Being met with such indignance, the guard was rendered temporarily wordless. Who did this elf think he was talking like that exactly? To arrive here and so boldly declare who he will meet? As a man of long-time employ to this family's security, and of course with all the deaths leaving the lady of this estate being the only heir left (Save for her children) he was not about to let just anyone come inside when they insist.

Having had his eyes on the letter, the guard scowled a bit, and the others who had arrived at his summons were looking at him for what they should do. Even the stable hand, awkwardly palming the reigns to the steed, seemed to sense the unease coming from the guard who had greeted Arphenion. With all these eyes on him and the important task of security at his feet, what kind of example would he set in the face of this guest?

"Now see here-"

Cut just short of telling off this foreigner, the main door to the estate opened right before them, large frames cracked open jsut enough for a familiar face to poke out.

"Arphenion!" Came the voice of Juine, stepping out into the cold with excitement in her emerald eyes. The guard was, rightfully, stunned into silence. What was the lady of the house doing here!? How did she know someone was even here!? Before the guard to regain any composure or wipe the confusion off his face, Juine seemed to see him immediately. "Ah, Belgrad, please take his horse!" Immediately turning back to Arphenion, she pushed the door open a little more. "Please, come inside!"

As she herself made way an allowed the honored and apparently expected guest inside, the guard's mouth flapped with movement but for a moment no words escaped. How... Why-!? Why didn't she inform him!? "I-I-! Yes milady!" He finally stammered out, giving the stable boy a signal to take away the horse back to the stables where it belonged. "Welcome to-"

But, the doors were already shutting by their sheer weight. The two had retreated inside, leaving Belgrad flummoxed and beside himself. No doubt, this was intensely embarrassing and unexpected. The lady herself coming to the door? It made him seem lazy, though he was anything but. And again, how on earth did she even know he was here?

Inside, Juine seemed elated as she lead him along the beautiful interior of her vibrant halls. "I felt your presence call to me; What a rush! So good to see you again. Forgive Belgrad, he takes his job quite seriously." Given how rich his employer was, who could blame him? "Thank you so much for responding to my letter. Oh we've so much to talk about! But listen to me, chatting your ear off before you've even warmed up..." She was indeed stepping with a enthusiastic pace, seeming to want to begin talking before they even had settled. "My study is not far."

Leading him up a flight of stairs to where her study was located, the sight of various servants spotting the intruder being lead around by the lady herself had just about all of them pause to stare for just a moment. Pointed ears was not something seen around these parts commonly, and frankly, that seemed like something one of them should probably be tending to instead of the head of household. Still, the smile she wore betray any sense of caution others might of had. Little did they know, she had been eagerly awaiting this guest.

Arriving in the study, the room was warmer than the rest thanks to the sizable fireplace that gave the lightest smell of torched wood in addition to it's glow. Bookshelves lining the walls, she invited him to take a seat near the fire with her where they could talk. But, before that, her curious child had been playing in the very same room. The boy paused his doodling when his mother entered with Arphenion, and the confused pause came with emotion worn plainly on his small face. Kids truly did not understand subtlety.

"Desmond," Juine quickly addressed him the moment their eyes met. "Fetch nanny for me."

For such a young boy, he was quick to respond to his mother's request, staring at Arphenion with apprehension even as he nodded and said absolutely nothing yet getting up from the floor and scurrying away while his mother and her guest made themselves comfortable.



Not too far from the study, Bordeux was finishing her preparations. She had been using the time wisely to do maintenance on her old equipment. Making sure it still worked, that it was well taken care of, that it still fit just fine... Even doing an inventory. Thanks to how well she had stored and treated her old things upon retirement, it in truth needed next to none. It was just as familiar and effective as the day she thought she'd be hanging these all up for good...

She was in the final steps of checking herself in the mirror before the knock came. The familiar pattern, and low on the door origin of the sound. Mommy's little helper was here to call upon her again it seemed. "Come in."

"Is... Nanny dressing?"

A familiar question he liked to follow up with, though even now she could hear the slightly off sound in his voice. Still, she took a look at herself before answering. Her hair was still tied into a tight bun behind her head, but it was below the neck where her usual attire was completely different and yet familiar to herself. A slight metal collar attached to a shaped breastplate that was worn over her skin tight clothing that covered her shoulders and arms right down to the wrist, where old leather gloves covered the rest. Much of what she wore was form-fitting, and the armor itself was sewn in with loops to the clothing itself. On her right arm was a strange looking contraption: A wrist mounted bolt thrower, like a crossbow. But, below her waist, she held the bulk of her arsenal.

Her legs were not like her casually worn pair. She was standing atop curved blades, her legs like swords, who's tips poked into the wood unavoidably with the weight. Around her waist was a thick belt that seemed to hold reeled coils of cable, and cylinders where there was a place for these to be mounted, along with what was clearly a ammunition belt for her wrist mounted weapon. Over her artificial right leg, below where the knee would be, was a shield like guard that extended up to cover her thigh, sporting a metal embossing of an old crest that looked to have signs of repaired damage and many small nicks and scratches, even a shallow handle on the other side with a window to look through.

For as light as she seemed up top, these legs and this gear looked like it must have been very heavy, and very specifically designed. Unlike Nigel who carried all sorts of things, her old equipment was built for a very specific purpose and it left little room for anything else. Still, wearing it again, looking at herself in the mirror, it brought back old feelings of relevance again. Oh the things she did in these legs...

"I'm dressed dear, come in."

But, Desmond did not. "Mom wants you. Someone weird is here."

Someone weird? It must have been this Arphenion she was talking about. Briefly, fleetingly, she considered herself and what she must look like to a stranger's eyes. A woman of many years, dressed in things meant for violence... But, as fleeting thoughts are one to do, it was gone almost as quickly as it had arrived. Besides, part of her wanted to see the look on some snobby noble's face when they saw her in her full former glory.

"... I will be right there."