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IV | A Proposition

Her heart skidded to a sudden stop. "A weapon? For what?" she asked, mortified that she sounded ignorant, and feeling incredulous as well. A weapon? Her? A woman?

Gabrielle sighed and shook her head lightly, smiling. "To protect the Kingdom and therefore protecting Belcourt. Being a previous Librarian has made you ignorant of the things Belcourt does. You are only focused on your studies and research that most of you are unaware of the threats that Belcourt gets every single day. You do not know it, Sasha, but the Court of Flowers works closely with us."

Sasha was in disbelief. She had been out of the Common Court for five years and had not heard of this?

Gabrielle turned to grab her cloak. "I should get going. I can already imagine Lady Eastwell's revulsion at this situation... Lady Mariam ought to have at least oriented you on your duties as a Belle."

"But—"

"You will have more of your answers on the morrow, Sasha, I promise."

In one fluid motion, the woman swung her emerald green cloak around and over her shoulders and back.

Gabrielle fastened the cloak around her neck and pulled the hood over her head, shadowing her face, the ends of her red locks the only indication of the beauty the hood held.

"We shall see more of each other soon."

*****

Sasha had no time to spare musing over the conversation she had with Gabrielle that morning because a fellow Belle and someone she was familiar with from the Common Court arrived to take her to her gown fittings.

Ruby was a chatty woman. She always had been.

She was three years in age ahead of Sasha, but she had been in Belcourt all her life, left at the Common Court when she was merely a day old.

It was no surprise that Ruby was courted into the Court of Flowers and became a Belle seven years ago for the woman was amongst the most stunning. Everyone knew where she would land.

Her straight black hair was a stark contrast to the white snow around them. Her deep-set blue eyes and full lips perfectly matched her oval face that seemed to have been smoothed and polished with fine grit. She had a mole just under the outer corner of her left eye and for Sasha, it was the woman's most stunning feature. An imperfection that perfected her face.

Like Iyana, Ruby was impressed that Sasha managed to get re-courted.

She did not tell the woman she had no choice on the matter for it would potentially lead to a series of questions she was not allowed to answer.

Ruby took her around the town center which was surprisingly crowded considering the heavy snow that morning and the cold wind.

But it was the holidays. Everyone was seen carrying holly, rosemary, Christmas Rose, and other decorations which would soon be up before Christmas Eve.

It only occurred to Sasha that she would be celebrating differently. For fifteen years, she always celebrated Christmas in Belcourt which would start with the lighting of the Yule Log and a few games and singing.

Tomorrow, the children in the Common Court would enjoy a lavish meal of turkey, pudding, gingerbread, and many of their favorites. The boar's head would be remained untouched for the adults to enjoy.

The four Christmases she spent at the Library were quite memorable as well. Not as grand as she heard the other courts celebrated theirs, but it was a few hours of respite from their active minds, veering back to the children that they once were before they left the Common Court.

Now, she wondered how the Belles celebrated their Christmas.

But that was not her concern at the moment. She had to go back to Belcourt on the morrow not for the holiday, but for her mission, one she still had trouble believing to be possible.

Belles took on missions?

How?

Seducing men? For what? Their secrets?

What could possibly be the secrets of these gentlemen that they could so willingly share with the Belles?

Unless, perhaps, the secrets were uncovered in secret.

The thought excited Sasha.

She stole Ruby a glance as the woman continued to talk endlessly about how she could not believe Sasha managed to be re-courted. She was a phenomenon! A history!

Was Ruby currently on a mission? How many flowers did the woman have?

The town center was bustling with merriment and advanced Christmas greetings and Ruby seemed to belong in it. She relished the appreciative stares they received from the men who passed by. A few women smiled at Ruby, while one or two threw her a secret look of scorn.

"And by the by, you will need a few friends here," said Ruby, turning her head to face her. The woman was wearing a feathered hat and a lavish fur coat. "Not friends from Belcourt, but here. You will soon realize it will come handy." She looped her arm around Sasha's. "This will be exciting for you, Sasha, believe me! Being a Belle is freedom!"

No, it is not, Sasha answered in her mind.

Their freedom here outside was but a mere illusion.

*****

Her gown fitting was tedious.

Carla Montgomery was a very meticulous modiste, and despite the long line of women outside, she took her time to carefully measure Sasha's shoulders, arms, legs, and neck.

"You will be pleased," she promised Sasha after nearly an hour of fitting.

"I trust that she will be, Carla," Ruby told the woman. "But will you be able to send a few gowns within the week? She badly needs one from you, as you can see."

The modiste did not hide her distaste as she stared at Sasha's plain gray dress. "Even a scullery maid would not dare make rags out of that dress, dear."

Sasha looked down at her decent dress. She had worn this dress countless times in the Library and no one cared!

Ruby noticed her despair and laughed. "Welcome to your new world, Sasha," she said, pulling her away from Carla. "And she shall need a new set of nightgowns, Carla! Do not forget!"

"I know the right ones for her, my lady, fret not!" the modiste's reply followed them to the door.

"Oh, finally!" a woman said as they walked out, pulling her daughter into the shop. The others still in line stared at both Sasha and Ruby.

"Good day, ladies," Ruby greeted as they walked past. "Now, Sasha, do you wish to go for tea? I know a good tea house nearby. It is not better than the one we have at Belcourt, but it is cozy."

Sasha considered Ruby's suggestion. "I was meaning to shop a bit more."

"Oh," Ruby said, looking at her. "Have you received an allowance for that?"

"I was given enough to last me a month."

"Very well, then, let us go! What do you wish to shop for? Hats? You definitely need hats."

"I—books. I want to find a few to entertain me—"

Ruby laughed. "Oh, Sasha, you make me laugh. You will not need books out here. Entertainment is everywhere! We can see the opera next week if you wish. A play is also scheduled to arrive by Monday and I have wanted to see it for quite some time now. Or we can go and have a walk to the park on the morrow if you—oh, I cannot go on the morrow. I have things to do. Perhaps the next day. And the day after that, I will take you to meet a few good friends of mine. Have you been invited to a Christmas ball? You should get invitations. Belcourt can handle that, unless your mission is—" Ruby paused, realizing her slip. She took Sasha aside. "Have you received your mission?"

So, it was true. They did have missions.

"I am yet to receive it."

"Oh. Well, fret not. It could merely be a little spying on a gentleman at a ball such as my first one."

Sasha blinked. "It does not always have to be your flower?"

Ruby chuckled. "Silly, of course not! But it could be his friend. Or his cousin. Or his bloody butler. Anyone!" Ruby started walking backward, smiling at Sasha as she followed. "So, you see, Sasha? We are free here. So long as we do our tasks, so long as we deliver what is expected of us, so long as we keep our lips tight at certain subjects, the world is to ours for the taking!"

She couldn't help but chuckle along.

Ruby had that effect. Her brightness and charm were contagious.

*****

Sasha could sense that someone was following her.

She was not certain how, but she was certain she was right.

Ruby had gone off to meet a few of her friends after they had their tea. Sasha insisted to walk back to her villa with her new books.

She had the same ominous feeling earlier when she was on her way out of an alleyway after buying her books.

It was the same feeling she had that night when she...

She closed her eyes and shook her head.

She must merely be feeling this way because of the notion that she would soon be given a mission. The word suggested mystery and adventure, of danger and secrets.

When the feeling did not go away, she hastened her steps. She should have taken Iyana with her.

A group of young girls laughing with smoke coming out of their mouths was coming toward her. She moved to the side as they passed and that was when it happened.

Something—or someone, rather, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into a very narrow alleyway she had not noticed she passed by merely a few steps before.

"What—"

A gloved hand covered her mouth to silence her.

Sasha's heart began to beat faster.

Was she going to die today?

Just before Christmas Eve?

Just a day after her twenty-third birthday?

Just a day before she could get her first mission as a Belle?

But as her eyes adjusted to the darkness in the alleyway, they widened with surprise.

He was standing too close to her and she could clearly see his face.

Noting that she finally recognized him, he spoke, a breath of smoke coming out of his mouth. "You ought to be careful where you walk around this town," he said. "It is not safe everywhere."

She slapped his hand away. "I could see that now," she snapped, pushing him away. "Give me one good reason why I should not start screaming for help now, sir," Sasha demanded. "Is this how you treat your Belle?"

West's jaw tightened at the last word.

Did he hate the thought of her being his Belle that much?

"And this area of the town had been safe until you started to follow me," Sasha said, brushing off snow from her shoulders and arms. She looked around, realizing she had lost her books.

They lay at the side of the street, in the light, just outside the dark alleyway. When she turned, intending to fetch them, West's strong grip returned to her arm.

"Let go of me at once. You are not in liberty to touch me yet," she gritted out, throwing him a look.

"This had to be done."

"What? The slight abduction?" She glared at him. "You said you shall not be seeing me until I have settled. I am not yet settled."

He looked down at her and her gray dress. "Clearly."

"You are... you..." Sasha closed her eyes and calmed herself. This man could potentially help her with her upcoming mission. She could not dismiss him entirely for now. "Mind not, you might simply be odd. You could have called on me properly like last night."

"The matter I need to discuss with you could not be discussed in your villa."

"Whyever not?"

His light blue eyes were filled with knowing. "Your villa is filled with ears from Belcourt."

Sasha felt a shiver ran up her spine. This man knew a little about Belcourt.

"And whatever you wish to discuss cannot be done at your place where the ears are paid by you?"

His face remained impassive as he said, "I would rather not have you grace my estate, my lady. You are to remain separate from my affairs and my title."

There was that mocking tone again. Oh, these titled brutes truly held their status and title precious, didn't they? They hated it when someone pretentiously tries to carry one.

Sasha gritted her teeth to keep from her fist from landing perfectly on his perfect face.

"Rightly so," she said instead through her teeth. She looked down the narrow path of the alleyway. "A dark and filthy place is the best venue for me then?"

Something flashed in his eyes, but it soon disappeared before she could decipher it. "I am here to give you a proposition."

"What sort?" she asked, hoping he was not thinking of some dangerous fantasies he might have that comprised her, him, and a dark alleyway.

"One you may find very hard to pass."

Sasha blinked with impatience. "I am not a very patient woman today, sir. I would rather you tell me what it is that you have in mind so I can fetch my books and return home."

He remained unbothered, simply staring at her intently. "If you can help me with a small task, I can help you find a way out of Belcourt."


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