Re: Esteem.
"Great!" she said enthusiastically at his praise. At least he wasn't repulsed by it: roll of the dice with other-realmers. "You're welcome." Had Qiana looked at the other guard? What guard? Who? No, she hadn't. So, no sorries were offered.
"I... did." She smiled with a truthy, toothy grin. "I'm always up early though, as early as," Eva, "her highness. She's given me some extra free time, so I thought I'd make the most of it. I'm going to try to work with the kitchen staff later - mostly Charlotte?" Maybe he'd heard of her. "And get some food out here on the grounds so the guards and Valkyries don't have to wander through the palace to find lunch." There'd been talk of tents. Anyway...
"How're you doing, since, you know?" Her head tilted to the side with curiosity and sympathy.