[Nikki L'Evienne]

She listened to Val's memory of that time that they met and she nodded, somberly. "I can't imagine how frightened you must have been. Milo as the Regent, as the Intendent is someone who is a scary figure, and Nana is a.... well, she's a force of nature, that's for sure!" she said, looking at Val with a small smile. And then she spoke of the real truth. Nell. Nell's feelings for Val would always be a cause for concern. Nell who could not see beyond the skin of Valanthia, could not see the person.

Nikki picked up her own glass and looked down into it for a moment before answering "Nell's loss, Val. If nothing that you do is ever good enough, then that means that she's never woman enough to see her husbands sister instead of her husbands' sisters skin. That's her issue, not yours."

Never get away from yourself? Nikki rather supposed you couldn't, although she had no real idea why anyone would want to.The young woman in front of Val was an idealist at heart, a woman who had followed her dreams no matter where they led her. Young and foolish and wrapped up in herself, that was Nikki Sea L'Evienne. But she had other sides too.

"You were a breath of fresh air to me. I was lonely, Val" she said, quietly "I'm always Milo's stupid little sister, needing protection, needing to be looked after, needing someone to keep an eye on me because I can't look after myself. I love Milo, I do, and Nellie's like a sister to me in many ways, but sometimes she needs to remember that she's not any older than me. Just 'cos she's popped out all those children doesn't mean she's wise. It just means she's a loose woman!" she said, dropping a most serious wink.

"We're family, Val. It's too important to let go, isn't it? It's all we have at the end of the brightening. We have each other. Across the Empire or in the next room, it doesn't matter. We're sisters and that means that we're there for each other every time. Every single time. So how about we have a toast....?" she asked, looking at Val with a grin of wickedness.

"Lets raise our glasses to the strength of sisterhood and the frailness of men..... and the combination of those two things leading to a most interesting darkening indeed?"

She raised her glass and offered it to her sister to clank together. After all, this darkening was theirs and they were ready to party.