Miara sat and, after a moment of inner self-conflict, Rika stood up. She looked around, meeting the eyes of everyone before she began. "My name is Rika Arianrhod. None of you will have met me before this night, therefore it would be unwise to call any of you my friend at the time, though it is a very good possibility in the future." She smiled lightly though kindly. "I have traveled here from a destroyed kingdom to begin a new life. In that kingdom, I was right hand to the King, leader of his army, and his best friend. I come from elves on both sides, though I carry magic in me that neither of my parents had. Tonight, I have met some of the most strange and powerful people that I will probably ever know in my lifetime, and can only hope that you will count me among your allies in the future. I am not near as powerful as any in this room, but if I may, I will try my best to be of any service that I can in this coming war." She took chose that moment to bow before sitting back down, her heart pounding. It wasn't like her to be this nervous. But then, she was used to talking before people of lower rank and power than her. In this case, she was the lowest of rank and power. Perhaps that was the reason she felt a sheen of sweat forming on her brow.
Her eyes flicked quickly to the seat where Jack had been, but it was empty save for a single brown hawk's feather.
Jack giggled lightly outside as she spun and tumbled down the empty road. "We make now our leave, friend. We are not needed in such a place." She twirled around once and, in a flurry of feathers, took off as a peregrine falcon toward the village edge, a simple mahogany staff in it's talons.




