� You were meant to tempt and sway the fine men of Paris, not be one!� Marie paced the room in front of her friend, beginning to feel Arisia�s plot had gone to far. The candle light lit the room with a firey glow, causing the shadows of the objects in the room to traipse across the walls.
� I never imagined you would get a rank of anything! Look, you�re a full Captain now! If your caught, do you know what they�ll do to you?� She disbelievingly shook her head, her fine golden locks swirling about her face loosely.
� Marie, I know very well what I have gotten myself into. This is a role I have chosen to play. My father was a good man, he deserved sons to pass his skills onto�and all he got was moi.� Arisia stood in front of the mirror, pulling her hair unkindly back atop her head, and binding it there with a ruddy looking bandana.
� Yes but he was blessed with a daughter! I see not how any man could mistake you for one of his kind!�
� As long as I keep my hair back from my face I pass perfectly as a lad that�s not gotten his whiskers yet. I will full fill my dreams Miss Marie, and if your not with me your against me. I can�t have you running off and telling anyone because you think it will stop me, it will only get me in trouble.�
� I would never do that Arisia, you know that.� Her friend shook her head, staring as Arisia began binding her chest with long strips of cloth.
� A little help would be appreciated�� Arisia mumbled her words through strips of cloth in her mouth, doing her best to wrap the bindings tightly.
� What would you do without me?� Marie got to her feet, shuffling over and tugging the bindings tight. The girl gasped for air a moment, adjusting to the confinement of the bindings.
� There� done.� Marie tied them off as best she could, moving back and watching Arisia select a tasteful jacket, and put it on.
� I have to visit the bawdy house tonight.�
Marie sat rather confounded, staring at her friend.
� How do you suppose your to pull that off?! Your missing VERY important elements!�
� I have my ways dear Marie, I have my ways.� She gave her friend a wink, adjusting her jacket. Her hands sought for her sabre, strapping it carelessly into it�s shieth.
� Be Careful Arisia�What do I do if someone comes?�
� I�m always careful, and please�while I�m dressed like this, call me Avec. If someone comes looking for Avec, tell them I�m out for the night, hint of course where I am. If they come looking for his cousin, moi, tell them she�s out with a possible suitor or something. � She almost gagged when she spoke of marriage, what a horrible thing. Having babies for the rest of your life, confined to the house to bid your lords wishes, her father would be greatly disappointed in her.
� I bid thee a fair night, Avec. God speed and be safe.� And with that, Arisia left Marie, venturing out into the night streets of Paris.
Going to the bawdy house to be seen with female companions turned out to be less a challenge than she imagined. She had thought she would have to fork over a hefty sum of money to one of the young lady�s in return for her silence. Instead, she had made an unusual friend a few nights before. On a venture back home from a thrilling party, she had found herself defending a young Bawd from a rather grasping handful of three peasants. One ran, the second easily bested to the glory of her fathers teaching, but the third posed more a threat. They clashed a few minutes in the streets, Arisia taking a small wound to the shoulder before the man took off when his bested friend and ran. She could remember the conversation between herself and the young lass perfectly.
�Thank you mousier, however can I repay you?�
�I acted as any other might have, it needs no repaying.�
�but I insist� There must be something I can do for you.�
Arisia could tell where that was going, her fair face as a male was somehow attractive to some of the women she passed by, Marie had told her it was because she looked innocent.
�I�m afraid I must be going young lady, it would be best for you if you stayed in at night. The streets are a cold place for a woman to wander. Ouchh��
She had gone to pull away, but the girl brushed against her shoulder.
�Your hurt! You must be me address the wound at least��
�I�m quite alright young miss, but I must be off.� She tried pulling away again, the girl studying her face.
�As you wish�� The girl had let go, stepping back and moving to go inside.
�Wait�There is one thing you can do for me�� And with that, the two had struck up a bargain. Arisia would teach her to defend herself during the time she spent with her in the bawdy house as her male persona, and the young Bawd would spread rumors about how much of a stud �he� was.
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