[center][h2][color=aa8585]Beatrice LaForet[/color][/h2][/center][hr][color=aa8585]“Is my dialect that amusing?”[/color] Beatrice queried, raising an eyebrow and tilting her head: a display more playful than biting. She’d been brought up to speak this way, but she’d never felt comfortable with it. While it was a mode she could slip in and out of as the situation demanded, her personal vernacular had always been a lot more blunt. Who was to say, perhaps she'd be giving the girl a lesson in her preferred diction before too long. For now, though, she put on the act of mock offense as she processed the rest of the girl's words. 

Colour Beatrice surprised: as soon as the conversation moved towards anything that could give the girl's own position away, she wasn’t so willing to play games! She stifled a haughty laugh, but at the same time, she supposed she couldn’t fault her for her caution. It wasn't as if Beatrice herself had risked much that wasn’t already blatantly obvious, and she'd already noted the girl's impressive poise; it would be rather a turn about-face, not to mention the mark of incompetence, if she were to tip her hand too soon. 

Regardless, the conversation so far had given up a decent amount of information for her and Lancer to mull over; the Church was host to more than just the Overseer, with two girls that seemed to have no public reason to be here other than to keep the fair Sister company, and at least one of them had the bearing of someone who could be [i]troublesome[/i] down the line if she were so inclined. The other's credentials remained to be seen, but she'd have to be wary of a surprise appearance from a Servant, as well as this one herself, lest she be blindsided as her predecessors had.

[color=aa8585]“And come now, exactly what kind of a woman do you take me for?"[/color] But she laughed it off, letting it be water off a duck's back as the girl beckoned her towards the now-open doors of the church and 'suggested' she use the arrangement as an opportunity to scope out the competition. [color=aa8585]"I wouldn't be so crass as to expect the Church's Overseer to provide me with an unfair advantage. I'll leave tawdy arrangements like those to the Tohsakas."[/color] She allowed herself a smirk as the girl stuck her tongue out at her. Perhaps that whole affair had been lost to history, but she wouldn't let either party forget it in a hurry; and if the name-drop so happened to give the girl a bit of a start, all the better.

[color=aa8585]“No, no, I'm here in a strictly professional capacity. Perhaps she hasn’t mentioned, but I happen to be here on behalf of the Association."[/color] Anyway, this had all been a perfectly fun distraction, but she supposed it was time to get down to business. She followed the girl to the doors, stopping just inside of them and turning to address her a little more [i]seriously[/i] than she had before. [color=aa8585]"I have some information that may be of interest to her, before proceedings begi-“[/color]

[i]"... oh, and Leah says 'Why would I know what can go on focaccia? I don't know, cheese?',"[/i] And all pretense of seriousness was gone as the peace and quiet of the Church's evening was shattered by the loud and exuberant voice. Beatrice's head snapped around, and she was immediately greeted with the sight of the other girl she'd seen.

And what a [i]sight[/i] she was. The two representatives of the Church she'd already met were modestly and conservatively dressed, as befitting women of the cloth, however alleged that status might be. 'Alleged' was perhaps too mild of a word for this one, however; if she were another Sister, her ideas of what constituted an appropriate style of dress for a holy woman were about as alternative as the Overseer's were about her manner. Her dress would have been revealing on her own, taller and slimmer figure; on the short, energetic and extremely [i]bouncy[/i] young woman who approached them, it was practically a badge of pride, mesmerizing to behold.

Of course, chances were she wasn't exactly a regular member of the Church to begin with, Beatrice thought to herself, as her eyes scanned over the young woman. It wasn't fully certain, considering the eccentricities she'd already observed of the Church's residents, as well as the fact that she didn't seem to command the same presence that the grey, tall and decidedly [i]terrible[/i] Lancer did: but considering what was already on her mind...

[color=aa8585]"I'm quite alright, thank you."[/color] Beatrice offered her a friendly smile as the girl offered her a drink, sidelining those thoughts for the moment. [color=aa8585]"I was just saying to your... friend? Colleague? Sister?"[/color] She looked to the other young woman,  the smile twisting up into something of a smirk, before it levelled back out as she turned her attention back to the newcomer.

[color=aa8585]"Well, whatever the case, I was just saying that I shan't be here long. I just have a quick update for the Overseer, and then I'll be on my way. Wouldn't want to interrupt your busy evening,"[/color] she chuckled, raising a hand to bid the two farewell for now as she made her way down the main aisle of the church towards the woman waiting at the altar. 

[color=aa8585]<Be at the ready, Lancer.>[/color] She intoned to her Servant, directing his attention back to their link, sparing one last glance over her shoulder at the two young women behind her. He'd been quiet the past few minutes, and while she doubted he'd tuned her out just yet, it was best to have him be at the ready in case her suspicions were validated. [color=aa8585]<They may not be hostile for now, but we'll see how that goes.>[/color]

She could handle herself for at least a minute or so, if worst came to worst. More than enough time for them to christen everyone here with an understanding of just how poorly made any such decision was.

[color=aa8585]"Rather [i]charming[/i] little welcome party you've put together here,"[/color] she started to the woman at the altar, stopping at the set of pews closest to her and fixing her with a curious glance. The woman's behaviour would probably be galling to most of her peers, but there was more than a small part of her that found it amusing; and besides, Beatrice would be a damned hypocrite if she upbraided someone else for being unorthodox. She kept her guard up, electing to casually sit atop the arm of the pew rather than lower herself fully into it, but she nonetheless found herself speaking reasonably casually as she addressed the Overseer. [color=aa8585]"Had much to do, since we last met?"[/color]