No sooner than she had likened them to herself, one of the brothers declared that they were there on orders. Did that make them professionals? She certainly hoped so, as that identity fit very well into her assumption that however violent they were they could be called on to act rationally. There was nothing on the table yet for her, so to speak. The goal of her expedition was knowledge, not material gain, so from treasure hunters and investigators she had nothing to fear. Her problems could only begin when someone decided that Tikkis' fairy tale's validity was their secret alone. She went on listening to the other responses to the boy's second question, knowing her turn was coming up. There wouldn't be a point in lying, Elmgrove was hardly a name on this continent, and hardly a name where she came from anyway. They very much liked it that way, so she would be lying pointlessly on their behalf at least.

In the middle of her musing, someone new had arrived to their waiting assembly. The same as the rest, she turned her discolored eyes on them just long enough to acknowledge their presence and make sure they weren't doing something like running at her with a weapon drawn. It was only after turning back around and fixing her feet in the snow that Lexine spun once more to make sure she had seen correctly. The blurry silhouette of her ruined eye's vision continued to dance around the figure, but through her functioning sight there was no mistaking that he had actually elected to bring four great swords into the fray. It struck her like something out of her fragmented memories.
"Yeah, might as well be. Welcome to the line," she said in an attempt to excuse her conspicuous examination of the newcomer. Afterwords, she turned back to the group. Her greeting had held up the procession a bit, but she did intend to continue. Her eyes fell to the boy who had asked. He looked innocently curious enough, which pained her for what she was about to say.
"I report for a scientific journal overseas. Tikkis' claims contradict fairly recent cartographic expeditions to Gris, and it's my job to investigate such discrepancies," Lexine said, smiling invisibly within her coat. It was true enough that, had things fallen slightly differently, it was exactly what she would be doing. Her orders were slightly more specific, and her skill set was slightly more eccentric than a scientist's though. At the very least, her ill fit for the role was justifiable by the ill fitting environment for an ordinary reporter or journalist. She decided to press onward and get her interests out in the open while she could.
"Since we're all either passing around introductions or sizing each other up, I'll say this, I look forward to traveling with you all. If any of us are going to make it far north without a caravan, we're probably going to have to do it together." She kept her voice even, staying reasonable and matter of fact for what was equal parts her dear hope and legitimate plan.