With her stature, Aerich might have been forgiven if he had never noticed the complainant. But once she did speak, there was a natural interest: a youth with a mixture of familiar and impossible features, in a place where he saw all too few of the former. He was still contemplating if she was closer to a Dragon, or something else -- the hair was too light to fit any house really -- as the duke took a final sip from his wine.

That done, he could set it aside and gain his feet to properly address her. "Perhaps they are," Aerich answered, waiting for her to look his direction before he would tilt his head in greeting. "Should a complaint be lodged?"