Sekhmet spots the armed member of the Red, wrinkling her nose in disdain.  So gauche!  Perhaps the girl expected to be eaten alive if she heeded the practice of not bringing steel to the opening ceremony?  But if she was going to prove herself too frightened to trust, that was her problem.  Her eyes continue to the young woman over whom the fool was hovering...<br/><br/><em><strong>Oh.  Oh, dear.</strong></em>She<em>knows</em>those features, had faced them across the field of battle.  Her jaw sets grimly, remembering the look on the older woman's face when their blades had clashed and hers had slipped through a hole in the other's defense to take her life...and then she took the fallen champion's blade as a trophy.  It is indeed a good thing she's not wearing that openly, even if such a thing was done at the opening ceremonies! Her gaze lingers perhaps a little too long on the shy and naive seeming noble, for the girl was easy enough on the eyes.<br/><br/><em><strong>Just as her kinswoman had been.  Would that I could have taken her captive instead!  She might have been fun.  If not for this thrice-cursed war...</strong></em><br/><br/>Scowling to hide her thoughts from any who might be watching, she turns away from the pair, and dons a mask of mild disdain.  Her steps draw her closer to the refreshments--<em>another</em>clever idea to display mutual trust, having a buffet like this instead of individual meals brought by servants.  It forced the collected students to mingle in close quarters if they wished to eat and drink...and let the servants keep a closer watch, the better to defuse any tensions before they could get out of hand.  Of course, that was why she had her shadow, sure as that little Red puppy had her gauche companion.<br/><br/>But any hope of remaining impassive, aloof, and masked frees as soon as she hears the boisterous and enthusiastic greeting of the large girl in the bone-white armor and black feathered cloak, and she tilts her gaze up to get a better measure of the giant.  She feels a hint of a smile tugging at one corner of her mouth and decides to let it continue. The point of the exercise is to prove that she's more than just a massive strategic threat, right?<br/><br/><em><strong>Besides, think of how much fun it would be to be in her arms?  Probably a bit rough, but she'd be more fun than those shy and meek housemaids at Uncle's.</strong></em><br/><br/>She steps closer, eyes flashing with amusement.<br/><br/><strong>"You at least do not want for enthusiasm,"</strong>she says to the giant, keeping her tone playful.<strong>"Be welcome to Sandhollow.  If you need help finding your way these first weeks, ask for Sekhmet."</strong><br/><br/>