<div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/hiW13Hj.jpg)<div align="center"><strong>Alizeh Cloudborn</strong> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=299823.msg14660956#msg14660956)</div></div>Alizeh couldn't help but grin shyly and blush back at Mara as the two sweetly and awkwardly embraced in a congratulatory moment. At being called "graceful" and "talented," two words that Alizeh was aware in theory could be used to describe herself just as in theory any word in the language that functioned as an adjective could apply to her, she had not actually thought anyone ever would say such a thing out loud. It seemed as likely that she would be described as "suave" or "intimidating" or really anything that was a synonym for "dull," "nerdy," or "naive."<br/><br/>In her dull, nerdy, naive moments she had of course read books that inspired to her to feel the way she was feeling about Mara. However in those books the love interest whose muscles rippled with easy confidence and who had a smile that could make one wish they hadn't worn underwear were all men. Alizeh had likewise always just assumed that when she met someone who made her wonder how she could arrange things so that such a person effortlessly tossed her over their shoulder and used those powerful limbs to - well, do what happened in such books - that it would be thoughts for a man. Mara had made her realize what a foolish assumption that was, and how she had to consider the possibility that nearly everything she believed about romance and bodice ripping might, just might, not be based wholly in reality. A disturbing thought if ever there was one!<br/><br/>In fact she was still reeling in the aftermath of this calamity when a pair of elven fingers did what elven fingers do best - teased and brushed against in a way so distracting that it was only her breathless state that prevented her from gasping aloud. Instead, her hips gave a rather adorable, if telling, shuffle and she sucked in her bottom lip and chewed on it instantly as she willed herself not to cause a scene. Telling the whole world with a whimper or whine that she'd just been touched that way would not only make it obvious how very, very, few times in her life she'd been touched that way, but also, and this was the real risk, prevent her from ever being touched liked that again.<br/><br/>She had to step back away from the two women who were giving her heart a workout and close her eyes to regain her composure. She did not truly succeed at this, in fact "composed" was another of those words that almost of contrasting language families and one should lose points at school for attempting to inflect the degree of it in a manner that it would apply to Alize. Her cheeks were still flushed, her manner still distracted, and, if one were inclined to do what nature suggested and let one's gaze linger at the rather human-sized indications that Ms. Cloudborn was of the female-bodied persuasion on her chest, another pair of hints about the effects she was under might be spotted even through her rather concealing robe.<br/><br/>"There's ah, no magic on the gifts." She said, her voice squeaking just a little, as her eyes seemed to lock in on Brigitte's face.<br/><br/>But this time, it was not lust or some other mundane foolishness that caused this, but a bizarre, academic, almost detached fascination. The magical sight she employed revealed to her that the beautiful elf was perhaps not what she seemed. What was she truly, Alizeh wondered? Would she find out. Was this the sort of thing one could ask about directly, or was something like tact required? And if so, how did one exercise tact exactly? Alizeh would have to think about that. The books she had read on etiquette and courtly behavior seemed less and less applicable the more time she spent down here on the surface.<br/><br/>She was only distracted from Brigitte's face by the muttering from behind her that belonged to Henry. And Henry. She cocked her head to one side, wondering if the two voices were an indication of his commitment to an act. She was about to turn and ask the others if he was always like this, then remembered that they didn't know him any better than she did. She eyed his unique beverage wondering if that had something to do with it? A chemical treatment that let him speak with two voices perhaps?<br/><br/>Curious, she stepped to him and asked, "Can I fetch you another ah, what is it you're having there?"<br/><br/>Her mind worked clearer away from Maya and Brigitte it seemed. Cause and effect, obviously.