"Temperance is a virtue, so the scripture says." Mitunbaal replied as she noticed Carter dismiss himself from the ball room. A quick scan of the room also proved that the private Robertson had departed from the festivities, and that the pair of officers had returned from wherever they had slipped from. The young man, she reckoned, must have simply been overwhelmed.

She clearly returned her attention to bar around her and the elgan across from her in the bar before continuing. "Though, I must confess that the idea of being on solid ground is comforting, doubly so within the safety of an allied power.

Erinia's offer brought a polite smile to Mitunbaal's face in turn. The academic had read numerous such accounts, even several first hand ones from the literate among the Shariq's early reclamation efforts and the novelty had long since worn off. History, however, demanded that she accept the offer.

"I would be quite honored to read the account of our reclamation efforts," Mitunbaal softly replied after a slightly too long silence. "Sarenki is such a beautiful city these days, and I can only imagine what it was like before the fall. But the Blight was unleashed a long time ago, and even the most ancient Elgan would be hard pressed to recall it."