[i]If Bella blushed any harder, she would probably faint. The air was hot and full of steam such that it had soaked through her fur even though she'd had the good sense not to dip herself in the water any more than she could help it. The heat permeated her entire body, right up to the tips of her ears, but truthfully it had very little to do with the temperature in the bath house. Bella's slender fingers clutched at the sponge like it was a gift from the gods, the only thing keeping her alive right now. 

Her arms move rhythmically up and down, following the contours of her canvas. She wore the same look of grim awe she saw plastered across the face of every painter and sculptor she'd ever snuck a glance at while they were working, so the metaphor really held up in her opinion. Up and down. Up and down. Only a trace layer of soap in between her eyes and the most flawless skin she'd ever seen. Up and down. Up and down. She tries very hard not to stare, but it's impossible to do her work with her gaze stuck in the pool. Up and down. Up and down. And round and... out. It had been one thing to wash the back, but no part of her training could have prepared her to face Nero, Empress of all humanity, front-on. 

Her heart hammered. Her arms shook. She kept tossing glances Redana's way, looking for comfort, but she was as naked as her mother, which was somehow even worse? Her only solace was that the both of them were deep into their wine, and a conversation about Imperial court etiquette that was so lofty Bella had no choice but to tune it out. It was easiest to look them in the eyes. They both had such beautiful eyes... one emerald, one sapphire. The Empress' were sharper and more dangerous by miles, but even she had that same... spark, maybe, that made Redana feel so...

"You there! Servitor!" There was a snapping of fingers, "Bella!"

She was so startled she nearly fell into the bath. That was her name! Her name! But that wasn't Redana's voice! She shot a foot into the air and landed in full curtsy, her ears pressed as flat against her skull as she could get them. She flinched sharply as the soaking wet hand reached up and patted her like a favored pet. 

"Mm! Well answered, little one! My daughter is training you well!" The Empress flashed a proud smile more dazzling than even her body, and nodded to herself, "I require your mind! I have heard it said that sheer fabrics are unbecoming as the basis for a pattern on the front of a ballgown! But if you were to behold such a garment, would you..."[/i]

Bella's hand abruptly digs into the "Admiral's" hair and yanks it back as hard as she dares. She can't help but smirk at the brief wince of pain that breaks Mynx's composure. She glares down at the shapeshifter's upside down face for a moment before answering with a derisive snort. It's even more gratifying than she would have imagined to flick Grand Admiral Odoacer's nose. If only.

"Off limits, you creep. And by the way, while you're sitting here with your back to me, maybe you should stop and think for once in your life about how easy it would be for me to do this stupid bun wrong enough to let you get caught. It's kind of like your life is in my hands! So maybe you should try showing Her Imperial Highness some respect and quit looking for my buttons for thirty seconds so I can work!"

She smiles, flashing sharp teeth before snapping Mynx's head back in place and smoothing out the fresh tangles in the Admiral's ultra-fine hair. 

Bella's fingers were made for this kind of work. They're long and clever, and when she's careful even her claws can manage to be gentle. Even soothing. It's the kind of work that mellows her out without her even realizing it. She's dressed the Princess for a thousand parties and public appearances, maybe even more, and has long since developed the kind of talent for it that lets her navigate almost any style you could name without the need for tools. Combs are a crutch, and Odoacer favored a bun that was less than half as intricate as it needed to be to fend off somebody like her. Especially since she doesn't need to fight Redana's stupid hair to do any of it. Unbelievable, how hard she made this job sometimes. How anyone could shower and still manage to come back stuck so full of clumps and knots was beyond comprehension. She wrinkles her nose at the memory, and scowls.

"...Next question." she adds, after a moment of silence.