[center][h2][color=#63ccff]Lene Mathiassdatter Cadon[/color][/h2][/center]
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Lene spared a quick glance to Esben off to her left. Her older brother sat quietly, as was often his wont, though she couldn't miss the strain he had keeping his polite smile. It was only natural; after witnessing him starting to argue with Halvor earlier in the day, he was [i]clearly[/i] busy with something important, and his patience for complete diversions had never been great. She'd never expected to see him [i]quite[/i] so tense, though, but there was no helping it. At least he'd made sure to dress well, although she would have rather had the chance to actually coordinate something between himself, herself, and Anders. The long red skirt and pleated blouse she wore, with her hair tightly braided to keep out of the way, was—in her opinion—the perfect thing to wear for a dinner such as this, neither too much nor too little. Anders was dressed simply as well, as befit a knightly servant to a baronial family. Her brother was wearing clearly borrowed clothes, though he looked decidedly more comfortable in them than the Solitude-styled clothes she'd seen him in when he first graduated from the Garden...Before deciding to do multiple more years of study. Clean shirt, comfortable trousers, but none of the decorations that would normally drive him mad, but his colours were just as blank and subdued as ever, and didn't serve to present a united front between the three of them [i]at all.[/i] If she didn't know he was surprised by this, he'd have earned a scolding for as soon as it was all done.

She shifted slightly in her seat, eyes falling back on the young man seated across from her as she straightened her skirt. He was dressed in something decidedly a step [i]more[/i] formal than she'd worn, unsurprisingly; it would never do to be underdressed, but Halvor had a habit of overdressing, and was pushing that onto his ward and other guests. The fit was tighter around the neck and sleeves than she'd been expecting, from how he'd been described to her parents...and the scarring hadn't been mentioned at all. But the hair was right, the height, and there was nothing to his demeanour to suggest he might be pretending at being 'Rudolf Shilage.' Either he was a very good actor, or he was genuine.

Of course, from what Anders had told her, Halvor and the earl Demet had never said anything about so many friends either. Certainly not her own brother. Rudolf Shilage was as much a mystery now as when she'd first gotten Anders to tell her his name, she decided.

She smiled at him, but she could tell from the hollowness of his own expression that he was even more surprised than her brother. Mysteries could be fun, but she didn't want to send Halvor into a tizzy or distress her potential fiancé before he could even catch up with what was happening. She turned to the side, towards the pair sat next to him. A Mystrel woman, clearly dressed in Ospreyan style, likely the oldest of their group, or just the one who had lived the hardest...perhaps both. And next down from her, a man who was likely near her brother's age, maybe a little older, yet another one built like he was used to hard travel and fighting, with some scars to match. Scars on all of them, even her brother...

She kept her smile in spite of the pang of worry she felt. [color=#63ccff]"Well, we should at least keep the introductions moving, [i]ja?"[/i][/color] she joked. [color=#63ccff]"So many people, and only one I recognize and another in a [i]uniform[/i] I know—and I didn't even give poor Esben the chance to tell me all your names earlier today. It's good of you to stand in for his family when they can't be here, but could Herr Anders and I know just who all has been keeping an eye on poor Rudolf for us?"[/color]

She tapped Esben's foot with her own, getting him to look back towards her and the others at the table when his eyes had been darting between Rudolf and Halvor. The servants worked around them all, setting dishes down from which they could serve themselves. [color=#63ccff]"Esben, you've been travelling with them too, haven't you? Be a good brother and help us get to know each other, won't you?"[/color]

She looked up and smiled at him. [color=#b3ccff]"Ah, of course,"[/color] he said, blinking once and sighing. Another mystery; even when he was surprised, normally he didn't struggle [i]this[/i] much on the uptake. It wouldn't do for poor Halvor's nerves to let herself frown at that, though, so she added it to the rest of figuring out just [i]what[/i] had been happening to all of them. [color=#b3ccff]"Across from me is Furuya Izayoi, a former retainer of the Rijin clan of Osprey. Next to her is Galahad Caradoc—"[/color]

[color=#63ccff]"The dragoon?"[/color]

[color=#b3ccff]"The very same, son of Duke Artorias Caradoc of Midgar. Owing to the roles that they have...partly adopted, and have partly had thrust upon them, while we travel, as well as the Midgari connection with sir Galahad, I'm sure you can imagine why they've been sat in lieue of Rudolf's parents."[/color] She allowed herself a somewhat more genuine smile; Esben was peculiar, but at least once she got him started he could get with the flow of things. [color=#b3ccff]"Izayoi, Galahad, this is my sister, Lene; to my left is sir Anders, a sometimes-instructor at the Garden and retainer of our own family. For the others further down—next to Anders we have Miina Malina from Drana Asnaeu, next to Galahad is dame commander Éliane Laruelle of Solitude, and then Asakura Chisato, also from Osprey. We—most of us, at least—have been travelling together for the last few months."[/color]

She smirked up at him. [color=#63ccff]"Is [i]that[/i] why you haven't written home in so long?"[/color] she teased. He frowned down at her. [color=#b3ccff]"Are we not here discussing your betrothal? Perhaps you should be more demure."[/color]

[i][color=#63ccff]Ah, Esben, I have you now![/color][/i] Her eyes dropped slightly, and she nodded timidly. [color=#63ccff]"Of course. I'm sorry, Esben, you know I like the excitement of meeting new people, and all of such personage..."[/color]

[color=#b3ccff]"Lene!"[/color]

[color=#8fbc8f][b]"Esben, be nice to your sister,"[/b][/color] Halvor piped up suddenly, glaring sternly at her brother in an admirable impression of Anders' look earlier that day. She kicked him a second time, grinning wider, and he sighed once more, a touch [i]more[/i] dramatically than before, while she faced lady Izayoi and sir Galahad once again. [color=#63ccff]"Well, my brother's impoliteness aside, it's nice to meet all of you!"[/color]

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As he finished dishing himself out some of the potage that had been brought out first, and deposited a slice of bread onto a plate, Anders felt light fingers prodding at his arm. He turned towards the diminutive girl sat next to him, and after a moment of contemplation, gave her a single nod, as despite Lene and Esben's introductions, he'd yet to be called into their discussion directly. [color=#a34686]"Of course, young miss,"[/color] he replied. [color=#a34686]"No need to be so timid. Would you like to try the tourin?"[/color]