<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/9/91/SaraM.png)</div><br/><strong>Tagging: Kairen, Aleena, Lauriel, and Sophie -Mostly Sophie</strong><br/><br/>Maria bristled at the implication that<em>she</em>had been their father's favorite.  As she remembered it, she had always been second best to Sophie, and their parents had only accepted her decision to become a knight because they had no son and they didn't particularly care what path the lesser of their twin daughters chose to follow.  That had spared her from anything beyond token attempts at arranged marriages -at least until Sophie had run away.  Then everyone had wanted her to "stop playing" and become "a proper young lady" so she could be married off to a suitable bachelor.  In fact that was part of the reason she had come here -to prove herself in battle so that others would respect the decision she had made.<br/><br/>As such Maria was actually rather sympathetic to Sophie's position, though she was not about to air the family's dirty laundry in public by saying so.  This combined with Sophie's kiss, quickly defused her anger.  Recovering from her embarassed surprise at the unexpected display of affection, Maria steadied herself and looked her sister straight in the eye.<br/><br/>"I understand.  But you should at least visit mother.  She's been worried about you too."  Maria eyes flickered down, and she blushed again.  "I don't think she would approve of your... uh... costume."