#scarsdale

Symon has spent much of the night brooding. He has committed the small list lifted from Nadeen's pocket to memory. This is a fine prize, to be sure. But still... it's not what he came for.

He quietly paces the halls of the Barony, head down. Listening to the chatter. Oh, plenty of rejoicing to be heard. Keen ears though, tuning in for any sound of dissention, and disgruntled voices that may express that they are displeased with the sudden change of ownership.

Familiarizing himself with the layout, even as he tries to avoid attracting notice.

It is a changing place. More and more it reflects it's new owner.

And the boggans swarm like worker ants to speed that up. It's almost a form of revenge. Under the guise of 'cleaning' the boggans are erasing Harkson!

He turns away from a few rooms as he inadvertently interrupts Boggans at work and causes pace to slow, and finally just finds a corner to sit in, muddling over his thoughts.

Siv walks by (It is a different time) "Oh this place is far too dry, I don't care how much the protest about 'hot wet summers'

And yes, she blinks "Symon?"

"You look like a tiny wingless gargoyle there. Almost didn't see"

He looks up at her. "Hey." Gloomy. He hasn't changed, washed, or even bothered to see to his bruises.

"You're still hurt" Siv scowls "What the hell, man at least soak up by the bale." She moves to him "Symon, what's wrong?"

A soft snort. "You guys did good. But I came here on my own agenda, and fucked it up."

"Now I have to decide if I should double-down to try a last ditch effort, or give up and slink home."

"Wait.. hold on. What was your agenda? Symon.. you 'did good too'. You helpeed take that bastard down, even in the FIGHT... "

"That was Sparrow's fight. I had my own duty." He realizes who he is talking to, and presses his lips shut. "Maybe I should talk to Wenceslas."

"Don't clam up like that. I Do know duty. And ..Dagmar's my cousin..so... if it helps. I'll brow more and complain about not being able to just smash folks when it would solve so many problems?" A pause "Actually I gues s violence DID Solve the the problem. Oh she's gonna point that out"

"I know you know duty. That's why I have to leave you with plausible deniability."

"You know, this being a troll spy sucks sometimes. Trolls find it weird and dishonorable, and non trolls are like 'oh. troll .. you can't keep secrets'. I can't win. Is this about the Chain?" She's not dim

"I should have ran off with it the second it left her hands. Sparrow could have beaten that fucker without my help. Anyone could have stepped in. But no, there I go, trying to prove something, I guess."

"I think you set up her shot to that shoulder perfectly by grabbing that leg. And she might have beat him, but she'd have possibly fallen herself if you hadn't" Seeing she has guessed right "Nadeen says it's Varich property. But Remember, I saw how that thing lashed against and held onto Wen... that was a nasty ugly chunk of wire. And I'm not so foolish as to not realize why the slaugh do not want it returned. "

"It's more than that. It needs to be destroyed, unmade." He struggles. "There's a lot I can't say. But trust me, Siv... I don't think I can leave without it. Not knowing what I suspect. What that might be."

She wrinkles her nose "Right to Dream.. some apply things to protecting Chimera.. but in this case. " A breath "Then.. why aren't you cleaned up, healed up and asking for your boon? You have done her service. Forget s ome petion on paper, this is a noble hold. You bow low, and say these services have Idone, I would ask a boon of thee" A lookk "The woman is seelie. No shame in holding us to our code"

He gives her a side eye. "Whenever I try doing things the noble, heroic, Trollish way I end up muddling it."

But he looks thoughtful.

"This isn't the noble trollish heroic way... it's the your system is stupid, so I'm going to use it agaisnt you sly sneak way" She points out

"It's Han Solo, not luke"

"you know.. 'he can imagine a lot"

He gums at his lip. Then, in an, I'm not admitting you're right, sort of way, asks, "Where's the nearest place I can clean up a bit?"

"Come on, I'll show you the infrimary and a room you can shower in" She says

He nods and unfolds from his hunched posture. Hiding a wince.

It's almost amusing. Trolls may suffer pain in silence because they are stoic. This guy, seems almost like he was punishing himself.

Siv says "Dagmar takes her wounds without complaint too" Knowing it will needle him , perhaps into taking CARE of himself

"While I take care of this, can you see if you can find my stuff? The brute squad made off with a few things of mine. I hope they didn't toss it. One man's trash, yeah yeah."

"Also we don't want them to accidentally poison the water supply if they flush it?" A joke or at tempt

A wry smile. "Ether won't kill anyone in that diluted quantity. Don't go ruining my reputation, but I'm not actually that wise on poison. I mostly know the chemicals I studied for preservation for my taxidermy, and the more interesting effects in inorganic chem. Not that I might not take it on as a study now."

"Hey, you've been poisoned a few times. Maybe I could examine the effects..."

"Hard pass" Siv wrinkles her nose "I'm off.. take care of hyourself and.. think of what I said"

And off she goes

************

"I used to think that all the time. But yeah. Yes. If we can, let's do Thanksgiving in Jersey with everyone." Adam says

"Oh let's hold it here" Bondraste says

Adam sighs.

"GrandDame, I wanted to see the house. I wanted one last family holiday there."

"Well why didn't you say so?" She says

"I did. To mom."

"Not quite in those words "Brenda says "But... really Adam, we don't know if anything is the 'last'"

He gives her a very old look. "Mom, you didn't even plan anything for this year. I'm not even going to talk about any other winter holidays. I'll get Lily something. You're not planning to have any family events. Neither is dad. That pretty much says it all." He looks away, takes a few steps and a deep breath.

"Adam. We didn't PLAN a thanks gving with you because you traeat us like you'd rather eat dirt that deal with any of us..regularly" She says calmly "And you're doing it again. Telling people what they THINK and being utterly wrong ontop of it. Christmas is still on. Lots of birthdays. "

Bondraste says "Adam... you can't treat people like you hate them then be surprised when they assume you are going to ditch a holiday"

His hands make fists, but he releases them and keeps his voice steady. "Well. Guess we'll see. Meantime, let me know what happens with Thanksgiving plans?"

"Yes." She says "And it will probably be here. " She says "I have the ingredients here"

His shoulders droop. "Ok."