The wording of the Knight Captain caught Eilis by surprise before her cheeks flared up looking down at the ground thinking about it. That was before Arn shook her from her reverie, how long had she been silent?

[color=f49ac2]"No..."[/color] Eilis replied softly, before a soft pink tinge returned to her cheeks. [color=f49ac2]"No, I wouldn't mind at all."[/color] She uttered barely audible.

[color=ed1c24]"Perfect then, I suggest you two rest, I will have to send word ahead of our coming. Not doing so would be dredfully impolite."[/color] Tyrhallan said with a smile as he turned around and exited the room, all while holding a knowing smile on his face.


An hour later they had touched ground and Tyrhallan had asked the two to follow him. He had send word out to the ‘Townhouse’ that he would be in need of the carriage and that he would be bringing guests to stay for a while.
This naturally had send the staff and Lady of the house in quite the uproar.
Clutching the telegram in hand that Tyrhallan had send out to them on such a short notice she immediately hurried down to her husband’s office with the head butler in tow, trying to stop her. In a final attempt on trying to keep the lady of the house away he threw himself infront of the door.
[color=82ca9d]“Your Ladyship, My Lord asked not to be disturbed…he spoke of matters of importance.”[/color]
He was woven aside with a dismissive flick of the hand.
[color=9e005d]“Nonsense Taffle. If I know him he’s lounging about taking his afternoon nap at this hour. The oaf can sleep later! Our son is coming home.”[/color] She reasoned whilst she tried to get the headbutler to move away from the door and blocking her path.
[color=9e005d]“Taffle I am warning you. Either you knock or I will.”[/color] Was all her Ladyship needed to say, before the butler folded and stepped out of her way. Straightening his coat and scraping his throat he raised his hand to deftly knock.
They heard a loud thud, a soft swear or two before it was replaced by a bit of rummaging about, finally they heard his Lordship’s reply. [color=9e0b0f]“Enter.”[/color]
Instantenously the elderly lady grabbed the brass handle and thundered in as Taffle managed to call out.
[color=82ca9d]“Her Ladyship for you my Lord.”[/color]
[color=9e0b0f]“Thank you Taffle, that will be all.”[/color] Lord Venray said with a kind nod letting the butler retreat and facing the onslaught of whatever had distressed his wife so alone.
[color=9e005d]“He’s coming home.[/color]” She said before thrusting the data rod containing the telegram in his hands.
[color=9e005d]“And he’s bringing guests…” [/color]
[color=9e0b0f]“I’m sure Tyr has a perfectly good explanation for all of it. He states here they are friends of his that have fallen on hard times…a young couple by the looks of it. Nothing unusual about that.”[/color] Lord Venray stated as he looked it over.
[color=9e005d]“Oh you old buffoon, the whole thing is unusual to start with!”[/color] She said as she rolled her eyes at her husband’s short-sightedness. 
[color=9e005d]“If you had spent less time on your businesses and more time with your son then you would know he has never brought anyone here to stay for a while. He lives for his Knighthood and as far as I know he doesn’t really have friends. Associates, fellow knights and soldiers and the like and the tutors perhaps, but not ‘friends’. He as always dreaded social calls, I always had to make up excuses as to why he cannot visit those of our acquaintance. I wouldn’t bully him into going if he brought home a girl.”[/color] She sighed lamenting her son’s stubbornness. 
[color=9e0b0f]“Well it seems that now he has.”[/color]
She sighed even harder.
[color=9e005d]“Darling you’re missing the point. There’s a war going on. Our son is a Knight Captain. They are supposed to be at the forefront of that. He was called into action, but now suddenly he is allowed to return home? Something’s amiss. Call it a Mother’s instinct, but I know my Tyr.”[/color] She said looking worried.
[color=9e0b0f]“Or paranoia.”[/color] Lord Venray mumbled believing his wife saw ghosts, it earned him a suspicious glare from his wife.
[color=9e005d]“My Tyr wouldn’t run from a fight, he carries this family’s motto with a too much zealousness I fear. Duty. Your brother should have reminded him that Family should be placed before Duty when he holds the future of this house in his hands.”[/color]
[color=9e0b0f]“Regardless my dear there’s not much you can change about that. He dismissed your ‘suitable candidates’ and told you he didn’t want to be pushed into some loveless union. A thing you as a mother should be completely understanding off…So really Leandra isn’t this more about the fact that Lady Derresciu is rather eager in showing off her grandchildren.”[/color] Lord Venray asked slyly seeing his wife turn up her nose haughtily being affronted with the mere idea of her being jealous. 
He couldn’t help it despite his best efforts to hide it his smile broke through seeing his wife so perturbed.
[color=9e005d]“I don’t know what you mean, so you can stop smiling and prepare. We’ll be having guests soon.”[/color] She snarked before she left the office.
Lord Venray leaned back into his chair with a sigh as he looked at the data rod again.
His wife was right of course. It was suspicious. Something was amiss, but he knew his son would have had his reasons for doing so. Still it was better to be aware and prepared when things were to go south. He suspected they would soon be able to hear the truth from their son regarding the state of the war. He regarded his chessboard that stood off to the side. How much would they need to influence the outcome this time? 

When the carriage finally arrived Tyrhallan exited first, before offering his hand in support of miss Eilis so she may have some support as her sight had not returned completely yet.
He lead the two to the large tall building that Tyrhallan had called ‘the Townhouse’. He had explained to Arn and Eilis that the Venray estate was actually outside of the City, this was merely their ‘town residence’. It served as his father’s work office and it was close enough to Court so they might travel back and forth and have his Uncle visit them from time to time between his duties to the Queen.
The Venray estate itself was their retreat for when City life would become too hectic and during ‘the Season’ whatever that meant.
[color=ed1c24]“Now don’t be afraid we have quite some staff running this place and all under the strict reins of my Mother. She’s Lady of the House. My father may be Lord Venray, but trust me that title means nothing he’s allowed to hold the finances, but Mother is the one who spends it.”[/color] He said cheekily before he walked up the steps and the large wooden doors were opened before he reached it.
He smiled as he looked at the footman who had opened the door and was ready to take the young master’s coat.
[color=82ca9d]“Welcome home Master Tyrhallan.”[/color] The footman said with a straight face, though the corners of his mouth had turned upwards at the sight of the Knight.
[color=ed1c24]“Thank you Dannesh. Good to be back.”[/color] He stated before he walked further into the main hall.
Eilis who had followed behind Tyrhallan was gawking slightly at the impressionable size of it all. She was shaken from her reverie when the footman asked for her coat as well. She was almost tempted to refuse feeling how terribly obvious it had to be to everyone how poor she actually was. 
She waited for Arn as they walked in together.
The mainhall ended into a wider rounded looking chamber holding a spiralling staircase towards the first level and several doors tucked away off to the side. 

In front of the staircase however stood two figures along with some of the more important house hold staff.
A fair elderly lady smiling widely at the sight of her son as she threw her arms wide to embrace him and a tall formal looking man holding a pleasant countenance.
[color=9e005d]“Tyr, welcome home darling.”[/color] the lady said as she felt him embrace her gently before kissing her hands.
[color=ed1c24]“Mother, Father. Forgive the suddenness of our arrival and the late warning of our coming. As stated before I have returned home with some guests." He said as he also aknowledged his father with a nod. Which his father replied by a clear smile and the slightest of nods back, remaining silent allowing his son to explain the unusual swift return.  
"They are friends of mine who have fallen on particular hard times, this young lady is the Honourable Miss Eilis as I heard Eilis’s Estate went up in flames near Presper.”[/color] He spoke smoothly fabricating a more sensible truth and explanation.
[color=ed1c24]“She was lucky in the fact that her betrothed had been near, this is Master Mage Arn a fire mage of great renown amongst mage and knight alike. He managed to get to her in time before the front collapsed.”[/color] Tyrhallan stated as he watched the faces of his parents turn from something indiscernible to alarm and worry.
[color=ed1c24]“I have offered them a place in our home for the time being so they may rest and try to rebuild what was lost. I trust you did not disapprove of me doing so.”[/color] Tyrhallan stated seeing his father shake his head thoughtfully before Tyr added.
[color=ed1c24]“Besides Mother, I believed you would enjoy the company. You always said you would have liked another woman in the house.”[/color] He said slyly using his mother’s pestering against her for a change.
[color=9e005d]“There is no need for such underhanded tactics, Tyrhallan. As you well know, they are most welcome.”[/color] His mother spoke gently, though she send her son a look that spoke volumes. 
The Knight merely brushed it off as he turned to his companions. 
[color=ed1c24]“Eilis, Arn, these are my parents. Lady Leandra Hendreshy Venray and Lord Pharlan Auregin Venray."[/color]
The look in her eyes changed to genuine kindness when she regarded Eilis and Arn. It seemed clear from whom Tyrhallan had inherited his every changing eyes from. As they lit up at the sight of Eilis who reminded her of some frightened little lamb in need of protection. The fact that she apparently was betrothed to the 'worn' looking mage did make her highly suspicious about her son's truthfulness, but the Venray's would never turn a desperate soul away and she wasn't about to start now.  
[color=9e005d]“Don’t mind my son, he’s of the opinion that he is clever, whilst infact he is as predictable as can be. Now…how about we show you to the quarters we’ve prepared for you whilst you stay with us.”[/color] She said taking Eilis’s hands in her own and squeezing them for a moment in motherly fashion before inclining her head to Arn.
[color=9e005d]"And find you something more suitable to wear. How much I may approve of Knights, that armour cannot be particularly pleasant and comfortable when one's off duty." She stated. "I am certain Tyr will have something that may fit you."[/color] She said with a look towards her son. Who nodded before inclining his head in thanks.