She has passed beneath the gaze of the dragon-saint, a blessing that means her crimes were not [i]so[/i] great after all. But now, the majordomo, the chief of staff, the intelligence officer. Removed sufficiently from power to take her time with the questioning.

But also vulnerable. Fragile and all so human. She feels stone beneath the fabric of her robe. Blue sparks rise lazily but demandingly up behind her eyes. [i]Once, there was a maiden [/i]and so many ways the story could go.

Names. Dates. Connections. Fengye the bureaucrat knows many things, about Hymair, about home, but through the eyes of Venus the connections between those things crackle electric blue.

"I apologize, great lady," said Fengye. "But you have not told me your name and title, the reason for your question and the authority by which you ask them. As Daana'd, Immaculate Dragon of Water said: [i]A scribe is not an empty cog; she must know who she reports to that she might tailor her message, just as water fits the shape of the glass.[/i]" ... [i]By this way the greater unity of all under heaven can be seen in water flawlessly clear[/i], but to continue with the sermon was beyond the bounds of protocol.

Show me, then. Show me your connections. Show me your desires.

[[b]Centre of the Web[/b]: How could I get you in my power?]