"I like how you think. Very well."

She directs the helper to step up to the stage she's set up, a plank supported on the naked backs of two contestants who were not quite bad enough to warrant summary execution.

The helper does so, keeping her balance better than the (more injured) girls who've gone before, and waits obediently for a command to sing.

"Begin."

She sings, voice wavering briefly at first then building. She's more confident than the others - which helps - less terrified - not the best soloist in the group, but she has a lovely harmonic voice.

Eliese applauds politely at the end.

"Acceptable." Alas.

Jerky nod.

"And now you thank me for the chance to participate."

"Thank you ma'am," she says, voice wavering only a little.

"Make way for the next, hmm?"

She steps down, a bit hastily. "What now, ma'am?"

She pats the ground next to her.

"Sit and help me judge. You can take care of the next failure's punishment."

The girl nods and sits, a vague air of unease around her.

Eliese puts an arm around her shoulder and plays with her hair, calling the next girl up.

The girl is so uncomfortable!!!

The next girl is possibly a good singer when not terrified out of her mind; her voice keeps quivering, her gasps interrupting notes, and she hiccups in the middle of singing at one point.

What a shame.

That was not a very good performance at all. Doesn't her helper agree?

No. It wasn't - her usual - she's usually good -

She taps her lips thoughtfully. Does her helper perhaps feel she deserves another chance?

...Maybe? (The helper is very, very scared herself.)

How about this, then: the helper administers the punishment for failing, and then they can try again together.

Terrified jerky nod! (This was not her intention at all, she needs to not contradict the scary powerful sadists - )

(Eliese is having a lot of fun watching her try to hide her fear.)

She hands her a dagger made of magical ice.

She takes the dagger and stands, walking over to her friend - who freezes a bit, then flinches back, trying to run away.

"Don't let her get away!" Eliese calls.

The helper breaks into a run after her friend! Her friend's fast - but more scared, more injured, and after some chasing around the helper tackles her friend to the ground, stabbing her in the shoulder with the ice dagger.