Heads whipped around as their little fire snapped and crackled. Most looked astonished to be addressed rather than ignored, as had become custom for them here. There was one, however, who didn't, and from behind that kneeling midlander rose a small armored figure.
She was small yet tall for a Lalafell and, while it was not quite the color of snow, the bone-white of her armor served to blend her against her backdrop nearly as well here in Coerthas as it did on the sands of Thanalan, her outline against the frigid wastes broken up only by the brown of her armor's padding and the brass of its ornate decoration. Her sword was drawn; she had been using it to etch out search patterns into the snow. She slammed it home into its sheath as she stood slowly and turned her head slowly to gaze at the newcomer. One tiny hand found its way up over her shoulder to reseat the strap that secured her shield to her back. She glanced down at the midlander and spoke.
"At ease."
Tension that had suddenly ratched at the stranger's call now drained away, those two words of command releasing the men from their heightened alertness. The little woman made her way around the small group and slowly approached the stranger. Calm, collected, confident, she made no moves towards blade or buckler as she walked well into arm's reach, coming to a stop a mere three fulms away from the much larger and much stronger Hyur. She saluted.
"Corporal Haruko Kokojo of the Immortal Flames, under Chief Flame Sergeant Melkire, under First Flame Lieutenant Peak, under Commander Swift of Ul'dah. The men you see huddled before you are under my charge, ser, and our purposes are our own, though we've applied to House Fortemps for aid and been denied often enough that we've come to withhold no secrets, no hidden agendas."
She canted her head to one side, looked up at him, crossed her arms, and pinned him in place with her cool blue eyes.
"Now, who are you?"
She was small yet tall for a Lalafell and, while it was not quite the color of snow, the bone-white of her armor served to blend her against her backdrop nearly as well here in Coerthas as it did on the sands of Thanalan, her outline against the frigid wastes broken up only by the brown of her armor's padding and the brass of its ornate decoration. Her sword was drawn; she had been using it to etch out search patterns into the snow. She slammed it home into its sheath as she stood slowly and turned her head slowly to gaze at the newcomer. One tiny hand found its way up over her shoulder to reseat the strap that secured her shield to her back. She glanced down at the midlander and spoke.
"At ease."
Tension that had suddenly ratched at the stranger's call now drained away, those two words of command releasing the men from their heightened alertness. The little woman made her way around the small group and slowly approached the stranger. Calm, collected, confident, she made no moves towards blade or buckler as she walked well into arm's reach, coming to a stop a mere three fulms away from the much larger and much stronger Hyur. She saluted.
"Corporal Haruko Kokojo of the Immortal Flames, under Chief Flame Sergeant Melkire, under First Flame Lieutenant Peak, under Commander Swift of Ul'dah. The men you see huddled before you are under my charge, ser, and our purposes are our own, though we've applied to House Fortemps for aid and been denied often enough that we've come to withhold no secrets, no hidden agendas."
She canted her head to one side, looked up at him, crossed her arms, and pinned him in place with her cool blue eyes.
"Now, who are you?"
![[Image: 1qVSsTp.png]](http://i.imgur.com/1qVSsTp.png)
