[i]"You look well,"[/i] Hilda said. The self-righteous bitch. 

Maeve shook hands with Kora, giving an encouraging nod as she did so. [color=#cc3300][b]"I do teach combat,"[/b][/color] she replied, [color=#cc3300][b]"and if your grip has anything to say, I suspect you'll be a strong melee opponent. But I will be needing you to come by my office and register all of your weapons with me before the day is out."[/b][/color] She looked toward Hilda and her partner, with an apologetic shrug. [color=#cc3300][b]"Just policy."[/b][/color] 

She gave Hilda a final clap on the arm; a normally friendly gesture that would indicate absolutely no thinly-veiled animosity, and nodded to Kora. [color=#cc3300][b]"If it's all quite well, we may as well walk you up to the assembly, Miss Kora. Lovely to see you again, Hilda."[/b][/color] It was lovely, really, in the same way that cleaning the shower drain of a girls' communal bathroom was lovely: A long affair of pulling up things you had almost forgotten existed, and then remembered in one nauseating sweep. 

She stepped back so that Kora could hug and gather her things, and then proceeded to lead her up the stairs. As soon as the elder vikings weren't looking, the smile dropped and Maeve was back to fiddling with her shirt cuffs in an effort to restore circulation to her hands. She said nothing as they ascended the steps to the common room. 

There was, naturally, some concern as to Kora's reaction when she found Sterling up there, as well, but Maeve sincerely hoped the girl would have more restraint than her father. 

Hope, however, was not the same as confidence. 

[@VitoftheVoid]