#rivervale_lodge

"Of COURSE it is" Gerd puts a hand on her friend "Look, we trolls are masters of repressing our feelings and its not always healthy, but you can feel sad and happy at the same time and each be valid. You can love and resent. All that jazz. Kerri could tell you better than I"

Odin fusses as Gerd puts a hand on HIS Dagmar

Well, Odin 2.0

"Yeah..."

"But pseaking as someone with a STRONG Past life, conflicted feelings are TOTALLY earned and natural"

"Of course, " Pudge wishes Kerri well and smiles "wouldn't want you to get too twitchy" A chuckle

"Magic is weird."

A look of shared understanding with Pudge, and Kerri goes back to the kitchen door and pokes her head in. "How close are we to go time? Folks are having fun, but the redcaps are beginning to look like they want to sample portions of the tables."

"The Emu is DONE" Olgar comes into the kitchen with the pit roasted beauty which everyone has been helping him with it seems every few minutes

"Oh, what a beauty!" Kerri exclaims.

She almost reaches to bring it in, but then she remembers...she's the Chieftain now. That's not her place. "I'll just tell them we'll be starting soon."

"Okay, folks! PLATTERS."

"Chief? " Gerd says "I think the honor should to presenting it should go to the heroine who found the singing stone"

"Well, half of them. Symon wouldn't want the nosie"

"Uh."

"Oh, I absolutely agree. Thank you, Dagmar." Kerri apparently assumes that that's a done deal, and she vanishes back into the main hall.

“TURKEEEEEY!” Connor howls in delight!

"YOu're welcome" Gerd smiles at Dagmar

"I hate you."

Moving to the head of the table, Kerri takes a utensil and pounds on the table three times. "Quiet, please!"

Gerd dimples

Connor is suddenly silent. Perhaps chewing a pilfered roll, but silent!

But all quiet as the Chief calls for it

A swalllow from Swilla

Connor discretely passes a series of rolls to Swilla for as long as the speech lasts.

Dagmar dutifully takes the largest platter, emu laid out for all to marvel at.

Swallow. “It’s bigger than me!” Connor gasps, then silent again.

At another Table, Siv, Jonas, Piper, and the twins have quiewted as well. Siv volunteered to set up further back so the guests wouldn't be parted

Symon also has sat Anne Marie at their table, to “help with the babies”… and requested Jonas to make sure she does nothing else.

Swilla tries not to cry. That emu maybe the most beautiful thing she's ever seen.

Jonas gave a stoic nod, and has been a bro about this.

Anne Marie, to be fair, LOVES the babies.

Siv is actually getting some great tips on cloth diapers

Dag makes sure all the tureens and trays and serving spoons are marched out and distributed.

"Friends and Family of Rivervale...we are most happy to share this bountiful feast with you. First, please celebrate the one who bears the great emu...Dame Dagmar, who with Symon the Denier returned the Singing Stone to the world." She starts a round of applause.

Dagmar marches out when called!

"Beyond achieving the goal of their quest, they have freed many who sit among us from their captivity. Truly something for which we are all thankful."

"Hear Hear!" Pudge says

Otho offered symon some ear plugs that turn loud sounds into soft hyena laughs

Kerri pauses a moment as the feast is brought in to allow those seated to oooh and ahhhh at the parade of glorious food.

Lily glares down at Symon as if to say occupied

Applause breaks out more than once, "Here's to Dagmar and the Denier" "To Scamper and Hauls!"

Lily makes a face.. but scotches

When the cheering fades, Kerri continues. "Now...when we had small thanksgiving feasts here, we would wait to eat until everybody had a chance to express their thanks for something that happened this year...but I think that might end us in chaos if I insisted on it." A grin. "So all I ask is, as you enjoy your meal, please take some time to tell those immediately to your left and right of something that you're thankful for. You can tell others, too, but at least tell them. Agreed?"

The emu is set before Kerri - along with a carving knife!

"II hear that" "I'm thankful we don't have to do that all night" "Be nice" "That was nice"

She takes up the carving knife and examines it. It's already fearsomely sharp, of course, and she holds it aloft. "Let us feast!" And then she begins carving with expert precision and amazing speed...and the plates get passed along and filled up as they go down the table as quickly as possible.

Dag takes a spot by her family, CJ on the end near the babies,