Oh, hi there

- Verden, a small town outside Skeldergate Forest, early evening, 547 DBTR -

At the incredible revelation that the young man was no less than the crown prince of Verden, Orla knew that if she were smart she ought to make herself scarce. The mystery of why he seemed to have such a great destiny lying ahead of him had been answered, and it would be dangerous to linger around him for very long. Not when his father was even now ruthlessly working to purge the nation of magical beings like herself.

Over a clay goblet of wine, Orla studied Nate's accompanying men-at-arms, considering them for a moment. They were no doubt quite skilled fighters to be assigned to protect the prince, but she didn't think they were hardened Inquisition soldiers; she sensed no magic off them, nor that they were the sort of fanatical types the Inquisition attracted to its ranks. Disregarding them as a serious threat, she decided to stick around for a bit longer.

Orla had many powers, and one of her most notable was her empathic abilities that allowed her to feel Nate's emotions from across the room almost as clearly as if they were her own. He was profoundly discontented. He lived a life of immense privilege and the same time one that was rigidly controlled, stifling his young soul in ways he could not fully grasp. Her tender heart went out to him, and she badly wanted to snap him out of his dour mood and to help get him on the right path.

For she who was half elf and half fae, in tune with the natural world around her and who breathed magic like it were the air itself, her own life was richly and infinitely agreeable, but human beings were a different creature from the people of the Carling Clan. Humans needed to take control over their short lives and find purpose in them if they wanted to be happy. To do that Nate needed to figure out who he was, as only then could he choose a purpose that would be meaningful to him.

Orla knew all this, but was not sure how to vocally express it in a way that a human could comprehend, but she was compelled to give it a shot, especially since he was not just any ol' human; he was the future King, someone who was bound to impact the lives of millions of people when he eventually assumed the throne. It would be a tragedy if he turned out to be a bitter, hateful man like his father, or as cold and brutal as the neighbouring Queen of Dalen.

When Nate withdrew from his men, Orla seized the opportunity to make her approach. Discreetly getting up from her table, she nodded her thanks to the serving girl and in a very careful and nonthreatening manner, crossed the room to where Nate sat alone in a dim corner next to the fireplace. She deliberately and rather slyly walked in front of him, pretending to study the mantle and not to notice him until the last second.

Orla gave him her most disarming smile. “Oh, hi there. I'm not disturbing you, am I?” she asked, speaking in the soft, easy Verdish of the Skeldergate.