Page 3 of A Curvy Girl for the Prince
“Um, hi,” I manage through watery eyes. “Is Lily here?”
The woman leans against the door jamb, looking me up and down, before taking another puff.
“And who are you?”
I smile, my eyes still watery, as I wave my hand in front of my nose, hoping to dispel some of the smoke.
“I’m a friend,” I say. “Lily left something at the palace, and I wanted to return it.”
The woman’s red eyebrows go up. Does she dye those to match her hair? Upon close inspection, I see that the roots of both her eyebrows and her hair are a dull brown. Ah-ha! No doubt, all of her is fake, including that big bosom beneath the dress with its too-tight lacings.
“The palace, hmmm?” she says. “Well, why didn’t you say? Come on in.”
Then, she props the wooden door open with her back, allowing me to enter. I step into a dark space, and it certainly looks like a tavern. There are wooden tables and benches in the low-ceilinged room, reminiscent of a German beer hall, as well as a long wooden bar on the side with loads of alcohol carefully displayed on racks behind it. There isn’t much décor to speak of, except for some low-hanging lights of the rustic variety, as well as some weird looking trumpets on the walls.
“Those are flugelhorns,” the red-headed woman remarks, noticing my gaze. “They’re native to Lysenia.”
“Of course,” I say hastily. “I’m Lysenian, so I should know.”
The woman smirks, her crimson lips curving into a pout.
“Yeah, but you’re not from around these parts. Those flugelhorns are crafted in the traditional Old Town style with four valves instead of three.”
I swallow, trying to look knowledgeable.
“Oh yes,” I say with a confident nod. “I can see.”
The woman merely harrumphs before going to the back of the bar. There’s a rickety spiral staircase behind her that I hadn’t noticed, and she looks up before bellowing to the second floor.
“Lily! Come down this minute! You have a visitor.”
Total silence ensues.
“Lily!” the woman screams again. “What the fuck is wrong with you? Get your ass down here this minute.”
Goodness, that was certainly raw. I wasn’t expecting a fine lady, but I also wasn’t expecting a woman who swears like a sailor. Meanwhile, I smile wanly, hoping I don’t look too out of place.
Finally, there’s a clatter of steps, and the blonde woman appears. She’s washed her face so that the tear tracks are no longer visible, but her hair is still a rat’s nest. Her dress has been changed too, and I see she’s now wearing a tightly-laced purple dress with a bodice that highlights her big bust, while also drawing attention to her narrow waist.
“What?” she asks sullenly, crossing her arms over her chest. “Who are you? I don’t know you.”
I manage to smile.
“Um, I’m Matilda, I mean, Martha, from the palace. You left these when you ran off this morning,” I say, holding out the crumpled pair of panties in my hand. “Sorry I didn’t put them in a bag or anything, but you took off and I had to give chase.”
Lily narrows her eyes at me.
“Yes, I saw you following me,” she says in a snide tone. “Who did you say you are again?”
“Martha,” I reply quickly. “I work in the kitchen. I was carrying a jug of water to the Lady Daphne, when I saw you exiting Prince Haakon’s quarters.”
Lily’s just about to answer when the red-haired woman turns on her.
“You dumbfuck,” she curses, rolling her eyes. “What kind of whore are you?” Then she turns back to me. “Lily wasn’t ‘exiting’ the prince’s quarters. She was tossed out on her ass like a common-born whore!”
“But Iama common-born whore!” Lily protests, waving her slim hands about. “I never pretended to be any highfalutin lady! You knew that when you hired me!”
The red-haired woman merely rolls her eyes and puts her hand on her hips again.