The sudden movement of the Mandrake man elicited just the shock and panic it was meant to, sending Genieveve from a close embrace to a sudden fall.  Unfortunately, as much as she understood the nature of their arts, it would do her little good here, for their very skill was to remain in control.  In control her at this point.  Her skill was not to evade it, but to move with it.  Namaah did not want her to resist, but to enhance, to make this something more even than it would be with an untrained woman.<br/><br/>That untrained woman might have missed the subtle clues that there was something wrong.  Gravon's moves softened her fall, and though Genevieve was well trained enough to show no indication of it, to pantomime the pain and fear she would have felt at impact, she wondered at it.  One glance in the man's eyes indicated to her that he was concerned.<br/><br/>His words followed.  Her body bent to his wishes expertly, with the right amount of resistance to bring the play to life.  Many did not understand the intricacies; to submit required that one resist, for submission was different than permission.  She felt the strain in her back as he bent her back, her breasts bared for him and the audience, the wings of her costume brushing the ground.<br/><br/>He was whispering a warning, but it was difficult to concentrate on his words.  She could feel the stroke of the leather flogger as it moved along her flawless skin, gasped as it cradled her breasts.  Genevieve could feel the strength in even such a light touch, and her body hummed in anticipation of what might come.  Her chestnut hair spilled back to the floor, her dark nipples pointing to the ceiling as he encased them, their flesh becoming engorged at the touch of the leather.  Her full lips did not move as she whispered back to him, while her body trembled in unfeigned fear of what was to come.<br/><br/>"I will take care.  My word is 'splinter', but I will not need it."  Genevieve could not see the crowd, couldn't yet feel what set Gravon on edge.  She was captured by him and could see and feel little else but his self.<br/><br/>