<i>Ireena</i><br/><br/>Esperanza had hoped to find some sign of her parents, her family upon arriving in Barovia, but the distressed words blurted from the drunk’s mouth didn’t answer any of her questions, only invited more. Before she could even begin to ask after this Ireena or why she sent her (them?) away, or who was after them, the drunkard passed out, and the gypsies took him away, discounting his words.<br/><br/><i>Ireena</i><br/><br/>She glanced over at Katya, at the women who wore her face, with questions on the mind. Was it true? She’d said family matters had brought her to Barovia, and she’d been identified as the daughter of a citizen…<br/><br/><i>"Perhaps we should take our meal up in our room, dear sister. Then we can also change into something dry."</i><br/><br/>“Right, upstairs. I think that is best.”  As much as she wanted to repeat the epithet to Katya, wanted to believe it as much as she wanted to perform for the assumptions of those in the room, she couldn’t say it back. Not with her chest tightening in longing and loss.<br/><br/>With a gentle hand on Xavier’s arm, she offered a smile. “We will be alright, tonight, if you stayed down here. Or, if you insist, then on the other side of the door. But you will need your rest, as much as me, for tomorrow. I am sure of it.”<br/><br/>Not that Katya wasn’t a threat. Esperanza had trained formally with a blade, and had some skill in it admittedly, but Katya didn’t seem to type to follow the strict rules of a proper duel. No, Esperanza had little doubt the other would use anything to her benefit in order to survive. Even if they were sisters.<br/><br/>The accommodations were bare, two smallish beds crowding the smallish room. Esperanza dropped her belongings on the one closest to the door, and immediately coughed as a cloud of dust puffed into the air. Not that she could complain too much, even if she’d paid an arm and a leg just to enter this inn, and another to share a room with a woman who may very well slit her throat to avoid sharing her inheritance.<br/><br/>Her eyes didn’t waver from Katya as she lowered herself on the bed. Tense silence lingered and grew over the span of several heartbeats, before she decided to ask her questions. They were going to have to start somewhere, right?<br/><br/>“Is it true? Is this Ireena your mother? Are we actually sisters then?” She tried not to hope as she speak the words, tried not to believe in foolish fairytales of her youth. It was everything she’d wanted, for so long, but she had to be careful.