It's Not Easy Being a Lady: The Tale of Esmeralda
"She's just ever so slightly queer."
"What's that?"
"Nothing, dear," replied Sophie. "Go back to your drawing."
"I am almost certain that I heard you say something."
"No, dear," said Sophie again. "Anna and I were just discussing the weather. Nothing important. Don't pay it any mind." Esmeralda paused, tucked her lip in her mouth a little, and returned to the drawing room. It was pink and white and lacy and a little cool for an early spring morning. The second she was in the room, she picked up a crude glass cup from the table and pressed it against the wall. Her ear found the bottom of the cup, and soon she was once again the Empress of Eavesdropping.
"Poor girl," came the muffled voice of Sophie. "But she really is a little strange."
"I don't think she's all that peculiar," replied Anna. "Although I must admit, it is rather queer that a fine lady such as her would ever join up with a ragged band of miscreants."
"I can only assume you mean that loathsome Liberation Army," sniffled Sophie. Anna affirmed the fact, and there was much clicking of tongues. Of all the nerve! sneered Esmeralda to herself. That nest of vipers! Oh, tosh, they're speaking again…
"She isn't quite as bad as that wretched Helen," said Sophie.
"Quite, quite…" came a reply. "She did help us out while we were being courted. I must profess, my dear friend, that were it not for her intervention, I would be an old maid by now!"
"As would I, friend," replied Sophie. "Every rose must have a weed, though."
That loathsome, back-stabbing, wretched old hag! A weed indeed! Humph, I shan't subject myself to this nonsense! With a harrumph, Esmeralda stormed back into the room where her friends were, an enraged look to her face. She was actually angrier than she let on, but her two friends would get the message she was conveying.
"My dear friend!" exclaimed Anna, suddenly spying Esmeralda enter the room. "Why, have you finished your drawing?"
"Drawing indeed!" exclaimed Esmeralda. "I'll have you know that I overheard everything you were saying about me, especially the part about the weeds!"
"My word!" gasped Sophie, obviously shocked that her friend would stoop to the level of an eavesdropper. "Esmeralda, my dear, have you gone mad? We said nothing of the sort!"
"And now you lie!" she retorted. Both Sophie and Anna paused, gaping somewhat, and could not come up with any excuses.
"I apologize," said Sophie sadly. "I merely meant to convey that not all of us are perfect, not even you."
"You certainly conveyed it bitterly!" exclaimed Esmeralda with a harrumph. She clicked her own tongue and stormed out of the room, her dress scraping against the floor. Anna sighed, shaking her head.
"I don't believe we shall ever see her again," she said. "I think she's gone for good this time." Sophie nodded her head slowly, and the two women quietly ended their discussion.
"I should like to leave," said Esmeralda to the guard. He stood straight and tall, lifted his spear, and opened the gate for her. She did not thank him as she marched out of the gate and past the rose gardens; it was a gorgeous day outside, but Esmeralda was far too infuriated to pay attention to the white lilies and red roses that decorated her friend's estate. She continued to scurry along, called a cabby, and never set foot in that horrid place again.
"Driver, stop right here." The buggy came to a slow halt, the horse whinnying. Esmeralda paid her driver and was helped out of the cab, and stared in wonder at the forest. She had never been in this part of the country before, and she would have liked to have had an escort or perhaps some guards, but it was a peaceful day and quite refreshing for a spring afternoon, so she figured that she would be quite well on her own.
The forest was rather quiet and very much a pleasure to walk through. Esmeralda met with no trouble, although she did have to step over a few logs, and she had to walk an unfair distance due to a rather muddy creek. But the air was clean, and the mild exercise did her well. No carriages went to Jowsten, she knew, so she would be forced to walk the distance herself--what a pity!
"Grah!!" Suddenly, a shrieking pierced the air--Esmeralda screamed for a brief period--and a figure leaped out from the trees. "Gimme all your money!" it demanded.
"Why you vicious brute!" scorned the woman. "How dare you have the nerve to attack me?" More angry than frightened, she beat the figure with her purse, hoping that the heavy gold coins stored within would knock the bandit out.
"Ouch, ouch! Take it easy on me, my lady! It's just old Varkas!" Esmeralda ceased her assault for the time, and gasped as she recognized the thief to be none other than Varkas!
"Oh, goodness!" she said. "I did not expect to see you here!" Varkas frowned, rubbing the spot where he had been hit the most. In her wild days as an ally to the Liberation Army, Esmeralda had had the displeasure of knowing Varkas. To be sure, the man was an uncouth bandit with less-than-stellar manners, and he looked something like a mongrel or perhaps a bull. But he was a good man, reasonably enough, and he certainly meant no harm.
"Traveling alone, my lady?" asked Varkas. Esmeralda nodded her head.
"Yes, I am. I tired of the Toran Republic, so I have decided to set out on a journey to the city-state of Jowsten. I have a friend who lives in Highland, and perhaps he shall take me in when he hears of my plight."
"Ah," said Varkas nodding his head. "Well, be careful from now on, my lady. I'm just a border guard, but there are hundreds of other bandits out there that aren't so nice." He added with a smirk, "Some are almost as dangerous as I." Esmeralda only scoffed, knowing full well that the bandit's ego was bigger than her summer house.
"Yes, I shall take care. Oh, Varkas, I really hate to ask such a vulgar man, but will you be kind enough to escort me to Jowsten? This forest is awfully unsuited for me, and I do hate getting my clothes soiled."
"Vulgar?" coughed Varkas. Esmeralda held her nose up, and closed her eyes.
"Yes, vulgar. You are a bandit, a thief, a vagabond, and I would rather not associate myself with the likes of you. But this forest dissatisfies me, so I can swallow my pride for a while if I need to." Varkas half-smiled, crossing his arms doubtfully.
"I don't know what to make of you, my lady," he sighed. "But if you pay me well…"
"Oh, brute!" exclaimed the woman, slapping his shoulder. "All you care about is money! Well, fine, if you must be so recalcitrant, then I suppose I have no choice." Digging into her purse, Esmeralda produced several coins, and gave them all to Varkas. "Here, fifty potch. Now please be ever so kind as to guide me to the city-state." Varkas grumbled, eyeing the minimal amount of money with distaste, and wordlessly "allowed" Esmeralda to accompany him.
"Here, here's the city-state territory. Beyond there is Highland, but I'm not going to accompany you any further."
"Ah, there will be no need for that," sighed Esmeralda, eyeing the territory before her. "I shall know how to arrive at my destination. I suppose I should thank you, but since I am in a great hurry to be out of Toran, then I must simply say good-bye and farewell." And without wasting another second, Esmeralda left Varkas to himself, and continued on until she spotted another cabby trotting along the path.
"Strange woman," said Varkas, scratching his head.
Once in Radat, Esmeralda sighed with contentment. She had just recently stationed herself in the local inn, and would be staying for an unknown amount of time. Her friend, a quaint gentleman named Simone, would be arriving any moment now.
She had just finished her second glass of white wine when a handsome face entered the bar. Esmeralda smiled, and sensing that this man had a great aura of respect hanging over him, she stood and allowed him to sit across from her.
"My lady," said the man, kissing her gloved hand, "how are you this afternoon?"
"Terrible, all the same," came the reply. "I cannot express my true feelings about my recent journey, since it would be far too boorish and tiresome."
"I see," said the man softly. He leaned forward, folding his hands as he spoke. "A beautiful young lady such as yourself should not encounter trouble on her journeys."
"My dear fellow," smiled Esmeralda, fanning herself lightly, "I am not one who is accustomed to flirting with strangers."
"Then we must become acquainted," smiled the man. "Permit me to introduce myself as Shu, one of the chief leaders of this town and a large part of the trade organization."
"Milord Shu, is it?" said Esmeralda. "Well, I see that you do have some importance to you, as I suspected. I am Lady Esmeralda, and if Milord Shu will be so kind as to pay for my next drink, I will allow him to court me."
"You drive a tempting bargain," said Shu smoothly, his face smiling. "And this is one of my favorite haunts. But please, milady, I would first like to hear why you have come to such an unworthy place." Esmeralda smiled, fanned herself a little more, and blushed slightly. He certainly knows how to address a lady, she thought.
"Well," she began, "if you must know, I have come here to take up residence with a dear friend of mine. I come from the Toran Republic, milord, and since my friends there think too lowly of me, I have since left those borders. This new land may suit me well if I find it to my liking." Shu nodded his head, and asked a waitress for a glass of champagne.
"I'm not fond of the stuff myself," sniffed the lady, "but if milord is paying, the least I can do is be grateful. I thank you."
"No, I must thank you for allowing me the pleasure of your company," replied Shu with a smile. Esmeralda smiled and let out a polite chuckle, and made it a personal note to allow herself to be courted by this man.
"Oh, posh," sighed Esmeralda, fanning herself lightly, "where can he be?" It had only been the previous day since she sent out a letter to her friend, and he should have sent someone to escort her to his house by now--or at least have the good manners to arrive himself! Esmeralda sighed, growing quite tired of the drab décor that made up her hotel room. It was the fanciest (and therefore most expensive) room available, and yet Esmeralda could not help but sneer.
"Well I do hope he comes," she sighed to herself. She sat down on her bed, wishing she had a book or an easel or something to pass the time. She sighed again, hoped that the door was shut and locked, and lied down on her bed. Irritatingly enough, there came a rapping on the door the very minute she had begun to recline.
"Oh, bother!" she exclaimed, pounding her bed lightly. She sighed, stood up, and straightened herself out before she answered the knock. "Yes?" she said. A highly-decorated man stood on the opposite end of the door, his arm crossed over his chest in a formal salute.
"My lady Esmeralda! I have been informed by Lord Simone to escort you to his estate!"
"And a great deal of time it took you to get here!" she exclaimed. The escort's face grew crestfallen.
"I deeply apologize for the unnecessary delay, my lady!" he said. "But if you allow me to tell you my reason for being so late--that is, as we ride to Lord Simone's estate--then maybe you will understand my tardiness." Esmeralda sighed and shook her head. She was certainly not in the mood to listen to excuses, no matter how truthful they were.
"No, I shall forgive you. Come now, you can make up for your delay by carrying my bags." With that, she strolled past the escort, carrying only a frilly pink parasol.
"My dear lady," addressed the escort, "I know you did not ask for it, but I feel as if I must tell you my reason for delay."
"No, I would really not like to hear it," replied Esmeralda with a wave. The carriage she was riding in smelled of fresh cedar and oak, and the horse's hooves made a beautiful clattering sound whenever they stepped over pavement or cobblestone. Only she, her escort, and the driver were there, and the endless plains before them.
"I think you should," said the man darkly. He added, "I normally obey the request of a lady, especially one whom I am in debt to, but this time I must relinquish my honor and inform you." Esmeralda sighed, and reclined slightly in the carriage. Whatever he has to say, she reasoned to herself, I shall just have to ignore it.
"Then if it is so important, then you may tell me," she said. The escort thanked her, and cleared his throat.
"My lady, do you recall a man named Prince Luca Blight?"
"Yes, I do," sniffed the lady. "A rather disagreeable fellow. I like his sister very much, though."
"There are few that do not. But she is not important in this topic, my lady." The escort cleared his throat again, and whispered in a low voice. "My lady, many of the roads have been blocked off. Imperial soldiers and state troopers have been posted at every border from Banner to Harmonia. As you can therefore deduct, I have ran into many of these border guards, and although I was able to make it through, this wasted time has thus caused my delay."
"Do continue," said Esmeralda, halfway paying attention.
"As you wish, my lady," said the escort. "Well, all of this fuss has been over the eruption of a third seat of power in the land, calling themselves the Bright Shield Army. Patrol guards have obviously been instructed to cut off all ties to different countries, in hopes of curtailing this Army's actions, and so far the two have since been at ods with each other."
"Another rebellion," sighed Esmeralda. She chuckled politely, recalling her experiences with a very similar army. "Well, against the tyranny of Highland, and don't take this the wrong way, but I do hope they are victorious."
"There are many that agree with you, my lady," said the escort darkly. A long pause ensued. The carriage came to a steady halt, and the driver announced that they had arrived at Lord Simone's house.
"Well," said Esmeralda, letting the escort help her out of the buggy, "it seems as if we have arrived. And sir? I really must thank you for informing me about this… what was it? Shield Army?"
"Yes, madam. And you are most welcome." The escort bowed, and returned to his quarters; Esmeralda herself made a beeline to the front door.
"Oh, my dear Esmeralda!" Simone put his arms around her torso gently, giving her a friendly peck on each cheek. "Oh, it has simply been eons since I have last seen you! And dare I say it, but you have grown at least three times as lovely since!"
"And you seem much healthier and wealthier since our last meeting, my lord," she replied. Simone extended his elbow, and Esmeralda linked her up with his as they strolled into the large manor. Two sets of staircases met them, with a fine velvet rug beneath and a crystal chandelier above. The room smelled like lilies and fresh tulips, and the sound of music could softly be heard.
"A concert I was pulled away from," pointed Simone sadly. "But all the more worth it to see you, dear Esmeralda."
"You are a cad," she smiled, blushing softly. "Do take me to hear the rest of it. Do, please Simone, do take me to hear the rest of it!"
"But of course, my lady," smiled Simone. He opened a door for her, and soon they were in the backyard garden, with rows of flowers surrounding them and a well-sized orchestra before them. Several of Simone's other friends were gathered around, chatting and dining on finger food as they enjoyed the day. Esmeralda smiled, and was instantly taken to a seat.
"My dear Esmeralda, it pains me to hear about Sophie and Anna," sighed Simone. The lady made no reply as she stirred her drink around. "But on the other hand, it also does not surprise me. The two of them have been known to gossip about anything, and I have always feared that their attention would be drawn towards you." Again, she made no reply.
It was nighttime, and the orchestra had left several hours ago, along with the guests. Simone was practically alone now, except for his servants and perhaps a few more guests that chose to stay the night. He had offered to dine with Esmeralda, and since she was not the kind of lady that refused a dinner with a friend, she accepted his proposal.
"Lord Simone," she said after a long pause, "do not think me childish, but while I was in Radat, I saw an item that I thought would suit you well. It was inexpensive, yes, but the quality of the work far outweighed the, ah, face value." Simone smiled.
"You mean you bought me a gift?" he said. "Dear Esmeralda, you did not have to go to such great lengths!"
"But I have not seen you in ages!" she replied. "And besides, I truly did think that you would like it. It practically had your name engraved in it!"
"Then I should very much like to have it," replied Simone with a smile. "It simply wouldn't do to hear about this present and refuse it now, would it?"
"Certainly not," replied Esmeralda with a smile, and without a moment's hesitation, she reached into her purse and gently produces a small box wrapped in green paper. Simone took the box in his hand, delicately removed the paper, and grinned as he beheld a glass rose brooch.
"Oh, my dear," he sighed, pinning it on his collar, "it is magnificent! I don't believe I will ever be able to repay this act of kindness!"
"There is no need, my lord Simone," she replied. "I just hope that you like it."
"Like it?" he whispered, the smile still on his face. "Why, my dear Esmeralda, I adore it!"
"Truly?" she said, a giggle in her tone. Simone nodded, and she allowed him to kiss her hand. "But I just want you to do one favor for me, dear friend."
"Name it, my lady."
"I don't want you to lose that like you've lost so many other things," replied Esmeralda. Simone sniffled, and patted her hand.
"My dear friend," he sang, "I would sooner die than lose this rose brooch."
"Would you now?" smiled Esmeralda. The two of them shared a polite laughter, and continued their dinner.
Esmeralda was crying the next day. She was not heartbroken; she had both Shu and Simone to keep her company now, and she was lovely enough that she could find any gentleman anywhere. And she was not abnormally happy either, although she had worn a happy smile during the previous night. Disappointment was not in her mind; things were going perfectly for her, and they could only get better. And she was not terror-stricken or enraged either, for she had nothing to fear in Simone's house, nor did she have any reason to be mad.
Esmeralda was crying because she had pricked her finger with a needle while sewing, and since she could not bear to cross over into vulgarity by cursing, she was forced to bite her lip, suck on her finger, and cry over her pain.
Sometimes, she thought to herself, it is not easy being a lady.
The End