<div class="floatleft">(http://i65.tinypic.com/30vj9qs.jpg)</div><br/>It was cold, to be sure.  But Lyradil paid that little attention.  Her eyes were fixed elsewhere.<br/><br/>At least for a few more moments.  Her blue-eyed gaze was not drawn away by words, but the coughing drew her attention.  Lyradil turned, concern showing on her delicate elven features.  In many ways, humans seemed more sturdy than her folk, or at least possessed of an energy that made them seem so.  But a youth spent with ageless elves sometimes left her surprised by the infirmities humans seemed to suffer from, especially as they grew older.<br/><br/>Once it seemed he was well, Lyradil nodded earnestly, her red hair bobbing.  "Yes, sir."  A moment passed, with Lyradil tilting her head thoughtfully to the side.  "That is, I am aware of it.  I've made some study of Sadesh, and this temple in particular.  I've been looking forward to seeing it personally."  She pressed her soft red lips together, leaving the second part of the question unanswered.  She'd studied extensively, but this was her first field expedition.  She very much hoped she was prepared.<br/><br/>As interested as she was in both the words of her teachers, and of the ruins about which she'd read, the urgency in Murdeim's voice drew her attention.  She whirled, her blue eyes wide, red hair swirling about her shoulders.  Her sharp elven eyes caught something, maybe.  A flash of movement?  Perhaps.  Lyradil's lips pressed together in mild concern as she turned back to the group, just in time to see Kendra's notes torn away.  She couldn't help but wince in sympathetic response.<br/><br/>That almost distracted her from the compliment to her looks, but not entirely.  Lyradil smiled shyly, one hand coming up to tuck a strand of her red hair back behind one of her pointed ears.  There had been no elves her age back in her city.  No one to tell her how ethereally lovely her delicate facial features were, with large blue eyes, long lashes, and fine cheekbones.  To admire the lustrous strands of her long red hair.  Or, as she'd noticed sometimes, no one to watch the sway of her hips as she walked away, nor let a gaze linger those few times she revealed a hint of her impressive cleavage.  Here, all those things could happen and sometimes did.  Another thing she wasn't quite sure how to deal with.<br/><br/>No matter.  It was time, clearly.  Lyradil bowed, bending gracefully at her slender waist.  Gathering her robes a bit more tightly around her body, she started the trek towards the ruins, and the tests that lay within.  She proceeded at a moderate pace, her natural caution tempering the speed that the cold encouraged.  Her blue eyes flickered here and there, watching for signs of danger.