He looked up, drinking in her features before asking her repeat the name, which she did. He said nothing and produced the Biologist report and carefully read it. Ah he said. That changes a few things. He signed the name into the document, gave is writ of approval before handing the various documents back to her. Your name is now officially 'Hall', I will contact the government department and confirm that so they can add you to their records. But, before you go.. He said standing up and walking over to a small cabinet in the corner and producing an envelope and a pale blue card. He returned to the desk, wrote something on it before heating a wax seal and stamping it at the bottom of the card and putting it into the unsealed envelope.
This is an invitation, the address is on it. You are encouraged to attend there within the next few days.
She opened the envelope. This time her smile was real.
In the next few days, the envelope opened her the gate. It was the solemn entrance to the imposing mansion of the Steiners: Bretonian dreariness combined with Rheinlandic megalomania. The dignified arcades that had been holding the hulk of a ceiling for centuries intentionally reminded those that walked beneath of their insignificance compared to the waves of history, the vastness of an empire -- and the might of the Steiners. All of it orbited around a few human heads.
Elizabeth liked being insignificant. It allowed her to do what she wanted without anyone noticing. And she preferred entering through back doors rather than solemn gates. But today she had to be noticed. Being noticed and recognized was her ace card in the game that she had just started playing. Her dress of vibrant and flaring colours made her stick out remarkably from the grey landscape, and her liveliness, and her spiteful wide smile full of energy, enhanced with lipstick the colour of passion. "Who is this?", wondered the Steiners' servants as she frolicked in. She gave a servant her invitation letter and gracefully sat in the waiting room, where already were some posh or uniformed people, in front of the Steiners' official reception hall. She did what every other Bretonian knew well to do -- waited to be called in. Elizabeth had style, but not arrogance, and she let everyone know that.
As she waited, the brothers had gathered in one of the various drawing rooms to discuss their soon to enter guest. A reasonably sized room with a round oak table dominating the center which held a tray with various alcoholic beverages. Three couches were aligned around the table in triangular shape. The walls of the room were decorated with a number of portraits and historical artifacts while the main window, which essentially made up a wall in its own right, allowed for a spectacular view towards the estate gardens with the farmlands after it and the mountains and forests lying beyond. The brothers all wore their formal dinner jackets, forgoing their various uniforms for a slightly more relaxed feeling.
William had finished explaining the situation and John had backed up the medical records she provided. There was an uncertain silence between them, this woman presented a problem, though she wasn't legitimized by Hall himself she was his child by blood. Edmund finally spoke and broke the silence, We have no choice, Honour dictates we must ensure her safety and well-being until she expressly states she doesn't want it. Hall saved my life, as cliché as it sounds, thus we own him a debt of honour. We obviously cannot repay him in person, but we can and must attend his bloodline, which this girl is. Again, silence lingered before Alfred spoke I do not believe we can, in good conscious, turn her away now. I agree she is entitled to our support, as Honour dictates, but what kind of support?
Any and all support we can offer John said somewhat unhappily I have no doubt that she will not demand everything, and we do not want to 'cut a deal', as the Libertonians would say, that would see her swept under the rug. She is her own person and may do as she pleases, and that is what worries me. If she is...of lesser intelligence, she could prove to be a considerable burden.
She would need to do something particularly stupid for it to damage us financially, but socially? The aristocracy is particularly unforgiving when it comes to social errors. She will need to be taught if she wishes to be introduced to higher society. William said, pouring himself and John a small scotch while he spoke.
Do we trust her? Was all Victor asked. This caused some serious thought between them as all they had to go off was her father, a man they worked to see hang, or at least brought low. After a few minutes, Edmund spoke again The answer to that Victor is 'we don't know'. My first inclination is to say no, but she is not her father. We do not know her, she could be very similar or very different but until we meet her, we have no idea. And we must be very careful not to blame her for her fathers sins. To that they all agreed and, after John and William finished their drinks they sent the butler to bring her in.
"You may come in", the butler looked at Elizabeth after he had left the reception hall. As graciously as she sat, she got up and walked in. "Good day, Sirs". The closing of the door, as she bowed lightly, placed a period at the end of her sentence -- and a colon in front of the subject which it has just opened. "Good day!", all three answered, smiling, but with ambiguity behind their eyes. "I am Elizabeth Hall. Is it me you invited?" Edmund, obviously the head of the family, nodded. "Yes. Freely sit here." He pointed towards the couch opposite of him. "Oh!", he continued as she settled, "And serve yourself, as you please! As if you were at home." Glancing at the table, Elizabeth only saw alcohol. "Very kind of you, Sir, but I prefer not drinking, not alcohol, if I am to deal with important matters. Maybe after we are finished. Is there tea?" Edmund lifted a kettle that was somewhat hidden behind bottles of whiskey. "Ceylon?" Elizabeth's smile lit up the room. She took a cup. "Oh, silly me! Of course, thank you!" While Edmund was pouring her the tea, she directed that kind of a look towards William, which conveyed all the formalities of "Hi! We've met before! How are you doing?" in one silent second. After she had taken a sip with apparent joy, she moved onto the subject.
"I do wear black, don't think the death of my own father has had no influence on me. But in private. I believe I don't have the right to trouble the world with the erratic swaying of my womanly emotions. It is equally war for all of us. Sons die, and husbands. And... fathers. This is my best dress, and I am wearing it because I am here for Bretonia. You might have invited me for something else, but I have come to ask you, Sirs: I want to serve the Armed Forces. I may have the body of a fragile woman, but my vengeance is a roaring beast on a leash!" A sip of tea curbed the crescendo. "I beg you, free it."
Victor was slightly taken aback by her raw enthusiasm and lack of formality, although he appreciated it greatly and turned away to hide a smile when he saw John's clear lack of horror at her desire to join the armed forces. I will ensure you manage to obtain a commission in the Armed Forces if you wish to serve Edmund said After the appropriate training of course. I must ask however, why? Surely it cannot be a burning desire to avenge a man you've never met before.
He paused, choosing his words somewhat carefully I don't mean to presume my lady, but I was under the impression you never met the Late Captain Hall as you lived on Gran Canraia before his death. Am I misinformed?
Her sigh of helplessness from the cold winds of time, a well crafted one, sent her eyes to the upper left corners of their sockets. She intended to look down and right, as that was, according to a book which she had read, where people looked when they remembered feelings and emotions, but she didn't expect the Steiners to have read it as well, and it was widely known that looking to right meant that the person was probably lying. She was, but she wanted to pass it as the truth.
"I was born on Leeds. Dad-I mean, my father, was from Leeds, too. My mother and I moved to Gran-to Sydney when the Tau war started. I... I don't remember all those jokes he used to tell when I was little, and I regret it. But I remember he was a very funny man. I guess that's why mother fell in love. They always told me I had wide lips", she smiled as if she wanted to demonstrate it, "That was his doing. Did he joke a lot with you, too?"
A bland, humourless smile appeared on the Admiral's face and he spoke with blatant, dry sarcasam He did, a little. Often at his own expense, particularly the last one.
![[Image: 396AUfe.png]](https://i.imgur.com/396AUfe.png)
![[Image: steiner.png]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/364563857353605121/393563907341418496/steiner.png)
![[Image: K21Vaai.png]](https://i.imgur.com/K21Vaai.png)