Outside of the meetings of the Council, Benevenuta has had little to do with Ellana Ashara; included her in the gifts she'd assembled for all of her colleagues, paid enough attention to have a notion of the ways she's likely to lean in their discussions, but not given her otherwise a great deal of thought. It isn't personal or unique - she could count on one hand, likely, the number of elves she's made a point of reaching out to. And it's unlikely it would occur to her do so.

Nevertheless, it's a benign indifference easily poked into interest; when she receives Ellana's invitation, she's mildly surprised but less than she might've been if not for the soiree and the fact she's not the first Ashara to inquire with her. She can draw some likely accurate conclusions as to what she might expect, although the tea set is still a pleasant surprise.

"Ellana," she says, warmly, when she joins her. "Shall I presume," gently teasing, "that this is not a social call we make?"