A grin spread over Catarina's face, only widening further as Aïtana continued her tirade. The last few sentences sent her into a shaking, cackling fit. It took her a moment to fully recover. Her next words were spoken through deep breaths and more than a few giggles. [color=c91414]"I... Oh, aren't you something. I knew you were a principled woman, but I never knew you had such wit. It certainly hasn't shown in court before. Usually you're such...[/color] She paused to stand, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye. [color=c91414]"Well, usually you're such a bore."[/color]

She slid the book back onto the shelf and began to make her way behind the chair, caressing Aïtana's cheek on the way around. It was warm to her touch. Excellent. Her hand slipped just below the ear and she pressed slightly. A fast pulse. Even better. Catarina smirked as she thought of [i]just[/i] how easy Aïtana would be to piss off. People with tempers were always her favourites. They were so [i]rewarding[/i]. Lowering herself to her knees, Catarina placed her chin on Aïtana's shoulder, reaching around the other side of her neck with an arm. 

[color=c91414]"Oh, I truly am sorry [i]darling[/i]. I did [i]not[/i] mean to upset you. But, um... how to say?"[/color] she said. She took a moment to make a show of considering her next words, hand grazing her cheek. [color=c91414]"But we are not equals. Not really. Think about it: if we were equal, how could I do this?"[/color]

Her hand slipped away, words hanging in the air for a moment, wafting around Aïtana's head like a threatening, musky perfume. All the better to allow her captive's mind to race. This was the fun bit. Her hand gripped the back of the chair. She pivoted on her knee. Yanked down with one arm, unbalancing the chair and driving it into the ground. She sat back onto her knees. Her eyes sparkled with a smug smile as she looked down at her captive and placed her hands in her lap. [color=c91414]"Aïtana darling... this is not an act. I don't know how else to break the news to you, but I'm not whatever exaggerated caricature you've constructed of me. Although... you got one thing right. I am fond of novels. One runs out of treatises and philosophical dialogues, as I'm sure you know. But then again, you do seem to read [i]only[/i] Varka, so I could be wrong."[/color] 

Catarina turned and began surveying her bookshelves. [color=c91414]"Here -"[/color] she said, pointing at a thick, red leather bound book. [color=c91414]"I can recommend this one! A thrilling romance between a poet and a painter, written with a lovely impressionist influence. I know the man who wrote it, as a matter of fact. He signed it for me."[/color]

Aïtana would be a difficult one. Cata had always known her to be headstrong. Most start showing signs of beginning to crack by now, but this resistance and refusal to engage would make things difficult. That just meant it'd be fun though, right? They all crack under enough pressure. And diversion of the pressure just meant she had to apply it elsewhere. Catarina let out a low giggle. [color=c91414]"Oh again! I keep digressing. You [i]are[/i] good at getting me off topic, darling. But anyway. The world is so much more complicated than you think it. Yes, I have done regrettable things. Everyone has, after all. But that hardly means I am a monster,"[/color] she said. Her next words were to be a gamble. If there was anyone who hadn't faltered in their morals, it was Aïtana. But she was confident, and right or wrong, she would learn something. [color=c91414]"And likewise, you've made some commendable choices, but you are no perfect being. You've made some horrible decisions in the past, no? Does that make you a monster?"[/color]