An unexpected visit at the Homunculus

A woman adorned in a beautiful black silk dress walks into the otherwise foreign tavern. A black veil hides her face from the nose down, her vibrant captivating ocean-blue eyes still clear to all those who would glance towards her. She maintains her elegance, having pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

The graceful mysterious woman makes her way further into the tavern, avoiding any interactions. As she spots a waitress or staff member, she moves towards them, politely asking for a Helena Krows.

The serving girl bows to the woman and gestures for her to follow her upstairs.

She'd politely thank the girl in a soft voice, before gracefully following her up the stairs.

The serving girl would lead the woman to the Second Red room, knocking politely, before bowing to the woman and leaving. The door opens a crack, Helena's bespectacled eye peering out, widening in shock as she takes in her visitor. The room beyond her seems rather dark, lit dimly by magical blue lights. In the moment of stunned surprise, the woman could observe slight circles beneath Helena's eyes as she collects herself, opening the door wider.

"Miss Nevascaa... This is a... pleasant surprise. Please, come in." She says softly. She seems puzzled, but not unhappy about the identity of the guest. She opens the door wider to reveal the dark, but luxurious room, motioning the woman to enter.

Bookcases line the stuccoed walls, and the tile floors are covered with beautiful Thayan rugs. Everything is in a pristine state of order and cleanliness... almost obsessively so. A small table with two chairs sits between the canopied bed and the door, a closed book and a tea service atop it. Unless one had low-light vision or better, the room would seem uncomfortably dark.

Blanche would step into the room, glancing around a moment, never losing her elegant posture. She'd remove the veil and undo the ponytail, shaking her hair out.

"My, zhis is certainly not zhe kind of place I expected. Certainly less lavish zhan I vould 'ave zhought." She says lightly as she walks around the dimly lit room.

"You could do vizh more lights." She says wryly before glancing at the woman.

"I am terribly sorry to step by unannounced but I do believe zhe letters I sent you vhere eizher lost as I do not zhink you vere vone to ignore zhem." She explains politely before moving towards one of the chairs, taking a seat and crossing one leg over the other.

"Vell demoiselle Krows, if you 'ave zhe time I'd certainly like to catch up, as quvite frankly it looks like you could do vizh a break."

Helena smirks faintly at Blanche's comments, rather expecting them after seeing the Sorceress's abode. Her lavender eyes seem to glow faintly in the dark room, as if lit from within.

"My eyes are very sensitive to light, so when I am... home... I let them relax. But I can most certainly turn them up." A murmured word of power and the blue lights intensify enough for comfortable sight. As Blanche takes a seat, Helena takes the book from the table, depositing it in a drawer of her bedside table.

"It is a pleasure to see you, as I said before. I do not often have visitors." She frowns slightly at the next comment. "You have sent letters? I have never received any, since I've been here." She takes a seat across from the other woman, pouring a steaming cup of tea for each of them. Her countenance is neutral as she nods, giving away little.

"I suppose that is true, and time I have...How have you been these days?"

Blanche smiles grateful as the tea is served. Gently she picks the cup up by its the handle, the liquid chilling the closer it gets to her unusually red lips. A new look perhaps. She sips the beverage lightly, a content smile spread across her features.

"Hmm, Ice Tea." She says, satisfied with the beverage. "If its somezhing zhe barbaric Thayans can do, its acquire delicious beverages."

As the lights brighten, Blanche's is attire is better revealed, her eyes are lined with black eye-liner, her ocean blue eyes contrasting vividly with the black color and the blood red shade of her lips. Her thin black dress is elegant, but still quite presentable, perhaps more restrained than her usual perfectly fitting attire.

At Helena's words she responds casually after shifting slightly. "Indeed, I suppose Archae must 'ave been killed in zhe process."

She gracefully tilts her hair back, flicking her lustrous obsidian hair over her shoulder. "Hm, i do 'ave much to tell you I suppose." She then goes onto explaining the Mindflayer incident with the time warps and the danger to the world.

"I am uncertain as to 'ow zhe ozhers are doing 'as I 'ave spent most of my time attempting to replicate zhe codex zhat ve presume contains blueprints to zhe means of time travel" She winks lightly. "But zhat stays betveen you and I, zhe ozhers vould be suspicious of me ozhervise."

"As for my general 'ealth it is well, I suppose, alzhough I am 'aving a 'ard time accepting my cursed ancestor and my writing and research 'as been stagnant- as shock to me too, I assure you." She adds in swiftly.

Her eyes alight at a specific memory and she rolls her eyes. "Oh! Do you recall Monsieur Xavier? Zhe nerve of zhat man, truely. 'e dared to attempt to lecture me on zhe cursed Kossuthian ranger!" She would tilt her nose up haughtily. "Hm... closure he said? I am more zhan content vizh zhe vay zhings are."

Blanche pauses, realizing she may perhaps have gotten carried away talking and sips her Tea.

"Pardon me, I seem to 'ave gotten carried avay" she smiles wryly, "Alzhough zhat is partially due to your absence from zhe dales, it 'as all accumulated so to speak."

Blanche eyes the woman carefully behind her polite expression. "Tell me, 'ow do you fare? 'as all been vell?"

Helena's brows raise in interest as she observed Blanche's new attire and daring new makeup. She listens with rapt attention to the tale of the Mindflayer, gears clearly turning in her head as she absorbs the news.

"I am certain I have told you before, that I've done quite a bit of study on the subject of Chronomancy and it's methods. Time travel opens up a rather specific can of worms, so to speak... and from what my research suggested, it is very, very easy to lose one's grip on sanity, if one plunges too far, too fast into the study of Time magic." She looks Blanche over, giving a small grin. "But I am sure you are aware of that already. I only mention it because I would be... loathe to lose your companionship."

Helena nods empathetically at the mention of Blanche's stalled writing, making a vague gesture to her rooms. "I've experienced a similar stagnation, in a sense. At the moment, I've hit a wall with my research that I hope to break soon." She again raises a brow, the name not so familiar to her, and her expression one of bemusement at Blanche's clear disdain of the men.

"I suppose I would be more helpful if I understood why he would think you would need closure....the last I heard of you and this Kossuthian were that you planned to kill him quite violently.' A smirk, with a wry tone to her voice. She takes a thoughtful sip of her tea, the liquid much cooled from when it was first poured. The rooms in general are far cooler than any place out of doors, something both women would find pleasant, others not so much.

In response to the question after her own health, Helena gives a small shrug. Altogether, she seems relatively healthy as ever, the only change being the darker circles beneath her eyes, indicating a recent lack of sleep.

"I've been busy with research, among other matters. I have been working rather diligently these past few weeks, with little to show for it." She frowns as she admits such, rubbing the bridge of her nose tiredly. "But it has been a habit of mine to press ahead even as results are slow in coming." She then tilts her head. "I am curious, though... what do you plan to do with this codex when you have succeeded in replicating it? Do you intend to study Chronomancy more deeply?"

Blanche nods lightly as Helena speaks, uncrossing her legs to lean towards the purse she left across the table pulling out a small pouch of chocolate strawberries, offering the luxurious bunch to Helena.

"Vhy yes, I do recall. I zhought you'd find zhe news quvite fascinating hence delving directly into zhe matter." She smirks beautifully, revealing a row of perfect pearly white teeth.

"Vhy Helena, dear, you know me too vell. I am familiar vizh zhe dangerous, yes- alzhough, imagine zhe pover vone vould 'ave vizh zhe ability to change zhe past and foresee zhe future" She laughs softly, answering her question. "I'd be interested in seeing zhe man I marry and potentially my children, after all- if zhey vere not beautiful enough to rival zhe firehair's clergy I'd need to consider anozher 'usband." Her dulcet voice expressing her playful joke.

At the mention of Aerys Blanche's wry and playful demeanor would turn far more somber before she relaxes and glances off towards Helena's perfect shelves. "Vell, zhe urge to extinguish 'is existence is still quvite poverful , I suppose, alzhough to be honest..." She trails of softly, surprisingly appearing quite innocent if not vulnerable.

"I vas content in killing 'im, but 'is absence 'as left me unexpectedly confused... I dream of 'im at times, I despise 'im but I do yearn for 'im-" realizing her words she immediately elaborates, her voice wavering with uncertainty. "I certainly vould not say I love 'im... But I cannot deny somezhing exists, afterall seeing 'im so exposed and vulnerable, brooding-" Her voice than rises slightly as she speaks significantly faster. "I glanced at 'im as 'e trained at times, also.." She'd now pause and whisper, her cheeks coloring faintly. "accidentally stumbled onto him changing vhilst invisible - he is vell..." At a loss for words Blanche exasperatedly continues.

"Zhe man is attractive! Almost as zhough 'e fell out of a novel!" A sigh escapes her as she calms down. "I suppose.. I am a 'otbloo-" she pauses, rethinking the last word and tilting her head. "I am a cold blooded voman, but a voman non-zhe-less..."

She remains rather quiet for the next few seconds, opting to swiftly change the subject. "I suppose we could both do with some relaxation."

Blanche clears her throat. "If it is alright, I suppose I could spend tomorrow in zhe city as vell, per'aps enjoy zhe day before I depart for zhe Dales vonce more."

Helena eyes the strawberries a moment, taking only one to munch very delicately, taking small bites every so often. She listens quietly to Blanche as she opens her heart up about Aerys, a look of close empathy on her face as she nods along.

"Quite so..." Helena tilts her head. "There are more luxurious rooms offered here, if you wish to remain another night. The Sky Room is particularly lovely, in my opinion, but not entirely practical for my own budget." She smirks faintly. "You would be surprised what...interesting things can be found in this cavern-city. I'd be glad to show you around."
She takes a sip of her tea.

Blanche would smile lightly before standing.

"Zhat sounds lovely, now if you vould excuse me. I suppose I vill be getting zhe Sky room." She graceful places the veil over her lower face and pulls her lush hair back before tying the soft strands into a ponytail.

"I shall see you in zhe morning, dear?"

Helena stands with her, escorting her to the door and opening it for her.

"Of course. Rest well, Miss Nevascaa. Feel free to join me for breakfast." A small smile.