[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/5hcLYDu.png[/img]
Collab between [@enmuni], [@Echotech71], [@SpicyMeatball] & [@The Muse]
[sub]Location: Alchemy Chambers[/sub]
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Nesna nodded vigorously in response to Nathaniel and affirmed. No sooner had she done so than Zeph blurted out his greeting.

It was friendly, and yet mortifying. Her smile tightened, her eyes dimmed, and the grey skin of her cheeks and nose darkened in a blush. 

[color=DDA0DD]“There’s no need to trouble him!”[/color] she exclaimed.

She gestured quickly to Nathaniel and then to Zeph, then the reverse.

[color=DDA0DD]“Oh, Nathaniel, I should tell you—this is Guard Hale. He prefers to go by Zeph with acquaintances,”[/color] she clarified, [color=DDA0DD]“And Zeph, Lord Stormlight has kindly escorted me to the Alchemy Chambers.”[/color]

Zeph’s gaze shifted to the man beside Nesna, sizing him up with a glance—silent judgments made in quick succession. 

[color=98A869]“Pleasure.”[/color] he said, tone polite but bordering on sarcasm. Spending time with an Aurelian noble ranked low on his list of desires for the day—mentoring an Aurelian was already torture enough.

Having sped through an introduction, Nensa looked back to Eris and fell into a deep curtsy. 

Silent and wide-eyed, the Sage stood frozen just behind Zeph’s much larger frame. Her breath caught as her gaze traced the curve of folded wings protruding from the blight-born’s back, then rose to meet not one pair of horrifying pupil-less eyes, but two. Four in total, blinking back at her. 

[color=DDA0DD]“And my most sincere apologies to you, Lady Hightower, for infringing upon your rights as a host. I am called Nesna.”[/color] 

While Nesna made her polite gesture, introducing herself to Eris, Nathaniel's attention flicked to Zeph. [colour=#C0C0C0]”Please.”[/colour] he said with a small smile while putting his hands up. [colour=#C0C0C0]”I'm happy just being called Nathaniel.”[/colour] 

Nathaniel's thoughts went back to what Nesna said about Zeph, a guard, but where is the uniform? Perhaps it's his day off. [colour=#C0C0C0]“I am Sage. I was summoned just over a month ago to help, I just arrived a couple of days ago.”[/colour] giving Zeph a small nod of his head as a way of greeting. 

As Zeph nodded in understanding—boredom flickering plainly in his eyes—Eris turned her attention to Charlotte, quietly gauging her new companion's reaction to the blight-born standing before them. Zephyros clearly didn’t see the woman as a threat, which struck Eris as odd, given the circumstances. And yet…

Her gaze shifted to Nathaniel. He had brought the winged woman here. Nesna couldn’t have been the intruder if she was a friend of his… right? 

Despite her unsettling appearance, there was something refined in the way she spoke—a precise, deliberate cadence that hinted at a noble upbringing. Her accent differed from Eris’s own, yet it was familiar all the same. As if, in her first life, Nesna too might’ve belonged to a house of high pedigree. 

Returning her attention to Nensa, Eris did her best to smooth her expression back into its usual warmth. [color=B1E4FC]“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nesna. I assure you, you haven’t infringed on anything.”[/color] Somehow, she managed to steady her voice and even offer a small, hesitant smile. Nesna offered a simple nod and smile in return.

In the back of her mind, formality urged her to curtsy in return—extend a hand in greeting, invite Nesna in, offer her and Nathaniel something to eat or drink. But her arms remained rigid at her sides, her body still frozen in place. 

[color=B1E4FC]“This is Guard Hawthorne.”[/color] She gestured toward Charlotte, then looked between Nesna and Nathaniel again. [color=B1E4FC]“What brings you both here?”[/color]

Charlotte simply nodded as Eris introduced her, unbothered by the company before them but still clearly alert. Among the now grouping nobility, the recruit kept silent. In private, she’d opened up to Eris, but her veil of professionalism had draped across her features the minute they’d stepped outside. Her shield was planted firmly in the snow at her side, still strapped to her arm, while her free hand rested idly on the pommel of her sword.

Nathaniel furrowed his brows at Eris’s question. A strange question. He was about to respond immediately about it but Charlotte's movement caused him to pause for a heartbeat. Something is up, he wondered. His gaze went back to Eris' own, clearing his throat before speaking. [colour=#C0C0C0]“Well, I'll be visiting here regularly to conduct research.[/colour] a small smile tugged on his lips. [colour=#C0C0C0] “You didn't get a chance to introduce me to the other Sages as they were busy with other matters. Figured I'd try to introduce myself to them today.”[/colour]

[colour=#C0C0C0]“Nesna here,[/colour] he turned slightly as he spoke about why she's here with him. [colour=#C0C0C0]“She’s here for her interview with the Prince. As per the decree that all newly arrived blight-born must follow.[/colour]

Regrettably, heat rose into Eris’ cheeks. She cast a quick glance toward Nesna, trying to ignore how plainly the embarrassment showed plainly across her face. Of course it wasn’t unusual for Nathaniel to be here! Nor Nesna, for that matter! How could she forget that the Prince had intended to do more interviews today?!

[color=B1E4FC]“Oh, I—”[/color] She offered a sheepish smile, momentarily unsure which of Nesna’s eyes to meet. [color=B1E4FC]“Of course. I apologize, I—”[/color] She hesitated, glancing up at Zeph, who had glanced back down at her. 

[color=B1E4FC]“My mind is a bit… scattered.”[/color] She admitted as her gaze returned to Nathaniel. [color=B1E4FC]“There was a… a break-in this morning.”[/color] She frowned, the memory of that daunting shadow lurking in her room flashing behind her eyes. [color=B1E4FC]“Nothing appears to be missing, but…”[/color] 

[color=98A869]“Hawthorne and I were just about to check the perimeter.”[/color] Zeph cut in before Eris could continue, his eyes shifting to his stone-faced partner. [color=98A869]“Shall we?”[/color] He asked, nodding once toward the exit.

Without waiting for a reply, Zeph stepped around Nathaniel and veered toward the right of the Alchemy Chambers, eager to leave the nobles to their conversation. Eris seemed safe enough with another Sage at her side—one that she clearly knew. 

And yet, despite knowing Nathaniel was more than capable of offering protection, Eris felt Zephyros’ absence immediately—cold and stark, like a shield suddenly stripped away from where his body had blocked her from full view of the blight-born.

Her eyes widened slightly, concern flickering as she watched Charlotte fall in step behind him—leaving another frigid void at her side.

Nathaniel's gaze shifted to Zeph. [colour=#C0C0C0]”A break-in!?”[/colour] Nathaniel blurted out, causing Eris to snap her attention onto him. His gaze went back to Eris. [colour=#C0C0C0]”Are you ok?”[/colour] he couldn't help but say to her.

Eris offered a small, restrained smile and nodded. [color=B1E4FC]“I’m alright. Shaken, but no one was harmed… at least, as far as we know.”[/color] 

Her gaze drifted toward Zephyros and Charlotte again, a quiet prayer forming in her mind—a plea to Aelios that they wouldn’t find another soldier or civilian lying lifeless in the snow. 

As Zeph passed, Nesna offered a nod and a smile. He returned the gesture with a wink—and let out a quiet chuckle as he felt the heat of Charlotte’s gaze burn into his back.

As soon as the guards took their leave, Nesna spoke once more. [color=DDA0DD]“Regarding my status here, there was one other detail Nathaniel suggested I might broach with you, my lady. I would, if you would have me, My Lady, offer myself up as a volunteer in any capacity you might see fit for your research.”[/color] Nesna stepped back as she spoke. She kept her stance rigid, and her arms and wings pulled in tightly. Her tone verged on apologetic, somehow bothered by her own request. 

Eris blinked, her gaze drifting over Nesna—assessing her posture, the softness in her voice, the expression on her pallid face. There was a calmness to her, a measured composure that made her seem far more docile and stable than many of the other blight-born Eris had encountered. Certainly a more promising candidate than Miss Rykker, at the very least.

Nesna wasn’t the first blight-born to volunteer herself for study, and Eris doubted she’d be the last. But still, a thought gnawed at the back of her mind—why had it been Nathaniel to suggest the idea?

Given a moment to regain himself, Nathaniel eased himself. He focused on the other thing that Eris mentioned. [colour=#C0C0C0]”Strange…”[/colour] he mumbled cupping his jaw with his cold hand, the gears in his head turning. [colour=#C0C0C0] “Was there anything out of the ordinary that you or the other Sages might—” [/colour] he paused for a moment as his eyes locked to hers. She was about to explain before that Zeph character interrupted her. [colour=#C0C0C0]”You found something, didn't you?”[/colour] he gently asks.

Eris glanced at Nathaniel, momentarily torn between the two. [color=B1E4FC]“Why don’t you both come inside?”[/color] She asked, turning her attention to Nesna before (bravely) stepping aside and motioning toward the entrance. [color=B1E4FC]“It’s awfully cold out and… it seems we have much to discuss.”[/color]

As they stepped in, Eris closed the door gently behind them, then gestured to the seating area to the right—where other blight-born would likely gather soon, awaiting their audience with the Prince and his advisor. [color=B1E4FC]“Please, sit wherever you’d like.”[/color] 

Shaking the clumps of snow that clung to his hair and body, Nathaniel took a look at the chairs and the one small makeshift lounger. His cold, slightly numb fingers brushed along one of the fabric on the chairs. [colour=#C0C0C0]“I’ll sit in a moment.”[/colour] he said softly. [colour=#C0C0C0]“I don't want to get these chairs wet from melting snow.”[/colour]

Crossing to the far wall, Eris nodded and stopped in front of the hearth, the fire crackling softly. Holding out her hands toward the flames, she let the warmth slowly seep back into her skin. [color=B1E4FC]“Nathaniel,”[/color] she said, glancing over her shoulder, [color=B1E4FC]“How familiar are you with enchantment magic?”[/color]