Gertrude quickly let go once she realized she was actually capable of hurting Tyaethe. Apparently assuming the woman was always borderline invincible was a mistake, and she felt a tightness in her chest. When she thought Tyaethe couldn't be hurt, she was determined to crush the woman. When that turned out not to be the case...

Gertrude glanced down at Tyaethe, taking note of how small she was. She ran her thumb gently across the back of the woman's hand, and muttered an apology.

"S-sorry, Yaya."

As reluctant as Gertrude was to insert herself into the situation, it was obvious that Tyaethe needed help managing all these people. Gertrude's social skills were awful, but she could fake them well enough. Maybe helping would alleviate some of whatever was going on inside her chest, whatever that bloody was.

Gertrude took a seat near the princesses and smiled.

"Wouldn't it be a bit unfair if Yaya took part?" Gertrude addressed Maletha, reaching out to pat the girl's head, "what's a tournament if you know who's going to win?"

The younger princess quickly hid behind her sister before Gertrude got too close, and the mage's cheeks colored.

This was [i]not[/i] starting off well.

"U-um! Well. Uh... I was with the knights during their last adventure. Would either of you like to hear about it?"

Gretchen looked on as Gertrude floundered, but there was no way her getting in on this would help anyone, much less herself. She chose, instead, to remain near Tyaethe, who she began patting affectionately. There was none of Gertrude's usual snide bullying in the patting, she was purely trying to connect.

"So... you're here for Haizea?"

Gretchen's eyes flickered to the excited Hundi and back.

"Can I, um... help at all, Yaya?"

Gretchen smiled innocently.