#rivervale_lodge

In the Lodge, the land-line phone rings. By the third ring, Kerri has made her way there and picked up. "Hello?"

"Dagmar!" Her smile is clearly audible. "How are you?"

"Uh. Okay? I..." A pause. "Missed folks."

A deep breath and an empathetic tone. "Well, we're missing you, too. Olgar especially, I think, since he's laid up with a bad cold and not on patrol. Lut and Tig are covering, for now."

"Oh, bet he hates it! But Lut and Tig are solid."

"They are. But yes, you know how stubborn he can be about letting himself rest now and then." Dagmar might consider that this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. "How are things up there? Cold and snowy, no doubt?"

"Alaskan, yeah"

"Sy's here, so that helps. Um. Chief and Frank are good."

"Tell him I say hi, please. I'm glad you're both up there together. And I'm glad to hear about the two of them. I get the sense they're going to lay low for a while...but one or the other of them will find something to crusade on sooner or later."

"Oh, no way they just sit still forever."

"Exactly. But I imagine it's a nice change of pace."

"I might be checking out a fae village. I dunno if it's really emissary stuff. But, well, Salmon Duchy still is an ally. I didn't mess anything up."

"How are you doing? Opposite pace change, yeah? Chieftain in Charge of all of the things"

A chuckle. "I would have heard about it by now if you had, I'm sure. I'm not at all surprised you're doing well with them. As for the fae village, reaching out and making connections is absolutely emissary stuff! I want to hear all about it when you go."

"It's called 'Glitterdwell.' I can bring Star!"

"Me? Well...the holidays were a whirlwind, but the childlings all seemed to enjoy themselves, and that counts as a win in my ledger. Of course, sick husband is challenge, but a challenge I've dealt with before. In general, things are relatively quiet right now." The sound of knuckles rapping on the wooden wall of the phone closet.

"Glitterdwell? I'm not familiar with that at all! What do you know about it? You say it's a whole fae village?"

"That's what I understand. You figure, lots of space up here."

"And if it's quiet, that means my squire's been behaving himself?"

"I guess so. Easy to be out in the open and still hidden from prying eyes."

"Well, I've gotta be maybe a five hour drive from Santa's Workshop." A soft snort.

"Your squire is, as always, a steadfast defender of all things Right and Good. There was something about fighting off an alien invasion, but I haven't been able to get a full story from anybody about that. Typical of the childling crew."

A chuckle at the Santa's workshop comment.

"I have learned it best to let the childlings go a bit feral. They're pretty capable."

"I tend to agree. They'll occasionally get in over their heads, but they know enough to seek help when that happens. Usually."

"Yeah. But he seems... okay?"

"He does. He mentions you fairly regularly, a few times a week. Usually in the sense of what a great knight you are and how that means he has to be a great squire. At least, that's what it comes out to once you unravel the pooka-speak."

"He seems to be proud of the responsibility."

"I'm not letting him down?"

"Hardly. You are having adventures, and he is holding down the fort in your absence, and he's thriving on that role. He'll be overjoyed when you get back, but he's also doing fine right now, as far as I can see. Do you want to speak with him? I can see if he's around...."

"I'd love to, but no worries."

A minute or two of calling for Connor yields no results. "I'll have to let him know you called. He can call you back, right?"

"Yeah, totally! Hey, hug him for me, deal?"

"I absolutely will! Right now, though, I've got to go...sick and grumpy husband is sick and grumpy and needs to be fed soup that he says he doesn't need."

"He needs it. Go, go."

The sound of Hubby grump grumping in the background as the call starts to end.

"It's very good to hear from you, Dagmar. And I look forward to hearing about Glimmerdwell. Have excellent adventures up there...you'll have a lot to boast about when you come home! Talk to you soon!"

And the call ends.

(End Scene, we return you to your Anywhere)