By Ddoskocil
I slip out of my room, a large blue duffel bag in my hand. I turn the corner just in time. Three steps down the corridor and I can hear Zidane pounding on my door, yelling at me to get dressed so we can go to the party. I quicken my steps and manage to leave the ship without anyone catching me. The easy part is over with.
I take a round-a-about way to the palace, walking through the alleyways and back streets. It's longer to walk this way, but it was a sure way that Zidane or any of my other shipmates would not see me.
I enter through the servants' door of the palace and try to move unnoticed through the outer corridors. For all my efforts, only a few palace guards and the servants working the party seem to notice me, though. They nod as I walk by, recognizing me as one of the actors from the play.
"Excuse me," I say as I approach one. "I need to change into more...formal clothing. Is there a place I can do that?" He nods and points to a hallway.
"Down the hall. There's an unused bedroom. You can change in there." I thank him and go down the hall. I find the bedroom, and it is unused, as promised. I sigh, relieved, as I close the door behind me.
The room is beautifly furnished. There is a dresser, a vanity table, a bed, and a couple of chairs. Everything is dark: the wood mahogany and the fabric crimson. The curtains that frame the single window are white, as well as the fringe on the bed canopy. It is the perfect guestroom for someone not overly important, just important enough to be staying at the palace.
I put down the duffel bag on the bed and open it. I carefully remove a dark green dress, matching shoes, female under clothes, and jewelry to match the rest of my outfit. They are the only things left from the life I left behind, bought for me by mother with the last of her money. She wanted me to wear them to find a nice rich man. I've only worn them once, and I swore I would never dress up for rich men again.
I also pull out a blonde wig that is already done in an elaborate style that I bought earlier. With haste, I remove my normal clothing and stuff them into the bag. I unwrap myself and stuff the wrapping into the bag as well. Free of my old clothing, I feel clean, fresh and oddly liberated. My body, shaved for the first time in years, is cool in the night breeze that whispers through the room.
With less haste, I dress in the underclothes than pull the dress over them, zipping it up the back. I place the teardrop emerald and gold earrings in holes too long gone unused. It hurts for only a second or two as the skin breaks. I slip the necklace, also emerald and gold, over my head and let the thin gold wire settle around my neck with the emeralds dangling down to my collarbone. The final touch is the wig, three-braid style with with little green flowers all in it. I place it over my natural hair and secure it into place.
Done, I look in the mirror and smile. I look almost like I did nine and a half years ago when I first decided to change my identity. It feels so good. I haven't worn a dress in all that time. I thought I would never want to againI was wrong. But a sadness also hangs over my head. I made myself a promise when I concocted this crazy plan: after tonight, I will put this dress away forever and live as Blank. I try to push that sadness out of my mind. There is no place for it tonight.
The fabric feels like silk against my skin. The outer layer of the dress is velvet, soft and fine. It fits to my form perfectly, a form I didn't even know I had. My womanly body was just barely taking form when I began dressing like a man.
The only thing I'm missing is make-up, but I don't know how to apply it. I don't even know where to get any. I'm sure one of the woman at the party will help me though. I just have to have the right story.
With one last look at the mirror I sling the bag over my shoulder and leave the room. The guard who pointed me to the room doesn't even notice that I'm the same person as before as I walk past. He just raises an eyebrow my way, an interested look on his face. I smile back as I walk by.
I slow my steps as I near the ballroom. I can hear Zidane inside. He must be near the door. I take a deep breath. My heart feels like it will rip out of my chest, it's pounding so hard. I have to wonder if he will even recognize me like this. It has been such a long time.
A few people pass me, staring at me. They are probably wondering what I am doing standing out here. I take a second deep breath to steady myself and follow them in. One of the women stops me.
"Dear, what are you doing here, without a drop of make-up?" she asks. I sigh; my story is already made up.
"The ship I was on grounded. I could only grab one bag before I was forced to flee the ship before it sank. This dress and jewelry was in the bag I grabbed. My make-up was not," I say, trying to sound sad and pitiful, like I am wounded and not whole without it.
The woman frowns and tilts her head to one side. "I think I have something that will go with your wardrobe and complexion in my bag. Come with me." I nod and follow her down the hall into another guestroom. It is like the one I changed in, yet this one with oak and yellows and tans.
She quickly applies eye shadow and blush and other make-ups that I don't recognize. When she is done, she steps back and takes a look at her work. She tilts her head from side to side, trying to figure something out. "Ah," she exclaims after a few moments and reaches back into her bag. She searches for a second or two than produces a tube of what looks like lipstick.
"There," she says after applying to color to my lips. She leads me to the mirror where I see a completely different person looking back. This person is a beautiful young woman with full, lightly pink lips and a hint of blue in the eye shadow that brings out my eyes.
I stand there, stunned, until the woman taps my shoulder. "Shall we go?" she asks. I nod, unable to speak at the moment, and follow her back to the ballroom entrance.
There is a guard at the door. He asks her name.
"Countess Maria Je'Laquetta," she replies. For a second time this woman stuns me. A Countess did my make-up.
"Countess," I say, "I am sorry to have troubled you, but thank for helping me. I shall be on my way now." I start to leave when she grabs my arm.
"Nonsense," she replies with a perky tone, "it was no trouble at all. What is your name, dear, so we can have you properly announced?'
I think for a moment, trying to remember what my mother called me. "Nekel," I finally answer. "Nekel Zengald." She nods and relays it to the guard.
"Presenting the Countess Maria Je'Laquetta and Lady Nekel Zengald," he shouts as we enter the ballroom. A few people look up at the Countess. I pick Zidane out. He is looking my way. I panic for an instant before memory catches up with the rest of my brain. Zidane met Nekel when I was with that horrid man. Zidane was just a servant boy then, but he saw what that man was doing to me and he saved me. I smile softly at the memory.
Zidane put me on a boat headed far away. He told me he would find me some day, but a few years passed and I never heard from him. But the Count who called me "wife" started searching for me and posted such a huge reward for me that I had to hide. First there was Andy, a female who worked in a sweatshop. I was found out and almost turned it. Then Nick, but he had to be killed because the law caught me selling stolen goods. Then Blank, who found Zidane...even if he never recognized me.
I push that out of my mind. Tonight I am Nekel again. I want to enjoy it. So I let the Countess take me from social group from social group, talking about society, the economy, and tonight's play.
After two hours, I excuse myself from the Countess's company, telling them I would like to find a young man to dance with. The other women, all older, smile and nod and tell me how to go about getting a man to ask me. I thank them and head for the refreshment table. I have not had a thing to drink in several hours.
As I sip the punch, I hear someone coming up behind me. I don't turn. Whoever it is, I'm not interesting in what they have to say.
"I hoped I'd see you again," I hear Zidane say. I stop mid-sip and slowly turn to face him. He looks hansom in his formal blue and white clothing. I can't take me eyes off of him.
"I'm sorry," he says, mistaking my stare of awe with one of confusing. "I'm Zidane. We met some time ago, eleven years I believe it is now. Remember? I was the boy who helped you escape that...terrible place."
"Zidane," I am now able to respond. "Of course I remember you. I'm sorry, I was just so stunned to see after so many years. I was certain I would never see you again. When I got off the boat, I swore I would find you again. I searched for years but never did. Now, here you are," I blurt out, not knowing where all this is coming from. I guess it's the way I have felt. Nekel never found Zidane, but Blank did.
"I'm so glad to see that you are all right. I was worried that the Count would look for you and force you to come back. Aren't you scared to be here now, where he might find you?"
Truth be told, I had not figured that into my plans. "I'm not worried. It has been so long I'm sure he has forgotten me and taken a new young bride," I reply.
I suddenly find myself in his arms. My thoughts rush from my head as he embraces me. It is the closest I have ever been to Zidane. He does not embrace Blank; he just gives him brotherly pats on the back.
He smiles at me after releasing me. It's a smile I return full force. He extends his hand. I look at it, hesitating for a moment too long.
"I thought you might like to dance," he says sadly, shaking his head. "But if you're here with someone else..."
"Oh no, I'm by myself." I extend my hand to him. "And I would love a dance." His head perks up and he leads out on to the dance floor.
It feels like a dream. He is holding me so close, his arms around me like he never wants to let me go. He smells of must and dirt and fresh cookies. I just breathe it in, memorizing the fragrance. I sigh as I lean my head against his shoulder and he holds me closer. I can't see anyone else. We are the only two people in the universe, the only two people dancing on the clouds of love.
The night ends too soon. As the last song ends, Zidane reluctantly lets me go. He looks into my eyes; his blue ones sparkling in the dimming light as the party comes to an end. He slowly leans toward me, his eyes slipping close. I follow his lead, letting my eyes flutter shut. Our lips meet for a moment and time freezes. His lips are warm and gentle. The only thing I can feel is his lips.
Then it is over.
"Will I see you again?" he asks
"I..." I do not know what to say. I made a promise to myself, but now... "Zidane, I don't know..." He kisses me passionately, holding me close to him as he does. It ends all too soon.
"Please, I want to see you again. I have to leave tomorrow, but I'll come back. I'll find you if you wait." Then he leaves. I stand dumbfounded for several long minutes, still feeling his lips linger on mine before I realize that I too must be headed home, and I must get there before Zidane and the other guys.
With haste I find my bag and make a dash for the street. I see Zidane and the guys waiting in line for a cab. Before he can see me, I run up the street in the direction of the airship. I am sure I can make it there before they do.
I lock the door to my room just as I hear the door to the main room slam open.
"Blank, you here?" I hear Zidane yell.
"Yea," I call as I unzip the dress and pull it off. I hear him try to open the door. Thank the Gods for small favors, I think as I strip myself of the underclothing and find my bandages to wrap my breasts.
"Blank, why did you lock the door? Open up, I want to tell you about my night." He sounds frustrated.
"Can't it wait till morning?" I call just before I tip while attempting to take off my heels. I tumble to the floor in a heap of shoes, underclothing, bandaging, and the bag.
"You okay?" he asks.
"Yea, just fell out of bed. Can you come back in the morning, Zidane? I'm kinda tired and want to sleep. Thanks," I say. I hear Zidane curse for a moment before he replies with an angry "Whatever."
I sink to the floor as he walks away and I hear the door to his room slam. What a relief. That would have been very bad if he had walked in here while I was changing out of the dress. I thank the Gods again for the fact that I got one of the two rooms with a lock on it.
More slowly now, I change out of my party clothes and into my normal outfit. I carefully put everything away in a false bottom to the trunk at the foot of my bed then wash the make-up off my face.
I look in the mirror when I'm done. "Well, Blank is back," I comment to myself, disappointment creeping into my voice. I sigh and rest my head in my hands. "How will I face Zidane tomorrow when he tells me all about his night with me? What can I do?"
disclaimer at the end of chapter 3