Lady Emma Frost of House M stood beside her lord husband, Lord Scott Summers, her face arranged in an expression of polite curiosity. She wore a [url=http://67.media.tumblr.com/91ec0c8a7df07e59b1b3d9917635d3b0/tumblr_n8ifjh7VRj1rsdyc4o1_500.jpg] gown [/url] as white as the snow that fell every year in the Mountains of the Moon. It hugged her figure and accentuated her long legs. Behind her trailed a cape of sorts, wrapped around her shoulders and pooling on the ground behind her. The pearls sewn into the dove-grey fabric of the "cape" shimmered in the bright morning sun with Emma's every move, and a [url=http://www.internetstones.com/image-files/hazen-diamond-necklace.jpg] diamond necklace [/url] glittered at her throat. There were small freshwater pearls braided into her [url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/95/8a/0c/958a0ce885ef7e7a998e018a83d1edde.jpg] hair[/url]. Three of her treasured Myrish-stiletto-turned-turned-hairpins pinned tendrils of blond locks away from Emma's eyes.

Their household guard, led by Sir James Howlett, stood around them. Emma let a coy smile play over her lips as she eyed some of the other lords and ladies. Their thoughts filled her head, most of them mundane and of no interest to her.

[i]"I do wonder who will be the final winner of this tourney."[/i]

[i]"Is that one of Lord Baron's bannermen that I see?"[/i]

[i]"I hope that it will not be too hot come noon."[/i]

Emma suppressed a yawn. [i]Will Jean Grey be in attendance? I am assuming that she will. She has not forgiven Scott, most like, but a lady of her standing would not miss this tourney for the world. I suppose the more important question is if she will approach Scott or not.[/i] Emma's cool blue eyes flitted around the area once again.

[i]"May the Warrior grant me strength."[/i]

[i]"Is there not a single flagon of wine to be found in all of Marvelos?"[/i]

[i]"What in the seven bloody hells are Summerset Islanders doing here?"[/i]

The last thought that she "heard" caught her attention. Emma was almost certain that House Hydra of the Reach had at least had a hand in the murder of Princess Shuri of the House Udaku and her children. [i]Hmm. Perhaps there will be something more interesting than Lady Jean's broken heart here after all,[/i] Emma mused to herself. 

Emma accompanied her lord husband as he amicably greeted the other lords and ladies in attendance, smiling a polite smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, which remained as cold as ice. This was somewhat intentional; Scott's actions indicated that he cared about the opinions of the other lords and ladies. Emma, frankly, did not, and she wanted the keener, more observant and sharp-eyed ones to take notice. They would know that although Scott spoke of friendship and alliance and cooperation, if any one of them dared to even consider the [i]possibility[/i] of double-crossing House M, Emma would be down on them faster than they could blink.

And she meant it. Oh, she meant it. After all, Emma could read thoughts.

Emma's mind wandered to her father. She wondered if he ever found out that she had married Scott Summers, his liege lord. She did not particularly care what he thought of the marriage-she was more concerned with what he actually would [i]do[/i] about it. She had expected that Lord Winston Frost would undoubtedly try to use Emma's power to advance his own position, and the same could be said of her older sister, Lady Adrienne Frost. Or Adrienne would attempt to dispose of Emma and charm her way into Scott's graces. In any case, Emma knew that Adrienne had no chance. Scott was too hung up on Jean to consider another woman, and besides, Adrienne wasn't a telepath. 

Emma shook her head slightly. She had surprised herself just by thinking of her family; they had not bothered her for years now. She hadn't spoken to a single one of them since she ran off to make her own way in the world. Emma supposed that her mind had gone to her family because there would be many, many lords and ladies of great and lesser importance attending the tourney. Would Lord Winston decide to do the same? Emma guessed not. Her older brother and Lord Winston's only child who would be eligible to compete in the tourney, Sir Christian Frost, was a disgrace in her father's eyes. He was drunk more often than not, but Emma had been quite fond of him when he was sober. In fact, it was he who had remarked that white was her color. And indeed, it was.

Emma's gaze flitted around the tourney grounds of the Cross Realm Games. Brightly colored banners fluttered in the wind as people rushed to and fro, finalizing preparations for the tourney. Emma stifled another yawn. It would be a long day.