For the first time in my life, I was wearing clothes that… made me feel like I wasn’t human.

“I don’t mind playing a part, Vim… but can I?” I asked, adjusting the thick silk wrapped around my breasts. It was hard to do, especially since a young boy who had been walking nearby paused as I did so.

Doing my best ignore the young boy’s odd look, I shifted my shoulders and decided to just let my new clothes be.

We were already in the noble’s district. And I was supposed to be a noble. Which meant I was supposed to look comfortable and normal here, in my own environment.

“Why can’t you?” he asked, his eyes were focused on the building in front of us.

“Because I feel ridiculous,” I complained softly. The dress was… actually not that bad. At least compared to many others that had been in that shop. But it felt really weird. Like it was going to slide off my skin, and reveal my whole naked body, at any moment. It was nerve wracking! I felt like I wasn’t wearing clothes but something made to torture me.

The fact humans wore such things so easily made me feel… out of place.

“You don’t look it,” he said.

“I feel out of place. Now I genuinely feel like I’m pretending to be something I’m not,” I said.

“Which is why you’ll be just fine. Your real attitude is basically how most noble women act. So… just be yourself,” he said with a shrug.

“Attitude?” I asked him.

“Only you could complain about that dress while looking so beautiful in it,” he said.

Gulping at his words, I knew better than to take that at face value… Especially since it sounded insincere while he wore what he did. He now wore a dark blue suit… and as much as it pained me to admit it, he looked really good in it.

Saying such words was definitely rich coming from him.

How does such an average looking man look so comfortable in such clothing?

“That’s not fair to say when you look so comfortable. You should have picked something better suited for me,” I said.

He finally looked away from the alabaster building we were approaching, and smiled at me. “See? Noble women always get what they want. Even when they don’t deserve it,” he said.

“Ah… I do sometimes, don’t I,” I nodded, agreeing with him.

Though granted, that was usually only thanks to his kindness.

“I’ll be your ward. A type of servant, but not. Think of me as related to you by blood, but still a servant. Or a guard. Someone you trust fully, yet see as beneath you,” Vim explained.

I nodded as I adjusted my right sleeve. The soft material was… loose. It wasn’t sliding free, or falling down, but it felt like it was. Which made me anxious.

“We’re not married anymore?” I asked him with a smile.

He grinned and pointed at a distant glimmer. The noon sun gleamed off what looked to be armor. Armor of knights.

“They’ll take one look at you and know you’re above them. So as long as you don’t stumble, they’ll do all the heavy lifting,” he said.

“Heavy lifting…” I whispered. What a way to phrase it.

“I as well. It’ll be fine. All we need to do is find the storeroom. Once we do, it honestly doesn’t matter what happens from there,” he said.

“Another fire?” I asked softly.

His small grin disappeared, and I felt bad for being the cause of its death. “Yes.”

“Such a waste,” I said.

“I know. But there’s no other method for us here. It’s not like you and I can carry out hundreds of paintings on our backs. And they won’t just give them to us,” he said.

“We could carry them out over their corpses,” I offered.

Vim slowed his already slow pace a little, but said nothing.

“Sorry. Alright. I can do this,” I said, hoping he’d forgive me.

He nodded, seemingly unbothered by my earlier comment. Even though I knew the truth.

A part of him wanted to do the same thing. But he, and I admitted I did too, knew that would do almost just as much harm.

My left glove shifted a little, and I wanted to groan as I went to putting it back in place.

“I don’t fit these,” I said.

“You’re fine. You’re just not used to the feel of the silk. You look great,” he said.

Although I knew he was saying such things just to calm me down… I still found myself blushing at his words.

Vim slowly came to a stop at an intersection. The last one before the large alabaster building, which supposedly housed the Knights of Carvill. It looked like a castle. A glowing one, thanks to the high sun.

“Remember Renn, we have a goal,” Vim said.

I nodded.

“Please. No matter what happens… don’t get angry. Don’t lose your temper. Promise me,” he said.

I nodded. “I promise Vim… as a thank you for letting me help, it’s the least I can do,” I said.

He blinked, and I smiled at him. As I did my right sleeve adjusted a little again. “I know you probably have a way to do this without me… so thank you. For giving me the chance to help. I appreciate it,” I said.

Vim stared at me for a moment before nodding. “Alright.”

“Alright,” I agreed.

“As you say, Renn Proscilla,” Vim then said.

“Huh?” I asked. Who was that?

“I have a friend in that family. Their territories are far south, and won’t cause them or us issues to use their name here,” he explained.

“A… family?” I asked.

“A noble family,” he nodded, and then noticed something at our feet.

I stepped back, worried I had stepped in something like mud or worse… but instead he knelt down to tie my shoe.

My heart skipped a beat as I watched him quickly, and easily, secure the lashes on my new shoes.

They weren’t too fancy, but they gleamed. Spotless.

He gestured for my other shoe, and I felt silly as I let him check the laces on the other as well.

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“Renn Proscilla… are they humans?” I asked.

“They are now,” he said firmly.

Frowning at that, I hoped he meant that in a good way and not a horrible one.

“I’ll do most the talking, being your ward. But they’ll undoubtedly give us grief at first. I’ll need you to pipe up and put them in their place for me when they do. You ready?” he asked me as he stood.

“Would you stop dallying already? I will be famished by the time this is over with at this rate,” I said with a huff.

Vim gave me a real smile. One that showed teeth as he chuckled. With a nod, he seemed to approve of my performance as he gave me a very distinct bow. He lowered his head, and turned his hand inward in an odd way.

I didn’t recognize that bow at all, but something told me anyone watching us would know it instantly.

“Lead the way,” I said simply.

“Of course Milady,” he said, with an odd voice.

My new hat was not as heavy, nor as nice in my opinion, as my other one. It too was… smooth and silky feeling, and wanted to move and fly off each time my ears moved.

And my ears did move at his odd voice.

Luckily, for me and him, Vim had pinned the hat down firmly for me. A good dozen pins held it in place.

“Hmph,” I held in my odd laugh as I allowed Vim to begin guiding me to the Knights of Carvill’s barracks.

As we neared the large white building, I watched the pair of armored knights study us on our approach.

Vim was walking close to me, but not as close as he had been lately. Also, his hand wasn’t at the small of my back anymore either.

For some odd reason that made me even more nervous.

Why couldn’t he have just pretended to by my husband? Or he the noble, and I the servant?

“State your business, Madam,” the older looking of the two knights said as we got close.

“I greet you, sir. This is Milady Renn Proscilla. We have come to inquire of your lord captain, if it would please him to meet with my lady,” Vim very quickly, and sounding very naturally, greeted the knight in turn.

Although Vim sounded… very odd, and spoke in a way that was far from his norm… I somehow found myself completely believing in him. As if this was in fact Vim, and the life he actually lived.

The two knights seemed to very obviously believe him as well, for they both looked at each other and nodded.

“I shall guide you Madam, please, this way,” the older knight was the one to oblige us. With an open palm he gestured to a large entrance, the one we would have probably simply walked into if not for them blocking it.

“As you may,” Vim said with a nod.

The guard nodded and turned, heading into the building.

Vim stood still, and glanced lightly at me. Getting the point, I went to following the knight.

Vim bowed as I passed him, and for the slightest moment I feared he was going to remain behind… and leave me to do this alone. But no, after a moment he went to following me, walking a few steps behind me.

Relieved, I did my best to not stare too much at the walls and doors we passed as we went deeper into the building. Somehow the hallways were very big… the ceilings were up high enough that they could have fit a whole other floor inside, if they hadn’t wasted so much space.

Oddly the place wasn’t that cold, which told me they probably burnt a lot of wood to heat this much open space and…

My jaw clenched as we rounded a corner, and the sight of statues came into view.

Marbled white, people had been carved out of stone. Men. Women. Children. Some naked, others not, but all of it was art. As much art as Lughes’ and Amber’s paintings.

The sights were a wonder, and I regretted each one we passed. Would it seem… un-noble of me to stop and stare for a moment?

Probably would. Since such sights were probably the norm for such people.

As we walked, the statues began to become fewer in number… which I was somewhat grateful for. Some of them were so detailed I was starting to wonder if looking at them was worth the risk.

“Brother,” a man without armor passed us, and nodded in greeting to the guard who was guiding us.

“Brother,” our guide said back, his armor clanking as he nodded extravagantly.

Amused, I wondered if this was more of a religious thing than not. There didn’t seem to be any… religious motifs anywhere. None on their armor, or the statues we passed. In fact some of the statues had been a little… too much, even for me. Which made it hard to imagine the church allowing them in their temples.

“Ah! Brother Lawrence!” the one guiding us spoke up upon seeing another man. A broad shouldered one, carrying a book.

“Brother, how can I help you?” Lawrence asked as we approached.

“This is Lady Renn. She has come to kindly beg a meeting of Lord Carvill,” our guide said.

Brother Lawrence looked from his brother, to myself. I noticed he didn’t even glance at Vim.

Which… was a little odd, considering he was wearing an extremely similar suit. In fact, it looked a little dated compared to Vim’s.

“I shall oblige them, brother. Return to your post,” Lawrence said calmly after staring at me for a moment.

“Thank you brother! Milady, beg your forgiveness but Brother Lawrence shall guide you from here,” our guide said with a formal bow. This one I recognized, since it was accompanied by a knights salute.

“Hm, very well,” I said gently.

The two men blinked, and for the tiniest moment I worried I had made a mistake. Was Vim supposed to have answered instead?

But no, the two men remained calm and simply nodded their heads. Our previous guide turned, and headed back where we had come from… and our new guide, Lawrence, gestured with an open palm to a hallway nearby. “Right this way Madam.”

I didn’t nod, and simply went to following him.

He walked calmly, and didn’t seem bothered at all. Although he was walking a little faster than our previous guide had.

“My Lord Carvill was just taking tea, so this is a prime opportunity my lady,” Lawrence said.

“Fortuitous,” Vim said from behind me.

Although expecting the man in front of me to tilt his head, or turn to face us, he instead kept walking. He nodded, as if in agreement with Vim’s assessment.

We entered the hallway, and suddenly the place wasn’t as neat anymore. Although the white stone was… pretty, and bright… and clean… that was all it was.

Simple stone.

There were no more statues. No more high ceilings. No more pillars or designs…

Somehow that annoyed me. If I was going to endure this, I should at least be rewarded a little… right?

I sighed, but did so quietly. If the man guiding us noticed, he didn’t show it.

Not long after entering the boring hallway, we were taken to a large pair of doors. Wooden doors, which the wood they were made out of was a bright red in color. Looking almost painted, yet didn't seem so.

Lawrence knocked on the door with a few taps, and waited for a few moments before opening the door.

He opened it before hearing an answer, which surprised me.

Before I stepped into the room, Vim tapped my shoulder. Looking at him, I watched as Vim entered the room before I did… leaving me alone in the hallway.

At first I thought he was telling me to keep up the good work, but I knew that hadn’t been the case.

He had wanted me to wait a moment.

Watching Vim enter the room behind Lawrence, I watched as Vim stopped a few feet from the door. He turned a little to nod at whoever he was looking at, but said nothing.

Listening into the room, I heard Lawrence and another man speak to one another. “Allow her in, please,” a man said.

Vim turned and then gestured for me to enter. He bowed as I entered. “My lady Renn Proscilla,” Vim introduced me as I entered the room.

The room was much smaller than I had thought it was going to be. Lawrence was standing in front of a large desk, which wasn’t that far from the door. Behind the desk, which had books and scrolls upon it, was an older man. Dressed in a light sleeved shirt. He didn’t look regal or knightly, honestly. In fact his frame, although larger than Lawrence’s, wasn’t as wide or stout as the other knights here.

“Lady Proscilla. I am the current captain of the Carvill knights. Part of my families traditions is we abandon our first names, when acting as the head of the family. Please address me as Carvill,” I was greeted by the man behind the desk. He put down a large feather… which was undoubtedly being used as a pen.

“Lord Carvill, I thank you for forgiving this sudden visit,” I said.

The man nodded gently, seemingly accepting my thanks in stride… as if I really did need to be thankful for his kindness.

For a small moment the silence started to linger, so I glanced at Vim. Making sure to look at him with as much normalcy as I could and not allow any of my fear or worry to be seen, I was glad that Vim seemed expectant of my look. He quickly nodded and bowed.

“We’ve come to intrude out of necessity, my Lord Knight. But we have been placed in a rather stifling predicament, by your actions, and wish to rectify the matter as swiftly and properly as possible,” Vim spoke evenly, once more making me feel as if he actually belonged here.

He spoke, and stood, and looked, as if he belonged in this room. Talking to them. Talking for me.

Maybe he was a noble himself.

“Stifling predicament?” The man Vim had called the Lord Knight asked.

Standing up straighter, I stared into the eyes of the man who now glared at us.

Lawrence also narrowed his eyes, as if we had just insulted them.

Maybe Vim had.

“Indeed,” I said simply.

The two blinked, and then glanced at one another. My heart thumped, and I worried over my comment… Yet even as my anxiety grew, and a strange sweat began to form on my lower back, I watched as Lord Carvill sighed lightly.

So…

It begins.