<div class="floatright">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/e/e2/Ashlyn_close.jpg)</div>Ashlyn stood tall, strong, and silent through the audience and the discussion following.  She made an impressive sight - her physique set off proudly by the first-quality plate armor she wore with only slight unease.  She made no effort to retrieve anything from the pillow.  Instead standing with one eye toward the door while occasionally glancing to each of her fellows.  It was the second, or maybe the third time that someone mentioned<em>Lady d'Parkville</em>that she finally realized the name was meant for her.<br/><br/>"Me?  A Lady?"  Her voice was a low contralto, clear and strong.  Her words were clipped short and formally pronounced.  She chuckled briefly at the idea of being a lady, but didn't rebut or explain her humor.  Ashlyn never used three words when one would do.  Bright, strong, attractive in a healthy, vaguely androgynous way, neither her voice nor her appearance gave an indication of vacuousity on first impression. It took her most of a minute to work out that maybe she should add to the question.  "I'm Ashlyn.  Just Ashlyn"  d'Parkville was a name Marguette gave her, but Ashlyn wasn't supposed to use it unless she was told.<br/><br/>What she'd understood from the last week of trials was that the mess hall wasn't too far from where she stood, and that it was almost time for dinner.  And that lots of people got hurt in trials, and not all of them wanted help tending their wounds - as if they blamed her because she hit harder.  What was she supposed to do?  Let them hit her instead?  No matter - it was all over now, and now she was supposed to...  Go some...where... in the morning?  She didn't betray her confusion, but instead stood mute and strong until addressed directly.<br/><br/>When people started leaving, she had to speak, loathe as she was to do so.  "Do we go back to the barracks after we eat?"  She asked.  The funny old man had mentioned a room, and there was hardly anyone in the barracks now.  Was she supposed to move her things?