[Kedyn Rowien]

Pale pink eyelids fluttered open as the last notes left her lips, still hanging in the air as if afraid to leave their mistress alone. Yet as her eyes finally shimmered in the daylight to take in the surroundings, the last sounds finally faded into nothingness as her lips parted into a wistful smile at the memories the song brought back.

But this wasn’t Trelore, as she kept reminding herself. The young Elf’s smile disappeared as she glanced at the small crowd that had gathered around her. While they might have been Elfs, they were still little better than Humans, these Medonian-dwelling creatures. Her eyes blinked deliberately as the Quel’anthasan let the flute rotate in her palms as she turned to put it away in her bag. Such society would not appreciate the ancient lore of the Quel’anthasan Kingdom, that was for certain.

Then a male voice caught her attention. She looked up, sending auburn hair flying about her face, and then smiled once more, this time out of genuine pleasure. A quick glance over his features immediately told Kedyn of the ancient blood running in his veins, so akin to her own. Her lips parted a bit further and her eyes half-closed flirtatiously, allowing the young she-Elf to look up through a small curl of hair that had fallen against her forehead.

She lived for this game. She had been born for it. “I thank you,” she replied, her tone light, lilting, and playful. Part of this game was allowing the other to read into every word, every comment, much beyond what was merely said. Men liked to hear what they wished to hear, not always what a woman wished to say.

With one forceful push the Elf was off the grounding and standing before the one called Tala’nayn Undromil. Crossing one foot before the other, Kedyn swept the Elf lord a graceful curtsy, just deep enough to be respectful but not quite far enough to be subservient. Of course she recognized the name of Kard en i’ Yrena. She knew the names of all the great Houses of the Kingdom by heart; she had since she was a child.

“You honor me, Heru Tala’nayn Undromil.” Etiquette first, curiosity second. That was how this game was properly played. “I am Kedyn, first daughter of the House Rowien, protectorate of Kard en i’ Eledhwen in Talelena.” Ah, how comfortable it felt to let her lengthy introduction roll off her tongue. It had been eras since she knew such a statement would fall upon understanding ears and she had forgotten how much it meant.

She tilted her head slightly to one side, letting small threads of fiery hair fall freely against her sculpted face. “We are both far from home, it seems,” she said simply.