Bet You Never Thought

Aliana had asked the golden fawn girl, but it seemed Quill was eager to make the introductions himself. Ever his father, that lad, for better or for worse... Quill introduced the young woman as Talyssa Carpathius, and Aliana's eyes immediately lit up with recognition at the name. She had not met any of the Carpathian children personally, but her family was well acquainted with the Carpathians. Yes, now that Ali was looking closer, she could see some semblances of the Hallows queen in the young fae.

Talyssa seemed so nervous for this meeting, the poor dear, and Ali was quick to give the girl a reassuring smile. An airy, almost lyrical laugh escaped her as Talyssa spoke to her so reverently, smiling up at the taller girl. "Oh, sweetheart, you can call me Aliana. Mrs. Klein sounds far too important to be me!" Raised a slave, Aliana had never exactly been comfortable with formality being given to her, even when she had been a queen at Chimera's side. "It's such a delight to meet you as well, Talyssa! Are you by chance related to the Carpathians of the Hallows?" It had been some time since Ali had seen Artorias and Briar, but she suspected there was a connection there. It would be vital information to know before she had a conversation with her son.

While Quill got settled on his belly, Ali sat back on her haunches next to her son, whistling a short tune for her wren, which she sent off with a whispered message. She listened with keen interest while Quill gave a short explanation of how he and Talyssa had ended up together, traveling to see where life took them. That certainly caught the ash and snow fae's attention. She hadn't known her son to ever pursue companionship with another before. Well, at least not anything long-term. A mother knew most of her children's secrets, and her boys had certainly been more cavalier with their pursuits, just like their father. She glimpsed the way he rested his paw over Talyssa's, but made no show that she had noticed his behavior, though it did warm her heart to see.

Quill asked about Chimera, and before she could answer, Bolero returned with two of the mastiffs Chi had bred over the years, each carrying platters of snacks. Ali dipped her head to the canines and thanked them before sliding the platters closer to Quill and Talyssa. What kind of mother would she be if she didn't feed and fuss over her boy while he was home? "He's not getting better, I'm afraid," she admitted with a heavy-hearted sigh, ears folding to her head and a look of defeat clouding her brilliant eyes. "He hasn't responded to any of our treatments yet, and I fear the worst. But I'm still doing everything I can. I'm not ready to give up on him yet." Call her a devoted wife or a tenacious doctor, but Aliana refused to stop trying to save her husband's life, no matter the cost. She couldn't imagine life without him. Taking a steadying breath, Ali looked up at the couple across from her with a smile returning to her lips, taking joy in the aura she could feel coming from them. "But don't you worry about that. You two didn't come all this way to be downhearted. Tell me about your travels! Where are you planning to go? Somewhere fun? Somewhere new?" Ali was genuinely interested, but she also wanted to see how the two of them interacted together. It would give her a good gauge of what she could expect for her son and this new lady he was bringing home.

"Aliana Klein"