Ust'ilharess Tinnerai stood up from the steam bath. Her skin reflecting its slight blue hue in the room's light as rivulets of water streamed off of it. She stepped from the hot pool and held her arms out slightly as the servant dried her perfect skin. The well toned muscles of her left arm flexed as she turned its hand this way, and then that, inspecting the precise manicure. As she turned her gaze to the right hand and did the same, she felt the familiar gold silk robe her il'harn had made for her many cycles before slip over the left arm. The robe then slid over her right arm, and was dropped, settling on her shoulders, and slithering down the warm skin of her back.

Relaxing her arms she allowed them to fall naturally to her sides. She took one step, and by the time she had taken the second the door to the main hallway was already open for her. As the heavy door swung on it's hinges, a wail assaulted her senses. The momentum of her strides carried her past the servant, and its noisy bundle as she quipped, “Shouldn't you be doing something with -that-?”

“Del'heen, malla!” The servant bowed her head and continued rather hesitantly, “But what shall we call her, Dread Il'haress?”

Maral stopped in mid stride and turned. Reaching out, she pulled back the wrappings with a single fingernail. Her violet eyes met their smaller mirrors, and the corners of her lips began to turn up - not from any sense of fondness, but more one of consideration, and evaluation, “Alti'uin.” She nodded and turned, continuing toward her private chambers. “And tell the il'harn he may live another cycle, since it is female.”

_________________

Iim'mur'ss - Grandmaster Shadowdancer / Aaralyn - Diplomat / Oleander - Toxic Desert Flower