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[h2][color=darkorchid][i][b]Victoria Belmont[/b][/i][/color][/h2][i][b][color=9932cc]Half-Elf, Bard, Level 5[/color][/b][/i]
[color=9932cc][i][b]HP:[/b][/i][/color] 33 / 33	[color=9932cc][i][b]Armor Class:[/b][/i][/color] 15	[color=9932cc][i][b]Conditions:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=9932cc][i][b]Location:[/b][/i][/color] Estate House (Terrace) 
[color=9932cc][i][b]Action:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=9932cc][i][b]Bonus Action:[/b][/i][/color] [color=dimgray]Familiar[/color]
[color=9932cc][i][b]Reaction:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
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[right][img]https://i.ibb.co/k55RrWV/Victoria-Alt-4-2.png[/img][/right]
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	There was a certain amount of informality in Victoria's mealtime actions at first. When she put Cecily to the question concerning the proper rules of etiquette for the region and got back assurances that it was something akin to standard for her own homeland, a change came over her actions. The Bard carefully removed the pear from her dagger and cleaned the blade as best she might with a kerchief. She then sheathed the weapon and returned to her meal with a more structured set of behaviors. A piece of conversation she had with Kathryn, perhaps on the road or in the Coach House, came to mind. She was a noble lady without a lot of experience in the formalities of interaction with others of her social status. Victoria, however, was. It was part of her education and occupation, being able to move seamlessly from one event to another, if not as one of nobility then well enough not to call herself out as someone who didn't belong there. To this point, she made sure to make eye contact with Kathryn and shift into better articulated table manners. 

	The old roguish maxim of "Always use your own blade" was set aside so that she may disassemble her food in a genteel and courteous manner, giving less effort required for cleaning staff and making others with more refined proclivities as comfortable as possible. The pear was lovely as it was, but a small table knife and the fork provided divided the item into bite sized pieces, still roughly assembled, upon her plate. Victoria had added to this a sorghum cake with fruit preserves and carefully bid the scullery fellow still present, [color=9932cc]"Sir, if I may? Two egg omelette with a touch of cheese, please. Not too much. And mushrooms, if you have them. I can wait, if needed. Thank you so much."[/color] The bidding of thanks was not strictly necessary in this instance, but while she could potentially mimic a noble if she desired, she was born into a merchant-class family and believed that laborers shouldn't be invisible while plying their trades. To the food on her plate now, she took a portion of fruit preserves and placed it delicately upon her sorghum cake, careful for the  spoon to not actually touch the item in question, and not in amounts large enough to trail off it and onto the plate itself. Satisfied, Victoria took a small sip from her coffee and filled her hands with the utensils appropriate to her food selections. She sat straight up, not touching the back of her chair as she worked upon her plate, with her face straight ahead even as her eyes kept to the food below her. Occasionally, she would scan the table to see if anyone was beginning conversation which may involve her, but otherwise kept to herself until she wished to initiate a point of conversation. 

	These actions were deliberate, and just slightly exaggerated for the purposes of educating any which would be able to view them. Kathryn, for instance. If the Knight who trained her didn't feel like teaching her how to be a Lady, then damnit, the socialite might give a tutorial or two. When Victoria was ready to engage in polite conversation, she picked up on something Kosara had said which angled into her personal bailiwick. [color=9932cc]"Dancing, yes. I have a great fondness for dance, as the mood takes me. It is superb exercise and keeps me limber."[/color] For those who had seen her move, especially in combat, she was second only to the Monk in fleetness of step and manual dexterity. And she did seem to dance in a rather acrobatic way, instead of plying a martial practice. [color=9932cc]"As the violin does for my hands, dance does for my body. One must keep one's girlish figure somehow."[/color] The last part was delivered with a coquettish smile. [color=9932cc]"And while I intend to dance, sing, and play music to the very limits of my ability, I do intend to make this time a learning experience. I wish to learn Medicine. Particularly Anatomy. Madame Cecily tells me there might be such a teacher in Southmoor, provided I can be convincing enough. If fate, or at least circumstance, decrees that we remain companions for a time longer, I believe these skills will be valuable to us as well as useful for me, personally, in my professional endeavors."[/color] She paused for a moment to consider her words, [color=9932cc]"It may be prudent to save what arcane or divine healing abilities we possess for the direst of moments, should such emergencies arise. And if we exhaust those skills entirely, it is likewise prudent to have mundane skills to fall back upon."[/color] She definitely stopped short of mentioning that knowledge of this would also make her a more effective Necromancer. Hopefully that part wasn't implied too vividly. [color=9932cc]"I shall try to visit later this morning, in fact. It would be polite to bring a gift. Hmm..."[/color]

	As Victoria mulled over the possibilities, she took another sip from her cup, then looked to Baronfjord who had apparently chosen to sit next to the coffeepot. [color=9932cc]"Please, Master Chedgusah, would you warm my cup a bit?"[/color] She expectantly held out her thin, porcelain cup to the blue-hued Monk, adding, [color=9932cc]"And do let me know if I might hand you something nearby, of course."[/color]