<div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/7/74/20988cb18c2ca2c0d063217f759e25e1.jpg)</div><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Carnelian Dreams (https://docs.google.com/document/d/12AIY_4pT7pV0ML8-bz_OSQbiDEz7GmHx4lBI84TZaGk/edit)</strong></span><br/><strong>Date/Time:</strong>28th of Resplendent Earth, Evening after meeting to review evidence<br/><strong>Where:</strong>The City of Narthekhal, Upstairs, The Seven Flowers Bathhouse, private meeting room<br/><strong>Doing</strong>Panic<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Ryoko, Nellens, Kotone<br/><br/><em>Who did she think she was? Really? Rhapsody? She thought a name change would hide... her? Or was it such a simple change that there was no way it could be her.</em>The former Dynast reeled at the information of an obviously marked high breeding minstrel getting off a boat at the docks. Her friends were watching out for her, thinking this was someone that would be a great addition what with her distinctive looks and hopeful talent.<br/><br/>"Please Chu, invite her here. I would love to entertain a fellow entertainer. Sizing up the competition can be fun!" Her flippant words were accompanied by a gift of gold and brass, a bauble of a bracelet that would fetch a good price. Offering a pretty that would embellish, but could also carry value to those of limited means, as most minstrels were. Ima Cathak spent a moment preparing the meeting room upstairs, a pair of lounging chairs for the meeting, Ryuko would remain in the corner, depending on if this was truly V'neef, her secret could get out. At least here, she could probably isolate the damages.<br/><br/>As she waited, she dressed ostentatiously, the decadent performer. As distant from the pampered princess of House Cathak as she could represent. Her eyes, her hair, her very nature were not something she could hide, so she framed them so differently that she could hide as similar decorations on very different frames. She hoped. She chose the balcony for her pose as the minstrel seeking a patron entered. How would they play this, she needed to be ready for the 'Big Reveal' or to support a charade. She would offer nothing first. She may even keep things hidden, if she could. V'neef could not be expecting to meet her here,<em>Remember, you are dead. No one is looking for you. Except that bastard Nellens, Dragons! How was she going to get away from him? Or was this another part of his plan to strain her into insanity, or submission. Sometimes she just wanted to burn him to the ground. </em><br/><br/>Rhapsody's arrival was rediculous. Same long green tresses, same purple roses and eyes, same hummingbird, She might as well be signing her name to every man she makes eye contact. Cathak Ima thought of her own markings, and smiled. "Rhapsody, good to have you join me. I am Carnelian Dreams, new but established entertainer. You made an impression on my friends ,and as such, I wanted to extend a welcome. Offer you a friend, in case you needed one." Carnelian Dreams, kept things cordial, and kept up the lie as long as she could. She would not be the first to break character. She would make it clear she had her territory and may showcase the new girl, she would not be surrendering any of her hard earned gains.<br/><br/>Then the knock came at the door, and the inquisitor entered without leave, followed by Nellens, who apologized for the man's behavior. Everything became very tense as he called out V'neef, and Ryuko prepared to defend her mistress's guest from the assertive threat. Things were sliding fast, and even worse when he declared himself a member of the All Seeing Eye. Her only consolation, the man was alone. Then he saw through her own disguise, saw her for who she was. The smile that wormed its way across his face declared him victor, and sealed his fate. She saw the look on Nellens face as the Siaka of House Nellens struck. His cloudy sclera held no emotion, even as he brutally drove the man to the ground, and wrapped strong hands about his neck. Cathak Ima stepped between the action and her Ryuko, her bodyguard, as well as Rhapsody, her guest. Should she stop Nellens, it may curry favor with the agent of the Eye, but she knew she wouldn't. This gave her leverage on Nellens. Her secret was almost out. She had been identified as one of a pair of princesses from the Isle, yet he had not said who she was. Though Nellens knew, and V'neef would make the connection soon, if she hadn't already. How could she not though, they had been introduced, and practically handfasted almost three years ago, before graduation from the Spiral Academy. Disguises were one thing, but they didn't shift her enough to hide from those who had known her.<br/><br/>In the minutes that were taken for the man to die before her, she saw the inevitable. "Ryuko, bring Nguyen, the cook from the Forager, and ask Lady Choi for some scented water to be sent up. V', err Rhapsody, please, gather the curtains." She knelt before the man, her eyes looking into his. Yes, she was willing to go this far. Could the others  see her like this? They had to, and even though Nellens had done it, he needed to see her like this too. She steeled herself, she felt she would pay for this later, but she still stood before one enemy, Nellens, one potential enemy, V'neef, and her employee, Ryuko. Appearances must be kept up, the words of her mother fell across her shoulders and she understood again the weight of the House. The last light of his life fades even as it could do nothing more than see the embers in her own eyes. "I can't," her mask of false cruelty crumbles as she reaches for the crushing hands. Then he was slack, not just out, but gone.<br/><br/>A moment of silence broke across her, then she fell back, her legs no longer willing to hold her, and she thrashed back with her legs kicking wildly, the wall her support. Her breath was coming in gasps as she tries to settle her mind around this. She couldn't do it. Was that ok? How did she maintain her hold on the power structure she was setting. Could she? He died, she let him die. She tried to watch him die? How could she defend her people if she couldn't do what needed to be done? He died, she didn't even know his name. Who was he? All he had done was threaten to take her home. And she had knelt there watching, she had tried to let it happen.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">Burning a Willpower on Conviction Channel to watch the man die and maintain a cold demeanor. <br/>Botch! [6, 5, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1] <br/>4 Limit gained as she suppresses her Compassion to watch this.<br/>[10, 9, 8, 2]<br/></div></div>