[center][h3][color=lightcoral]Corvina[/color] & [color=cyan]Bowyn[/color] [/h3][/center] [color=silver]
[hr]

Cora bit her lip as she listened to Bowyn speak. His discouraging words made her sink slightly into herself. Her smile faltered, as did the light in her eyes. It was a quick admission of guilt as she pulled up her impassive expression once more. She was afraid to admit it had been from Risa, and how she had met her Cora remained silent as she allowed him to speak his mind.. She did need to heed his advice though; she didn’t know this world, or who to follow. While she trusted and believed in Kenia and Malachi, she was wary of others. Those two had gone out of their way to protect Rei and her, while Risa could possibly thrust them into untold dangers. The actions of Princess Risa were indeed reckless and bold. She sighed quietly. 

His next statements were enough to quelm her rising doubt and uncertainty. She was able to see the honesty in his words. He was quiet as not to allow anyone else to overhear. She could understand his point of view too. Through his words, she was able to decipher and pick up on his reluctance to join the rebellion. Something had to have happened to him in the past. She had seen his friends earlier and couldn’t help but wonder if they were elves or actually humans. His reluctance could have come from protection, and not just for himself and his bird. Once he finished speaking, she managed a gentle smile, but it wasn’t as bright as earlier. 

[color=lightcoral]”I regret to inform you that your previous statement is indeed true.”[/color] Cora stole a quick glance over to Risa, who was having quite the crowd. She turned and swallowed hard. She didn’t know what to think right now concerning the fairy. She sighed and looked at him. The friendliness and warmth was there now, as she remained open to the conversation. Despite the reluctance of agreeing, she has indeed made an acquaintance and she was happy for that. She thought about revealing herself to him but decided against it. It was best to keep the list of who knew her true identity to a minimum. Life could change rapidly, and sometimes friends could become enemies.

[color=lightcoral]”I will keep your words in mind. Thank you, Bowyn. It has been a pleasure getting to know you and also your bird. I wish you the best of luck. If you do not come, I will understand.”[/color] 

Bowyn nodded as she admitted what he’d suspected, her message had come from the princess that, he could only assume, reveled in the attention she was receiving tonight. It didn’t take much for Bowyn to realize he’d soured Cora’s mood a bit, and it tended to be a usual occurrence for those who spent too much time around him. At least she seemed to heed his warning some, though stealing the prospect of hope from others didn’t bring him any pleasure. He was, however, unsatisfied with her vague statements. He remained unsure of how deep into the rebellion she was or how well she actually knew Princess Risa or the fairy’s intentions. He still had his suspicions about Cora, suspecting his dance partner was yet another disguised human but, if she was, at least she had the sense to keep such things secret. He wasn’t interested in uncovering Cora’s personal secrets, but the larger questions he had; about who really led this rebellion and what their end goal truly was, those were the answers he needed.
 
[color=cyan]“Was it Princess Risa who abducted all these humans? Ripping them away from their own lives for something as petty as regaining her crown?”[/color] Bowyn asked the question he most wanted to know in a voice so quiet it was almost inaudible. This was a dangerous topic, he understood that, but he needed to know who and why. [color=cyan]“Because I have met humans, they are good people. They don’t deserve such a fate and I do not wish to see them suffer and die for nothing. I have little in the way of options for them. So, if this port is truly our best option, I will be there, but if you have any cause to doubt your information, or the source of it, I need to know. My kind are much less forgiving than most.”[/color] He continued with his quiet tone, though his words held the weight of his situation. He knew the dance was coming to its end, there wasn’t much time left for his answers and he wasn’t going to waste time trying to make more friends. If her information proved useful, they’d likely meet again anyway. If not that he didn’t need anymore attachments to strangers so willing to throw themselves into a lost cause. He needed to make sure before he tried to lead Torvi and Belle anywhere that it wasn’t on a fool’s errand. 

Bowyn’s inquiry of Risa made her eyes widen. Shock and confusion rose. Aklenroth had brought them over, right? Why would the princess have done that? She frowned as she listened to him and furrowed her brows. She sighed and began to qulem her worries. Kenia and Malachi hadn’t lied to her; she trusted them. Cora’s sunny disposition was rising up once more. She wasn’t going to allow this fairy’s doubt to spoil her night, nor Rei’s absence. After a few deep breaths, Cora felt calmer again. She didn’t respond to Bowyn’s commentary and instead, chose to remain silent. She smiled as he mentioned having met other humans. While it was not confirmed, she couldn’t help but suspect his two light-elf companions were actually humans.

 [color=lightcoral]”The humans should be the top priority of being kept safe and out of harm's way. They did not ask to be here and were snatched from their world. That’s something both sides should take into consideration. Humans did not ask to be here.”[/color] Cora’s statement was bold, but honest. She wasn’t as angry as she had been previously about being here; though, some part of her felt resentment. While nobody would have been looking for her, she had truly disappeared - all the humans had. What was happening on Earth with all the sudden disappearances? These questions had been in the back of her mind, though she never gave them anymore birth. There wasn’t any answer, and it would only drive her nuts thinking about it. To her, this was ehr new life and second chance for her to do good. She had made plenty of mistakes in her life on Earth; both pre-Linnet and post-Linnet. She was determined to do better this time. Cora nodded to Bowyn to signal she understood. 

[color=lightcoral]”Thank you for the insightful dance, Bowyn. I would heed your own advice and allow you to make that decision for your humans and yourself. It seems that at some point, we’ll all be affected by the danger of the rebellion. Whether or not the risk is worth it, is up to you. I wish you the best of luck and may the odds be ever in your favor.”[/color] Cora winked at him and curtsied. Then, she stood up and began to follow her butterfly paper to her next partner. She caught sight of Malachi and Kenia. She kept an eye on them as she walked through the crowd and worked to keep her doubts at bay. She was going to feel awful if something happened to Bowyn and his friends. She wasn’t sure if she should have told him. Cora bit her lip and took a deep breath and thought to herself, [color=pink]’Trust yourself Corvina, for you are your best asset.’[/color]

Bowyn studied her reaction, his question had surprised her and he knew she did not have the answers he sought. He was no closer to determining whether the location she had given him was a solid option or not, but for now it seemed the only option he had. All he could do was present it to Torvi and Belle and let them decide. [color=cyan]“On that we agree.”[/color] He said as she spoke about the humans and their tragic circumstances. [color=cyan]“Good luck to you as well.[/color] He added as his dance partner left him with more questions than answers. He could only hope his next encounter proved as useful though he doubted he was that lucky. In a room full of enemies and empty-headed aristocrats he doubted the odds were in his favor to be paired with another that held any insights or even a common goal. As much as he would have preferred to share what he had learned with his friends before the next dance, it seemed that there would be no break in between. So, Bowyn followed the enchanted paper towards his next partner and tried to bring back his earlier façade that he dropped. As with most things in his life he went in with little hope for the best and all the expectation of the worst.  [/color]