Elissa eased up her stance at the king's request, letting her lips quirk up into a thoughtful grin. Being raised in a noble house meant that she knew the formalities and how to properly address her superiors at all times, but she much rather preferred when they were this relaxed in their ways. She hated stuffy royals, because despite being of a great House in Ferelden, her family was not one of the stuffier ones. They were rather laid back for a noble house, and both her and her brother were taught in various forms of combat despite their differences in gender. They were what some would call a bit progressive in their ways, but the Cousland's never really cared what anyone thought of them anyway. At least until Howe decided to wipe them out anyway....
"As you wish," she replied with a nod of her head, following him around as he showed her his domain. She may have appeared to be but a silly girl with a knack for flirting and perhaps even a bit aloof at times, but Elissa paid attention well. Even during her studies with the Chantry, she always did well to listen carefully and take note of important matters that could have impacted her family in some way. She had a brain about her too, not just a mindless soldier or someone desperate to become a Gray Warden just to escape her own life. Ever since she'd learned of the Gray Wardens, she'd taken an interest in them. Now that she was one, she didn't know if she had made a mistake or not. But the damage was done, and she wasn't the type to just go back on her word.
At the King's explanation, Elissa followed along with her eyes, taking in the rock formation he pointed out with a bit of awe in her eyes. "Fascinating place. I should very much like to see it all and to know of its rich history." She kept pace with him as they traveled through the place, and as they past others, she would nod to them if they happened to look her way. Even though she was an outsider, she carried with her the air of a soldier, so in reality, she could have likely fit in just fine around here. As they stepped into the room where they were to be talking, she couldn't help but grin a bit as she took a look around. It wasn't so much the feel of the place but the way Ysmir seemed to come alive while there. "You seem comfortable here. I imagine it must not be easy to be a sovereign, especially with outsiders arriving in such a mysterious fashion."
She took the seat as it was offered to her, sitting up straight but also with a slight lady-like grace about her. Just because she was a soldier didn't mean she had to act like a man, even if at times that was exactly what was required of her. "I'm sorry for your loss," she replied solemnly. "Though, I suppose I understand now, given your background, why you prefer to be more informal than most sovereigns in your position." She remained still as he told his tale, taking in as many details as possible even if she didn't recognize the names. They still held a great deal of importance for the King, and therefore, she knew she had to find a way to remember this as well. And as he spoke, she couldn't help but make parallels with her own life. Sure, the circumstances were different, but she realized that they were both the sort to make the best out of whatever situation they happened to be in at the moment.