Alexander entered her home, wobbly and a little disoriented. She had no idea what overcame the two of them last night. She didn't regret it. Alexander knew they were playing a dangerous game with even more dangerous consequences. These thoughts swirled in her head as she sat in her office chair. She knew she wouldn't stop it.

The stack of papers on her desk required her attention, but her eyes wouldn't focus enough to read the words. The ink next to her folded arms remained untouched. When the office door opened, Alexander didn't even hear the footsteps approaching her until her mother sat in the chair on the opposite side of the desk. They stared at each other, but no words could be spoken because what could be said that neither of them already knew?

Mother spoke first like she always had, "I have a terrible idea."

Alexander cackled out like a wild hyena. "Damn, woman, is the world ending already? I didn't think I would ever hear those words from your mouth."

Mother's stone facade didn't break. Her brown eyes bored into Alexander with such intensity that it made the room thick with anticipation. "I'm serious."

Alexander leaned back into her chair. "I can tell... What's the matter?"

Mother scooted the invite to Violet's birthday ball closer to Alexander to capture her full attention. "I've been... debating... or maybe even dreaming about this for a while. And when I read that the ball will be a masquerade theme, I started to tear up and couldn't hold onto it anymore." Mother's eyes began to tear up again as she recounted the last time she cried. "If... if we're very careful... I think we could pull it off."

"Pull what off? Mother, what made you so upset?"

"I want you to wear a dress–"

"Absolutely not." Alexander slammed her hands on the desk. "Have you lost your godforsaken mind? How could you even consider this a possibility?"

"Alex, please... Please just listen to me." Alexander crossed her arms as her mother sighed. "This isn't some spur-of-the-moment idea that crossed my fuddled mind. This ball is just the perfect opportunity that has been presented to make the idea become a reality. I want... I desperately want..." Mother shook her head as if to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. Alexander handed her the handkerchief from her jacket pocket. "Thank you, love. I just want you to have one night where you don't have to... live like a man and be the beautiful, courageous woman you have always been. I just want one night for you."

Alexander sank into her chair under the pressure in front of her. "You want something for me that cannot be done. A life that I cannot possess." She looked over at her mother, who wiped at her tears. "But... if you show me just how much you prepared for such an event, then I will consider it a possibility."

Her mother all but jumped out of her chair with wide eyes and a giant smile. "You mean this, Alex? You will consider it?"

Alexander nodded and leaned forward in her chair towards her mother. "Yes, but we will have to be extremely cautious. This isn't like the stunts you pulled with Mitchel yesterday in the comfort of our own home. This will be in the public eye. A lot can go wrong." Alexander's heart pounded at the worries that could occur but also at the excitement of being who she truly wanted to be. "But I want to try it. I am... God help me... excited."

Mother popped up from her chair with a giggle. "Yes, I'm excited as well. Don't be angry with me but I have arranged for you to see a dressmaker... She had already had your measurements from all the specialty suits you had made, but she had been waiting for you."

Alexander narrowed her eyes. "Why would she be waiting for me?"

Mother's eyes followed down from Alexander's face to the middle of the duke's chest. "Well... she needs one more measurement to ensure everything fits as it should."

Alexander blushed as she grabbed at her bandaged chest. "Oh... Well, that does make sense. When should we leave–"

"Now would be a good time as any, love. I'll have the help ready the carriage." Mother rushed out the office door so Alexander could make no argument.

After a short while, the carriage is ready and parked outside the front door like it always is for travels outside the estate. While Alexander and her mother had made trips to town before, they were very few and in between. Neither of them made appearances around Patu unless necessary, and sometimes not even then. Whenever they needed food, they sent servants. The help would go if they needed supplies, and they paid the doctor extra to make home visits. So it wasn't unexpected to get stares when they arrived in town together.

The carriage was parked outside one of the largest dress shops known to Patu, the owner inside was the best at her craft, and everyone paid a pretty coin to get something made from her. Alexander followed after her ecstatic mother through the front doors, where a bell rang to indicate new customers. The shop was empty today. The building was usually bustling with women from all over; the silence was eerie to Alexander.

"Hello! Hello! Charlotte! Alexander! Oh, I'm so happy you could convince this lovely child to come in today!" A woman came around the corner with such an elaborate dress that could've been worn down an aisle of a church for a wedding. "I was worried that Alexander would be stubborn like we discussed, friend."

The dressmaker, Fannie, walked over to my mother and kissed both cheeks before doing the same to Alexander. She laughed at Alexander's wide-eyed expression. "Oh, darling, such a look you have. I'm from the south. We kiss upon meeting."

"Right... Right. So, I thought this place was usually bustling. Why is it so empty today?" Alexander asked as Fannie closed the curtains on the store's front windows.

"It's for you! I can't have you getting spotted here when we have such an elaborate plan all set out for you. We have to fix years of manliness out of you." Fannie waved them into the back of the building. "Come, you two! I have most of the dress fixed, besides the corset and top. It won't take but a few more days to complete."

Alexander leaned down to whisper in her mother's ear as they walked back. "Seems like you've been planning this for a while."

Mother rolled her eyes. "Stop your fussing. This old woman can be sneaky when it's needed."

The back of the building was a wall with an old wooden door with gold markings throughout. Fannie opened the door with a set of keys she pulled out of a pocket in her dress. Once open, the fabric seemed to pour out crevices that Alexander didn't think possible. Fabric and paper with dresses drawn on them were stacked on the high vaulted ceiling above. Once inside the room, Fannie locked them all in there.

"There, we should all be safe and sound here now. Come here, child, and stand in the middle where there's nothing under your feet." Fannie pulled Alexander into the middle of the room. "Alright. Should I assist you in removing your top portion of clothing, or will you do it yourself?"

Alexander jerked back. "Um, I'm c-capable of removing my clothes."

Fannie waved her on. "Do so, child. I don't have all day."

Alexander glared at her mother, who covered her mouth to keep the snorting and laughing under control. From how red her mother's face was, Alexander could tell she was having a rough time.

Alexander's fingers trembled over her caveat and buttons but eventually freed herself from the constriction of clothes. When she got to the wrappings, her fingers stopped moving. Her mother walked up beside her and tenderly pulled on the latch that kept the wrappings together, helping Alexander peel them off to reveal the small breasts that she possessed. Instinctively, she covered her chest with her folded arms.

"Look at how cute and perky they are! What a lucky girl!" Fannie moved Alexander's arms with a measuring string in her hands. "There! I got the measurement I needed for the corset and top half of the dress." She turned to Alex's mother. "I should have this done in a few days, as we've discussed. And don't worry about anything. I will have this dress delivered to you personally. I don't need any of you picking this up and anyone causing unnecessary drama. Everything will be planned out accordingly."

Mother grabbed Fannie's hands with such a heartwarming smile that Alexander melted herself. "I can't thank you enough. I really can't."

Fannie smiled back. "This is what I do, honey. Say no more."

Alexander cleared her throat. "Yes, well... Thank you all the same."

Fannie walked over to the door and unlocked it for them. "Shoo, you two! I don't want either of you peeking at the dress until it's done! Everything will be perfect. Please be careful on your way back home!"

All but pushing them out herself, Alexander and her mother hurried out of the store and back into the carriage waiting on them. The ride back home was silent, but Alexander could taste the hope and happiness beaming off her mother. She looked out the window with tears streaming down her cheeks. A smile spread widely on her face. Alexander watched the scene unfold with a shared smile. Seeing her mother so happy made the risk seem worth it.

"Alex, I do have something else I want to spring on you," Mother said as they walked through the front door of the estate.

"Any more surprises, and you might send me to an early grave, mother."

Alexander followed her mother up the stairs and took a right to her bedroom. Mother went straight to her vanity and sat down at the dainty chair with a heavy sigh.

"This is very important to me, Alex. I want you to wear something for me at the ball." Mother slid her hand under her vanity and pushed something to open a secret compartment. The masquerade mask that she pulled out made Alexander lose her breath. "This mask... is the same mask I wore when I met your father."

Mother ran her fingers over the intricate gold markings that danced over the blue hues. The mask reminded Alexander of bird feathers if such an animal could be so sophisticated. Mother looked up at Alexander with a smile. "I just know the blue will make your eyes look magical."

When her mother handed over the mask, her hands trembled under the weight of it. The only thing heavy about it was its importance and history. Alexander hardly ever cried, but she wasn't surprised to see a teardrop slide off the mask. "Mom... Thank you."

Her mother embraced Alexander with such force that both bodies almost tumbled over. Through tears and laughter, mother tied the mask around Alexander's head. She sat down at her mother's vanity to stare at the being in the mirror. If she was born to be anything, Alexander knew she was born to wear this mask.

Alexander didn't notice her mother move from the chair until something big, white, and puffy covered the top of her head. "A wig?"

"Naturally, love. You will have to cover up any trace of Alexander Izar."

"Ah... so a new identity as well. I should have a name then."

Mother tried to fix the messy wig on top of Alexander's head. "I will have to style this thing. But yes, you will need another name to go by."

Alexander fiddled with her jacket button. "What's... what's the name you would've named me if you could've had a feminine one?"

Her mother stopped and squeezed Alexander's shoulder. "We had already agreed before birth that you would be called Alexander, no matter if you were a boy or a girl. Sometimes I would think about how different it would have been if your father wasn't sick." She took in a deep breath and nodded. "I was going to call you Evelyn... Or Eve for short."

"Right... A pretty girl's name." Alexander placed her hand over her mother's.

Her mother bent down and kissed Alexander's cheek. "You are a pretty girl, Alexander... The most precious gift I was ever given. Never forget that."

Alexander left her mother's room and went into her own to be alone with her thoughts. Her head was racing over the possibility of being caught and how much she wanted this to happen. It was a fight inside her head.

She walked over to her window and looked at the sun setting for the day. Alexander thought the beautiful sunset was a wonderful way to end such an eventful day with the exhaustion settling in her bones. She couldn't help but wonder what her sun was doing right now.