Well, from the feel I got with what evershadow has written I thought the characters would have some amount of free agency, and Hazel wouldn't necessarily have to join everyone else immediately. And besides that the wonderful narrative power of circumstance may leave Hazel with no choice but to cast off with strangers. Truthfully though, I just wanted to make a character that was somewhat unique and out of my comfort zone, as a non-combatant spoiled princess.