Consultation on Defense (complete)

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco made his way outside away from the Queen, following after Faith, surprised the Queen hadn't offered him a rebuttal or argument. Was it possible she was having doubts about her plans and schemes or was it possible she was considering him as a candidate? He didn't know, but he did know that the Duke of Vena wasn't about to get his prize and title. As far as Draco was concerned no one but him would ever share Faith's bed, if that meant he had to turn the Duke into a meat puppet using his much darker abilities, well... He would need to discuss that possibility with Faith. It would be a last resort if such a thing were to occur.

As he walked out to the stone path, and he could see Faith just ahead of him. Draco's pace quickened just enough that he could catch up to her, "Cyar'ika." His voice was affectionate and deep as he called to her, slipping his arms around her as he hugged her from behind, letting his hands rest on the tops of her thighs. "I didn't get a chance to tell you how much I appreciate this dress." His voice dropped, almost a deep purr from a Manka Cat. "It looks beautiful on you, the way it hugs to your form and it calls to me, stirs my blood." Draco nuzzled her shoulder that was bare without a strap, kissing her neck softly.

He calmed for a moment, just breathing. "I put all my cards on the table with your mother. I told her how much I loved you, and that if it cost me everything to have you I would give it and not think twice, that I wouldn't stand to see you with another." His eyes glanced down at the stone, there would be time for this dark talk later. He had had enough of this political maneuvering and shifting for one day. There would be more of it, but he had his own plans and abilities that were being overlooked by the Queen and by this lecherous, evil Duke Aris. It was not wise to plan as though Draco was not a factor on his own, and he would prove that to the man.

He smiled, "That Gabriella certainly knew what she wanted. I was afraid I was going to have to punch her to keep her at bay." He let a chuckle escape his throat, trying to lighten Faith's mood.

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

The flowers of the garden filled the air with a fresh scent that gave Faith immeasureable pleasure, though it did not equal the pleasure she felt as Draco caught up to her drawing her back into his arms. The warmth of his breath on her skin as he kissed her neck. She smiled and relaxed as he told her about her dress. "I wore it for you cyar'ika I wanted to be stunning tonight so that your eyes would be on me." She pressed gently back against him, "I like stirring your blood seeing the look of desire in your eyes." She breathed in comforted and excited by his nearness.

The timber of his voice filling her ears always seemed to touch something deep inside her a flash of the shower earlier came to mind. Faith gladly yielded into his warm embrace all she heard was her own heart beating as heat surged through her. She had needed this affirmation, this contact, she was not usually a fearful person she had ways to deal with it but all of this was becoming too much, overwhelming even. She turned in his arms to face him she smiled and then buried her face into his neck. "I need you Draco you don't know how much"

She shook her head, "I won't marry him ever even if he was the last man in the galaxy I wouldn't." She kissed his neck.

When he brought up Gabriella she pulled back, recognizing his attempt to change the subject and help her feel better. "It's the suit cyar'ika it makes you irresistible" she unbuttoned one of the buttons and then worked a couple of the buttons of his shirt. "Course I know what is beneath all the clothes. And if she touched you again you wouldn't have to worry about punching her, I would have reached across the table and yanked that pretty red hair of hers right out and handed it to her."

She smiled again, "you did all that and dealt with mother too huh. I told her a lie I didn't know what else to say, but" she bit her lip, "it doesn't have to be lie."

She looked up, "As a Princess I'm suppose to ask someone to marry me even if it's arranged, so...Draco Vereen will you marry me?" she smiled, "I don't have a ring or anything but I can arrange for one. I can even get down on one knee if you want."

She laughed even though she was serious.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco smiled at her nuzzling, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight against him, letting her work on the buttons of his shirt happily, listening to her speak. He was just happy to be done with the strife and politics for today, and now she was adding to his happiness. "You are always stunning, and my eyes always follow you. No clothing would change that, but... this dress makes me very happy when I see it on you. I doubt it would have the same effect on me if it were anywhere else or anyone else, but on you, I can't describe how beautiful you are."

At the mention of the Duke, Draco's expression changed a little, letting her kiss his neck so as not to show his agitation and discomfort to her. He really didn't like that man, and he really wanted to put a stop to whatever plans and schemes the Duke was operating from.

"It doesn't have to be a lie." Draco looked down into her eyes. He knew where she was going with this, he had anticipated it the moment she had told her mother they had said the Mandalorian marriage vows. She had just asked him to spend the rest of his life with her and his heart jumped a little, knowing that he wanted with all his being to say yes, to run off and elope and only return to her family when they were happy and a family and her mother couldn't deny them their happiness. "Yes I will marry you, of course I will. I don't need a ring, I don't need a ceremony, I don't need you to get on one knee to propose, though perhaps to celebrate I might want you to." He grinned, pleased with himself at turning the phrase. "But I want you to have all those things, and I won't steal them from you to spite your mother. You will get your wedding ceremony, and it will be me at your side when we exchange vows."

He smiled warmly at her, looking into her amber eyes and kissed her passionately, breathing her soul into his, letting her heat fill him. When he finally pulled away only an inch, "Tell me, how would I convince your mother I am a viable match for you? Or is there no hope for her blessing?" He really wanted it to be sanctioned and official, but, he would deal with her mother's hatred if that was the only way.

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

She laughed at his turn of the phrase, "So bad Draco Vereen so bad. but I love it" She couldn't have asked to be any happier he filled in the gaps of her life, of her personality, and gave so much more to her than she felt she deserved. But she'd take it and try to give back ten times more.

"I'd rather die than to be parted from you the wedding is pomp and circumstance a beautiful dress, dignitaries and friends. An exclamation to the galaxy that this is whom I have chosen. We could do both." She whispered as she wiggled about in his arms, grabbing the lapels of his jacket giving him a hungry kiss of her own as he answered yes. He made her so so happy. She wanted to celebrate. Heavy hearted she parted from him to answer his question about her mother.

"To win my mother, you have to be committed, take what she believes is best and show her just like you have been that you offer what she's looking for and more. Stand you're ground to love, if she sees an opening in your armor she'll try to make it bigger, or use it for her own devices. That's how you win her." She shook her head, "The Duke we have to discredit him make him look a fool, and Gabriella she's just looking for entertainment. She and the Duke have probably retired to her room and when they are done he'll go to his." She shook her head, "He's not the kind to stay the night"

She wouldn't marry a stranger that her mother had chosen not someone with so much dishonor that he would insinuate so much openly. While Draco was direct and put everything to where it was understood, there were no questions left of his intention.

Draco knew what Faith wanted in life and in their intimacy. She had let him into her heart fully Faith relaxed into his touch softly moaning her contentment. His fingers so light upon her skin he knew how to drive her passions slowly, the hunger of his kisses reached deep.

"I'll try to be a good girl to make it easier Draco, promise you won't give up. That...you won't leave" Her fear it bubbled at times like this most times she could keep it calm keep it hidden away but when threatened to be taken away from him it began to run rampant.

"Something else I just thought of, we'll endear you to the people of Aldera we'll go out in public together if we are seen together enough, and the people approve she can't say no." Faith smiled. "We could hold a tournament of some kind invite some of your friends to compete. In something. Like in medieval times they jousted, you can be my champion"

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco relaxed as she gripped his lapels and kissed him, letting her desire and hunger for him fill him as well, "How about we walk and talk, perhaps your room? Since your mother knows, there isn't any reason we would have to separate tonight. Maybe we can have my stuff brought to your room." He smiled, gathering small handfuls of her dress as his hands squeezed her back side gently. He enjoyed her wiggling and the passion she burnt him with as they spoke and clung to each other.

He had a few questions about the Duke and Gabriella. He didn't know the man, but he would soon, and he wanted to know what was in it for the Countess? Why was she playing at being second fiddle to two men? What did she possibly have to gain from trying to be his and the Duke's mistress in the same night? "I will watch myself around your mother, she won't find me wavering about loving you, and she won't find me backing down about it either. She is going to have to accept us as a couple one way or another, but I'd much rather have her approval if its possible." He smiled at her as she pulled away, taking her arm and leading her off towards her room. He really wanted to play with that dress tonight, regardless of anything else.

Though his mind did wander about the Countess. She was the weak link in the pair for certain with the least to gain. She didn't even get to be a Duchess if the Duke's plans came to fruition, and thus she had something else to gain that Draco didn't know, that he really needed to. With puzzle pieces missing he couldn't afford a misstep with something as important as his and Faith's future on the line.

Faith spoke and he could sense her fear, and so he hugged her to his chest again, feeling the smooth, taunt skin of her back against his hands. "I won't leave you love. Not ever." He smiled, looking down at her as she plotted to endear him to the people. "Yes, that sounds good. I could do a tournament, but, I don't have many friends. Arrbi Betna perhaps. Keep it open so that the people can watch and attend." He had his own spark of an idea for that tournament if it happened, something that would endear him to the people better than just being their Princess's champion. He needed to be their champion.

"Now," He smiled devilishly, seeing the door to room looming, "Can I come in? Or must I go back to my own quarters?"

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

"yes my room it is where you belong not on the other side in the guest wing." How many times had they kissed before now? Coming out in the open with her mother took away a burden she had carried and now each kiss took on a deeper meaning. Faith's lips quivered as she rose up on her tiptoes connecting her and Draco from head to toe. Small whimpers of pleasure growled from her throat. They exchanged hungry looks they were once again on the same page. Faith smiled.

He was going to tough it out with her mother Faith just knew that in time Arianna would give in she couldn't deny what was before her eyes forever. This animal attraction, this deep need they had for one another, but mostly how much they loved one another, cared what happen to the other, each willing to give up everything to make the other happy that couldn't be denied, never.

"I don't think I know the name [member="Arrbi Betna"] Tia has mentioned an [member="Anija Betna"] are they related?" She smiled up at him as they walked anyone noticing clearly could tell they were lovers. His hand placed intimately on her backside her hands inside his jacket.

They made it to her room no glances no interruptions, "I think you should come in for a few reasons one, I won't last to make it through the passages to get to you, two she knows, three I don't want to hide anymore Draco. It's time to step out." Faith opened her door and turned, "come in welcome to one of the places I hide my bedroom." She knew it was a bit much but she had meetings with Ana in here, she escaped crowds in here.

Draco might notice the pictures of Bud and Dar still on dresser she just couldn't forget them like that.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco kept his hand on her backside as they walked, giving her buttocks a gentle squeeze as she slipped her hand insider his jacket, letting her know he was there and she was claimed. When the queen did come around it would likely be because Draco had done many things for her people and she finally accepted the fact that he loved Faith with all that he was, and that she loved him equally. They were a good couple, they kept each other grounded, and despite both of them being wealthy, they both enjoyed the simple things. She was peaceful and often sought peaceful resolution, he was a warrior with a temper. Well, they both had a temper, but he was more apt to act on his than she. It was something he had to work on, but he would, because he loved her.

"Yes, Arrbi is Anija's riduur. They are old friends of mine, they helped me a lot when I was younger, and they both are good people." He glanced inside her room, noticing it wasn't much more decadent than the guest room when she first opened the door. He smiled at her, and kissed her neck in the doorway, pushing her backwards into the room and kicking the door closed behind him with his foot, ambushing her with his affections, hungrily kissing her neck, his hands sliding across her back and buttocks, gathering a small handful of her dress in his hands. "I really, really like this dress on you." he spoke with ragged breath, hammering out the words in between his passionate caress and kisses as fast as he could, intent on leaving the marks of his passion along the inside of her neck.

He could see the pictures of her old family on the dresser, and he winced, wanting to talk about them and talk about to her about them moving forward. He didn't want her to forget about them, but he also didn't want them to anchor her in the past. He was being selfish, but he wanted to wait, so as not to kill the mood. He could talk to her about them after, but he didn't want to dredge up sorrowful memories while they were in this mood. He turned her back towards the bed and starting slowly urging her in that direction.

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

It didn't take much coaxing to get him out of the suit, and as eager as he was to touch the dress seemed he was equally eager to be rid of it.

Later

They lay at the center of the massive bed a single sheet covering them. She lay peacefully within the crook of his arm her head on his chest. She was lost in little thoughts, "you know leaving this little bite marks on me draws attention I have to cover them with make up. When I'm out I don't want people thinking that I need to advertise my involvement with someone by having this trail of...love bites." She smiled, "Are you marking your territory by doing this?"

She turned to look up at him. "The Duke isn't going to care. And Gabriella will likely want a set of her own" Faith shook her head, "Greedy people are so...odd." Faith couldn't always understand but she could figure it out.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco's hand traced little swirling circles on her back as he lay, comfortably looking up at her ceiling while she lay her head against his chest, moving up and down in time with his deep breaths. She was gorgeous, the little sparkles in her eyes never dulled or vanished. "They aren't to ward off others, they are because I got too excited that I didn't have to be careful not to leave them anymore and wanted to abuse that privilege." He chuckled, continuing to slowly caress the small of her back with his fingertips.

He slid his free hand over to grasp hers smiling widely, "Lets not talk about him while we are in bed. Lets save dealing with those two for times when we aren't relaxing and enjoying each others company." Draco casually kissed her forehead, looking down at her, "Tomorrow, I will go to one of the jewelers, and I will craft you a ring. I will use only the finest Phridium and aurodium ores, and I will find you a stone and cut it myself, and then when I am done," he pulled her hand and kissed her knuckles, "You will just have to wait for me to give it to you." His eyes gleamed and his smile became mischeivous, "Or you will have to coax it from me if you want it right away. Perhaps where that dress again." He teased her, part of his charm in his opinion, but also he couldn't get enough of her and that would likely mean he wouldn't be able to wait to give her a ring and propose his intentions officially.

"I wanted to talk to you about something more important than them anyway," He said, looking over at the dresser with the two pictures, "I've... been meaning to ask you something very important, and its selfish of me to ask, but deep in my heart, I," He paused for a moment taking a deep breath before attempting to continuing using a different approach. "When people address you they call you Faith Balor-Organa, and, well, that makes me fearful when I hear it. It makes me fearful that I could lose you when I hear it. And, if you are ready to build a life with me," He took a deep breath again, changing the direction of approaching the subject, "I'm not asking you not to love him or your ad'ika. I would never ask that. They are yours and you will always hold a place for them in your heart, but," His grip on her hand tightened just a bit, fearful of the answers he may receive, "If you and I are going to build a life together we need to put our pasts, in the past so we can focus on our future. I want you to stop using his name as your own, cyar'ika. It will comfort me, it will drive away my worry that I am just a place holder for Dar'yaim."

Draco rolled a little to face her, "Tell me if you need more time, I don't need an answer right away, but please cyar'ika, don't be angry with me for asking this of you." He wanted to hold her tightly against him and never let go, to feel her breath against his skin and know that she was his and no one else's. That no ghost owned her heart more than he. He just needed to hear it, just once. Just this once he needed her to say she would only be his from now, until he passed from this life to wait for her in the next.

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith had not thought about her name in a long time granted she would have it changed when she married. Draco was asking her to change it before, to well not forget but to do this to show him that she was ready to move on.

She had thought that with all their plans that he knew this but this tone he had told her that he did not think this that he did not want to be a stand in. Was he a stand in? He looked nothing like Dar'yaim. But she had to admit they shared many other qualities ones that she admired, and loved.

Her son. Pain, oh the pain that would shred her to nothingness. She would never forget her son, her first born.

But Draco wasn't asking for her to forget, only asking to remove the reminder that she had been married to someone else before, to prove her readiness of moving on. Could she do that?

The fact that she was asking herself the questions, made her wonder.

Tears welled up in her eyes she had to prove her love to this man beside her it twisted inside her that she must do so.

"Ok, Draco" she whispered. She didn't know what else to say. It probably seemed like a tiny thing to Draco for her to do this, to prove to him that their plans were not in vain.

[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

He saw the tears, and that caused him pain, he knew she was going to hurt from such thoughts and that old wounds would reopen a little, but he also knew he must ask this of her. It was less proving she loved him to him. She had shown she had loved him, and this monumental declaration only built on just how much he didn't even fathom. "Cyar'ika," He said wrapping his hands about her and rolling to face her, looking into hers eyes welling up with tears, "It means so much to me that you say that. I was just worried that with how quickly our relationship is moving forward, and how it has been forced into the open, your mother's plans." He sighed, kissing her cheek affectionately. "I just wanted to be certain you were ready, regardless of all these outside factors. I don't want to rush you, even if I want it so badly I feel an aching in my chest every moment we are apart."

She had just whispered away all his fears, that he wasn't a place holder, that he was in fact her true love. That she was willing and ready to move on and start a new family with him, not just sprinting to the finish blindly through loneliness and fear. Voss had made him consider these things as well, and when he had emerged from the Temple of the Mystics, he was ready to build that life with her or wait for her as long as she needed. That she was willing and ready now, only made his heart pound and thunder as he nuzzled her neck warmly, kissing the little marks of his passion tenderly.

"Tell me about Bud." His voice was calm and level when he laid his head back to look into her eyes. "Tell me only the good memories. We've spoken some about Abigail, but not so much about Bud. He is apart of you I should know some about, ner runi." Draco was trying to get to know more about that blank spot in her past. She had been open about her childhood, her life on Alderaan, her life as a Senator and Princess, but she had always been a little closed off about her previous marriage, telling him it was there, but not much else. His own previous experiences were much more final, normally by his own resolution, which dulled, and eventually washed away the pain. She had not been given such kindness.

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

She had said the words that Draco needed to hear to ease his mind, she slipped from the bed picking up her robe she went to the dress to get the pictures of Dar and Bud. She smiled at them both and then came back to Draco.

Sitting down she turned and sat cross-legged on the bed. Tears shining in her eyes, "Can't talk about Bud without D." she held up Bud's picture, dark hair shining blue eyes perfect little face. "D and I married when I was 16 we waited two years to have Bud. 6lb 2oz, 21inches long, lots of dark hair and the quietest baby there ever was. D and I worried that there was something wrong, Bud was just listening learning. So intense. The force is with him, we all could see it, just knew he'd take the journey." Faith stroked the picture of Bud remembering him.

"D was so proud his son, our son. First born. After all we had gone through to be together to hold Bud up and stare into his face see so much love shining out at us. We just knew we had to have 10 more." Faith laughed.

"Bud walked early he was in such a hurry to learn, I watched him one day playing with a ball he was like 8 months old he rolled it under the chair, crawled in after it tried to sit up hit his head fussed and then I got him out. The next time he crawled in after the ball, he backed out crawling with the ball in his hand, and then sat up. He had remembered what happen before, and knew what to do. He just amazed me like that."

Faith ached for Bud still she would probably never stop aching for him. She hoped beyond all hopes that one day he'd walk through the doors and say hey remember me.

"We would go outside and run around, he'd laugh so hard he'd fall I'd rush over to get him, and he'd still be laughing" Faith's started to cry, "He like all little boys chased bugs and reptiles bringing to me to show me. He had no fear. I'd like to think its because D and I loved him so much that he knew it would be ok." Faith reached up wiping the tears away.

"I can't forget him Draco they are both so much apart of who I am if it had not been for them I don't know who I'd be. They were easy to love, and they gave everything for me. I will always miss them. I know this sounds like I"m not ready to move on, but i know what they would want for me. They wouldn't want me to be alone and I don't want to be. I choose to go on in life with you to live, and love like no tomorrow. And if by some miracle they return some day we will all cross that bridge then" The netherworld swallowed them she was sure and only a few ever came back but D was one of the strongest, creative, and determined men she knew anything was possible.

"I love you Draco I never thought I would love anyone else but them. Till I met you. I want us to have children, laugh at things, love when we can, build the future for our family. Do you believe me?"

[member="Dar'yaim Balor"] [member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Draco smiled at her as she spoke about her son, all the little details that a mother would always remember, from the time her child was born until the day she passed, Faith would remember and hold her son's memory close and always have a place for him in her heart. Draco was content with this knowledge, that Faith, like he had always known, was a loving, warm, sympathetic woman. It was in her nature, and he loved her for that. She had so many traits that he didn't. This was just the affirmation he wanted, to see her remembering her child and husband for all the good they had brought her, all the joy and love and laughs. He didn't want her to forget them or lose those memories. He just wanted to make memories like with her as well.

His storm grey eyes watched as she touched the photograph of her son and relayed information about the boy to him. How much she still loved him after all this time and always would, how much affection and love she had in her heart. He knew before this conversation she would be an amazing mother to their children when they had them, and now, he knew he would never even come close to her abilities as a parent. He had raised one child with a lot of assistance. In truth, Abigail was raised more by nurses and caretakers than he. He had taken care of her when he had been around, but that had been only a small portion of the girl's life. A few tears of his own welled up in his eyes.

She told him a number of stories about Bud, but she politely left heavy details about Dar'yaim out. Whether it was kindness towards his own feelings, or that she was simply focusing on telling him about her child, Draco didn't know. He didn't rightly care. He was happy that they had been able to make her happy all those years ago. Part of him wanted her son to mystically appear from no where for her comfort. He knew that pain, even now Abigail was off in the galaxy doing whatever it was she wanted, and part of him wanted her to skip through the doorway and introduce herself to Faith.

"Ner runi." He spoke, his voice filled with empathy and concern for her, as he sat up when she started crying, but he sat quite and let her continue, pulling himself closer to her, to offer what comfort he could. "Ner runi. You know that I love you, and I always will. There will never be another for me. I know that, much. But understand that I love all of you and everything about you. I love that even as you spoke about your son you glanced at the door, that you miss them both and part of you always will, no matter what you are doing, that you are who you are." He leaned forward, standing on his hands and knees facing her, giving her a gentle kiss.

Draco tried to offer a warm smile at her, reassuring her. "I believe you, cyar'ika. I never doubted you wanted those things with me. I," He paused for a moment, just trying to convey his feelings as best he could, "I am your Dragon, and I don't want you to feel rushed. If you needed more time, I would have stopped the stars from turning to give it to you." Draco sat on his shins, sitting up in front of her and looking into her amber eyes, flecked with gold, the angle of her cheek bones, her jaw line, the sexiness in her features, the sheer, awe inspiring beauty of her soul shining out as she spoke still visible to his eyes.

[member="Faith Balor-Organa"]

 

[Faith Organa]

Faith nodded, again reminded of why she loved him so much. Draco was loving and understanding in all things to her, and in regards to her. He kept her anchored and still encouraged her to go forward.

Faith looked down at Bud and D's photos, she would always cherish them, always love them, and always be waiting for them. Life however would not stand still Faith would go forward.

She wiped her face once again, she could see concern in his eyes, the dark grey eyes that spoke volumes to her no matter where they were, good thing he wore a helmet or she would likely have to fight the women for him.

She loved his long hair, she hoped he would never cut it, and the shadow of his beard how it angled his face. He lit her on fire with just a look.

Faith got up and went to put the pictures back, she lightly touched them both. Wishing them a good night and then she turned back to her Dragon. A dragon of the dark night sea having clawed his way out of the darkness into the light. All the stories she read about dragons growing up made them cruel, cunning, heartless and terrible her Dragon, her Draco was cunning, far from heartless, if he were cruel or terrible it was not to her.

Faith slipped back into bed removing her robe, she reached for Draco's shoulder to push him back upon the pillows. She knew she needed him even as her insides began to tingle, she moved closer and then laid her head on his shoulder stretching out beside him.

"Thank you Draco for understanding" She snuggled against him, her breathing evening out as she began to drift towards sleep. "I need you Draco but more importantly I love you, we have long days ahead of us."

On the other side of the palace the Duke had finished with the Countess she had been an easy conquest he might consider keeping her around as his mistress but never a wife, any woman who went into a man's bed this easily was only fit to be a mistress. He had a younger brother perhaps he'd give her to him. He was young and foolish, easily manipulated and at the age of 13 a woman like the Countess the boy would think he'd gone to heaven to have his own blow up doll.

He dressed and left her sleeping crossing to his own rooms, he began to plan. He could use the situation with the Princess to his own benefit. She was a beautiful woman, and would produce beautiful children, he needed at least two, she should be good for that, and then Vereen could have her back, if he wanted her still after he finished with her.

What to do about Draco Vereen though, he was the barrier to the end goal.

He had an idea, and perhaps the Countess would help. He knew she could use her mouth to get what she wanted, but how convincing could she really be.