[b][u]Previously[/u][/b]

There was only the slightest of creaking as the wheels of the carriage bit into the road of the countryside road it trundled down. Well maintained and elegant in its styling, it was clear that this was the transport of either someone born of high blood, or rich enough to make up for it. Both factors played into the position of one Anriette Argentine, a position that now meant she found herself surrounded by reports of both mercantile and diplomatic persuasions.

"Sir, could you refrain from staring, it quite puts me off." Her Aquatayne accent, carefully crafted, was pronounced, but not a hindrance to, her Nocturne. It was always best to sound like the nation that you were representing, and even more so, she, along with many others she had encountered, found it rather pleasing.

"I'm watching the road m'lady, I've never once gazed at you." The somewhat perplexed guard captain that sat across from her, in the rather roomy carriage, replied with confusion. He was of this land, but paid by the Embassy. It made him quite useful for excursions out and about, but still, it was clear he was never quite sure if he had offended some sort of Aquatayne tradition.

"Precisely, you're making it impossible to think of nothing but bandits and other rogues out there, surely there are better things to look at then the dark of night." She laughed a little at his sudden expression. Anriette was a fair woman, and rarely dressed to hide it, and she had made to deliberately tease him, before handing over a letter she had yet to cast her eyes over. "Please, read that to me while I check through these accounts." Recovering, the guard soon followed through with her demand, beginning to recount to her the latest communication that the head of the embassy had sent to her. A few minutes passed before a thud shook through the carriage, jostling those within, sending much of the paperwork flying around the carriage as the horse-drawn transport came to a sudden halt, the whiney and scream of horses soon following, before the whole carriage began to sag.

"Wait here m'lady, I'll see what this is about." The captain drew his blade before exciting the carriage, his form followed by the concerned gaze of the lady in his charge, once the door was shut, Anriette busied herself in restoring her hair to its proper place, a few ginger strands having come loose in the commotion. When the twang of crossbows and the thud of a body striking the ground resounded from outside, the woman could only roll her eyes.

"...Oh for the love of...this was a new gown." With that she stood herself, exciting the carriage. It was a well lit night, and the group of bandits that had gathered around the embellished carriage were treated to a near perfect view of the noblewoman leaving her transport, the ermine gown she wore studded with enough precious stones as to glisten in the moonlight.

"Looks like we've struck lucky lads." The common accent of what must have been their ring leader washed over her, as badly as the smell that emnated from the lot.

"Oh, I rather think you are mistaken." Anriette replied with a grin, which only seemed to grow wider, her teeth suddenly far too large to be contained by such a pretty smile.

---

It had been quite the challenge to secure transport into Valeria after that. The first trader to happen open them of course believed her tear-sobbed story about a combined bandit and subsequent lycan attack, the young noblewoman only surviving by baring herself in the storage of the carriage, her gown torn to pieces by foul men before they had been punished by the arrival of a roving feral wulfen. Alas he wasn't going on the right direction, so had instead taken her to the nearest point of civilisation where she might procure further transportation. This would have been a problem, her with no real funds on her, had she not been able to procure the Argentine seal, in the world of traders, that meant a lot more than the Du'lac family crest she would usually present. With promises of repayment, she had finally been able to make her way to the grand city, on time even, it had been fortunate she had set off early.

While not one to ceaselessly show off, Anriette was aware enough of her own appearance to expect to turn a few heads upon her arrival into the open session that the current vampiric elder was holding. The one that could be bothered to stay awake. That she did, dressed in a gown of blue and gold, a hallmark of Aquatayne, the redheaded beauty met a few of the stares directed her way, making sure to curtsy should they be anyone important enough to warrant it. Taking her place in the hall, provided with a comfy enough seat to rest herself upon, the diplomat contented herself with simply watching the process of Nocturne rule.