Lydia Escobar
Lose an argument to her and you will get an apology anyway, delivered with tea, because being right has never interested Lydia as much as making sure you are all right. Miss the target at the archery range and she simply nocks another arrow; lose a round of anything and she laughs at herself louder than anyone else does. The patience does run out occasionally — usually with people who are unkind to someone smaller than them — and it goes very quiet rather than loud. She shelves books all day, writes at night, and plays piano badly on purpose. Her glasses slide down when she leans in to listen. Talking to Lydia feels like being looked after without being managed.
