Alyse Egris is sitting on the porch of the Egris family house, enjoying a cup of tea. She's found herself doing it more often lately – it reminds her of the final months she spent with her mother before she passed. As she's lost in thought, she notices a flash of red approaching her…Cara. Her sister has finally returned.
Alyse quickly realizes that there are three other people with Cara. Two of them immediately stick out as human to her. The one that draws her gaze first is the human woman walking at the front of the group next to Cara. She has short brown hair that frames a lovely face, which seems to be scanning the area around her as though everything here bores her.
The woman projects a kind of wild beauty that Alyse thinks wouldn't be out of place for a goddess of war. In fact, she'd be quite compelled to flirt with the woman if her very presence didn't cause a shiver to run up Alyse's spine. 'That's her in the human form I've heard about, isn't it?', she thought. Nedonera.
Realizing that she's finally going to meet the Elder Dragon's party that she's heard so much about over the past few days, a giddy excitement begins to bloom inside Alyse's chest. Being a student of the sword herself, she is especially eager to meet the wolf-kin girl, the alleged sword prodigy.
Alyse desperately wants to spar with her. Not just for her rumored prowess, but because Alyse has never heard of a wolf-kin trained in the sword. She's incredibly curious about what sort of techniques the girl uses.
Unfortunately, as Alyse scans the approaching group, she doesn't notice a wolf-kin. Disappointed, Alyse's gaze drifts to the human man, or rather, the boy behind Nedonera. Her disappointment is quickly replaced by confusion. Looking at him, Alyse is convinced that the boy hasn't even finished his second decade of life. He's so...unassuming. Not at all what she expected for someone with the favor of the Queen and an Elder Dragon.
He has brown hair and peculiar green eyes like Nedonera. Yet, on him, they somehow look more innocent than fierce. She supposes that he probably passes as handsome, but there is nothing particularly impressive about his physique or the way he carries himself.
She watches curiously as he hangs towards the back of the group, listening to the others. While everything else about him is unremarkable, she does find his demeanor to be strange. His expression strikes her as a perpetual suppressed smirk. For someone so out of place, in a country that she assumes has been hostile towards him, he is unnaturally relaxed.
As Cara and the others arrive on the porch in front of her, she takes notice of the elven woman in their party. Seeing her, Alyse freezes. The woman's straight blonde hair, blue eyes, petite build, and refined posture lend her an almost doll-like beauty that Alyse finds quite alluring. However, that's not what interests her the most.
The woman's piercing eyes quietly convey a suspicious and calculating nature. Alyse finds her gaze to be an unsettling contradiction of her delicate features and polite demeanor. It would be easy for someone else to write the woman off as one of those conflict-averse clerical assistants the Prima love, but she knows that would be a mistake. Those are the eyes of someone guarded, determined, and most importantly, dangerous.
So, this is the mage in the Elder Dragon's party?
Alyse can't help but compare the woman to her brother Reynard, who also hides a quiet resolve behind a mismatched, flippant exterior. She has no doubt that if she were to suddenly pull her sword on the elven woman, there'd be an unhesitating and lethal counter awaiting her. The thought brings a giddy smile to Alyse's face...she loves a good fight.
Still, Alyse knows that the woman must be a normal elf, around only a century old. So, such a weary nature is hard for her to reconcile with someone who has lived such little time in a country as peaceful as the Elven Kingdom. Does the woman have a military history, or some other unnaturally dark history?
"Alyse, could you show some decorum and introduce yourself properly to everyone...this is the party of an Elder Dragon, after all. They're our guests for the day – Lady Nedonera, Mizuki, and Alto." (Cara)
Alyse is shaken from her contemplation by Cara's admonishing remark. She realizes that she's probably just been staring at the visitors quietly. Still, she is grateful to learn the elven woman's name – Alto. However, she's mildly annoyed by the interruption of her thoughts, and already not on the greatest of terms with Cara.
She gives an exaggerated curtsy to agitate her sister, but tries to direct a genuinely pleasant smile at the others.
"Sure, sure…it's nice to meet you all. My name is Alyse Egris, oldest daughter of our house. As you may have gathered from how Cara talks to me, I'm somewhat of an outcast." (Alyse)
"Tch…Alyse, you aren't an outcast. You're literally living in our family home. If the other members of our house aren't as receptive to your company as you'd like, have you considered behaving in a way that gives a better impression than this?" (Cara)
Alyse is somewhat taken aback by Cara's dismissal, and she directs a skeptical expression at her sister.
"I could blow flowery compliments up their asses year-round and it wouldn't make them accept me, Cara. They resent me for the same reason I'm not head of our household…because I won't take men in my bed." (Alyse)
Cara rolls her eyes and gives Alyse an expression that's a mix between exhaustion and bewilderment.
"We're not prejudiced against women loving other women, Alyse. This persecution of yours is all in your head." (Cara)
Alyse narrows her eyes at Cara, and she lowers her voice in agitation as she responds. After all these years, she still can't understand why her otherwise observant sister continues to misunderstand the family's animosity towards her.
"Don't be naïve, Cara. I said it was my lack of romantic interest in men that our family takes issue with. As I've said before, they consider that an affront to my very purpose as a noble – to produce heirs. Aside from Mother, Reynard is the only one who's ever been supportive. It's a shame h-" (Alyse)
"Fufufu…well, amusing as this is to watch, could we save sibling bickering over family succession for another time? This is not how I want to spend my visit here." (Nina)
Alyse feels a rush of embarrassment over Nedonera's interruption of the very public spat with her sister. The Elder Dragon's party's visit is the most interesting development in her life since she last saw her little brother Reynard centuries ago. She doesn't want to immediately alienate her chances to be more involved with their visit.
She turns and nods apologetically to Nedonera.
"Certainly, Great Dragon…I apologize. For the record, however, any bitterness on my part is over Cara's persisting inability to see the situation for what it is. I'm not interested in being head of household. In truth, I much prefer the freedom to travel and live my life on my own terms." (Alyse)
Nedonera remains disinterested initially, but she suddenly glances at the boy in confusion. As Alyse's curiosity is piqued by the unexplained behavior, she hears Cara clear her throat apprehensively.
"Ehem…sorry for the display, that wasn't very hospitable. Please, follow me everyone – let me give you the tour!" (Cara)
She turns back towards her sister in time to see Cara walk past her into the house without another word. As she does, the rest of the Elder Dragon's party follows Cara inside with some passing glances towards her.
Alyse feels a pang of disappointment at being unceremoniously left alone outside. Ideally, she'd like to learn more about the strange group. So, she follows them.
As she returns inside the house, it's clear to her that Cara intends to give Nedonera and company a tour of the Egris family home. She decides to hang behind their group and quietly observe for a while. After the exchange outside, and given Alyse's rocky history serving as Cara's guard and advisor, she's worried that Cara might refuse her presence if she sticks out.
Unfortunately, the boy takes notice of her with a puzzled look. Not wanting to call attention to herself from Cara, Alyse smiles and whispers to the boy.
"Is there room for a second outcast in your tour group?" (Alyse)
Alyse intends the question to be rhetorical, playful even, and she's not insulting the boy. She just considers 'outcast' to be an obvious characterization of a human in elven territory. In fact, imagining how much elven animosity the harmless looking boy has probably endured over something he can't control, Alyse can't help but empathize with him. After all, her own past is full of similar prejudice.
To her surprise, the boy chuckles in response to Alyse's question, then he nods approvingly. At the same time, Alyse notices Alto staring at the two of them covertly. Alto's eyes are filled with suspicion, but she seems to relax and returns her attention to Cara and Nedonera after witnessing the boy's response.
Alyse can't quite make sense of what she just witnessed. Why was that boy so amused? Also, why did it feel like he just granted her genuine permission to be there, when he never consulted anyone else? Finally, what was with that sudden shift in Alto's behavior?
It isn't hard for her to believe that Alto is protective of the boy. He has a rather vulnerable air about him, and she's heard that he allegedly helped rescue Alto from slavery. That said, she does find it strange that Alto would so easily transition from being suspicious of her to not paying her any mind, just because the boy accepted her presence in the tour.
As Cara leads them around the mansion, Alyse studies the three visitors intently. She notices that Alto maintains a fairly neutral expression, merely looking around with idle curiosity. The one exception occurs when Cara mentions the family library, and unprecedented excitement flashes across Alto's expression. Is Alto actually as much of a bookworm as her appearance suggests?
Meanwhile, Nedonera herself only seems to grow progressively more bored with the tour, with a few unexpected flashes of curiosity over some baubles that Cara points out. Alyse can't help but wonder why the normally considerate Cara is continuing to tour Nedonera around the mansion when she's obviously so painfully bored.
Eventually, Cara looks over her shoulder towards Alto and the boy, and she notices Alyse's presence. Shock and concern flash across Cara's face. Alyse sighs internally…she wonders if she's about to be removed from the tour group now.
However, instead of admonishing her, Cara merely casts an uncertain look towards the boy. He is looking elsewhere with a troubled expression, seemingly lost in thought. Alto notices and makes a subtle dismissive gesture at Cara. Cara gives an incredulous expression to Alto in return, casts an apprehensive look at Alyse, then sighs dejectedly and nods at Alto.
Alyse, having watched the exchange closely, is left flabbergasted. Did Alto just tell Cara to accept her presence in the tour? Did Cara actually listen to that suggestion? Finally, when Cara noticed her presence, why was the boy the first person that Cara looked at? She can't quite make sense of those things.