182 Differing Opinions

Henrietta sits in silence for five more minutes, eventually forming an outline of a plan as she sits up and looks towards Tiffania, "I see what Michael and Ralf bring to the table, but what about you, miss? You don't appear to be all that strong, and that book you are reading displays a staggering lack of magical knowledge... So, if you possess no martial abilities, or any magical abilities worth mention... Just what worth do you bring to them?... Are you, perhaps, one of their concubine?" she asks, forcing her tone to be as condescending as possible.

Tiffania's face stays neutral as she shakes her head, "Nothing you would know about, princess. While my life has been hard, I've never been forced to service anyone as you have." she coldly remarks, causing Henrietta's face to darken at the mention of her old 'fiance'.

"Funny. I'd have thought those ears make adequate handholds... I wonder, do female elves have longer ears than the men? Or is such a situation applicable to both genders?" she subduedly retorts.

Tiffania shakes her head and claps her book closed, "You know, princess. I was that you would be different from everyone else. I had hoped that you didn't prescribe to the silly hatred between our races, but it seems I was stupid to hope for that... To think I was looking forward to having a cousin who wouldn't deride me for what I am..." she solemnly says, shocking Henrietta with her words.

"Cousin?" she asks.

Tiffania nods, "We are related through my father, Duke Montaru de Albion... How does it feel to share the same blood as a demon?"

...

"I-..." Henrietta pauses as her mind scrambles to disprove or find fault with Tiffania's words. She isn't able to say anything to the contrary however, as there was enough evidence supporting Tiffania's words. The spies she'd sent to learn about Duke Montaru's relationship and death were proof enough alone... Still, maybe she could make use of this relationship?

"I wasn't aware that we were related... I, I apologise for my earlier words... Perhaps my kidnapping has soured my mood slightly. How about we start this again? I am Henrietta de Tristain, and you?"

...

Tiffania squints slightly, wondering just what Henrietta's angle was. She'd been betrayed, hurt, and lied to enough for her to be able to spot it relatively easily now... Still, she felt an odd yearning to actually know one of her only remaining family members. She was, after all, the daughter of one of her father's brothers. "I am Tiffania, no last name."

Henrietta nods with a small smile and gives a mock bow from her seated position. "Tell me about yourself, your early life... What it was like to live in Albion? I've only been there once before, and I was too young to remember much of it."

Tiffania goes ahead and discusses her childhood in Albion, eventually speaking on her mother and father's deaths, causing the mood to dim. Henrietta speaks on her own past too, her friendship with Louise and Prince Wales, as well as the growth of her romantic feelings towards the latter. "I love him, yet it seems that everything around us was conspiring to force us apart..." she smiles, "We did share an... Evening together. It was next to Lake Lagdorian, that night was beautiful, and one I'll remember for the rest of my life."

"It sounds wonderful." Tiffania admits, imaging herself spending a romantic evening with 'someone', with nothing to worry about or fear... Just the two of them.

"Do you, have anyone you cherish, Tiffania?" Henrietta tentatively asks, her eyes glancing over at Ralf who'd come back with a pile of branches and left again after setting them down.

Tiffania nods, "I do, but nothing will come of it until we are free of this place. There is nothing left for us here, and I doubt even my own people would accept me due to my human heritage." she says with a sigh.

Henrietta leans forwards with a sympathetic yet withdrawn smile, "Tiffania, I've learned just from talking to you for a short while that we are not so different. Perhaps the Brimiric faith's dislike of elves is caused by an ignorance of them, rather than something specific?... I've been taught to hate elves all my life, yet you are not what I was taught to fear... I think... If people gave you a chance, I believe there might be place for you, even if it would be hard-fought."

Tiffania sadly shakes her head, "I am not stupid, princess... I know you are only saying that because I am one of your captors.

Henrietta's back straightens, "No! Tiffania, I am being truly sincere. You might be one of the kindest people I have met in a long time! If we had met in different circumstances, perhaps things could have been different between us... We could have even been sisters... I truly believe this could have been the case." she says with confidence clear in her eyes.

Indeed, if Louise had summoned someone else, the two women would have treated each other and acted like true siblings. Saito's actions and heroism would have garnered the support of the public, allowing him to back Tiffania despite her elven heritage, and eventually allow people to understand that she wasn't the demon the church said she was. In fact, Tiffania would have become a priestess of Brimir, her status as a Void Mage cementing her role in people's minds.

Alas, with Michael changing the fate of this world, such things would never come to fruition. So while Henrietta believed that in another world they could have been on good terms. Such a thing was impossible now...