<div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/RoDooxQ.jpg)</div><br/><em>The acolyte who spoke stood up and nodded, "I shall show you myself, I understand all of this must be rather tiring.  Right this way." He led the way back out of the room and walked beside Pipa, while silently one of the  mysterious hooded priests followed.  "We won't bother with a tour then but since you want a meal and a bath I'll show you those buildings before your dorm." </em><br/><br/>Pipa listened as the acolyte described the layout and functions of the training facility and living quarters as they made their way to the dining room. She mostly admired the stone work, and inquired once about the material used in the bridge moorings, but was too worn out for any other questions.<br/><br/>The acolyte’s frank assessment of her form, her potential strength, when they arrived at the dining room gave Pipa a bit of confidence, and reminded her to ask the Headmistress specifically about what the better strategies might be a good fit for her.<br/><br/>She asked for partridge, roast carrots, bread, and cider, a favorite comfort meal from her childhood. The dish she was brought only cemented her fondness, and included an incredible gravy that had her shining her plate with her bread.<br/><br/><em>"Leave the plate contestant, one of the servants will fetch it.  I will show you to the baths."  </em><br/><br/>Pipa was happy to follow the acolyte, and was as impressed with the well appointed baths as she had been with her meal. She enjoyed a long shower and elected to soak for a bit in the warm tub, but soon found it was making her sleepy.<br/><br/>She thanked  Maev before following the acolyte to her dorm, not surprised when he spoke of the customary nakedness that many contestants adopted. The robe, as loose as it was, felt constraining across her shoulders. She supposed that all the acolytes likely would know what she was thinking before she did, it was uncanny.<br/><br/>Pipa chose the alcove farthest down the righthand wall, hoping not to disturb her sleeping bunkmate. She thanked the acolyte and was pulling her robe off before he had hardly left, eager to slip between the cool sheets and have a long quality sleep.<br/><br/><em>Pipa arose the next morning to the sound of soft singing.  She woke in this unfamiliar place, feeling actually very well rested and sat up.  Looking around the first thing she spotted was her pack with her belongings sitting on the floor just outside of her alcove.  The next was the other occupant of her dorm.  A redheaded elven woman with wild curly hair.  She was singing very softly in another language.  As Pipa moved she turned, turning great grey eyes on the quarter orc.  Pipa couldn't help but notice the woman's freckled skin and small pert breasts, her cute upturned nose, or her full lips.  Then on second glance she noticed the tight athletic body and rather wicked looking tattoos on the elf's arm and leg.  But the elf girl smiled, "Hello, I guess we're going to be bunkmates for the next few months?  I'm Vania."</em><br/><br/>Pipa raised her arms above her head, stretching out her back and shoulders. She remembered she was naked as she fully extended her arms and her breasts brushed together, meeting in the center of her chest due to her elongated pose. She felt a moment of embarassment but it was overtaken by the same tingle of excitement she had felt during her examination. She could almost feel Vania’s soft grey eyes on her skin.<br/><br/>She dropped her arms to her sides, and glanced in the direction of the attending priests, unsurprised and unconcerned with their presence.<br/><br/>“You have a beautiful voice,” she said, mentally enumerating several other beautiful elven features her fellow contestant possessed.  “I’m Pipa.”<br/><br/>She began unpacking her few things, and considered her clothing for a moment, before shrugging her smooth green shoulders.  “It seems like most anything and you're overdressed,” she observed, before tossing them into the wardrobe.<br/><br/>“I’m glad to meet you,” she gave Vania a warm smile, feeling only a bit of a tawny blush warm her skin, as she was aware for the second time in as many moments of the elf’s deep gaze on her athletic body.<br/><br/>“Would you join me for breakfast?,” she asked, adding, “I would like to know more about you, since we are together in this. I travelled here with another elf and a human woman, Pellen and Eren. We are all so different, I think it's wonderful.”