The travelers arrived late at the Manse de Lesmysteaux, and the hunting party left early the next day, leaving Elise little time to meet her fellow party-goers. After a half-day of traveling, the party's first encampment is being pitched by the servants. The nobles' tents have been erected first, that the fine ladies and gentlemen might refresh themselves before the evening's festivities.

The Lady Ambassador Elise de Bellefeuille sits on the edge of her bed, busying herself by looking over the shoulder of her servant Cosette. "Do be certain that scarf is folded in the proper manner I instructed to you earlier. Also, mind that you do not … 'crimple' … while stacking," she tells the Gallah as she folds clothing and tucks it away in the wardrobe-truck.

The Gallah nods her head patiently. "Yes, Lady Ambassador," she says softly, going about her business. She doesn't seem to mind the instructions, although they have no discernible impact on the efficient and effective results she has in performing the various tasks. "Has the Lady Ambassador decided which dress she wishes to wear this evening yet?" she requests.

"Yes, see that my hunting attire is made ready. I will also require … ," her head tilts in consideration, "my hooded cloak, for I do hear it rains dreadfully often here … boots … and gloves." Elise nods a little to herself once she has answered, satisfied at her choices.

"Do hurry, I have much in the manner of socializing to attend to," adds Elise as she glances about with a look of boredom.

The mutt pauses for a moment in her arrangements, and then says, "Perhaps the Lady has not yet been informed that the hunt will not commence until the morrow? This evening the good nobles are invited to a dinner at the great hall of Chevalier Corwyn de Sylia's castle." She folds another scarf carefully and stows it, then adds, "His castle is one of those recently … reclaimed."

Elise perks her ears. "Is that so? Mm, well, how uninformed I am. Very well then, I shall choose my powder blue gown," she says. The poodle nods again, then returns to inspecting her surroundings with that same absent look.

The secretary continues in her careful work while she waits for Lady de Bellefeuille's response. At Elise's revised request, she finishes storing a pair of gloves, then removes the chosen gown and takes it to the poodle, laying it on the bed and then waiting there to assist the other in changing. "Would the Lady Ambassador allow me to arrange her hair for the evening?" she asks.

"That is acceptable, yes. Come, we really should make haste in our preparations. I do not wish to be late." Now the poodle stands to make her way over to Cosette. Upon reaching her, she gestures off to nowhere in particular. "Tell me of this castle, and of Chevalier de Sylia, would you dear? It will help pass the time."

After Elise is helped into the gown, she sits before the dressing table mirror, with the Gallah behind her, arranging her hair with same meticulousness the secretary brings to every task. "The Chevalier is, of course, one of Baron de Lesmysteaux's people. He's a doberman by breed, and married to Lady Jeunesse de Sylia." Cosette seems grateful for the excuse to talk, covering her lack of deftness as a hairdresser. "I am told that he performed admirably as a soldier against the … robber-barons who formerly held this castle."

Elise folds her hands properly in her lap and allows her secretary to go about her styling without bothering her as to its quality. She does however pose more questions as the Gallah relates the information. "Interesting, yes. Who – or perhaps I should ask what, given the nature of this place – were the rulers of the castle before it was reclaimed? Also, what do you know of this land?" she asks.

Although Cosette has apparently not had a great deal of practice in hair-styling, she does seem adept enough to re-create eventually the effect she is aiming for, a flattering twisted updo reminiscent of the style Baroness de Ayde wore. It reminds Elise even more of the arrangement of her hair at a party that took place over four years ago – or, more accurately, never took place at all. "I believe the robbers Chevalier de Sylia drove out were largely Rhians. There are still a number of Rhians left in the village – peasants who accept Gallisian rule. A handful of Skeeks, as well. And there are a number of Gallah peasants who have come to the new land, as well. This is one of the earlier settlements Baron de Lesmysteaux reclaimed, and the land is relatively fertile."

"Fertile land, here? How very unexpected. Baron de Lesmysteaux must certainly be pleased with it," says Elise. Her muzzle twists in a smile as she studies herself in the mirror for a moment before continuing. "How have the locals – that is to say, those who were local before the land was reclaimed – taken to new rulership?"

Beginning to secure the style with a number of sapphire-stud pins, Cosette continues to relate what she knows in her soft voice. "Well … comparatively fertile. I've heard no rumors of trouble in this county, Lady Ambassador, but I have not had a chance to speak with the locals myself." She adjusts a curly tress along the side of Elise's face. "I am aware that Chevalier de Sylia has experienced some difficulty in refurbishing the castle, which is why we are camped out here rather than staying within its confines." She repositions a pin, then adds, "Or it may be that the castle is not large enough to accommodate all of us."

To accommodate Cosette, the Lady Ambassador tilts her head in whichever direction seems necessary at the time as her hair is styled. "I imagine the castles of Sylvania are not terribly large, or well kept. Also, having any sort of airship arrive near one's home must be difficult … " She bites her lip and reaches over to adjust the ring on her right hand. "Have you learned of anything I should know of? Or, preferably, that which I should not. It tends to be more interesting." She smiles hopefully into the mirror so Cosette can see it.

Cosette shakes her head. "No airships travel over these lands, Lady Ambassador. The weather here is too unpredictable – I am told it is nearly as dangerous as flying into a Forbidden Zone." She pats gently at the finished style, then goes to one of the trunks to remove a jewelry box. She selects a necklace and matching earrings, then places the box beside Elise, a thoughtful expression on her face as she considers Elise's other question. Holding the necklace in place around the poodle's throat, she asks, "Will these please the Lady?"

Elise removes her hand from her ring and reaches up to touch the necklace. She studies the reflection in the mirror before she pats Cosette's hand. "Yes, they will do just fine." Her gaze moves towards Cosette's own reflection and she gives her a expectant look, waiting for her to answer.

Nodding, she fastens the jewelry around the poodle's neck. "Was the Lady Ambassador aware that Lady Antoinette de Merci was attending this hunt? She is a … frequent driver in the Miles Mortant races. One might be interested in seeing how she and the Baron de Ayde interact. If they do."

"Oh? Well that certainly should make for an interesting tension. What can you tell me of Lady Antoinette de Merci?" asks Elise. She tilts her head this way and that as the jewelry is placed, attempting to see it from angles others will. "Oh yes, where exactly will we be hunting?"

Cosette sets the earrings in place, then goes over the whole of Elise's outfit, straightening and smoothing and poofing as needed. "The Lady de Merci is a widowed poodle from the south. She travels a good deal in pursuit of … various game. The next two days' hunting will be in the vicinity of the Chevalier de Sylia's castle. After that, we will travel further north for additional hunting." She picks a few stray hairs from the side of Elise's dress. "If my lady wishes to learn more about the style of hunting and manner of sport which will be engaged in on this expedition, than Lady de Merci would be a good source with whom to speak. She loves … all manner of hunting. If one is more interested in the progress of the reclamation efforts, the Vicomte de Cinique would be a good choice … if one can get a chance to speak with him. Of course, the Baron de Lesmysteaux's Chevaliers and Cuirassiers would be a good source for local information, and naturally the Baron himself would know a great deal about both."

Now that she is ready, the Lady Ambassador removes herself from the seat and straightens herself out. "Well then, I must certainly try and insert myself amongst those the Vicomte wishes to speak with. The status of the countries I serve are, as always, a matter of importance in my profession," says Elise. She smiles towards the reflection of Cosette once again. "One must always be informed. A good lesson for you, my dear."

The Gallah retrieves a pair of matching slippers and sets them on the noble's feet. "If the Lady Ambassador is interested, there are a handful of eligible poodle bachelors in attendance, among them the Baronet de Brisees, the Baronet de Thaeux, and, of course, the Vicomte de Cinique." With Elise's attire complete, Cosette stands. "Does my lady have any further instructions for me?"

A gentle laugh escapes the poodle and she shakes her head slightly. "Oh dear me, no. I am married to my work … and that is certainly quite enough for me, at least for the moment." She lifts a hand and waves her secretary off. "Be off with you now. You are free to get ready, or do what it is you must do," she answers.

With a curtsey, the Gallah backs to the door. Arranging her bonnet with its concealing veil over her face, she curtseys again, then departs.

A saddled, dappled-gray n'gyah, held by a single retainer, waits for Elise outside her tent. When the cloaked poodle emerges, he helps her into the saddle of the quiescent beast. The retainer offers her a few tips in handling the placid animal, but fortunately the n'gyah seems thoroughly docile and quite content to carry its inexperienced rider at a leisurely pace along a trail towards the castle. The ground here, though slightly marshy in places, is largely stable, and tall, slender trees grow sparsely all around. As she rides, a light snow begins to fall from the cloudy sky, flakes dusting the hood of her cloak.

The Castle de Sylia, just as Cosette noted, clearly still needs repairs. Of the twin towers that face onto the front, one remains in ruins, while the other stands complete. The walls show signs of recent masonry, with newer rock patching a number of places. The edifice is, in fact, a good deal smaller than Elise's own manor, although this structure has an actual moat surrounding it, complete with an apparently functional drawbridge, currently down, while the inner portcullis is raised.

As the poodle nears the castle, she stops her mount shortly before the drawbridge. From here she takes some time to gaze over the castle and moat, inspecting it for the moment. When she is sufficiently through with her examination she continues on her mount across the bridge towards the awaiting servants.

As she rides across the bridge, a pair of inexperienced-looking Gallah guards bow to her. A spacious inner courtyard already holds four carriages, and servants wait to take Elise's mount.

As others lead her n'gyah away, a bowing and nervous Rhian servant shows her the way to the great hall. The results of lavish attention show as soon as she enters this room. The granite floor gleams, as smooth and polished as marble, while a table large enough to seat forty seems dwarfed by the sheer size of the hall. Elaborate cartouches decorate the walls, and exquisite masonry frames each of the many large stained-glass windows, which throw multi-colored fragments of light from the setting sun across the area. Several elegant couches against the walls at the near side help fill the space, and provide a place for the other early arrivals to lounge and chat in comfort. A servant stationed by the door clears his throat at Elise's arrival, then announces, "The Lady Ambassador from Rephidim, Elise Antoine de Bellefeuille."

To those near, Elise casts a smile in greetings. That done, she turns towards the servant and inquires unto him. "Tell me, has the Vicomte de Cinique arrived just yet?" she asks in a low tone so as not to be overheard. "I would hope I might be able to speak with him before the festivities begin."

Gathered by the couches are a number of individuals Elise does not recognize. First are two huskies, a male and female who give the impression of being married simply by being close to each other but not actually speaking. Talking with them is an elaborately garbed poodle couple, complete with wigs and fake beauty marks. A young female poodle, equally ornate in attire, looks bored as she stares into space, fanning herself occasionally on one of the couches. A pudgy male poodle is attempting to engage a beautiful poodle lady dressed in pink. She is clearly more interested in the conversation of two other men, one doberman and a German Shepherd whom Elise recognizes as her host, the Baron de Lesmysteaux. Unlike the other four poodles, the pink-clad one wears her own hair in a simpler style, similar to the one Cosette arranged Elise's in.

The servant shakes his head. "No, my lady, I fear he has not," he answers quietly. A well-dressed female doberman has detached herself from the others gathered, and walks towards Elise, smiling warmly.

Elise nods slightly as she hears the Vicomte has not arrived before turning her attentions to the room. She notices someone approaching her and makes her way towards her. Since she is not quite certain just who it is that is nearing her, she allows the other person to speak first while she attempts to discern just who she might be.

"A pleasure to have you join us, Lady Ambassador de Bellefeuille, and welcome to our home," the doberman says to her. "I am the Lady Jeunesse de Sylia, and this is my husband's castle. Dinner will not begin for another hour, I'm afraid. Have you met the other guests yet? I understand you are new to our country, and I shall be more than happy to introduce you to all."

"It is my pleasure to be in attendance, Lady de Sylia. And might I say that this is certainly a fine castle? One need only look upon it from a distance to see what effort has been put to its restoration. And, of course, the interior speaks for itself," says Elise to the doberman. She offers her too a smile before inclining her head a bit. "Your offer is most kind. I would be pleased if you were to introduce me."

Jeunesse fairly glows at Elise's praise, and curtseys to her. "You are very kind to speak so well of my modest abode," she says with some restraint. "Now," she turns to face the others gathered, "perhaps you'd like a quick review of names before you meet them? Those four poodles," she motions to the couple, the woman on the couch, and the pudgy male standing, "are all de Thauexs; the two older are the Baron and Baroness, the younger ones their children. The lady poodle in pink is Lady Antoinette de Merci. With her are my husband and the Baron de Lesmysteaux – but of course you know him."

As the people are pointed out to her the Rephidimite poodle scans them and takes mental notes. "Yes, of course," comments Elise in regards to knowing the Baron's name.

Lady de Sylia turns back to Elise, to see if she followed all of that, and then adds, "The two huskies are the Baron de Elesquoi and his wife. Shall we?"

Elise moves to walk with Lady de Sylia over towards the others. "Yes let's. I would not wish to keep anyone waiting."

"No need to worry about that, my lady." The doberman introduces Elise to the Thaeux elders and the de Elesquoi couple first, then after polite exchanges continues with the young Lady de Thaeux, then ends at the knot around Baron de Lesmysteaux, introducing her finally to her husband, Lady de Merci, and Lord de Thaeux.

After having made her introductions and some small talk, Elise finds herself a seat upon the couch near the Baron de Lesmysteaux and the others. Careful not to interrupt, she remains quiet after her initial words so that she might listen in on their current topic.

Each of them politely greets the newcomer, then Lady de Merci bats her eyelashes at de Lesmysteaux and asks him, "Oh, do continue on the story of that hunt, please. You say you leaped from the airship then?" Elise finds herself struck by the way Lady Antoinette manages to bat her eyelashes in a way that actually looks endearing and appealing, rather than that "I've got something stuck in my eye" way of every other female she's ever witnessed doing that.

For the unusual look, Lady Antoinette is given a quick appraising look when Elise believes she is not looking towards her. She must certainly be an ample manipulator, considers the Rephidimite poodle. And this only goes along with what she had been told earlier.

De Lesmysteaux, an impressive man wearing a well-tailored outfit cut in the manor of a dress uniform, offers Lady de Merci a smile. "No, nothing quite so impressive as that, my dear. I slung my crossbow over my shoulder and used one of the mooring ropes to slide down to the ground after the beast. I knew it was wounded, and wasn't about to let my prize escape. We were, of course, low to the ground to get a shot off at it in the first place – oh, I'd guess around fifty feet up." As he goes on, Lady de Sylia strives for a rapt expression, while her husband shuffles, a large man who is awkward in his dress uniform. He offers a shy smile to the Lady Ambassador as he sees her listening to his lord.

The poodle de Thaeux, meanwhile, looks outright envious of the attention Antoinette lavishes on de Lesmysteaux, while the latter two simply ignore him.

"So, I jumped the last few feet to the ground when the mooring line ran out, and dashed off once I spotted the animal's tracks – moving fast, the beast was, although you could smell its blood in the air! – and into the woods."

The smile is returned with Elise's own polite one. She then, finding the story uninteresting, moves over towards the man who had just smiled at her. She waits until she has his attention before addressing him quietly lest she interrupt the others. "Greetings Lord de Sylia, I thank you for inviting us within your finely refurbished castle. I wonder however, if you might be so inclined as to speak of your lands and how they were acquired? I so like to keep with the history of the countries in which I serve."

The Lord de Sylia turns from the knot around Lesmysteaux and bows to Elise, his smile growing into the somewhat goofy open-mouthed type that most nobles avoid before he catches himself and closes it. "It'd be my pleasure. It's been a long time since I did any fighting here, though. We secured this castle over four years ago, although we had trouble with robbers and ragtag Sylvanian units for a couple of years after that. Been pretty quiet for the last two years, and I'm grateful for that."

"So, the resistance was minimal? I did not think Sylvania would have much of a force, the natural barriers being greater opposition than anything," asks Elise of Lord Sylia. She spares a glance around to see what might be going on around her before she continues speaking. "And what of your people, both new and old? How do those who had occupied this space before feel about the new rulership … and what of those who transferred here from Gallis? I am interested in knowing just how everything is going, to learn Gallis history in the making as it were."

The Chevalier scratches absently behind one ear, then folds his hands back together before him, and nods to Elise's inquiry. "I don't know that I'd say it was minimal. The previous owner of this castle managed quite a fight. That's why it's still dinged up now." He says the last in a very low voice, edging away from his wife and his lord as he does so. "Anyway, now I'm just trying to make what I've got productive. Got a lot of good people on these lands, hard workers." He smiles. "I think the Sylvanians are happy enough to have us here, really – and of course, the Gallahs are eager for the chance to get a new start, or they wouldn't've come. We're clearing out the scrub and the forest to the north and east of here to get us some more harvestable land … a lot of what had been cleared went back to the marsh during the fighting."

The Lady Ambassador nods to all this. "So I see. Yes, you seem to have done well for yourselves, all considered," she says as she spares another glance over towards the door. "Have you had any resistance lately? Bandits, or perhaps other villages displeased with the reclaiming of territory by Gallis? And do forgive me if there are uncomfortable topics. I am a soldier by choice; such things interest me, and not to mention this is the history of a country dear to me."

Nodding again, the doberman looks pleased, and edges a little further away from the others. "That's all right, my lady. I'm a lot happier talking about this than I am most of the polite topics Jeunesse wants me to master," he says in a confidential whisper. Louder, he continues proudly, "No, thankfully there's been nothing at all for the last year. Not even one report of minor theft on my whole land! Early last winter we did have one minor incident with some poisoned livestock, but we don't know if that was Sylvanian work or just a natural event."

"Well then, you certainly are doing well here. I expected there might be some trouble, given what I had heard some time ago about the Kurai brother and sister and their town." Elise folds her arms behind herself in a vaguely military "at ease" position. "I do not suppose you have heard anything about other efforts to reclaim land further north?"

Amid bustle at the doors, another pair of huskies and a poodle enter. They are announced in turn as the Baron and Baroness-Mere (the mother of a sitting Baron) de Shanar, and the Baronet de Brisees.

The Chevalier gives a sober nod to Elise's mention of the Kurais. "Praise be, that family's counties are much farther north than my humble land." While he continues, his wife goes to greet the newcomers. "There's still a lot of fighting up north, m'lady." His voice drops again, and Elise has to strain to make out the words. "Beggin' m'lord's pardon, but things just aren't as secure at the borders as we'd like them to be. When Cuirassier Sanglant arrives, she can tell you more. I think she'll be in tonight, though I don't know for sure. Baron de Lesmysteaux wanted her to be."

Upon hearing who has just arrived, Elise glances over to an out of the way corner and then turns her gaze back to the doberman speaking with her. "I will most certainly try to do that. And, here I see some newcomers have arrived. Lest I take up your attentions so much that I keep you from your new guests, I shall step aside and cease to bore you with questions of history in the making," she tells him in a low voice, and with a smile towards the end to show she doesn't really believe she is boring him.

Lady Jeunesse de Sylia gives the latest arrivals a warm welcome, and after they exchange a few words, she leads them over to Elise and her husband, at about the time that Elise steps to one side. The Chevalier gives a small sad smile to Elise as his wife speaks, "Lady Ambassador, please allow me to present the Baron de Shanar and his mother the Baroness-Mere, as well as Baronet de Brisees. They've all been quite looking forward to meeting you. This is the Lady Ambassador de Bellefeuille, my lady, gentlemen."

The two gentlemen bow over her hand in turn, the poodle smiling winningly at her, while the Baroness-Mere curtseys and speaks. "So good to meet a lady from Rephidim. And I understand you're familiar with a cousin of ours, Lady Ambassador," she adds with a smile.

With her hand extended Elise nods slightly. "Your knowledge of me is quite correct," answers Elise as she smiles politely back at the two men. "I believe we both attended the Officers' Academy together not long ago."

The Baroness-Mere nods approvingly. "Seline von Shanar, such a dear. I haven't seen her in years." She tuts. "She was such a darling child. I hoped you might have word of her – I understand she's been assigned to the Rephidim Embassy in Gallis as well. I do wish I got out more often. I was just telling my dear son how much I wished this trip was to Fleaufille instead, so that he could see Seline again." Her son rolls his eyes at her remark.

Visibly Elise relaxes some and her smile becomes more genuine. "Oh, well I recall Seline graduated with honors, which is entirely what I expected from such a fine cadet such as herself," she says. The poodle ambassador clasps her hands in front of herself looks between the son and mother. "If you wish to travel, I must recommend Rephidim. You would be interested in the Kromo Museum, as well as – I am certain – our many fine shops. The Bazaar would be worth a visit simply to see the color to be had there. Also from Rephidim one can take an airship to almost all points on our planet."

The Baroness-Mere fans herself. "Oh, I've been to Rephidim a few times before, my dear. Quite a nice little city you have. But, alas, I'm just too old to get out much anymore – " Her son looks on the verge of mimicking this last sentence, but restrains himself, " – so rarely go anywhere, you know, and I wouldn't want to travel alone, with my poor husband passed on and my son so busy with the estate. But you know how that is."

"Oh, I travel as part of my duty, which I am glad for to a certain degree. Still … ," Elise glances off to the side in search of an escape, " … it can be tedious. Luckily, I am stationed in a beautiful city, and with such a pleasant job."

Another surge of people arrives, this time too many for Jeunesse to run the introduction gamut upon. She settles for dispersing them among the various existing pockets of conversation.

"I am so glad you like our little country, Lady-Ambassador. Is this your first trip to Gallis, or have you been here before?" the Baroness-Mere inquires politely, swishing her fan from side to side.

"Oh, this is not my first time in your country, no. I attended charm school in Fauxpas some years back where I – of course – learned my proper Gallisian," answers the Lady Ambassador. Elise glances off towards the new arrivals, her ear twitching, before she looks back to the older woman. "In fact, my family originates from Gallis."

The husky beams. "Of course it does, my dear. All true Gallees trace their heritage to Gallis. Our Office of Bloodlines keeps impeccable records illustrating all our family histories."

The doors open a final time, and the heralds announce, "The Vicomte Legerement Niveau de Cinique." A gray-furred poodle of approximately average height enters, looking comfortable and relaxed in formal attire adorned with some frills and lace, similar to the cut of Baron de Ayde's clothing, and nowhere near the overblown ornateness of the de Thaeux's garb.

Elise perks her ears at the announcement of the arrival of the Vicomte. She studies the woman in front of her and then frowns slightly. "Oh my, it seems the Vicomte de Cinique has arrived. It would be terribly bad-mannered of me if I were not to meet with him now. As a new representative of Rephidim, I should make myself known. Do excuse me?"

As the Vicomte arrives, a stir passes through the assembled guests, many pausing their conversations and turning to watch him. The Lady de Sylia greets him with more deference and somewhat less ease than she has the earlier arrivals. He exchanges a few words with her, smiling pleasantly enough. Jeunesse answers with a nod and a gesture to the herald, who then announces that dinner will begin momentarily. The doberman lady escorts the Vicomte towards his seat, while the others of the party rise to find their own places at the dinner table.

A slight smile forms on de Shanar's face at Elise's words. "Oh, dear, it looks like dinner is about to begin. But surely you'll have your opportunity to meet him afterwards." She turns to her son.

The younger poodle politely offers his arm to his mother, and then asks Elise, "Might we help you locate your seat, Lady Ambassador?"

"Oh no, no, I am certain I can find it. I would not wish to keep you," replies Elise with a smile. She nods her head politely to the two before she turns off and walks off towards the dinner table. She heads in the direction of where the Vicomte is to be seated, walking slightly faster than usual to seem interested in the seating there, but not overly so.

Lady de Sylia places the Vicomte by the head of the table, on the left side of Baron de Lesmysteaux, who has assumed his place at the head. The Chevalier de Sylia prepares to seat himself to the right of de Lesmysteaux, while the Baron de Ayde and his wife take positions beside chairs one down the table from him, presumably leaving a gap for the Chevalier's wife.

Elise approaches the head of the table from left side near the Vicomte. She pauses near him and lifts her hand to her muzzle, looking thoughtful, and maybe a bit lost. "Now, hmm," she says just loud enough for the Vicomte to hear it.

The Vicomte de Cinique glances to his side at Elise's approach, but Lady de Sylia notes her bemusement more quickly. She steps forward and indicates the chair to the left of the Vicomte's. "Lady Ambassador, your place is here," she says softly. An elegantly-lettered placard on the place setting before it confirms her words. She turns to the Vicomte and smiles at him. "I do not know if you have met yet, my lord." She steps to one side, gesturing so that the two may see each other. "This is the Lady Ambassador de Bellefeuille, from Rephidim. My lady, this is the Vicomte de Cinique, from Fleaufille."

The Lady Ambassador extends her right hand to the Vicomte de Cinique. "I am most honored to meet you, m'lord. I had been hoping you would attend," she tells him before dipping in a curtsey.

The Vicomte offers Elise a brief smile in return. "A pleasure to meet you as well, my lady. I had heard that our country was to be graced by a new ambassador from Rephidim, but I would not have expected one so lovely as yourself." The words roll from his mouth with practiced ease as he bows over her hand.

The Lady de Sylia stands apart from those about the table, scanning for any others having difficulty finding their places, while a male poodle checks the placard beside Elise's on the left, then, nodding to himself, stands behind the chair, politely waiting for the rest of the assembled to settle.

Elise blushes, indeed not something she has yet to be able to fake,making it quite genuine. "Ah, m'lord flatters me," she says softly with a smile. "I have heard much of you as well, I would hope that perhaps tonight you might speak some of the happenings within Gallis."

After ensuring that everyone knows their assigned place, Lady de Sylia hurries to her husband's side. A faint tinkle of flatware on glass cues everyone to take their seats, men helping the women into their chairs first. "I am sure it speaks well of the Lady's education that she has heard of us at all, much less heard a great deal," the Vicomte replies smoothly. "I will, of course, be more than happy to supply you with any information of interest to you, m'lady. May I?" He moves to help her into her chair.

"It is only proper to know of the countries one serves in, and of course Gallis carries my history. It would simply be a tragedy for me to be uniformed," says Elise. She looks down at the chair and nods slightly. "Oh yes of course, m'lord." She then settles into the chair and folds her hands in her lap neatly.

With the females settled, the males likewise assume their places, and servants come forth bearing numerous covered dishes to tempt their appetites. The Baron de Lesmysteaux exchanges greetings with the Vicomte, then smiles down the table at Elise. "I understand you've not been in Gallis long. I feel quite honored that you've chosen my humble expedition as one of your first activities as Lady Ambassador to Gallis."

Elise turns her attentions towards the Baron de Lesmysteaux now that he has addressed her. "Oh well, it seemed like such a grand way to tour the reclaimed areas. Certainly I could have signed on to a tour, but as you can imagine, such would be so dreadful compared to this. And besides, one meets such interesting people on these outings that one could never meet on a mere tour," she tells him with a genuine smile.

Lesmysteaux looks nonplused by Elise's comments regarding tours, and he exchanges bemused looks with the Vicomte. A barely-perceptible shrug, and Lesmysteaux replies, "I am certainly delighted you could come. I hope my lands live up to your expectation. The Ywisglant Castle is truly a sight to behold, and in far better condition than this one." He casts a glance towards the de Sylias at this last comment, and the lady blushes while the Chevalier's ears cant backwards for a moment.

"Oh why yes, I find them quite interesting. You have done a fine job in repairing what such lesser peoples have destroyed." She smiles again to the Baron before turning towards the Sylias couple. "I simply must see your castle at some point in the future if you have done such a fine job as has been done here."

At the phrase, "lesser peoples have destroyed" the Chevalier wilts a little more, then smiles weakly at Elise's final remark. "You'd be, um, most welcome to, Lady Ambassador."

His wife wrinkles her nose at his words, then smoothes her expression to smile becomingly at Elise. "Indeed. Do try the truffle and Bromthen Forest-Hog liver pate, my lady. It's quite exquisite."

A servant steps forward to supply a portion of the aforementioned dish to Elise's plate. The poodle samples it and smiles with gracious approval for the flavor. The men at the head of the table fall to discussing the state of the reclaimed lands and the impact on future excursions, with some animation, while the ambassador listens in thoughtful consideration.