Ilyria was pleased to see the Inquisition had sent a lady of good taste and manner to discuss arrangements. Her visitor wore a fine ensemble for a southerner, pleasantly covered and modest. It was no fine Tevene dress, but for a foreigner it was very nice on the eyes, and if the choice of less feminine attire was unusual, it was something that could be easily one of those Orlesian trends.
The coat was hung carefully before she returned to tend to the guest. “I am very well, and yourself?” Ilyria waved to a chair to gesture for her. “Please, make yourself comfortable. Is there anything I can get you? There are the usual drinks and a well-stocked pantry if you’re getting peckish.”
After seeing to the needs of her guest and returning with her own glass of wine, Ilyria sat down, crossing her legs as a good proper lady and holding her head up attentively as she continued with the necessary pleasantries. “I do hope your travels have been smooth, and not too delayed by the current troubles in the south. It must be difficult trying to get anything done under these conditions, truly.“
“Many thanks, my Lady.” Nerys carefully took her seat, crossing her long legs one over the other at the knee. “Tea is perfectly acceptable for me, thank you.” Surrounded by so much magic, it was as close to a sort of comfort that she had felt in a long time. Tevinter was rotting upon itself, but at least there was magic. It brought more life than there was to be found in the hollow, gilded halls of Val Royeaux.
When brought, she took her tea with no sugar and only a dollop of cream, taking a slow sip of it as the other woman offered her pleasantries. Nerys smiled around her teacup and slowly set it upon the saucer she held in her other hand, offering a demure smile. “Thankfully it was a relatively pleasant trip; there’s always a few hiccups coming up, but war zones have always been far easier to navigate than predicting Darkspawn.”
One needn’t travel through the Anderfels to risk running into Darkspawn on the surface when it came to this northern portion of Thedas. An unfortunately reality they all lived in now. A dainty sniff and she took another sip before setting cup and saucer down upon the table, one of her hands smoothing back over her hair and very human ear. Centuries of playing human and it was still all too odd to not feel the point of her elvhen ear when in this guise.
Her smile remained, however, and she leaned forward slightly, setting her chin atop her hand. “I hope to find you as much comfort as one can be in these times.” A forever ongoing war with the Qunari, the Venatori trying to gather power within the Magisterium, why, it was positively exciting. Nerys deeply enjoyed watching Tevinter squirm, as much as watching Orlais, but it’d be rude to be so blatant in front of her hostess, so she merely raised her eyebrows in suitably gentle concern.