The person in the back, Ana, is an old childhood friend of Alex's. They grew up in the same village, but Ana has since moved out to one of the port towns on the western shores of Landis where she runs a small inn for the seafarers. The two do keep in touch whenever possible.

...

Oh, don't look at me like that. What, did you honestly expect that the only people Alex and Matt know are people vital to the plot?