𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐋 | 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐄

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏

         The music aired through the pub as women in long, silk dresses swirled around drunk blacksmiths, tailors, and guards. The women waltz around them like they were gold: priceless and rare to find.

Sat above on the top level was Inej. She observed the scene, keeping an eye out for a certain someone but keeping a low profile. Her attention was drawn to the bandstand when the doorbell rang, revealing a redheaded woman with crystal blue eyes decked down in a satin black slip-on.

The woman's hair was curled and pinned with golden flower clips. Her neck was decorated with gold-plated jewelry while her fingers were filled with the matching set of rings. The pub was still lively when she walked in, it's just the focus was on her.

The women that were scrambling around men sent death glares to her, as the men they were trying to entertain, drew their attention to the redhead. The Grisha woman meant no harm to them and their job; she was just trying to complete her mission.

Eyes followed her from behind, some admiring, some conniving. She held herself tall and continue to hold up this facade of innocence and purity. As expected, a man got in her way and clumsily spilled their drink on her.

She yelps at the coldness of the drink as it drips down on her dress. "Oh I'm sorry," He says, his hands brush over her breast as he 'helps' her clean off the sticky drink.

"Oh it's fine," she played it off. But she wanted to slap him and stop his heartbeat right there. Don't falter, ris. don't falter.

She knew this was his way to interact with her. And she wasn't dumb— she felt him touch her. She was disgusted and was pained by the act and all she could thing of was the many different, violent ways to hurt him, and she could've. But instead, she innocently blows it off and hurriedly cleans herself.

She knew her dress wasn't that long, it reached to her ankles. But apparently, she tripped and landed into the drunk guard's arms.

"Oh!" she exclaims, "Oh my god, I am so sorry."

"Oh, that's alright, darling." He grinned like a coyote as if he hasn't had any food in weeks and she was his dinner, "At least I was here to catch you."

She grimaced at him as he set her straight, his hand brushing over her lower back. He tried to be discreet about his movements over her body but she was no fool. Yet, she acted the part of one.

Stick to the plan.

She drew in closer to him, "What would a woman do without you?"

He smiles at her and her rhetorical question and threw his arm around her shoulder, closing the gap between them. "What's your name, darling?"

"Imini Anders," she replied and laced her arms around his waist. He smirks at her movements and leans into her.

"Well Imini, if you would like to find out what I have done without a woman, I have a room upstairs," his lips brushed against her ear, sending shivers down her spine— not the good kind.

As he was too invested in his thoughts of lust and intimacy, she slipped her hand into his pocket and took his money. The coins fell into her palm and she shuts it close.

She brushes her lips against his, giving him a taste of her. It gave her enough time to soften the molecules of the coins, allowing them to sink into her skin. When she felt nothing solid left on her palm, she pulled away from him.

"We shall see," A smirk developed on her face and gave him a curt nod, and turned to walk away.

When she turned, she saw that Inej had left the table. The mission was complete and I had done my part. I was about to leave but I decided to say one last thing.