"Everything is quite adequate," Elwen said. "I don't require anything unusual. Whatever the host presents me with is what I will use. I try not to be a difficult guest." There was no trace of irony in the wild elf's voice. Apparently she didn't consider the show during her arrival as being difficult. It hinted, perhaps, at what she had been brought up with. Challenging people was a natural part of life, not necessarily a delay. During this, she kept idly fingering the scabbards on the table, nodding along with Petra's words about being an object of barter.<br/><br/>"You sound annoyed with the entire system, rather than with your parents specifically," Elwen said. She shifted her gaze from the dull training weapons to Petra for a moment. "That's a noble position to take. One I didn't expect from you, I'll admit. Your parents were less kind than you deserve when they... Got rid of you, as you say." The wild elf tapped one leather scabbard, eyes drifting back to the weapons. There was another shout outside, and for a long moment, she seemed off in another world.<br/><br/>Elwen shook her head, offering Petra an apologetic look, but no words to such an effect.<br/><br/>"Your words are the reason I came, my lady. There's little other than specifics of ceremony to negotiate with your mother and father. I'm here to talk to you, prepare you, and little else. And, admittedly, for a little forced holiday time." She smiled faintly. "There's more to life than food and a warm bed, my lady. You can have those things almost anywhere, if you're willing to work for them. Books are a rarer hobby, but you could have nurtured it with my people even if you were the lowest of the low-born."<br/><br/>The envoy pulled one of the weapons from its sheath, running her finger along the rounded, wide edge to make doubly certain that it was dull. "The commander... The commander is a soldier's officer, someone who fights with the army. It's a testament of skill that such an officer still lives, considering the amount of battle you see when you fight for our king. The soldiers love it, and the commander. I've wondered if that's why this union was made, in a way. To take some attention off the commander. There's no tradition for officers ruling our lands, but the things that are traditions now were new once. The Deshen might see the commander as a threat."<br/><br/>Elwen glanced to Petra, smiling vaguely. "I don't assume this interests you much, but you should know regardless. You will have to know, as the Commander's wife. You will end up involved. As for what the commander is like as a person, and my journey here, let's trade. If you start learning what the commander will expect you to know, I will explain a little more when we are done training. We only have so much time every day, by order of your parents, and we have to spend most of it training. But I will answer questions at the beginning and end of our hour every day."<br/><br/>The wild elf withdrew the other training sword from its scabbard, flipped it and caught it blade-end, presenting the handle to the noblewoman. She gestured with her head to the second room, cleared of furniture so as to act as a makeshift training area. "Fighting isn't something you can learn, much less become good at, in a month. But you can start. The commander can continue your training, but I am to start it. Come with me."<br/><br/>She extended a hand to Petra to help her up, and to the other room.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>