Editing Nobilis: Beneath The Serpent's Coils:China (section)

==Background==
On the hills behind the city, the biggest mansions rested. On the edge of those hills just blocks from the worst part of town stood one of the largest.

This house was the house of the local Don, an aristocratic woman who could have tea with a man who she had ordered killed, who inspired loyalty and adherence to her rules with an almost supernatural stare. Some said that she could stare down fate herself.

Surely she was destined for greatness.

Under her worked her most trusted assistant. Her 'cleaner' who studied the ways of death and illusion. Who it was said could be in dozen places at once. Who killed her own family when they betrayed the Don, before the Don even ever knew. 

Surely such skill, such loyalty, such beauty deserved a reward.

In the basement rooms, (really quite nice, and sound proofed) lived the don's sister. A child an innocent in a house of monsters. Loved by the whole house.

Why did that have to change?

On the edge of the grounds lived the guards, many people tried to get on these famous hills, and the Cosa Nostra desired privacy.
Head of the guards was a woman. From China, she seemed to sleep at the oddest hours, but somehow did her job.

She wasn't treated well, most didn't even call her by name, just "Jap" or "China", or at best "Guard", but they were still her people and she did her job best she could.

Until one night. A summer night muggy and still. The Dons sister came up to door. Her dress soaked in blood, her hand carrying a knife. "I killed them." she said, collapsing into Lilang's arms.

And at those words, at her unavoidable failure, she was given power, power to guard the world from the monsters at the door. Starting with the monster that gave her this power.

Now she tries to raise little Amaretta Resuttana as best she can.