[Lhunardawen]

What is wrong with me? Maika thought to herself, with a bit of panic.

She sat there quietly, once again utilizing her perfected practice of pretending to listen as her mind traveled elsewhere. But she was still listening, mind, listening without seeming to, with the rest not noticing her pretense. A hard tightrope to walk on, but Maika glides atop it with ease. But that is not the point here.

Her mind did not have too far to go this time; it just hovered over the faces right in front of her, visually taking in as much of each Gondorian without making it look like she was totally obsessed with them. She could still not comprehend why those emotions came with the ambassadors from Gondor. Needless to say, the overwhelming majority was of that which said "Business as usual." But she could not deny the faint vestiges of excitement at the thought of working with (or, perhaps more accurately, against) them, and the sheer wonder that "Ooooooh...so that's what people from Gondor are like!"

And it disturbed her. How does this differ from your normal duties? her voice of reason scolded her, yet for her own life she could not help but ignore it as she continued to observe the curious visitors.

Here's someone obviously of my age group. I hope not all Gondorians are like this stuck-up bear person. Now this is someone I can be proud of being associated with! Though I'm sure Skittles would immensely enjoy picking on him. Maika let her eyes linger, inconspicuously of course, at Hyarmenwë, but the sight of Angawen in her peripheral vision distracted her. I'm sure this is one lady I don't have to learn to hate.

The Dracomir fellow had just given his three statements when his face suddenly turned whiter than the wind-driven snow, if that was even possible - though none could tell why. Ms. Martinet took advantage of this distraction to further shame the poor individual. "How about you, Maikaelwen? What do you have to say?"

That you can go take a dip in Mount Doom, Maika thought. She turned politely to her. "Maika, Ms. Martinet, Maika. I'm in Mordor, anyway, so we would do well to make full use of that which brought me here."

"Alright then, Maika," she responded, saying the last word more loudly than necessary. Just then, as all the Mordorians expected, a resounding "Yes?" echoed along the corridor outside. The visitors jumped in their seats and looked around them with a confused frown. Ms. Martinet smirked, and Maika resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead she looked at each ambassador to call for their attention.

"I'm in my mid-thirties, I have a literal killer smile, and I sincerely welcome the presence of our Gondoria-"

"Lie!" the three Mordorians interjected as if on cue. The Gondorians scowled in response, likewise.

"Truth be told," Hyarmenwë said after quickly regaining his composure, "I would certainly not deny that the last could be a lie. But then, so is the second. A smile that literally kills? That's impossible."

"You're in Mordor, honey," Skittles countered. "Anything is possible."

"The only way that could be true," said Bearugard smugly, "is if dental hygiene does not exist here. Then again, I would not wonder at that."

"Hey, stop insulting us!" cried Igör, with a tear falling from his left eye and a manic glint on his right.

"Another chronic liar." It was Angawen Tupsë, still reeling from her recent embarrassment. "We have to be really careful in dealing with these people."

Maika's eyes flashed at the woman. Angawen quickly faced her and was about to hold her gaze, but Maika started to address the whole group.

"Speculate your entire lives. You will know the truth over my dead petite thirty-something body." She allowed herself a chuckle within.