn that face."

"Sometimes I think Redcaps don't like nice."

"Like, they don't trust it. But you can be fair and decent."

"I gues, but she's always eating, even Dirk doesn't eat that much... and folks think we're supposed to be friends just because we're the same age"

"Well, that's bullshit."

"it's a duty" Ylva shrugs

Snort.

"Nope. You don't have a duty to be friends. You have a duty to be fair and decent."

"It is?" She says "So I Don't HAVE to hang out with her?"

"Nope. And I'm a Gwyd, I make a squinty face if I try lying."

She eyes Dagmar's face, then smiles "Thank you,, ma'am."

She shrugs. "I'm not one for being forced to fake nice."

"Now, Bucky is gonna be real mean, and you do gotta be patient with him. But he's a horse, and he can't quite be dealt with the same as a person."

She grins "We're calling him Bucky?"

"He's been trained pretty harshly. Maybe 'mean' isn't right. Standoffish. Guarded."

"Well, he's an Avenger, ain't he?"

"I like it," The girl says

"You do superheroes?"

"Sometimes, I don't know them as well as some. I watched the old movies though"

OLD movies?

"There's a new Captain America coming out after Christmas."

"I saw the trailer" She admits "I hope it comes on Cable soon"

"Well, the others are on streaming. You seen those?"

"Bucky?" Connor laughs!