#rutgers

"Can you grab mine, too?"

"Yeah." She grabs the whole mail pile to bring back to the couch.

Indeed, it is an invitation - probably personalized from Nadeen for each of them!

She gives the question serious thought as she accepts the mail. "I think it's just tired. It's been a long few days, and I've got a lot to catch up on. Same for you guys, too."

Sylvi opens hers carefully.

In fact, it is scheduled for a day or two AFTER the customary pennons date, with wording to the effect of, "To allow for invested obligations at one's home County"... etc etc...

It is THICK, fancy linen paper, and yes, a real wax seal.

"Oh...oh, hey, Dagmar, it's after Bergen pennons."

Symon slips out for a minute, and returns to plop a couple sodas on the table. He has a small box of wings for himself, grease stained and rumpled, and takes a seat on the far side of the living room with his flat Mtn. Dew, opened a week earlier and warm.

In fact, those are the rest of the wings they had last week. Or was it the week before? Either way, it's slugfood now.

A grateful look for the soda.

"Oh..." There goes that excuse....

"We should really go. I know, Ailil, but...we've got some friends up there. D'Lorian would want to see you."

"Joust club, yeah."

"Connor would probably really like to go."

"Oh, he totally would."

Then a pause. "Oh...Symon, sorry. You don't want to hear about this."

"I wasn't thinking."

She finishes a couple of wings and sips her soda.

"Huh, nah, it's cool. Vendors, and always good betting on the competion."

The meat from his aged wings just... sliiiiiides off the bones.

"You going to bring your minis?"

"I doubt I'd get a vendor license at Silverwolf - probably all booked up by now. ...nah, I haven't had time to make anything new with school starting. I might try to put up a little spray booth in the alleyway though."

"But they might have good stuff up there to buy. They hunt. Could get a fox skull or something, maybe."

As Sylvi's head droops, Symon contemplates hiding a moldy chicken wing in her pocket.

...nah. Waste of his snack.

"I appreciate that you can get unique animal parts for your hobbies, even if, well, you know how I feel about hunting. And yeah, I know, I'm not even a vegetarian."

"Me either. Meat just ages differently, I'm all for a good moldy cheese, but it hits a sweet spot not even dairy can find. You ever smell raw chicken gone bad?" A touch reverently.

"I'll go if you do, though." He offers. "We should invite Jimmy and see what he brings home."

"Ha."

She sighs.

"I'll go. Of course I will."

"No one'll make you. But I bet you'd regret it if you didn't go." He says, reasonably.

"Joust Club." Considering. "By the way... you still have an edge on that Lavender Knight?"

"I should, but she's been focused more than I have."

"Well, if it's a close call, that just means betting odds will be higher."

"True. Good for the gamblers."

"I'm sure I'll be nice and busy with the horses all day."

"You'll have the kid to help you out."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Right? Can't get rid of that one."

"Yeah." Soft smile. "He's a good kid."

"Lilly likes him. She's a good judge of character."

"She is."

"I'm glad she made it, through all that..."

A grunt. "Yeah. She's strong."

"She is. She's very... if I'm any judge?... she seems like a good sluagh."

A small smile. "Yeah. I think those girls we helped will be good penpals. ...What did you think about that Aesin? I hope she settled fine. I didn't mean to turn her off a proper unseelie hold." An uncomfortably squirm.

That little frown, brief.