Tavern Girl.

Esme felt her checks grow wet.

She hadn't cried since she was twelve, sleeping alone in the jungle, missing her brothers and sisters and questioning her decision to become a part of the calvary.

She hadn't cried through the torture test that certified her able to keep secrets.

She hadn't cried at the branding.

She hadn't cried when she had broken three separate bones sparring with men thrice her size.

She hadn't cried when the sharp string of the bow dug into the flesh of her fingers because she had to shoot arrows all day till she could hit bulls eye four consecutive times.

She hadn't cried for years.

But now just Meksta's soft voice trying to reassure her that she was glad to be sold to a rich, old pervert was breaking her heart.

She had been able to escape the fate of women but there were so many like her who were strong willed but could hardly find a way out.

Esme choked on her sniffle and wiped her eyes. When she spoke her voice was crystal clear and stable.

'I swear to you Meksta that you won't spend even a second more in that man's house once your job is completed'.

Meksta smiled. 'Thank you my lady'.

Silence echoed between the two women as Esme concentrated on adorning Meksta in the perfect wrap.

After she finished designing the wrap into a fashionable dress, she dressed Meksta's dark wavy hair holding it up with jewels that had been in hers. She wished she had her concubine jewelry collection so she could really make Meksta stand out.

Lastly she styled the veil and stepped back to look at her handy work.

Meksta was a natural beauty.

'Do you own a mirror?', she asked the girl.

Meksta laughed. 'Mirrors are a necessity in a tavern my lady. The women must know they look good before they go to serve'.

Meksta walked to a corner of the room and unveiled a full length mirror. She gasped loudly at her reflection.

'My lady, it's too much'.

'It's not enough', Esme said walking up behind her. 'But it will have to do'.

'Thank you very much my lady. I have never been so pretty in my life'.

'Thank you Meksta. I hope you find the happiness you seek'.

'You are full of heart my lady. It's refreshing to see'.

Esme just smiled.

Meksta showed Esme around the inner chambers of the tavern.

'My old mean boss owned this tavern. All his children died before him so he had nobody to leave this rickety property to. He grudgingly left it to me since I was his most loyal employee. Nobody cares much for the property because as you can see it looks ready to fall. The old man didn't leave me the land on which this tavern sits. He sold it off so I have to pay rent. The tavern doesn't earn much and it needs a lot of maintenance so it wasn't much of an upgrade from what I was earning as a common tavern girl'.

Meksta informed Esme about the schedules of the tavern and everything she needed to know.

Then both ladies returned to the front desk. Meksta went to stand beside Nez and Esme took her place behind the front desk.

There wasn't much similiarities between Esme and Meksta, apart from height and hair color they were two very distinct girls.

But since Esme had arrived in veil and the lights in the tavern were dim and the eyes of guests were confused by strong drink there was no hitch or suspicion as Nez walked out of the tavern with Meksta on his arm.

Behind the tavern front desk, Esme found her sack of belongings. Bull would be settled somewhere in the taverns stables.This was not a tavern that hosted important nobles so she guessed the stable was largely unused. Bull would be unnoticed. As unnoticed as the Minister of War and the left Prime Minister that met under guise in this crickety taverns VIP room.

Esme ran a hand through her thick dark hair, sighing heavily as she did. This crickety tavern with it's secret VIP visitors was as close as No Face could get her to palace affairs.

She was really on her own from here own.

She had to determine how to manipulate this knowledge of secret noble meetings into a legal palace entrance.

She had to do it soon too.

In the meantime, Esme reached behind her and grabbed a gourd she knew would be filled with nasty local ale. She took a swing from it, her face twisting up in disgust. She couldn't be drunk on an assignment but tonight she wanted to wobble on the edge.