CHAPTER 3: TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE

The next day, Percival walked in on Chris as she was piling her hair up in front of a mirror.

"What are you doing?" Dark eyes looked at her with amusement.

"NOTHING!" Chris yelled, immediately dropping her hands and violently shutting the door in his face.

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Chris Lightfellow looked pleading. Lily Pendragon looked at her with disbelief.

"But they simply can't make you, you're a squire!" She crossed her arms together and scowled after hearing Chris finish her story. Chris shrugged.

"But you can't stand for this, this is prejudice," said Lily, brimming. "Of all the sexist, masculine, chauvinistic acts of the Grassland noble class—"

"I don't have a choice," Chris said, resigned. "It's not a big deal, and at this point I just want to make sure I don't look like a fool," she said, rather desperately.

"Lily, will you please help me?" Chris tried to say over the girl's ranting, "And besides," she said, pausing a little. "I really… wouldn't mind wearing one…" Lily stopped raving to look at her.

"Even, just to see what I would look like," Chris said, smiling a little sheepishly.

Lily broke into a wide grin, instantly brightening. "That's great! Then let's get you in a dress at once!" She clapped her hands together in excitement.

Chris looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"Well, you looked like you didn't want to do it, so I thought I should support you," Lily said, laughing. "But since you want to wear a dress after all, then it's okay to be gung-ho about it, right?"

Chris laughed as the red-head disappeared into her wardrobe, emerging seconds later with rather ornate dresses.

"This is the latest fashion, so you'll fit in perfectly," smiled Lily. "And here –" she passed what the silver-haired girl dubiously identified as a bodice –or whatever it was that she often heard women complaining about after a particularly large feast. Chris eyed the contraption with misgivings.

"Exactly how do you…"

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"We can tighten it one—more—notch—!"

"It's a torture device!" Chris gasped. "How am I supposed to breathe in this thing?" she asked in panic. Lily didn't answer, as she was too busy fitting the last hole.

"Lily, you're killing me!" Chris cried frantically.

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"Stop flinching, or the make-up will smear over your face," Lily said, exasperated.

"But what is it that you're putting on my face?" Chris asked, trying to turn around to look at Lily's hand, which was holding a pot of what looked like colored soot.

"That feels sticky!"

"Chris Lightfellow, you will stop… squirming!"

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"It's too itchy, you're doing something wrong," Chris insisted, massaging the back of the dress. "Wait, this actually hurts, there's something wrong with this, I'm sure of it!" Chris looked at Lily with wide, naive eyes.

"Ah, to be broken in at such a late age," Lily muttered, looking at the silver-haired girl who seemed to be going through some sort of mild trauma.

"Alright," Lily assented, "we'll try one that's not so 'itchy'…"

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"When I'm a knight, I'll never be caught wearing a dress," Chris said savagely. "No one will make me do anything! This is complete prejudice! No one should have to wear such things!" She tried to sit down, exhausted.

"Oh, no you don't!" Lily nearly shrieked. Chris looked up, wide-eyed. "You can't sit down like that, or you'll muss up your petticoats," Lily admonished. "You'll need to spread them first – like this –yes, like –oh ho, and you are certainly NOT leaving your legs apart the way men do – honestly, Chris, for a girl you behave like such boy!"

"I'm trying!" Chris snapped back.

Lily looked at her in apology. "Let's try it again, shall we?"

"—And after that we'll see what we can do about your… walk."

"Do I walk like a boy?"

"We-ll…" Chris looked wide-eyed yet again. "It wasn't weird when you were in your normal clothes," Lily explained hastily…

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"You bow excellently," Lily noted. "But you need to curtsy like a lady."

Chris wobbled on the pair of tall shoes. "I'm going to sprain my ankle," she said determinedly. The shoes were biting her flesh. She tried, nearly fell over. "I give up," she said.

"The squire's outfit was much more comfortable," Chris said, the closest Lily had ever heard her to sulking.

Lily looked at her with, well, pity. There had to be something that could make things easier for Chris. The girl had natural beauty, so if she could only think of something that didn't necessarily follow the latest trends, but classy and easy to wear…

"That's it!" Lily cried. She dove into her dressing room, throwing dresses to the left and right of her. "I have the perfect thing!" She triumphantly emerged, showing Chris a pale, silken gown. Even Chris had to agree it was beautiful.

When Chris tried it on, the first thing she noticed was how light and carefree the dress felt, especially now that her hair wasn't tied up. The next thing she noticed was the neckline. But she felt beautiful nonetheless, and somewhat daring.

"The dress, Lily," Chris said softly, fingering the delicate fabric. "Thank you."

"It was my mother's," Lily stated simply.

"Then I can't wear this," Chris replied at once.

"Yes, you can," Lily said gently. "It's not like I have any sentimental value attached to it," Lily shrugged indifferently. "Remember? My parents really didn't care much for me, either."

Chris looked at her reproachfully. Lily decided to smile for one of the few, true friends that she had. "And I have comfortable slippers that you will find kinder on your feet," Lily said firmly, putting aside her previous thoughts. She slipped the satin slippers on Chris's feet. Chris looked at the shoes, and examined her feet in wonderment.

"They're ladies' feet," she said softly. Lily laughed again. "Wait for the final touch," she said. She was taking something from her wooden jewelry box.

The necklace simple, but it added the perfect touch. The fine silver chain was elegant, and the amethyst stone was beautifully cut.

"Lily," Chris breathed, fingering the pendant, "it's too beautiful for me." Lily laughed. She sometimes wondered whether her friend looked at herself in the mirror often. Especially now.

"No, it rather suits you. The outfit simply won't be the same without it," Lily closed the clasp of the necklace around the girl's neck. "Besides, that necklace has a special effect on men." She smiled impishly.

"And what effect is that?" Chris asked curiously.

She suddenly heard the sound of voices nearing the room. She heard the familiar sound of deep laughter, followed by what was unmistakably the voice of–

This wasn't happening.

"I need to hide," Chris hissed, looking around and finding there was no way to escape. There was the dressing room where she could lock herself in, but she probably wouldn't make in time. There was under the bed. There was the curtains, or more drastic –the window. Lily looked at her panicking.

"Well, it's time, isn't it? They're going to have to find out anyway." She looked a little too innocent. Chris frantically smoothed her dress and took a deep breath. She heard the voices coming closer.

"Alright, I'll go in first—" a brief knock and Percival opened the door, clad in his squire's outfit. "Lily, we're here to pick you up," he said cheerfully, before noticing there was a long-haired woman standing stiffly beside his charge. Lily was looking rather haughty as usual, but the maiden almost looked guilty.

"My apologies, lady, I didn't mean to…" He trailed off. Chris turned and looked at him, her cheeks faintly pink. Percival's dark eyes widened. He was frozen by the doorway.

"You're… in a…"

There was an impatient noise behind him. "You know, Perce, I can't get in the bloody door if you're in front of it," Borus had side-stepped his comrade and pushed his way through. "Now what's the prob—" He abruptly stopped mid-sentence.

There was a brief moment of silence.

Percival knew he was staring. Chris' hair was down and her mouth looked fuller than usual, and she was wearing a pale-colored dress made of delicate, silken material that teased him with the hint of her curves. The necklace easily caught his attention because it reflected the color of her eyes. His eyes trailed down the length of the silver chain and roved over the exposed flesh of her neck, down the dangerously low neckline from which he could see the faint contour of her... He barely swallowed.

"It's impolite to stare," Lily interjected, jolting him back to his senses. "Gentlemen are supposed to greet a lady when he meets her." She smirked slightly. Oh, she knew. Percival kept staring. He didn't feel Borus move an inch, either.

"Milady…" Percival began lamely, and quietly subsided.

"To whom are you addressing 'milady', sir?" Lily arched an eyebrow.

Curse her. By the goddess, Lily Pendragon knew, and she was truly enjoying this. Borus was of no help at all. Compose yourself, you dunderhead!

Percival Fraulein did not squirm when it came to women, especially not in front of the object of his affections.

He walked a few paces until he reached Chris and gently took her hand as everyone in the room watched. He lowered his head and brushed his lips against her hand. A sharp intake of breath had signaled that Borus had snapped out of his shell-shocked state. Percival felt Chris' calloused hand that had none of the lacquer the other ladies of court wore. It made him smile.

"You look quite pretty, Chris," he looked up at her and winked. He commanded himself to look only at her eyes. "The dress suits you." Her full lips had turned up into a smile of relief.

It was too much. Her eyes were twinkling, and it had caused his gaze to catch the light of the amethyst stone and again stray down, far too down –with great, heroic effort he reluctantly forced his eyes up again to meet hers.

"Why thank you, Percival," she said, completely unaware of the fact the two men in the room were struggling to compose themselves. Borus stepped forward. "You look very good!" he said fiercely. Chris smiled wider. "And thank you, Borus." The tension in the room broke, and everyone laughed.

"Lady Lily, Lady Chris, may I have the pleasure of escorting you to your destination?" Percival stepped back and did a bow, Borus following suit.

Lily Pendragon smiled at the two. They'll do. She watched the silent battle between the two over who should offer his arm. She coughed loudly.

Percival looked at her, his eyes glinting. She purposely ignored it. She cleared her throat.

"Something wrong?" Percival looked at her pointedly, but she smiled sweetly back at him. He sighed.

"Of course, Lily, may I have the honor?" He proffered his arm to her, which she graciously took. He looked at her as if a great chance had just passed him by, and he looked so forlorn she almost felt bad for him. Actually, she wanted to cackle madly. Borus looked at the two triumphantly.

"If you don't mind, then… Lady Chris?" Borus offered his hand, which Chris took just the way Lily had instructed. Lily smiled with pride.

As they made their way through the castle gates, Lily still caught the two boys sneaking glances at Chris, and quickly turning away when she looked at either of them. She wondered whether the whole castle knew except the three that both boys were completely besotted with the silver-haired girl.

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Lily looked at the dejected Chris almost in wonder. Did that girl really think her dressing up had no effect on them?

"Something wrong?" Lily prodded gently. She shut the door behind her as the Percival and Borus were out of earshot.

"All that dressing up made me tired," Chris said.

Of course, that wasn't the actual reason. She had worked so hard to look good, and when she had shown herself to Percival and Borus they were completely nonchalant about the whole deal. They were surprised, to be sure –but she somehow, she had been looking for something else. Percival complimented women even when they were wrinkly or had too much make-up on, so when he told her she looked pretty she was sure he was simply being the gentleman.

Borus looked more shocked than anything else. Was she not even as good-looking as the last lady in court? She thought she had looked pretty good. Chris sighed in frustration, feeling her self-confidence starting to waver. Maybe she really wasn't cut out to wear a dress.

What had she been expecting, anyway? She knew she liked it that that they kept their image of her as a fellow knight-in-training (and didn't start thinking she was some girly-girl – she would flounce them the minute they thought that), but she had really wanted them to notice – just this once.

She shivered, remembering the feeling of when he had kissed her hand, and she had felt his lips smile.

You look quite pretty, Chris. Her heart fluttered when he had said that. Until she remembered with annoyance that he said such things to every girl he met, probably even the scullery maid. Chris wanted to smack herself for being so inane, for dressing up, for wanting people to see her in a dress. She would change back into her old reliable breeches and tunic and maybe in the process go back to her usual self, and then work herself dead until she forgot this whole affair.

"Since you're staring off into space," Lily prompted, causing Chris to snap out of her reverie.

"Sorry," Chris said, sighing again and becoming quiet once more. It was Lily's turn to sigh.

"Don't worry, they noticed," Lily said reassuringly. Chris jerked her head up. Though she couldn't see her face, Chris was sure Lily was smiling. "Trust me," the red-head laughed, "They really liked it."

"How can you tell?" Chris asked incredulously, completely baffled that Lily was in such a jovial mood. Her friend really thought it was a success. But Chris knew how men acted from being around them too long, and success could be measured by how many times a man looked at a woman's body rather than her face. Men did not act like gentlemen when they pursued their amours. Confident men, and that included knights who were quite sure of their manhood, usually went straight for the kill. Boys were even more rowdy, and very, very straightforward.

"I can tell," Lily chortled, "Because it's very obvious".

"What are you talking about?"

"You really can't see it, can you?"

"They never even looked at me after the first time," Chris exclaimed, "—and Percival, he never –"she caught herself and colored slightly.

"—He never what?" Lily eagerly leaned over her shoulder, eyes gleaming. Chris blushed crimson and became mute.

Wasn't that stupid dress cut low enough?

"Nothing," she mumbled.

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What probably happened to Chris later that night:

Percival gently grasped her arm. "So you're a lady after all," he said, his voice soft. Chris turned to glare and tell him she had heard the comment, but was caught off-guard by the look on his face.

"Of course I'm a lady, Perce," she tried to sound stern, but his eyes were looking at her too intensely. He smiled and reached for her pendant, fingering it. Chris couldn't look away from his eyes. He leaned in closer and examined the stone –he was so close that she could smell him. His voice sounded husky.

"I was lying a while back," he said quietly, "you don't just look pretty, you look damn beautiful—

Chris jolted awake from her dream.

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A/N: Yes, I had fun writing this.