“To Be A Lady”

Author’s Note: This is a Take Ten to Write story and has not been proofread for errors. If I feel inspired or if there’s interest in the story, I’ll post a revised, edited, and extended version at a later date. Happy reading!

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this,” Katalikka whispered, bunching up her skirt in one hand and leaning down to scratch her leg with the other.

Maverick immediately slapped her hands away. “Ladies do not raise their skirts,” he hissed.

“But this fabric is so scratchy!”

“You’ll get used to it.”

Katalikka huffed but tried her best to distract her mind from the mind-consuming sensation of the rough hem of her skirt brushing against her skin.

“I thought that these fancy dresses were supposed to be made from expensive, non-scratchy fabric,” she muttered, taking her brother’s arm as they approached the door.

Maverick snorted. “You’ll soon come to realize that nobles believe that the greater the discomfort, the greater the appearance.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Just wait and see; the ladies will most likely be mocking you for wearing such a comfortable dress.”

Katalikka rolled her eyes. This was exactly why she’d never had any desire to be a lady. Of course, huge piles of money was one motivation, but it was the only one. And even the promise of unlimited wealth wasn’t all that appealing to the seasoned thief.

As Maverick and Katalikka approached the towering double doors, a doorman stepped forward, one eyebrow lifted in surprise.

“Lady Iza,” he said, bowing his head slightly to her. “I don’t believe we were expecting you this evening.”

“Oh?” Katalikka asked, trying her best to mimic the posh accent of a lady. “Why not?”

The doorman frowned. “Well, we heard that you had left town for Ylnet earlier this week with no intention of returning.”

It took all her willpower, but Katalikka managed to resist looking at Maverick for help. Instead, she took a deep breath, puffed out her chest, and said firmly, “Well you were obviously misinformed, since I am here now, am I not?”

Final Comments: Another Katalikka section! I kind of want to write a section tomorrow describing her dress and more of the location… I think one thing about my writing that I’d like to work on is the lack of descriptions; it’s very action-focused at the moment, which I think is appropriate in some sections but there should also be a balance.

Overall Rating: 🤔