[Kedyn Rowien]

Her jade eyes fluttered appreciatively as the young Elf Lord leaned down to whiff the scent of the flower. She left her fingers on the petals and relished the sense of his flesh coming so close to hers. They wouldn’t touch; that wouldn’t be appropriate, not for two members of ancient noble lineage. But she would play with the idea, letting it percolate in her mind…and perhaps seep into his imagination as well. Thoughts were not regulated by propriety.

“Indeed,” the soft voice replied absently. The woman’s ears had registered Tala’nayn’s words but her mind was somewhere else entirely. She had heard, of course, the story of the Princess who had managed to find her way home from being strangely transported to the Meodnian continent. Of course, her story wasn’t as analogous to that as she had lead Tala’nayn to believe. Still, she empathized keenly with the sense of homesickness that drew one always back to the shores of Trelore, whether such a trip was possible or not.

She sighed, this time loud enough for Tala’nayn to hear. Misting over, her eyes idly stared into the horizon, as if seeing the very familiar forests she so longed to touch. “I am afraid you will prove to be correct,” Kedyn said wistfully, turning her emerald orbs back to her task of running her fingers along the arched ridge of the petals. “But I am sure that Phedos will provide.”

A single tendril of auburn hair fell across her left eye. Sweeping it to one side, Kedyn regarded Tala’nayn with a fully straight glance, taking in the svelte figure of the Elfin Lord with observant eyes. What exactly was he proposing? The Quel’anthasan couldn’t deny a sense of curiosity toward the motivations guiding the actions of this young noble, but she also still retained her sense of nobility and superiority. She was, after all, the daughter of House Rowien. She was not obligated to take hand-outs or charity, nor should she.

Or should she? Tala’nayn’s latter estimation of the situation was correct; Kedyn had come to Syl’rosya with little in mind as far as what to do or how to care for herself. She shook her head slightly, her hands folding gently and docilely before her torso. “I fear I am without acquaintance or friend here in the city,” she answered, “and thus without accommodations. I would not presume upon the charity of the noble occupants of the city, however…” Oh, it stung her pride to make such an admission, but there was no way to hide it, particularly not from Tala’nayn’s rather perceptive eyes.