At Morgan’s bitter recollection Catherine turned back to the little Beast and the pair shared a short, sad smile, heavy with shared reminiscence . She swiftly wrapped her arms around the masked woman once again. Though it was over so quickly that it was more of a comforting squeeze than a hug, the way in which someone might compress another’s hand to show that you were there to listen if the need to speak gripped them. When Tessa mentioned Samuel Catherine's head whipped round, though fortunately, not before she had risen or poor Morgan might have been shunted back into the buffet by the dark waves of her hair.
Hmmmm if rough and tumble be in the offing then mayhap I should have placed it in a ponytail. Perchance one of the other ladies might spare me a scrunchie if I were to politely put forth the request.
As she crossed the intervening distance she noted that his nerves had improved; whilst he still appeared somewhat flighty, at least his hands no longer appeared to be labouring to bear him aloft and away from her company. He wasn’t as formally dressed as when last they’d spoken so perhaps he’d loosened up a little. Surprising herself she wrapped her arms around the hyperdontically-fanged figure.
“It’s been a while Samuel, I do hope that lady fate has cast her favour in your direction from time to time.”
As she drew herself back from her hold with the goblin she noted the succinctly spoken changeling favouring Morgan with felicitations. Overcome with good cheer with the amiable atmosphere and her present company she knelt and enfolded the terse brunette in an embrace of her own.
“Mal is it? A pleasure to make your acquaintance." And she meant it, she could appreciate the strong silent type; and whilst this woman’s canines certainly caught the eye, they didn’t have a patch on those of some of the other’s clustered around her. There was a warm glow beneath the woman’s skin which seemed to amplify as time went on. As she rose once more she got a good look at the courtier’s eyes which held a striking maize hue, and she paused for a moment quite captivated by their yellow gleam. Shaking herself free from her state of startled reflection, she turned to the ferrety figure who had complimented her confectionery. Sadly Tessa’s arms were now filled with cake which she was tucking into with the persistence of the profoundly pleased, a sight which bouyed Catherine's own spirits to no end. Finding herself unable to embrace or converse with the preoccupied Beast...
It wouldst seem a most common seeming would it not?
Catherine shared a more cheerful smile with her and offered her thanks for the compliment. Though the contents of the girls plate were being demolished with such haste she could scarcely determine whether she had partaken of the chocolate or the cheesecake. Either way she fervently hoped that Tessa was not so unfortunate as to suffer from a nut allergy. She felt that she should probably say something, and so did.
“Tessa, I do hope that you are not afflicted by an aversion to nuts.” She turned to those others assembled before the table’s bounty. “They’re present to some degree in both of the cakes I prepared; though should that prove problematic the three trays of pear gingerbread remain free from their influence."
She closed her eyes for a moment, committing the faces and names of the group’s constituents to the pages of her Library for later rumination. Blinking again into the pallid (as though she were one to talk!) face of Morgan’s apparently astute employer. She contemplated hugging the Lady Scrivener also; yet, like the ferret, the courtier’s arms were otherwise engaged.
“How am I settling in? Hmmmm... I’ve spent so much time working that I’ve scarcely had a chance to settle. Though so far Cosima has been more than gracious in putting up with my presence." Again pausing for a moment as she recalled the bag grasped between her fingers, she withdrew a large yet thin volume from it's depths, turning once more to Morgan. “Speaking of work I have have something to show you and Sam if you'd indulge me with an opinion.” Now that the time had come to reveal her artistry to it's subjects she felt a little apprehensive and fumbled with the pages as she flicked to the relevant place. Turning the booklet so that it could be appreciated as intended, she handed the volume to Morgan. Before the little ling, her own eyes stared back from it's laminated surface.
Clarifying as I didn't explain to Origins very well: When I said light I meant colouration not depth XD
If Catherine's back is to you then some of the 10 roughly-vertical scars which run from her shoulders on down will be visible where her hair and
clothing permit. Whilst a little narrower than a pinkie and as snow white as the rest of her skin they do appear fairly distinctive, the scar tissue being both embossed and somewhat shinier under the light of say... a bonfire.