"Wynessa! Oh my dear friend, you cannot believe how incredibly glad I am to see that you are unharmed and safe!" Timias rushed through the doors towards Wynessa who stooped to pull the shorter man into an embrace. His usual colourful attire was replaced with a grey suit that poorly fit him and his hair was slicked into a small ponytail at the back of his head. It even looked like the colour was drained from his features. "Please, you must leave here at once! Ahma is on a rampage and I cannot stop her nor will my cousin assist me in any fashion. Oh, my apologies, who is this?"
Wynessa finally released her friend having seemingly forgiven him for the moment for not telling her the truth about his heritage. Turning to the Madame, she smiled and introduced the pair.
"Madame Lufoncia, this is Timias. He led us to the city and is... erm... Timias, this is Madame Lufoncia. She is the owner of a flourishing business and is... erm... Wow, I cannot say a lot right now. I'm so sorry." She smiled and chuckled softly before turning to Caito who still had the doors flung open in stunned silence. It took a distinct look from Lufoncia for him to return from wherever he had been, snapping back to reality and moving to close the doors but not in time.
Just as he moved to close the door, another voice called out from the stairs.
"Leave them open, young man. Let us see what kind of people my disappointment of a grandson associated with." The elder of the house stepped down the stairs deliberately slowly, giving Caito enough time to open the doors and step aside, giving the guests an apologetic and ashamed look as he stood in the corner, waiting for instruction like his position demanded.
"Ahma, please, this is a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding? Truly. Then tell me who these... people are." The elder elf paused when she saw the bearded figure in a dress and makeup standing in her parlor and sneered. The distaste in her voice was evident and disgusted.
"Ahma, you don't have to do this." Timias pleaded with his grandmother but she only held more firmly as she demanded once again.
"Who are these people and what are they doing in my house?!" Her voice rose in volume but was otherwise just as stern as before.
Before Wynessa could think of anything to say, Madame Lufoncia curtseyed low and respectfully, silently urging Wynessa to do the same as best she could. Wynessa's attempt was much less graceful, but respectful nonetheless.
"Your Ladyship, please forgive our intrusion into your home. My ward wished to speak with her friend about an urgent matter. We meant to disrespect and had hoped to not disturb you in this tumultuous time of change." Lufoncia's tone was even as she quietly gave them reason for having been there as well as defining her relationship with Wynessa as protective.
"Hmph. Get up." The mistress of the house grimaced and waved a hand dismissively. "What kind of guardian walks around in public looking like this? It is disgraceful!"
"Ahma, that's enough!" Timias tried to defend Lufoncia but was only met with a slap across the face as hard as the elder woman could muster sending him to the ground.
"Timias!" Wynessa could not stop herself as she moved to him and fell to her knees to make sure he was alright.
"You dare to tell me what is enough within my own house!? You dare try to tell me what to do!?" The elder woman shouted at her grandson as he lay on the ground before her, the side of his face reddening and at least one stop on his cheek bleeding from where one of her rings had impacted and cut him. "How dare you?! You insolent bastard child!"
"Your Ladyship, if it pleases you, we will see ourselves out." Lufoncia stood, expressing her full height against the elder. The shorter rounded on her guest and the two elvish women stood staring each other down for the split second before the elder began to speak once again.
"I think it best you leave the way you came in, you disgusting thing. I���ll not have creatures such as you soiling my home." The words infuriated Wynessa to the point she started to get up until Lufoncia held up her hand expressing she did not need help.
"Creatures such as me. Interesting rhetoric. Where have I heard that before? Oh, I know. Lord Tenrian Le Muur, one of my most well paying clients. Did you know, your Ladyship, that your husband liked to be flogged and pegged while wearing women's undergarments and makeup?" As she spoke, the Madame stepped closer to the elder woman as her face turned more and more red with anger and embarrassment. "Oh, so you did know? How interesting. What a shame it would be if his sanctified memory were to be tainted to the public with such information. I cannot imagine how such a turn would affect your business dealings. Or perhaps the guards you bribe for your own personal services should be relieved of their posts? That isn't to mention the spies you have within the Lord High Duke's household who have been feeding you information about his schedule for the past seven years. Shall I continue, Ahma?"
The blood pooling in her face almost made Wynessa afraid the elder was about to faint as she watched the blood pressure in a vein on her forehead bulge. With every word Lufoncia spoke, Timias learned something new about the vileness of his grandmother. The only part of this he had known was the bribes of the guards, not that she was sleeping with them! He held a hand to his bleeding cheek as he watched the mother of his mother turn on her heel and leave in a huff, storming up the steps like a child holding in a temper tantrum.
"Caito, darling, close the doors please." Lufoncia watched the mistress of the house until she was out of sight and did not move until the doors latched in place. As soon as she released all the tense air she had been holding, the Madame dropped to her knees to check the wounds on Timias' cheek. "Let's get you to the kitchen before these get infected."
"My dear Madame, that was the most amazing and brilliant display I have ever seen. Please, permit me to kiss your hand once I am no longer bleeding on the rug." The half-elf smiled with the half of his face that was not bleeding as the pair of women helped him stand and began moving him off towards the door Caito held open for them.
"Provided you don't need stitches, I will accept such." Lufoncia chuckled and practically carried Timias into the kitchen.
"You may have just given me a way to break ties with this so-called family. For that, I owe you my life."