Waves of Kaeri start to move again, only startled out of their unique formation for a moment. Like a ripple across the cavernous room, they raise their spears and bristle in answer to the challenge. Spears raise level with the shoulder, held exactly parallel to the ground. Feather cloaks flutter and conceal, filling the room with a quiet rustling like hunting wingbeats that mask and confuse their movements. They stalk in their uneven circle motions, strong and slow paces carrying them to their right instead of forward. These are the Kaeri. This is a terror phalanx. Their prayers and benedictions spoken in silence, much the same as their Praetor. Even here, they are ready to make war. Even the Palas Rex is just an obstacle to be overcome. If they were any less they could never challenge the warriors of Ceron for the highest glories.

And the sound of one woman's applause booms out across it all and slices into the tension. Bella's hands slap together with deliberate and sarcastic slowness as her face twists into a monstrous grin that quietly threatens to devour Redana whole. Every now and then her hands slip and the echoing slap of her palms is replaced by a sharp keening as her talons slide across each other. If she notices, she doesn't seem to care. 

"Ah, friendship!" she burbles, "So touching! I hope someone loves [i]me[/i] enough to tell me how they're compelled to loyalty by my magic tattoos!"

Bella explodes with laughter: sharp, disgusting barks that make her whole body convulse as though she were possessed. It rises higher and higher as she gives herself over entirely to the specter of her day's drinking and the flame of malice crawling around inside her heart. Yes, Redana, that's the look! Squirm and sob you stupid girl, that's [i]exactly[/i] the way you should look! A wet, pink tongue slides lasciviously across gleaming white fangs. 

"Honestly highness, what were you thinking? You were [i]there[/i] when I asked dear Alexa to stand down and leave you to my care! Well, since it seems to have slipped out of that empty hollow that passes for a brain in your head, let me be the one to remind you: she didn't leap to your defense crying Friendship and glory to your sacred, selfish vision quest. Come, come! If you think reeeaaaallly hard, you'll remember before you burn yourself out!"

She saunters confidently back toward Redana, flicking her tail in Alexa's face as she goes. Her eyes slide across the flustered statue, and she leers at the state of the wedding gown. Perfect. Wonderful. Gorgeous. You could not be a bigger help, Alexa, you must truly be a boon from Athena herself. Thank you for taking the time to... oh! That's right, you poor thing!

It's unnerving how gentle Bella is now when she traces her fingers across Redana's skin. Her fingertips are softer than a garden breeze as she brushes them against the now slightly muted pattern of the Command Seal. She leans in and touches her lips to it as though greeting a noble lady at a ball. 

"It's all because of this. Without it, she'd have left you to me. Look at her, you know that's true. Without it, she could tell you how frustrated she is right now. Frankly, I don't blame her. Do you realize how bad it feels to be a slave and have your Master insist on calling your her precious friend?"