Though artificial, the constructs of magical energy are often far more beautiful than the objects they seek to mimic.  Such was the case with the rose.  Only in the rarest of cases could mere soil, water, and sun produce something as perfect as the flower produced from Silva's hands.  The conditions required were far too specific, and nature was a fickle thing that could never be depended on.  But magic was a force that could be controlled.  Every factor manipulated in just such a way to produce a work of art that was beyond the abilities of reality to form on its own.  The work of god taken firmly into the hands of mortal men.<br/><br/>But even beauty born of magic could be tarnished just as easily as one born of natural forces.  As the rose sailed through the air towards Thessaly its pristine crimson petals withered into brittle brown husks, and its thorny stem blackened to the consistency of melted plastic.  She snatched the brittle, withered thing in the air easily.  Her hand was a slender one.  Porcelain and frail.<br/><br/>The broad smile she gave it, and him, was a genuine one.  "My apologies.  I fear that I have a rather...unwholesome affect on things."<br/><br/>Without any visible direction from her, the cuff of one of Thessaly's sleeves transfigured itself into a thick pair of ghoulish lips, which snapped up the charred remains of the rose and swallowed them with relish.  The moment the dead flower had vanished from sight it became nothing more than fabric again.<br/><br/>"As for my intentions, I dare say they are only for me to know.  I appear now simply to introduce myself.  I am new to this city, and felt it prudent to make my presence known to a<em>respected</em>member of the Order."  Her head tilted up, exposing more of her uncomfortably alluring features.  She stared blankly towards Steven, still wearing her enigmatic little smile.  "My dear Archmage, you slay me!  I do not mean to imply that I am anyone's superior, either with my words or my actions.  I dare say your impressions of me are fabricated ones."<br/>