[she turns and runs, all thoughts of tonight's dinner forgotten for a moment, and a small calico cat stops to hear her request and leads her in the right direction. She's a little out of breath once she arrives, skirts held up out of her way. She drops them, stopping, her heart in her throat. This time it can't be an illusion. That would be too cruel.]

It's really you...Veigue. [male or female, her childhood friend is unmistakable. She can't help smiling a little in relief. She'd never gotten confirmation if Veigue and his friends had made it out of that ritual unscathed. Here it was.]

I'm so glad you're all right. [she takes a step forward, then stops again.] I don't know what Queen Agarte was trying to accomplish, but when I came to, I was...like this. [she gestures to herself.] I know it must be hard to believe. But it's true.