Alfrieda took her seat, allowing herself to relax. She let the tension roll out of her shoulders and decided to extend some trust toward their host. She knew that was when they got you, when you let your guard down...but, if there was never a first person to extend trust, no one would get along at all. Alfrieda was not fearful of magic, no more than she might fear a river just because you could drown in it. The river could be beautiful and amazing-and it could kill you stone dead-but, if you knew it for what it was and respected that, you didn't have to be afraid of it. You might even be able to enjoy it. She had long come to terms with that.
And, the Fae
was very beautiful. Looking upon her was like basking in the cool of night after a long day working the fields, or maybe feeling a chilled rain on your forehead wash away the battle fever. It bought peace and a feeling of contentment, like you might only feel as a child. Such poetic terms were rusty and unused in Alfrieda mind...
"Oh, it's simple, really." the fae woman says with a smile. "Reginald and I were simply pining for the land which we once walked upon. Having noticed that the barrier to the Otherworld was weakened we decided to see how things changed in our absence. I must admit that this fog is less beautiful than the fields of flowers and rolling hills which I once knew, but it is good to feel the sun upon my face again. You will not find fault in an old lady wanting a touch of sunshine and some fresh air, will you?"
Alfrieda had removed her helmet and gauntlets, and even her shoulder-pads placing them on Viridian.
"No, I wouldn't fault you, good Lady. This land is free now. We won't drive strangers away without good reason. And, we thank you for hospitality. Forgive us our caution, but one does not dive into a river unless they know how deep it is. And if there are rocks just underneath the surface." She had said, wondering if Fey could parse her meaning.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all likewise," Enid says with a polite smile. "Please do not stand there so stiffly. Come and share my table. I understand your hesitancy but please. You do me a disservice as a host if you refuse my hospitality like this. Sit. Please." As if on cue, the six chairs at the table as pulled back in unison. Not showing the slightest bit of surprise, Enid sits at the head of the table and patiently waits as the unseen servants pour her something in an ornate cup. Taking a sip she says, "As you can see it is perfectly safe to drink. I am not so poor of a host as to poison my guests." The smile she offers is as warm and inviting as an unattended fire. After a few moments she covers her mouth in polite shock.
Alfrieda held up her own cup to be filled, and gestured towards the Fey politely.
"I would not be so rude as to refuse your offer, for I am thirsty after a long ride. Yet, I am a representative of the Queen, so I must ask-will accepting the food and drink placed on this table come with any obligations set upon us for doing so?" She had said, remembering. It was a calculated risk, but an easy one to take. The Fey had not likely put any binding contract on taking the drink or the food-that was an old trick, even by Fey standards, where they laid a table with tasty comestibles then charged the humans who guilelessly partook with thievery, binding them in coils of powerful obligation. And yet refusing outright could enrage a Fey, which was also...very bad.
Alfrieda had volunteered herself, both as questioner and taste tester-hopefully the former questioning of motives would be forgiven for the latter implication of trust-Alfrieda would be the first to drink, and so decorum would be observed....She suspected she was already under an obligation of a sort, anyway, so it didn't matter much. She supposed the drink could still do plenty of bad things..but a woman with four years left in her life has everything to live for, and almost nothing to fear. Alfrieda had to admit there was a thrill in trying something that few humans ever could.