There were no such simple words that could quite sum up in a small handful of sentences how much Beylani's world jade changed since moving away from her small rural hometown where she was once so entirely certain every soul living there was in fact human. Before moving here to the concrete jungle where there seemed to be more towering buildings and crowded streets than trees in a forest, before some twist for fate intertwined her life with the fae man she could hardly keep away from her thoughts, she couldn't have been more confident that she knew the world she walked through. Just as any child growing up, she'd been told those stories of rare equines wielding magic, standing out against their common kin with a spiraled horn upon their proud and noble heads. And, when she grew older, she and her temporary friends would watch those horror movies during the autumn season as Halloween crept ever closer, so many of them often filled with undead beings cold as ice with an unrelenting thirst for blood or perhaps even movies featuring seemingly normal humans shifting into wild beasts beneath the eerie light of a full moon. All the while, as the years came and went like they always would, her childish imagination slowly becoming lost as she began to recognize how silly it had been to think such beings existed in "the real world", Beylani was only ever told that faeries, werewolves, vampires... they were all just myth and make-believe, creatures borne of folklore to explain what had once been considered unexplainable until science was able to provide a better answer to unusual phenomenon people were content to believe contained some sort of supernatural quality until it was revealed to be nothing of the sort. In Willowhaven, there had been no reason for the blue-eyed blonde woman to cling to those childhood beliefs. Then came the day that she'd decided she wanted to leave her peaceful little hometown to see the world, to explore what might rest there beyond the far horizon. It had been the desire to see and experience all she could fused tightly together with that dream of becoming a world-known photographer which had driven her to leave her countryside home and safe haven only to find herself within the vast city limits of Sacrosanct. That was when everything she'd once been taught wasn't real suddenly was. That was when she stepped out of her own world and into another. When she found Andras in the early hours of a new day, her entire world changed in more ways than she would have ever thought possible.

Considering all that the honey-blonde woman had so easily and openly shared with Beylani, it made the older of the two women almost protective of Ellie. She found it incredible how her best friend could hold such a bright and hopeful outlook in the world the blue-eyed blonde only seemed to become more cautious and careful in. It came naturally as she grew older, the television so often set on the news channel when she still lived in her parents' home as it would make known to the rest of the world all the crimes and the sins that ravaged the lives of so many innocent people. Beylani wondered how it was that Ellie could still keep such a warmth and radiance about her when it was easy to see the poison in how people murdered families and stole things which were not meant for them. She was almost envious of Ellie and her ability to see through all the darkness and suffering to find the light and the good that still very much existed. It was just hard to find anymore, and yet the honey-blonde said that it wasn't nearly as hard as so many thought. It was her willingness to see past those less than pleasant facades so many wore as they wandered the bustling streets to find that buried deep down there were still many that had hearts with good intentions. Ellie once told her that most people just become so jaded and so hurt by the world and those in it that they forget about that kinder part of themselves. Truly, Ellie was just shy of saint-like in the baby blue eyes of Beylani. She was so patient and so understanding, so ready to trust when she was given every reason not to... It made Beylani adore the younger woman that much more. It was almost miraculous really that Ellie was not as jaded as most in this world. After all, her parents had been murdered in a robbery gone bad. All in one single night, in a handful of dark and frightening hours, the honey-blonde woman who should not have lost so much so soon in her life lost everything. Her family's council had disbanded, the estate was sold off, everything was just... gone. Except for her big brother, Lazarus. Despite the warning words that Ellie had given Beylani in regards to her less than pleasant brother, the blue-eyed blonde was still happy to know that she still had something left from her past life.

Only when Frost now seems to fix those unusual violet eyed upon her does she feel the ever more uneasy. It was almost like the man was looking straight through her. There was no emotion that dared to flicker through his amethyst that might just leave enough behind that Beylani might be able to guess at just what he was thinking. It only further stirred the caution in the young woman as she watched him levelly, determined to try and just maybe see whatever it was that Ellie could see in him. It was just... near impossible for her to entirely ignore that sense of warning that found her. Truly, if he were anything like what Dorian and Andras implied when they cautioned her against those that she encountered within the limits of Sacrosanct, she wanted to believe that he might have already made such ill or cruel intentions clear? The only thing she could manage to accuse the man of was taking things without asking, but then again that was just a general courtesy that she believed all should abide by. Not that she was any sort of law or morale enforcer, but it still didn't sit well with her that he seemed to have no qualms about taking the baked goods the café bakers worked hard to make fresh each and every day, and she certainly wasn't happy that he seemed content to help himself to the carrot cupcakes that Ellie had surely worked hard to make, even if Ellie herself wasn't concerned in the least. Perhaps that was simply because of how she was raised, but she knew well enough that she was not the only one that thought such polite gestures like perhaps asking would be well worth the man's time in vesting an interest in rather than going around frightening others into giving him the wide berth he seemed pleased to be readily provided by others. Frost continues to eye her and she can't help the need to shift slightly beneath his unwavering gaze, still holding fast to whatever confidence it seemed he was determined to shake from her. He gives a subtle nod of his head as he continues to pull at the baked treat, his gaze only looking down to the cupcake for a moment before once again focusing in on her.

Lost for words, she simply gives him a slow nod. The man's dominance was almost overbearing in a way, seeming to continue pressing down on the blue-eyed woman as she in turn continues to watch him. She could see the dare in those violet depths almost wanting her to try and defy him, but she knew better than that. Even if she wanted to â€" which she did, she never was very fond of those who enjoyed intimidating others for no real reason â€" she chose to take the more passive route. She didn't have any idea why it was the customers in the café continued to cast nervous glances over towards them, like that almost expected something drastic to happen, but what she didn't need to know was what he might do if she were to grow so bold. He shifts his gaze back to Ellie and she finally feels that tension easing before Beylani turns her own baby blue eyes to Ellie in near astonishment. How could she be so content to be so kind and curious, so bright, when he offered her no such warmth? Truly, she was much more trusting and it concerned Beylani, but this would be a conversation the two women would have later. When he grew bored of them. Which had to be any minute now, right? Ellie is nearly in awe of the man and how he seemed to fully anticipate her question, the blue-eyed blonde having assumed that the only reason for his words regarding hair color had been from countless other remarks, but when he smirks, his single-word answer practically has Beylani freezing. That had to be why he'd been looking at her the way he had... Slow down, Lani. You don't know that... She is quiet as Ellie's eyes widen in that moment, intrigue clearly written into her features, happy to accept the man's excuse from her quick apology."That's so awesome! So you can totally see what that guy over there by the pastry case is thinking!?", she exclaims quietly as she points to the man waiting for his coffee. All Beylani does is glance back to Frost, wondering what else he could do, or if that was the only reason so many seemed to be wary of him. When he praised Ellie and the honey-blonde woman offers to make him more, surprise flickers through the blue-eyed blonde's gaze, both in part due to her readiness to do such a thing when all Frost had done was give her a compliment and also due to the fleeting look of genuine surprise that finds the man's own chiseled features as he thanks her for that warm and generous offering."You're welcome, Frost! I'll be by next week, we can meet here at the same time if that's alright with you", Ellie says warmly, once again giving the man a radiant smile.

Plenty content to watch the curious, if not a little worried for her friend, as the two of them interact with one another, seeming to click in some even more curious way. Perhaps it really shouldn't surprise her at all that Ellie would be able to bring out at least the smallest traces of some sort of emotion from the man. Even he seemed almost incapable of taking some sort of subtle interest in the huntress. That was just how she was, though, always drawing others towards her with that warm smile and eager willingness to help however she could â€" whether it be through nothing but a simple compliment or more. The two proceed to talk about eye color genetics, Beylani content to be forgotten in this moment as she continues to summon that quiet confidence. Ellie gives a small shrug of her shoulders at Frost's words, that warm smile still lingering on her lips."Yeah, that is true. Just imagine though if there were people out there with like, daffodil yellow eyes! How curious that would be", she replies with another girlish and bubbly giggle trickling easily over her lips, making it hard for Beylani not to smile in gentle amusement at the younger woman. She was honestly surprised that Ellie didn't say something like how intriguing it would be if there were beings out there with tye-dye eyes or something. She truly was as sweet as the treats that she made. Suddenly, Frost's fickle interest is turning back to Beylani and still she meets his gaze levelly and in quiet, subtle defiance as she watches him pick at the second treat he takes. His tone changes to that cool, simple note and his query only manages to encourage that calm defiance."Not always. It depends on the situation, I suppose. But I don't lie if that's what you're trying to say", she says carefully as she tries to figure out exactly what it was that the man was after. He'd gotten what he wanted, right? The cupcakes? What else was it that he was wanting from them? She looks down briefly at the time on her phone, realizing that soon she would have a legitimate reason for leaving them both to either carry on the conversation or part ways as well, but it is when he is chuckling softly at her uncertain answer on what it was he might have been implying with his mention of someone.

A sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach finds her as she begins to guess at where this might be going and while she still clings to that want to refuse Frost whatever pleasure he might be trying to get from her, she suddenly feels it starting to slip away as she eyes him warily. If he was a mind-reader, then... No sooner than that name leaves his lips does she feel herself faltering, that warmth rise to tinge fair-skinned cheeks a rosy hue, the color only deepening as he cones on to say that her secret was safe. Why was it that she hardly believed him? He turns to Ellie now who is also giving Beylani that knowing and playful grin, knowing entirely well what Frost was talking about, his words only seeming to encourage her as those icy blue as he gives her an unexpected smile."Like you couldn't even imagine, right, Lani?", she answers readily, casting Beylani a cheeky smile. How treacherous, the blue-eyed blonde hardly able to muster an empty glare at Ellie for taking this man's side. Of course, she knew that Ellie was only teasing, as she already did so often when the subject of Andras came up between the two women. So there was truly no anger in the older woman's heart for the honey-blonde woman, but all the same she gives her friend a look of surprise that she would join in with a man they hardly knew beyond his name and apparent like of baked goods. It is then that Frost lowers his voice then, tenor tones no louder than a soft whisper with that ever so slight smirk of some inward satisfaction as he asks a question that practically has her losing that weakened grasp on her confidence, almost entirely certain her cheeks were probably the same bright red of a candy apple."Of course not!", she exclaims quietly. After all, what happened that night in the cabin... and the night under that starry sky in the hotspring on the roof of the lodge... those hardly counted. And yet, how terribly close things have come to that. She pushes slowly out of her chair then, unable to maintain that eye contact with Frost."Well, break's over. I'll catch up with you later tonight, Ellie", she says quietly beneath the weight of her fierce flusterment, offering the honey-blonde woman clearly doing her absolute best not to giggle at Beylani's clear sheepishness. She turns only briefly to Frost then, entirely too discombobulated in that spiral of emotions from flustered and shocked to wary and baffled to maintain that look for more than a moment."Have a good day, Frost", she says casually to him, offering a smile that didn't ignite her baby blue eyes as it usually did. She refused to give him the satisfaction of summoning any other reaction out of her, or else she was bound to mess up on a customer's order. Taking a breath to steady herself, she moves past the man and makes her way towards the counter to retrieve her apron and resume the rest of her shift, desperately hoping that she could get a grip on herself to pretend that the entire encounter never happened.