The City

It was early evening and in the capital city of Cheq that meant a bustling night market. As the iron merchants procession made their way through the busy streets people stopped to stare. Cheq was not a city unused to receiving foreigners but it was quite unusual to see a beautiful maiden travel with so many men.

Esme felt a little exposed. All of No Face's schemes had fit perfectly up until this one.

Was the man loosing his touch or was he making things a little suspicious just to make the opponents uneasy.

Esme had begun contemplating this conspicuous entrance of hers since she had seen the captain of the guard staring at the bulging muscles on Bull.

Why would a pleasure maiden ride atop a war horse?

If No Face's plan was to inspire restlessness and unease to North Chedii's palace she hated it.

She was more on the side of surprising them.

Inspiring restlessness in an opponent always went two ways;

The opponent became to vigilant or the opponent fumbled details under the influence of fear factor.

Regardless of what it was No Face was seeking to achieve, Esme was now on her own.

Beyond the gates of Cheq there would be no support from her handler or from any spies.

When the peace treaty was signed, there was a clause where each nation agreed to withdraw their spies.

Of course both sides knew that that particular clause would be breached. As long as there was no evidence of a nation breaching that clause consequences were not dealt.

So the Sukechan spies in Cheq city were dormant. They were simply information collectors. If by any means they were associated with an active field spy like her it would cause trouble.

Though she would work under a guise, the minute she stole the prince out of Cheq the authorities would know the history of her every

move from the moment she arrived in the city.

'This is crazy', Esme murmured under her breath. 'I'm crazy. I could have still been matched with a good enough man. I would have been the untouchable, virtous wife who spends her days praying in the temple. I would have dedicated my children to my mother in law then no one would have been able to bully them. I could have done all that but I'm here figuring out how to squeeze my way into a sealed palace. I've gone mad. I've been mad for eleven years now'.

Still she was proud of herself and she found it flattering that she was put in charge of such an important assignment.

The procession came to a stop infront of a mildly busy tavern.

'My lady', Nez addressed her 'You must go inquire of their chamber pots now'.

Esme nodded and allowed Nez to help her to the ground. He then escorted her into the tavern.

Inside the tavern was dimly lit. It was not a popular spot in the city so there were only a few customers about.

Nez led her straight to the main desk.

Esme smiled and in perfect Narian asked to use the guest chamber pot.

A millisecond passed before the girls eyes lit up and she stepped out from around the desk.

'Please come with me', she said.

Esme followed the giddy girl through an even dimmer passageway. They walked to the end of the passage until the girl came to a heavy wooden door which she unlocked with a key she fetched from between her breasts.

'I'm Meksta', the girl said as she pushed open the big door, walked into the room and held it open for Esme.

'You are the noble lady from Otunara yes?'

Esme just nodded.

Meksta chatted away.

'A man covered in hoods came to me three nights ago and offered me a reward if I would take your place in Lord Nicans household. At first I thought he jested. No man offers money to a tavern girl like me to go live in a rich mans house. But I couldn't say no you see, he carried many bags of gold and you never say no to money'.

Meksta had begun undressing as she spoke.

'When you didn't arrive yesterday as he said you would, I almost gave up hope. But I still paid some money to be serviced in the fancy public baths just incase. I feel the cleanest in years. It feels like my body is worthy of that fine silk on you'.

Regardless of the continuous, excited chatter, Esme couldn't help but smile.

Meksta looked about her age and it was clear the girl had seen many struggles for her to be excited about being a property of Lord Nican.

'My mother was Otunarian you know? I can speak the language in a perfect accent. I can even speak Chedii words with a nararian accent'.

Meksta took off her last piece of clothing and stood naked looking at Esme expectantly.

'Ah perharps my lady is not used to undressing herself. I can h-'.

'It's fine Meksta, I can do it', Esme said speaking up for the first time since they entered the room.

She began to undress slowly taking care to not be rough with the expensive fabric.

When she was naked, she wore one of Meksta's tavern uniforms.

'I don't believe you know how to wear a Cheqan wrap and veil, Meksta. I will help you'.

Even in the dim lightening Esme could see Meksta flush bright red.

She shook her head, 'Of course not, my lady. I could ne-'.

'Hush', Esme cut her off a bit harshly. 'If you wore the wrap and veil wrong, Lord Nican would know immediately that you are not me and then you, me and my uncle would be in trouble'.

Meksta stopped arguing.

'I will do your hair too. I'll teach you how to wear it like a lady. A lady is treated by the quality of her looks and we would you make sure Lord Nican treats you something more than a human being he controls'.

As she spoke, Esme began to design the cheq wrap around Meksta's petite body.

She made sure to do her absolute best because she knew that much of Meksta's life going forward would be carved by the first impression she would make.

'Lord Nican is not a bad man', Meksta said. She must have seen the guilt on Esme's face and noticed her attempts to compensate.

'He isn't a good man either', Esme said.

'He's just another man. He isn't the worst I've seen or heard of. My father is blind my lady. One of the payments is to have my father treated by a talented healer to see if he can regain his sight. He is a good father, he feels so guilty every day for going blind like it were his fault. He used to be a hunter but now he can't work. I have four younger siblings. When the hooded man found me three nights ago I had just saved my brother from the hands of authorities because he was caught stealing. My two younger sisters want to attend a girls academy to increase the quality of their marriage prospects but I could not afford it. My baby brother is a sweet soul but he looks up to my theiving brother and I fear he would walk a wrong path too. All because we are too poor. I've worked as a tavern girl for years now. There isn't very much quality to who I can be but my father and my siblings, their lives could be better and Lord Nicans house isn't the dungeon. I will be paid a huge sum of money for every month I pretend to be you and when my job is complete my family and I would be escorted into Otunara. We will have a large house in the city, my sisters would attend a ladies academy far away from where everyone knows them as relations of the tavern girl, my father may see again, I can support my brother in bussiness and I could get into weaving wool. I'm happy my lady. Without this I would have died a tavern girl'.

*IMPORTANT NOTICE*