[u][center][h2]Marianne Delacroix[/h2][/center][/u]
[u][center][h3]And her Seven [s]Deadly[/s] Lovely Maids[/h3][/center][/u]
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/Jr0Uu63.png?1[/img][/center]

Call it terrible timing. Call it bad luck. Whatever you called it, when the return announcement of the force of Iron Roses that left under Captain Fanily's charge was made, Marianne's maids froze in their tracks and immediately stopped whatever it was that they had set out to accomplish. Leaving their tasks unfinished, each maid had a look of utter worry and dread as they all hiked up their skirts and swiftly trotted their way back to the main hall to greet the Iron Rose Knights. As they passed by Captain Fanily, they each curtsied and bowed their head low to the girl out of respect before they all swarmed around a very tired and 'done' looking Marianne. Of course, they immediately began to bombard her with chatter like a flock of excited birds.

[b]"Lady Marianne, Lady Marianne!"[/b]
[b]"We're so glad you returned safely!"[/b]
[b]"We have important news to share with you!"[/b]
[b]"We're so sorry, the message came so soon we didn't have time...!"[/b]
[b]"We didn't get anything done..."[/b]
[b]"Do you think he'll be mad?"[/b]
[b]"You didn't see him on his way in?"[/b]
[b]"Please, Lady Marianne. Reason with him, we tried our best!"[/b]
[b]"Honestly, we did!"[/b]

Marianne couldn't understand them, her head ached and pounded painfully as they all spoke over one another rapidly and loudly. Shaking her head, she placed a hand on her forehead attempting to silence them and quell their noises. She just wanted to continue on and get out of her equipment, bathe, eat, and go to bed. She didn't have the patience to deal with her girls.

[b]"Ladies, ladies. Please, one at a time, I...I don't...[i]Who[/i] are you talking ab-...ladies, quiet down."[/b]
Marianne's shoulders sagged as she sighed heavily, she had half a mind to just walk through them and ignore them.
But, the senior maid as always was on top of her game and sharply clapped her hands together once.
The sound causing the rest of them to fall silent.
It was the senior maid's time to speak.
Turning to Lady Marianne, the senior maid slipped out and produced the message and gave it to her.
[b]"We received this message from your family, Lady Marianne. As we had just received it today, we had little to no time to prepare for his arrival before your return from your current mission. Our deepest apol-..."[/b]
The senior maid froze up just as she was about to hand the parchment to Marianne, it just so slipping from her fingers and landing softly on the ground. Her eyes wide as she took a step back away from Marianne. The other maids followed her gaze, the doing the same as their senior. Color draining from their already pale faces as they distanced themselves from their beloved Lady, backing up.

Marianne looked at the paper on the ground, blinking. Not yet having noticed how her ladies were behaving.
[b]"Oop, it dropped."[/b]
Marianne commented, plainly.
Blinking she looked up and saw each of the maids taking multiple steps away from her, eyes looking up at...something.
[b]"Girls? What is it? What-..."[/b]
Turning to see what it was they were gawking at, Marianne's mouth hung agape slightly as she also became rooted to where she stood.

[center][u][h3]Moments prior, in the streets just after the return of the Iron Roses...[/h3][/u][/center]
The streets remained cleared from the parade of Iron Roses, the townspeople casting terrified gazes towards the creature that towered and loomed ominously over them as it strode past. Its shadow cast upon them blanketing them in its darkness as it moved with the silence and grace of a ghostly being. No one dared utter a word lest the being they were in the presence of took it as offense and acted upon them with ill intent. It shadowed and followed the path the Iron Roses had made to find its way to its goal after having traveled for so long and from so far. The creature's guest a cherished and honored friend, after all. She was deserving and more than worth the minor inconveniences it had encountered in its journey.

It shouldn't have been possible, how swiftly and quietly the creature moved. The monster as if it were something from one's nightmares or dreams. Its hide catching the light and casting a brilliant and breath-taking shimmer, like the stars themselves were sprinkled upon its fur. Cascading beautifully across its silver-white fur and giving the beast an ethereal appearance, like that of a mythological or legendary animal. Its form easily twice the size of a full-grown horse, eyes as blue as the ocean as it peered from side to side at the commoners and plebeians. But soon, the entrance to its final destination was in sight. 

Thankfully, it was glad that it wasn't greeted in the normal fashion whenever his kind left their lands for whatever reasoning. Perhaps it had timed its arrival just right, or the people were so fear-stricken that they knew not of how to react to him. He meant them no harm, he was peaceable enough. The guards had seen him coming, and cowered before him. He could see their armor and weapons in their hands, but they did not yet act upon him with hostilities. 

Seated on his haunches as he peered down at the guards, he turned his head to bite at one of the scrolls from the leather pouches he had with him. On his back was a saddle of sorts, with pouches containing various things such as his belongings. Mostly items required for his safe and comfortable travels. With a piece of parchment gently between the beast's fangs, the creature lowered its head to present the scroll to the guard. Who, looking at his partner with confusion, stepped forth and took it with trembling hand. Unfurling the scroll, the guard read the elegant and swirling loops and swirl of the script. Written by a dainty hand for this creature, it simply read.

[i]"I am vavassour and honored guest of Lady Marianne V. Delacroix. I am here to see her."[/i]

The guard blinked and looked up at the magnificent beast that seemed to glare down at him with a withering power, watching his every move and action with scrutiny. Swallowing dryly, the guard turned to his partner and handed him the same message. The two shared a look and a shrug, before finally stepping aside and granting the beast entrance. Good, thought the creature. Standing to all fours, the beast entered Candeln. And just his luck, there was his cherished and beloved companion. Her maids were there even. Striding until he was a good distance from her turned back, he sat down on his haunches as he waited for her to take notice of him. Though ,it would be hard not to, if it weren't for his stealthy tendencies.

Marianne had finally realized that she had a visitor, and turned to face him with a blank look on her face. Her silly maids had given away and space to his Lady and lined up behind her. Though, they greeted him not with a bow. But by kneeling on one knee, bowing their heads low to the ground, and one fist against the ground. A gesture that he recognized to be customary amongst a particular group. But, of course they were. Was only fitting and smart, after all.

However, Lady Marianne took far too long to make recognition of him.
Oh, how she hurt him sometimes.
Were there really any others that even resembled him?
Other than his own kind, of course.

[b]"S-...Si"[/b]
Lady Marianne stuttered, taking a step towards him with outreached hand.
The beast closed his eyes and lowered his head to where it was lower than Lady Marianne's head in a bow.
[b]"Sir Ricard?"[/b]
Marianne said with a breathless and dry chuckle.
The gargantuan Direwolf very slightly nodded its snout.
[b]"SIR RICARD!"[/b]
With a girlish squeal, any fatigue Marianne had within her body faded away and she bounced up and down a few times before sprinting forward to wrap her arms around Sir Ricard's snout in a tight hug.
Gone was any maintained persona of one that held noble blood within her veins, or that of an honorable Iron Rose knight. No, in this brief moment of extreme glee and happiness, she was neither Lady nor Dame. She was simply a little girl again and her [i]very[/i] large canine companion.
[b]"Sir Ricard, how are you! [i]Mon petit chiot![/i] I haven't seen you in ages! What are you doing so far south of Barukstead! [i]Ma déesse![/i] Did you really come all this way just to see me? Oh, never mind all that! I'm so happy to see you!"[/b]

Just the biggest and happiest smile was plastered on Marianne's face, especially when she moved around Sir Ricard to hug his fluffy body and bury her face in it. Her arms barely able to even fully wrap around his giant neck. Sir Ricard didn't react much to her squeaks and squeals of joy, but his tail wagged once or twice, betraying that he too was happy to see her. Nothing but love existed in the bond between these two. The maids all breathed a relieved sigh, at least for the moment. Glad to having been witness to this heart-warming moment. But soon, they would be able to speak and they could only hope and pray to Reon herself that Sir Ricard would pay no mind to their ill preparation.