David
Thankful neither had put out a snide remark towards her improper greeting. The stone in her stomach twisted at the same time it shrunk. The duchess's smile did not go unnoticed but did little to ease her nerves. 

For the newly inducted countess, this trip could determine her entire political career. Getting in good with the duchess and grand martial, no matter how controversial the former may be, could push her towards a more comfortable standing. If she wanted to continue to build and grow Inyelion that was essential.

For the moment, however, Virzieth fell into step behind the pair her hands tucked neatly behind her back. Inyelion had no walls like this city, only pilings of sand and stone to keep the sea at bay. The only dangers the town had ever faced came from the water so building such a monument would prove to be a waste if not a danger. 

Before her the duchess and the marshall engaged in a sort of dance of words. Each phrase was carefully picked and tonation mulled over before it came forth. It was fascinating to listen to for Virzieth. The way the Marshall played so carefully into his role as a man, with no demands and always a show of respect, yet still managed to show his position. 

"Many men have stepped forward following the attack on Inyelion," The Countess jumped at the pause in the dance. For her to idle and gawk any longer could be detrimental. She came for a reason. "Many *Do* Cite you as a contributing factor. I am simply thankful for the hands." With their losses the men nearly matched the number of women in the town's guard, it was unprecedented, but they performed just as well. Filed into the ranks as any other. The countess welcomed them with open arms without a second thought. Another tick against her with the local nobility.

The countess rather starkly contrasted the duchess in her 'nurturing' of such ideals. Virzieth was closer to the hurdles drow men faced in Lazaroth than many other women. As a child, she watched time and again as her father was undermined. Raising a child alone as a father was taxing on him. She could see at times the anger that burned whenever women tried to correct the ways he was raising her or belittle his place in the guard. Yet, in the end, he still died fighting to protect those women. For a moment, Virzieth wondered if the marshall would do the same.
John
*She seemed a little unsettled, but that was to be expected. She was already teetering off kilter, on edge at the presence of so many men in the guard as the base of control shifted out from under her. She had every reason to be wary. Betrayal and lies were the most fitting worship for the goddess, and that game he could play as well as any. An inspiration to them, she said - losing every bit of subtlety she had once tried to keep. She never **Had** Been nurtured on the idea of men in power, but it had come with the war and stayed after it in the army of the Queen. 

The war had created special circumstances, as wars tended to do - reserves were hauled up and desperate measures rolled out to fight a rising tide of blood. Even those had run dry by the end. Perhaps Lazaroth was becoming more and more like those strange lands she spoke of, and perhaps not - in Alynthi and Findara, men made up the bulk of the military, but they had an entirely different idea of society. Their culture was practically alien. This was most certainly a series of moves constructed by a drow.*

"I found myself inspired by Matron Gyela's leadership." *He replied evenly.* "Every guardswoman or guardsman has their own reasons to join, Matron Argith." *Inspired by Matron Gyela he had been, though her leadership had led to revolt instead of loyalty. Inspired to action against her, inspired to take bloody revenge for Lynnor's death upon the waves. There were many inspirations one could find given the wrong leadership. Let Matron Argith choke on her questions for the moment, and choke on her own blood if and when she needed to be removed.

He was momentarily surprised to hear the strangely soft voice of Matron Irza enter the conversation, adding her recent observations. Perhaps it was her attempt to please him, toadying up so that she might be looked upon with favor. Even commoners played the great game after a fashion - especially common women. She was growing into her new role indeed.*

_ _
"I have been considering the attack on Inyelion lately, Matron Irza." *He replied, a respectful bow of his head showing deference towards her. Important to keep up appearances in public and in private - he was, after all, still a man. The moment he became too brazen was the moment he died, whether it took minutes, hours, days or years to realize it.* "If it would not trouble you, perhaps we might review the defenses of the city, and accounts of the night?"

*Truth be told, his birthplace was rather poorly defended. Low, barely-there stone walls around mansions were the best defenses they had. He could take the entire city with a single company of soldiers, if he had to do so - guard complements were rarely a match for professionals, and even less so when they had no battlements to man. That needed to change. There was nothing stopping a small force from landing during the night a few miles up the coast and marching directly into the streets to storm the manor of the countess. Against pirates, though, they had their picket ships - and he wondered why they had not been detected that night. Pirates could not afford to land miles from the city - they needed a quick escape while laden down with treasure. Foul play was the only answer.*
Doris
**There was very little in her composure to ignite any such idea of being unsettled, the Duchess simply having her questions. The tone she spoke never lingered on suspicion, but open curiousity. The Marshal would only offer her half-truths, naturally, as he mentioned Matron Gyela his own inspiration. Vierna had atleast heard of her traditional reputation, a grizzled commander that met her fate those many years ago during battle with the Nation of Tritetheas. That war had been the bane of many families, and likely a topic she would struggle to match with a Veteran.**

**Though before she could muster a reply, that softer tone rose up from behind. The Countess, Matron Virzieth, offering her piece. There would be support for her remarks, she felt, but the topic of Inyelion seemed to shine the most. Vierna would not spite her vassal by distracting attention, simply allowing the topic to move along as naturally as it did.**

_"..That would be for the best, I feel. I have sent a force of soldiers to help assist in safeguarding the realm. Our forces at sea, I hear, have been more dutiful in overseeing these Southern Shores. As the Master of Ships has decreed, atleast."_

**Chiming in, the Duchess referenced her notion of support, alwhile watching the Countess in wait of her own response. A dispatch of soldiers had been made to support the current garrison, in her view a dutiful move as liege. The Pirate Attack in itself certainly had its suspicions, a place crowded by rival families. - One could imagine the later irritation with a commoner, no less, taking control. The hero of the tale, the people's choice. That indeed would be the Countess standing right infront of her, notions of age old ways still clinging to her despite this new Noble standard.**