"Tell me about Violet, if you please?   In all the commotion tonight, I'm not sure if I ever really learned much about her. "

“She’s been mentoring me for about a year now, preparing me to walk the Path. I really learned a lot from her. She’s also the spitting image of Florimel but not as airheaded. But also like Florimel, she’s beautiful and she knows it. And of course uses that to her advantage,” Liya laughed.

Tanique smiled wryly.
"I met Aunt Florimel in a trip to Amber, but never got the chance to know her well.  Sadly, i know her mostly from my father's less than stellar opinion of her.  Though I've been told I somewhat resemble her as well, genetics being a strange roll of the dice."
She shrugged
"my mother says that i should use my own looks to my advantage, but it always felt like cheating somehow "

Liya chuckled. “I met her briefly when Mother brought me to Amber to walk the Pattern, but I never got to. Violet showed up with her delegation, and mother decided to postpone my walk. Then I’m in the Hydra Empire next, and here we are now.”

“I think if the two of them were in the same room you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart just by looking at them. I think Violet holds herself differently than Flora.”

Tanique looked confused
"Is Violet a Hydra version of Fiona?   And who's your father, by the way?"
She asked in a slightly embarrassed way like she should know but has lost track of the vast and convoluted family trees in their worlds

She nodded  “Yes, she’s Flora’s double.  I think it’s one reason Flora was bent out of shape.  She has actual competition now,” she giggled.

“My father was a baker. He won my mother’s heart with chocolates.”

Tanique grinned
"Fiona has a thing for chocolate,  eh?   that's a side of her I've never seen, I'll admit "

“It’s one of her many secrets,” Liya laughed.  “He used to make sculptures out of chocolate. They were so beautiful, I never wanted to eat any of them. I get my love of cooking from him.”

She smiled warmly at her cousin. “You are the spitting image of your mother. I hadn’t met her before tonight.”

Tanique grinned and chuckled.
"People say that there is a resemblance, but I don't really see it.  But I know that's a compliment, so thank you."

“It is a compliment. Lady Ellika is a bad ass.”

Liya is happy to stay in the springs for as long as Tanique wants before finding a place in the city for dinner.

Tanique laughed.
"Yes, that I can definitely agree with."

She sighed as she stretched.
"She is definitely a high bar in the Knighthood.  I hope to be as good as she is one day.   But Having Julian as a father is a big reputation to live up to as well.  Having a master chef for a father, though, is definitely having friends in high places."

“Our generation has big shoes to fill.”

“If we can ever swing it, you should come visit me in the Hydra Empire and I’ll cook is a great meal. So, what do you want to do in the shadows?”

Tanique frowned in thought.
"Visiting the Hydra Empire sounds interesting.   I should be familar with our neighbors.   I'm not sure where to go in shadow, though.  It's all a bit much, you know.  Maybe to see something beautiful, like a perfect storm or a rare animal."

Liya feels a trump contact.

“We can do that. What ki—“. Liya stops talkin.

She gets a far off look in her eyes as she accepts the contact.

"Liya, where are you. Oh. You left the Storm Kingdom?"

It took Tanique a moment to realize that Liya was having a trump contact.  She'd never seen someone have one before.

Liya smiled, “Oh, hi.Bastion. Yeah, Lady Tanique and I are at the hot springs. Is everything alright?”

"Ok, she is with you. Her father and mother were shall we say concerned. I was concerned about you as well. I am still looking out for you. If you are at hot springs then does that mean your clothing and everything are laying about somewhere? If so I want to make sure your things are safe. Say hi to Lady Tanique for me."

Tanique perked up at hearing that the handsome king was sending a trump call, then she grew concerned at how much he could see.  She sunk down just a little bit lower

“We’re safe. We just decided last minute to get some R&R. I suggested the springs for her sore muscles. I apologize for worrying anyone.”  She blushed lightly,  “My clothes and things are in her room. Thank you Bastion.”

Tanique looked concerned, hoping her cousin wasn't in trouble

"I will try and gather them up for you, the next time I trump you. You two have fun."

Liya nodded and let the contact end. She giggled and turned to Tanique. “So, your parents were concerned, as was Bastion. He says hi by the way. He said for us to have fun.”

Tanique giggled
"It's good to keep them on their toes.  Though I suspect my father's heart has gotten strained over the last few years."