The floodgates of embarrassment burst open and overwhelmed Lilthis as the petite Yvonne burst into laughter. While Lilly understood the oddity of her primal outburst she was not accustomed to being laughed at. She had been nothing but kind to this woman and she was rewarded with mockery. To make matters worse this small elf was now calling a friend over, no doubt to join in on the ridicule. Lilthis debated speaking up but decided against it. Who did this unsophisticated common born living in a backwater mining town think she was? The insults raging through Lilly’s head were halted when she reminded herself to remain calm.

“I’m in a strange place, with strange folk, I cannot make a scene,” she thought. “I can’t be blinded by embarrassment and rage, distract yourself.”

Lilly’s mind would normally drift to chemical reactions or she’d run through the steps to assemble or dissemble a piece of machinery when she wanted to control her emotions. To her surprise this would not be necessary as her short visitor had ceased her laughter and was asking the bar maid to bring some food for the two of them. The maid reacted quickly and Lilthis understood that locals must get better service at this establishment than tourists. Lilly released her glass and moved her left hand near her face so that she could brush her white hair behind her pointed ear before she uttered a simple,

“Thank you.”

A rush of warmth flowed through Lilly to wash the stench of embarrassment away. It was the feeling of sheer joy that now consumed her. In this shoddy inn Lilly’s blundered words had somehow etched out a gesture of kindness from this stranger. Unable to contain her happiness the corners of her mouth hugged and curled upwards to form a smile.

Yvonne continued speaking in her strange accent. It had been awkward living outside of highborn life. She had nineteen years of experience in regulations that went along with conversing around the sel darthirii elite. When she wasn’t being forced to interact with other highborn she was in classes or tinkering with a new device. Talking did not come naturally to Lilly but the small elf was shrewd enough to realize that Lilly had been uncharacteristically bad just now.

“This little one is clever. Choose your words carefully Lil,” she thought to herself as she contemplated her next action.

Lilly’s right hand grasp the sleeve around her elbow before wrapping inside of the fabric to touch bare flesh. Lilly’s pale eyes darted to face Yvonne before flashing back to the bar maid who was almost out of sight at this point. The dark elf took a second to breath and then re-focused her attention on her kind guest.

“I am a tinkerer. Or an inventor. Whichever you’d prefer. In the last few years I’ve been traveling, mostly around southern Raiaera.” At this Lilthis paused. She knew it was dangerous to reveal too much. Just seven or eight months back the cartels of Alerar claimed to have captured and executed Lilthis Shadefell. She couldn’t blame them, it’s hard to prove you aren’t dead when you haven’t set foot in Alerar for the better part of three years.

Lilthis took a large gulp from her drink and stared directly into Yvonne’s eyes. “I quite like traveling, it really broadens your horizons and serves as inspiration to help me invent.” Lilly broke eye contact before deciding that she would benefit from a change of subject. “What brings you to these parts? We both really are a long way from home. Is no one from back home worrying about you?”

Lilly’s words were spoken with genuine concern behind them but her left hand was nervously drawing circles on her knee underneath the table.