“I hate this.” Annabelle mutters to Elisayra as the two women take their turn to wash their faces in the fresh basin of water provided to them in their room with the nameless girl.
“You hate…washing?” Elisayra asks, taking a moment's pause to look at the much larger woman in the mirror.
“What? No, I mean I hate having to pretend to be a slave to this marked girl.” She huffs, casting her vision through the reflection to see the girl in question in the process of putting on her shoes.
“Yea.. I don’t really like it either, but it’s not too bad. I don’t hate marked people as much as you do but I still don't like pretending to be her slave. It feels kinda wrong, like I'm betraying Casper almost.”
“That too. After all he’s done for us, playing pretend with this girl feels insulting.” Annabelle sighs, splashing a handful of water on her face. “Here.”
Annabelle dabs the towel hanging near the basin into the water.
“Come here.” She ushers the small half elf towards her.
Just as they have been the past couple of days. Elisayra closes her eyes, presses her lips tight together and puffs out her cheeks slightly in a rather cute display, while Annabelle wipes at her dirt covered face with the wet towel.
Annabelle chuckles to herself a little, as she often did at the display. Taking care to get the creases around her nose and the sleep in her eye.
She felt bad for Elisayra… both for the pain she must feel in her mangled hands but for the feeling of helplessness she must have to overcome.
Annabelle couldn’t imagine being in her position, being so reliant on someone else for all of the mundane activities of life, but she was still happy to help.
Once done, Elisayra lets out a small puff of air from holding her breath.
Annabelle ruffles the small girl's hair, laughing as Elisayra begins the start of a protest.
“Noooo!”
“Just making it more layered.” Annabelle teases, and then takes care to readjust the strands to lay them evenly on her head.
“We need to take a proper bath tonight.” Annabelle notes, catching a faint whiff of herself as she brings her arms up to stretch.
“We really do, so much time on the road, I feel like the dirt’s in my ears.” Elisayra grumbles to herself, trying to shake the perceived dirt from her head, re messing up her hair.
“You should have said something.” Annabelle reprimands, re-wetting the cloth and doing what she can to clean Elisayra's pointed ears, and then re-fixes her hair for her.
“Thanks Anna.” the half elf smiles.
“Course, after all, it’s you and me forced to be with this… with Engee, I gotta make sure you are taken care of so you can take care of me.” she winks.
“You know I have your back.” Elisayra smiles wide, though it drops slightly as the sound of footsteps from behind to kill the mood.
“I should remind you, it was Casper’s plan.” the nameless girl notes in a steady monotone.
Annabelle narrows her eyes, rolls them, which prompts a slight smile from Elisayra, and then turns to face their pretend master for the evening.
“I am well aware. He told me to cooperate and play my part, which I will, in public. I don’t have to pretend to like you in private.” Annabelle emphasizes the point by forcing her way past the nameless girl, out of the wash room.
“Sorry…” Elisayra mutters softly as she follows the larger woman out, leaving the nameless girl to herself yet again as they make their way to the door.
“Casper left me with a large sum of money to purchase clothing, and the required gear for the both of you. I was thinking we could also go and eat some food at a local place, Casper said we should try and settle in after all.”
“Sure, whatever you command, master.” Annabelle mocks with no small amount of annoyance.
“Annabelle…please, I am trying to ensure-”
“I know what you are trying to do, you are trying to get close to Casper. Not sure why, but I’ve seen you try and be close to him, take his attention away, touch him all the damn time. I might be missing an eye but I'm not blind.” the ex-bandit snaps slightly.
“Anna…” Elisayra begins, but is promptly cut off as Annabelle turns from the door to face the nameless girl.
“So here is what I am going to do. I am going to pretend to be your personal guard. I am going to get something comfortable, something useful for combat, and I am going to stay quiet, and play my part. I am not going to pretend to like you. I am not going to talk to you unless it’s related to my position as your guard, and I’m not going to listen to anything you have to say that isn’t an order.” Annabelle crosses her arms as she looks down at the nameless girl.
The nameless girl stares unmoved by her words, watching Annabelle with a blank, and slightly bored expression, which pissed Annabelle off royally. She was about to continue her tirade, maybe adding something about the fact that the only reason she wasn’t actively trying to kill this nameless girl was because Casper had managed to convince her off that path, barely, but before she could continue, the nameless girl broke eye contact with an exhale.
“Very well, I apologize. Let's be off then.” She says, side stepping Annabelle and leaving through the doors.
Watching the nameless girl go, Annabelle waited a moment as Elisayra got her attention.
“You didn’t have to be so mean you know.” Elisayra says softly.
“Maybe once I get a few drinks in me, I will have the stomach to tell you about the kind of shit the marked is said to have done. I'm sure you’ve heard the stories but being on the road, you hear a lot more. If you knew what I knew you wouldn't have so much sympathy.” Annabelle remarks, her tone softening as she realized the harshness in his voice was making Elisayra recoil slightly.
“Are they really that scary?”
“Even more than you are imagining.” Annabelle sighs, looking out at the nameless girl, who was now waiting for them to catch up at the end of the hall.
“We will bear it for now, because Casper asked us to, right?” Elisayra asks.
Annabelle could tell that this half elf thought highly of the man, just the same as she did. But she could also tell Elisayra didn’t have many friends, or even direction.
In a way, Elisayra reminded her of herself from years past. Constantly trying to prove herself, trying to be useful to someone.
In that, Elisayra was hoping that she would agree to cooperate, because as close as the two had gotten over their travels, Elisayra was bound to Casper. This meant that if Elisayra thought Annabelle might cause problems for Casper, she would be obligated to tell him.
Annabelle had no intention of creating any more issues for the man who saved her life. She had already overstepped a number of times and she was lucky to still be standing because of it.
No, she wanted to prove to him that she was still an asset to him. Still someone worth keeping by his side. In that way, Annabelle felt very much the same as Elisayra she thought.
“We will,” Annabelle confirms, trying to put the girl's mind at ease.
She didn’t want to worry her any more. She was already a bundle of nerves and Annabelle's own personal issues were causing that to worsen, which wasn’t at all fair she realized.
“Sorry for worrying you. Now, let's try and enjoy ourselves as much as we can manage. Maybe once Casper returns we can ask to go out to eat and drink and relax after all this. Does that sound alright to you?”
The prospect of relaxing seemed to do the trick, as Elisayra smiled wide at the thought.
They were all tired, and Elisayra had been working extra hard to carry her own weight in spite of everything. Perhaps if everyone could simply cool down, it would give Elisayra the excuse she needs to also relax.
“Now, let's not keep our “Master” waiting.” Annabelle mocked, rolling her eyes dramatically, prompting a laugh from Elisayra as the two women joined the nameless girl in leaving the inn.
The midday sun was pleasant on her skin. It was all Annabelle dared to focus on, because every other aspect of the city made her want to run back out into the woods.
Annabelle rested her hand on Elisayra's back, keeping her close to her legs as they walked, protecting her from the mid nobles who didn’t bother to look any lower than their noses when they walked.
The stench of piss and shit was far away from them so high in the central spire, but still the air carried the acid tang of far too many bodies marinating in barely civilized stew.
Annabelle held Elisayra closer, as she felt the half elf's hands pinch the fabric of her pant leg, and sidestepped a drunkard as he is thrown from a tavern down into the streets, spilling his mug of ale over the two girls.
“Shorry miss…” the man slurred, squinting his eyes up at the slave collars around her neck before cracking a rotten smile. “Say…”
“Off with you.” the nameless girl commanded from nearby.
Despite her… rather prepubescent male voice attempt, it commanded a shocking amount of authority. It wasn’t much, but enough to make the drunk slunk off into some other tavern he hadn’t yet been booted from.
Where did this girl get that kind of authority from? Annabelle wondered to herself.
As much as she hated this marked woman, she was begrudgingly grateful she at least played her role well, and saved them the trouble of making a scene.
Annabelle huffed slightly, and pressed onward, keeping close to the nameless girl, and ensuring Elisayra kept by her side at all times.
The group approached a clothing store then, and Annabelle and Elisayra both were ordered to follow.
The minute they entered the establishment, a rather grand, compact space, all eyes were on them.
Annabelle felt herself instinctively sizing up every single person in the room. Her eyes tracing the folds of their clothes for weapons, concealed armor. How many there were, which exits were closest, what she could use as a weapon.
“You can keep the big one, but the half breed stays outside.” A skeleton of a woman droned from her position behind the counter.
“It isn’t safe for her out there, she will remain with me.” the nameless girl says curtly, turning to begin to look at clothing.
“Perhaps I wasn’t clear.” the woman enunciates each word with infuriating precision, making the p’s pop and the r’s drag. “Half breed - aren’t - welcome - here.”
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Annabelle had half the mind to reach over the counter and break her nose on the wooden surface. Where they anywhere else maybe she might have, but now wasn’t the time for anger.
Elisayra continues to clutch at her pant leg, holding the fabric between her palm and the back of her other hand, inching closer, trying to hide herself behind Annabelle's thigh.
“It’s alright… I can.” Elisayra started in a low whisper, but quickly found her voice drowned in the cold command of the nameless girl's reproach.
“Perhaps I wasn’t clear.” she says, taking a single step towards the counter. “She is my property. She is not a half breed, she is a slave. My slave. Now, I can either take her with me to ensure I make a purchase in your fine establishment. Or I leave her outside and, should anything happen to her, I will see you financially responsible.”
The store's owner puffs her chest slightly, her face flush from the audacity of the nameless girl's counter attack. “She is… she is a half breed! Slave or not she can’t be worth much. I’m sure the risk-”
“It isn’t about how much I paid for her, it is how much she is worth to me. I value her services to me to be 5,000 gold marks. I will leave her out, but as I said should anything happen-”
“Fine, fine.” the woman waves her hand dismissively, eager to be done with the argument. “If she means so much to you, fine. But keep the mutt on a leash will you?”
“I will see it done, should you sell any collars.” the nameless girl cocks a smile, and ushers the two women deeper into the store.
For a slave herself just playing pretend, she sure as hell did it well. Annabelle considered, watched the skinny figure of the nameless girl begin to search through the men's section, looking for a more apt noble disguise that was a little more fitting.
“I'm sorry…” Elisayra offers, once they noticed the eyes of the other patrons leave them.
“There is nothing to be sorry for. I would hate to see anything done to you, given how ruthless city nobles seem to be.”
“Thank you.” Elisayra finishes softly.
Annabelle watches with passive disinterest as the nameless girl shops. She didn’t care much for it honestly. She was always a function over form kind of gal, and though it managed to be a survivable experience with Casper, it was far from her idea of a good time.
Looking down to Elisayra however, it appeared she had a much stronger interest.
The small half elves' eyes danced from clothing rack to clothing rack, from mannequin to mannequin.
This was probably the first time she had ever stepped foot in a clothing store of this quality. Sure she had gone with Casper not long after she was taken in, but that was a clothing store is Ostlen. This establishment made that place look like peasant garb.
Casper had wanted them to get something to wear to better blend in. Elisayra was meant to be a slave, but she had seen some slaves in nice clothes during her time as a bandit.
“Would you like to go look?” Annabelle offered
“Ah! You noticed? Sorry…” Elisayra tried to dismiss it.
“I did, we should look at some options for you, Casper wanted us to dress nicely, didn’t he?”
“True… but all of the items here are so expensive…”
“That’s alright, we have a lot of money.” Annabelle smiles.
Realizing that Elisayra was still too anxious, Annabelle made the first steps and took the little half elf along with her.
Annabelle didn’t know the first thing about fashion, but she knew Elisayra was excited about the idea, so she repressed her own dislike of the activity to ensure that her friend enjoyed it.
She followed Elisayra around as the girl's eyes got wider and wider with each new outfit that grabbed her attention.
It was cute, Annabelle thought, as she trailed her. Elisayra looked almost like a small little rabbit jumping around excitedly in a farmers vegetable garden, her pointed ears, and thicker, longer legs compared to the rest of her body further pushed the imagery which causes a slight laugh to rise in Annabelle's chest.
“As much as I would like to encourage you, you probably shouldn’t pick every outfit you enjoy. We still have to pack these sometime later after all.”
Elisayra slowed to a stop in front of another mannequin, the pile of clothing already so high in her arms she was struggling to see over the top of it all.
“You think so?”
“Yes, we still need functional clothes, plus travel supplies, maybe narrow it down to your top three?” Annabelle offers.
“But that's so hard…” Elisayra pouts slightly.
“I can help you, come on, let’s go to the changing room.” she offers, guiding Elisayra through the maze to the nearest private area.
It was safe to say that Elisayra’s choice was rather varied.
Annabelle started by helping Elisayra out of her original garments, leaving her nearly nude with only her under clothes, which were in poor shape.
“We need to get you some new underwear as well.” Annabelle notes, as she helps the half elf into the first article she procured from the store.
The first, a flowy regal dress that looked somewhere between a ball gown and a wedding dress of pure pink.
“Lets not.”
The second, a high noble, librarian adjacent attire that managed to make Elisayra appear to be twice her actual age.
“Unless you feel like using a walking stick to sell the look, no.”
“The third was a flowy summer dress of pure white. Given how long Elisayra's legs were when compared to the rest of her body, it revealed a little of her ankle which would have made the men in the city positively feral were this a generation earlier.
“I think it looks cute on you, you should keep that one.” Annabelle offers.
The next three were disastrous and very ill suited for someone of Elisayra's body type. However the second to last, and last items were quite nice.
One looked almost military in its design. A single piece short skirted dress with squared shoulders, puffy sleeves, and a pleated skirt that ended just at the knees. The look was made complete with a barrette style hat in a foreign fashion, tall knee high socks that accentuated her legs, and shin high black boots, almost all in black.
The other was more in line with what she had first worn when she became a member of their party, though more fitting for that of someone with money. A red open breast coat sat over a white top complete with a leather corset. Bluish skin tight leggings were worn underneath, and leather middle thigh length heeled boots made the half elf look like quite the noble attendant.
“Those last two also look very good on you. I think those are your winners.” Annabelle offers, smiling at the look of satisfaction Elisayra wore with pride as she twisted her hips and examined herself in the mirror.
“What about yourself?” Elisayra asks, turning her gaze over her shoulder to the bigger woman.
“What about me? I will get what I need to wear under my armor and that is well with me. I don’t need anything fancy. I'm here to protect you all as best I can. Frills and adornments only get in the way.” she dismisses.
“Really? I thought you would like to get something nice even just for yourself. After all… the way Casper looked at you when you wore that dress from the auction house… I only saw it after it was torn and bloodied, but I thought it was very nice looking.” Elisayra offers, her cheeks reddening slightly.
Annabelle found herself blushing then too. She did recall enjoying the look on Casper's face when she emerged from the dressing room.
“Hmmm.” Annabelle thinks to herself.
“You helped me! Let me help you pick out something nice. You deserve a good set of clothes just as we do. Like you said we will get out other supplies and gear later. You wouldn’t want to upset Casper would you?” She adds at the end.
“Using my own strategy against me?” Annabelle challenges with a raised eyebrow.
“Mhm!”
“Well, it worked. Let’s see what I can find then…” Annabelle conceded.
She had seen the way Casper looked at her, she wanted to be seen by him. She liked knowing his eyes were on her, thinking about her, because the gods knew she did the same to him.
Maybe buying something to get his attention would help, she started to convince herself. Especially with Laihal now in their party threatening to take his focus away from her. She would be damned to lose to some half-fiend succubus. She liked to think she had a good idea of what Casper liked, so she would use that to ensure that it was her who had the attention.
Annabelle rifled through the collection of clothing for nearly double the time that Elisayra had taken. While the half elf piled clothes high, Annabelle instead strategically took exactly what she needed, but only after scrutinizing it heavily.
The nameless girl had already finished, and Elisayra was likely already regretting shifting her focus to this, but Annabelle was determined to win the imaginary bout between the other women and as such was an unstoppable force as she collected her items.
Afterwards, she moved to the changing room to test out her designs.
A special top, a special bottom, intricate accessories, minutes upon minutes as she styled her hair, fixed her expression, and turned to see all of her hard work.
“Maybe… I can help you?” Elisayra offers, wincing at the sight of the larger woman.
Annabelle didn’t understand it… looking in the mirror was a reflection of utter failure. She had sworn she picked out every individual thing Casper had found attractive, to her knowledge, and instead of coming out looking like the best of all that beauty, she instead looked like all of its negatives.
“This is bullshit.” Annabelle grumbles, tearing off the items she had so painstakingly acquired one at a time. “I shouldn’t have bothered…” she continues, stripping it all off and itching to get out of this damn store.
Turning around to put her original attire back on, she was instead met with Elisayra, sheepishly holding out a collection of items she had passively acquired during Annabelle's own scavenger hunt.
“What’s this?” she asked, looking down at the odd assortment.
“It’s for you… I thought maybe this would look good on you, if you wanted to try it?” Elisayra offered.
Annabelle pinched a collection of leather strapped attached around metal rings with passing curiosity.
“What is this? She asks, trying to figure out how to orient what essentially looked like a bit and bridle for a horse.
“It’s… a harness I think. Do you want to try it?” she offers, her cheeks a little red.
“You think Casper will like it?”
“I think he would… plus this other stuff i picked out.”
“Then sure. I suppose I shouldn't let all this effort go to waste.” Annabelle concedes, “so how does it work?”
“I think, you step in here…” Elisayra offers, pinching each piece between her palms, as she is unable to use her fingers, piece by piece she helps Annabelle in.
Annabelle shivers slightly as the cold rings of metal touch her bare skin, and on reflex closes her legs slightly as Elisayra begins to help tighten the belt like straps around her, close to more intimate areas.
“This is… ahem.” Annabelle clears her throat, momentarily finding herself conflicted in the sensations moving through her.
On one hand, the cold metal and tight leather being tightened around her thighs, her hips, and her breasts made her slightly uncomfortable… it was all so unfamiliar and so far removed from anything she had ever done herself.
On the other hand, even without the use of her fingers Elisayra's dexterity was unmatched. Her skin tingled as the half elf worked the leather, tightened it the perfect amount. Annabelle watched as her chest became even more pronounced, as a strip of leather set down the middle of her sternum, and under each breast was tightened to give each a frame. And she found herself breathing heavily, as Elisayra had to use her mouth to cinch down the belts at her back.
Stepping away from the woman, Elisayra and Annabelle both examined her in the harness. Her chest and privates were still covered from her undergarments, but the skin toned, tight fitting cloth did very little to hide anything really.
Annabelle caught Elisayra's expression in the glass, both of their cheeks were bright red, as they realized then just how hot the changing room was.
“H-here…” Elisayra stammered slightly, holding out the other articles of clothing for Annabelle to wear.
“Right, thank you.” Annabelle cleared her throat, and began to situate herself into the items Elisayra had picked for her.
Somehow, the more fabric she put on, the more exposed she felt. The top was a low cut jacket top, that came to a close at her belt line, which was held there by a small waist cinch. The pants she wore were skin tight and black, though it looked as though they had been cut in half lengthwise along the seam, and then stitched loosely back together, providing a lattice window from her ankle to her hip. The harness around her thighs, ass, breasts and stomach were all clearly visible, despite the “essentials” being hidden.
“I think this is a bit much.” Annabelle offered, her face bright red.
“I think Casper would really enjoy it though.” Elisayra offered.
Annabelle examined herself in the mirror some more. It was more skin than she was used to showing in public, but she didn’t mind it too much honestly.
After the initial shock of the look wore off, she felt rather proud of her assets and built. This outfit accentuated all of that. She had worked hard for this body, why not show a little pride? She thought.
She stood there, examining her own reflection in the quiet, warm air of the changing room, listening to the murmur of conversation outside. Basking in the still hair, in the warmth, the moment to herself.
“Here, let me just…” Elisayra offered, moving to adjust a few more pieces.
Annabelle felt herself become momentarily lost in the half elf's touch. Distracted by the smoothness of her skin along her stomach, as she tightened another belt, the warm breath at her waist, as her cinch was adjusted.
Maybe Annabelle was imagining it, but she could have sworn Elisayra was distracted too.
“Are you two nearly done?” The nameless girl's false male voice drew them both from the moment like a splash of cold water.
“We are…” Annabelle said suddenly, her sense returning to her, the realization of the emotions settling in an uncomfortable place in her mind. She needed to get out of the changing room.
Without thinking, she opened the door and emerged in her attire, gathering looks from nearly everyone in the building, but for a very different reason than when they first arrived.
“Oh…” the nameless girl started, her eyes wide as she took a step back to examine Annabelle. “That's… wow.” she cocked her head down, satisfied, impressed even, Annabelle realized.
She found herself blushing, but she quickly buried it. She didn’t want to impress this woman. She didn’t want to impress anyone, anyone other than Casper that was.
“Are we done?” Annabelle asks sternly
“Yes, yes we are. It's getting late already and I'm sure everyone is hungry. We will have to do our equipment shopping later.” the nameless girl clears her throat of the shock of Annabelle's new look.
Without another word, the three women pay for their new clothing and leave the establishment.
As the dressing room disappears with the closing of the shop door, Annabelle's mind races with justification for the thoughts that still managed to linger, trapped in that space.
Maybe it was because she hadn’t relieved herself lately? Or she was overly stressed, or maybe it had just been too long since someone touched her in any way that wasn’t meant to harm her… because otherwise….
Annabelle shook her head.
No.
These thoughts weren’t right. Elisayra? She was a woman, she was her friend. Surely the anxiety in her chest and knot in her stomach was a byproduct of something else, a mistake, a misunderstanding of her own emotions.
Was she really this touch starved? Really so desperate she became…
No
She shook her head more violently this time.
She needed a drink, she needed to sleep, she needed to clear her head, relieve herself, maybe not in that specific order.
“Annabelle?” Elisayra’s small voice catches her off guard.
Shit, she must have been really distracted then.
“Yes- yes?” Annabelle tried to calm her voice, tried to calm herself.
“You look really really good.”
Annabelle offered a smile. “So do you, I'm happy with our picks.”
“Thank you for helping me by the way.” Elisayra continues, her feet shuffling slightly on the cobblestones.
“Of course. What are friends for?” Annabelle returns the smile suddenly, hoping there wasn’t anything more