Beautiful. Just as she expected, but perhaps with more blatant insult. Idly, she brought the glass to her lips, taking a small sip,"... If you can save everyone in every battle you have participated in, then I shall bow to you now and kiss the ground you walk on for the rest of your days," she answers cooly," I have personally lost, yes, but to say I have lost overall is quite the reach, Grand Master. But men and woman, combatants and civilians are always lost in war; but that is why it is called War. Nicknames and rumors can be no more smoke and mirrors then the illusions of power so many often delude themselves with." Truth be told, she was somewhat appalled the self-proclaimed Lioness would bring up the loss of life. War was all about killing as many combatants as possible- she lost men all the time, but so had the enemy.
Another sip, she gazed unblinking at the woman, her hazel-grey eyes offering no emotion but for the half-smile the quirked her lips," I have been listening, never fret; my eyes and ears are fully open to you. Many ask the question, I only seek a decisive answer, it was the same when I rose to my rank," turning her head slightly toward the palace, she swirled the white wine about in its chalice, blinking slowly. Her stance was akin to a parade rest, and yet, held a casual air about it," All many know of you is that your husband was a man of prominence and soldier at that, some will accuse you of gaining this position solely through the use of womanly charms-" her gaze slid back to the Grand Master, the woman was older then her, and yet..."- I would like to see you prove them otherwise. Which is why I ask of your experience," Her voice held sympathy, yet it seemed guarded, she had been answered with a rather vicious jab and thus... Found it increasingly difficult to empathize with her counterpart. Another sip, her gaze level and utterly unmoved by the Grand Master's outburst. Whatever the General was thinking, it was truly unreadable upon her face.
" I would prefer to ask the woman in the center of all this rather then go off the words of another." Instinctively, she hoped that the Grand Master would cool and realize that her words were not out of spite but concern, curiosity. But perhaps, in this day and age, it was too much to hope for.