"O-okay... let me try again." Talyra said those words while attempting to maintain her composure.
"Talyra Skydancer," she introduced herself, as was her custom when navigating ambiguous social situations. Talyra believed that stating her name helped clarify her identity.
"It's nice to finally meet you and speak with you, Talyra," Diana said, and she shook her head. "I'm Diana Von Starlight."
Talyra's body tensed up when she shook Diana's hand for the first time, and she glanced at Aisella quickly, who just gave a slow nod.
She said, "The pleasure is mine," carefully, hoping to hide her discomfort as she looked at Diana's face for any signs of what was really going on behind her friendly smile.
They looked at each other for a moment that was neither hostile nor comfortable but rather a specific, honest assessment between two people who understood their situation and were deciding how to navigate it.
