Anianka looked around the room with an uneasy mixture of pride and fear. To have been raised to Mistress so young, she knew was a great honour, and one to which she had strived her entire career. And yet, despite her outward certainty, she was stillafraid; she had been trusted with a huge responsibility, and, no matter how much she knew she wanted it, sometimes she had not even been sure of herself as a sul'dam ... as Mistress, she knew that she could only act as she had always done, and hope that it was in the best interests of the Empire.

Sitting down behind her huge mahogany desk, clear of any of the paperwork of the former Mistress, Anianka let out a brief sigh. She could feel at home here.

She would be good.