[center][h3][color=moccasin]Cordellenia “Nia” Conta[/color][/h3][/center]
Dolorante pursed her lips as the Moroi official left, eyes watching the Fallen One as he moved towards the human with dark eyes glazed with hunger. Turning, she headed back up to her office before the feast began.

[hr]
[color=moccasin]“I truly am sorry, Aoife,”[/color] Nia said again from her seat on the bed, knees gathered in her arms as she looked towards her right to her Dhampir guard. [color=moccasin]“I only wanted to see what all the fuss was about.”[/color]

“No need to apologize, Nia,” her stone-faced guard said as she closed the door, turning to the girl. A glimmer of gentleness could be seen in her eyes, allowing Nia to relax slightly, loosening her grasp around her knees. “Just… don’t run off again, okay?”

[color=moccasin]“Of course,”[/color] Nia said, a relieved smile on her face as she walked over to the older girl and hugged her. [color=moccasin]“The Chancellor won’t hold you accountable for this. I won’t let her.”[/color]

“It’s not always your choice,” Aoife said, sighing. A knock on the door prompted a tense swivel in place, but the Dhampir relaxed when she opened the door to find Finlay with a tray of refreshments. 

[color=moccasin]“Oh thank heavens! I was just about dying of thirst,”[/color] Nia said, walking over briskly and snagging a mug of water. [color=moccasin]“I suppose it might have been the nervousness?”[/color] she mumbled over the rim of the cup, taking deep gulps of the cool liquid.

“Or the fact that you skipped lunch,” Finlay said, offering a mug of water to Aoife before setting the platter down on the coffeetable. “Chancellor called for the princess — said she wanted to see her. She was heading back to her office with some Moroi. Official-looking, but I don’t like him,” Finlay said to Aoife. The other Dhampir set down her mug, a small frown on her face.

“High-ranking Moroi are rarely likable,” she said, sighing. “But they’re to be followed nonetheless.”

[color=moccasin]“That’s excluding me, right?”[/color] Nia joked, looking between her two Dhampir guards. Finlay rolled his eyes, moving towards the door as Aoife smiled.

“Of course, Nia. Excluding you,” she said, gesturing for the princess to follow her. Setting down her mug, Nia followed her guards down the corridor and towards the Chancellor’s office.

[hr]
“Madame Chancellor,” Aoife said, knocking on the door before opening it. The Chancellor waved them in with a polite smile, rising from her seat as the trio — two Dhampirs and their young Moroi charge — entered the room.

“Glad to see that you made it, Princess Conta,” Dolorante said, looking towards the man beside her before turning to the two Dhampirs. “Aoife, Finlay, would you two be so kind as to wait outside?”

Finlay looked like he was about to protest, but Aoife grabbed his arm, eyes flicking to Nia’s. Nia nodded, and the older Dhampir exited with the younger in tow. The Chancellor looked on with an emotionless gaze before turning to the Moroi official beside her.

[hr]
[@TheMinorFall]