Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall..

[Razielle Alastor]

Time was closing in on her, and although Razielle knew in her heart that it was only a temporary situation, and that she would go through with it, without complaint, the fact was tomorrow night she would be married to Tristan Alastor...

There were just a few loose ends to....tie up, or cauterize if need be. Razielle gazed askance at the woman walking at her side. Ambassador Ni'Liatoth. It remained to be seen if the lady would do her will. She would not deny the will of Callidus.

No one did...

"Ambassador, I feel we've been cooped up under so many layers of formality during your visit. Would you care to shed them for a short time? I'd like to take you to a favorite place of mine, it's just outside the city walls, still quite safe I assure you....", she invited.

They had spent the last hour at one of the finer restaurants in Iziz, sitting starring into their drinks, Razielle had made sure to keep the Ambassador's cup full, she wanted her pliant, not soused and that was exactly the state of mind she was in at present. Razielle own drinks had been served in a matching glass, but she'd only been sipping at fruit juice...

[Aestiva Ni'Liatoth]

Aestiva smiled, and it was a genuine smile. The meal that she and the Princess had shared had been complimented beautifully by a bottle of blossom wine, apparently imported from Naboo. It wasn't something that the Ambassador had tried before, but she made a mental note to have her assistant order in a selection from the same vineyard. It had left her feeling just a little merry, an unexpected feeling given her current predicament.

“A walk sounds delightful,” she said, as they exited the restaurant into the cool night air.

[Razielle Alastor]

She did well, concealing the pleased smile.

"This way...", Razielle invited leading the Hapan Ambassador through some of the more quaint sections of city, into the more common, near the spaceport and ultimately to the gates..

Mindful of the fact that she was not sneaking out alone this time, under the guise of Anxia, Razielle had to pull a bit of rank to get the out the gate without the city guard sending for an armed guard for them. With a bit of a frown she stated that it was not needed, at all.. No further argument was made and the two stole out into the Iziz night..

[Aestiva Ni'Liatoth]

It was the first time that Aestiva had been given the chance to venture outside the walls of Iziz City. In truth, she had not especially desired to do so, but now – with the moonlight and the blossom wine in her veins – the idea seemed quite enchanting. Though there was no natural light, Razielle seemed to know her way, leading them both along a path nestled amongst trees and fragrant bushes.

“Is it far, where we're going?”

[Razielle Alastor]

"Not far... We're nearly there. There is something you must see..", she smiled.

With the Ambassador on her heels, Razielle led them deeper into the night, along familar paths. The soft mossy ground of the jungle released earthy scents, as their footfalls crushed fallen leaves, as they passed. The night carried a balmy breeze, the call of insects and larger inhabitants of the jungle haunted the soft wind..

Her blood began to sizzle in her veins as they drew near.

[Aestiva Ni'Liatoth]

“What is it?”

Her eyes wandered, from the uneven ground to the dark sky, the stars obscured by talon-like branches. Glancing back down to her guide for the evening, she saw that the forest seemed to be parting ahead, the path widening into a clearing of sorts. It was too dark to see anything clearly but she thought she saw, with an icy feeling creeping into the pit of her stomach, the shape of a shadow waiting for them...

[Darth Callidus]

The shadow rippled, and out of it came a voice just a black and empty as the darkness itself.

“Aestiva Ni'Liatoth, weary daughter of Hapes...”

[Razielle Alastor]

Before the Ambassador could even think to plan a retreat, Anxia had moved behind her. Her hands circled the Hapan lady's upper arms and her voice whispered in her ear..

"You will stay, and you will listen, and just maybe you'll find yourself the better off for it." She squeezed her arms tightly, before releasing her.

"Be still....", she warned...

[Aestiva Ni'Liatoth]

Terror and outrage filled her chest. The effects of the blossom wine quickly dissipated as her blood pounded hard and fast through her. With the crazed Princess at her back and the most intimidating presence she'd ever been encountered with, before her, she was at their mercy...

"What do you want with me...?"

[Darth Callidus]

“I have something that I believe you desire...”

Like a ghostly galleon emerging from the sea mists, Tristan Alastor appeared before her. His skin seemed almost luminous and his beautiful face was full of sadness and longing, as he reached out one hand towards Aestiva.

[Aestiva Ni'Liatoth]

The very breath was seized from her lungs as the sudden image of the man she loved appeared before her. Pain that had been buried beneath the surface, while she had suffered through dining with his bride-to-be, suddenly stabbed through her.

"Tristan...", she whispered. The longing in her voice, matched that in his eyes.

She reached for him, forgetting about those others who were present..

[Darth Callidus]

As she reached out, the image of Tristan vanished. His face faded into nothingness, and in its place a skull came forward. It was not the death-head of the Hapan Prince, but the mask of Darth Callidus. The transition was so fluid, so instantaneous, that her hand continued to seek his, trembling fingers slipping into a black-gloved hand.

“Now, now...” he said, his voice like velvet.

“You, of all people, know that our wants and aspirations are never gratified quite so easily.”

[Aestiva Ni'Liatoth]

Caution demanded she remove her hand from his grasp, but his grip was unyeilding, as was the magnetism that kept her gaze on the terrifying visage of Death before her. She wanted to turn, but could not. She wanted to run, but was immobile. She was completely under his control, beckoned by the timbre of his voice to submit..

"What... do you.. want?"

She'd already asked, but it woudl seem the monster wanted to toy with it's prey. Dangling her hearts desire for her before the strike..

[Darth Callidus]

“Your compliance... your obedience. You have been well-schooled in such things, so I have no doubt that you will find my expectations of you quite reasonable.”

With only a thought, Callidus drew Aestiva closer. He brushed her flawless cheek with the back of one hand.

“The heart of Tristan Alastor,” - his smile grew, knowingly - “...the head of his mother. Do as I say, and all you yearn for shall be yours.”

[Aestiva Ni'Liatoth]

She wanted to shake her head no. To inform these two that she would do no such thing. That she was a servant of the royal family and that she would report this abduction, and these threats to the Hapan guard, and the Commodore and that the treaty they so wanted would eb snatched from their greedy grasp.. When she spoke though... none of it came out...

"Yes... That is what I want." It was not what she should be saying at all, but raw desire for this promise to be true seduced her..

[Darth Callidus]

“As you know, Ambassador, the Prince is to marry – tomorrow, in fact! At mid-day, he will wed this dark beauty-” He motioned, then, towards Anxia. “-and he will wish, as any man should, to bed his darling wife, to demonstrate his love for her in the most profound way he knows how.”

He could feel the anger bubbling up beneath Aestiva's chilly exterior.

“But no one amongst us desires such an outcome. We cannot abide it,” he continued, his eyes shifting towards Razielle.

“... and so, my lady, you must take the Princess's place.”

[Aestiva Ni'Liatoth]

Fury.. Anger.. Disgust..

All of them assaulted her at the thought of her beautiful Prince marrying that sorry excuse for a Princess. She'd hated the thought of this marriage from the moment she'd heard of it, but was this anger now her own? Or the anger of the woman behind her..

The three of them, there in the darkness of the jungle, each seemed preoccupied with their own agendas suddenly. The dark pair that had her surrounded had a common goal, it would appear - but for herself? She no longer cared how it came about so long as she could call Tristan her own, and see the Queen Mother brought down from her exalted position..

So the Princess Razielle didn't wish to be loved by Tristan? It just showed what an idiot she was, to rather have the attention of who? A frightening tyrant in a skulls mask? It made no sense..

"He will not be fooled. He has known me long... I cannot make him think that I am her..", Aestiva barely kept the scathing tone from her voice.

[Darth Callidus]

Suddenly turning, Callidus surged towards her, one hand snapping out as if to seize her throat. Though he did not touch her, his hold was never the less compelling, like ice-cold manacles locking over each of her joints.

“He will think whatever I tell him to think!”

[Aestiva Ni'Liatoth]

Aestiva's breath left her in a frightened gasp. She felt so violated, so small and pathetic in his control. Completely afraid for her own life, for that matter Tristan's life, should this madman's plan go awry, she looked down, meekly.

"I will do what you want.."

She had no choice but to trust that somehow, they could make Tristan believe she was Razielle - and then... the man who ehld her heart would make love to her, believing her to be someone else. Could her heart take it?

[Darth Callidus]

“Indeed, you will – and you will do it because you want to do it. You will lie with him, whenever he desires the company of his wife, and you will not speak of what you have done to anyone.”

There was no doubting the truth of his words. She could feel some insidious power creeping over her, threading through her head and heart, telling her that this was the right thing to do.

“The Princess is your Mistress now, above your bitch-queen, and her word is law. Disobey her... disobey me, and I will take from you everything you hold dear, until your life is nothing but ash and bone.”