“It’s the type of dress the Blood Duchess wears,” I mumbled. I ought to get used to it. Switching to a permanently modest dress style would make me look suspicious. If I couldn’t act the part, I could at least dress it.
But the notion of wearing that lovely, scandalous outfit filled me with a strange mixture of longing and humiliation. I could picture what people back at the village would say:That fattie thinks she’s pretty. How embarrassing.My own mother would have gently told me that such clothing didn’t suit me. It would suit my beautiful Holy Maiden older sister, but not me.
Araceli set down the dress and met my eyes. “But?”
“I don’t have the confidence to wear that,” I blurted out. Immediately, I regretted my candor. I looked down to hide my blush.
Araceli bit her lip. “If it makes you uncomfortable, then we’ll go back to the old dress for today. Tomorrow we could come up with an excuse for why you changed styles to something that covers more, such as the duchess injuring her shoulder. I could slap on some fake bandages. But if you like the dress and it’s about what other people think—why do you care? Let them think what they want. Wear what you like.”
I’d never been able to do that. I’d never been comfortable in my own body. But this was the Blood Duchess’s body. That thought felt oddly freeing. “Do you think it would look good on me?” The question came out weak and pathetic. Desperate for approval.
“You’d be stunning.” Araceli sauntered over and held the dress up to my body. She turned me to face the mirror, then smiled. “Mmm, yes, this will show off all the right assets. You have a great rack.”
I looked away. “They’re just lumps of fat.”
Araceli snorted. “Everyone’s breasts are lumps of fat. That’s what makes them so wonderfully soft. Skinny people’s breasts are also made of fat and tend to be smaller for that reason. Nothing wrong either way. Some like them small, some like them big, and I like them big. You happen to possess some particularly fine ones. Embrace your assets.”
My face felt hot. “I’ll try on the dress and see if I like it. Could you let me do it alone?” I asked in a small voice.
“Of course. This dress isn’t too complicated. You should be able to fasten it yourself.” Araceli took out a golden necklace with a sizeable ruby surrounded by white diamonds. “Wear this. It will draw everyone’s eyes to the right places.”
She winked at me, and I flushed scarlet.
* * *
Before Araceli left, she helped me undo the lacing on my first dress. The second one was less complicated, on account of having a lot less fabric. After putting it on, I didn’t dare look in the mirror. If I did, I’d change my mind. While waiting for Araceli and Lao to get ready for our grand show, I had entirely too much time to doubt myself. What had I been thinking? I’d make a fool of myself! Everyone would laugh at me! I clutched at the front of my dress and tried to yank it up to cover a bit more. Alas, that only bared more of my navel.
“We’re ready.” Speaking in a deeper voice this time, Araceli threw open the door.
I squeaked and hid behind a dresser. I wasn’t ready! I hadn’t mentally braced myself!
Lao sauntered into the room first. He wore tight black pants and black boots. His white shirt had been left open, revealing the tiger tattoo curled around his belly button and an impressive set of pectoral muscles. His longish hair had a windswept look. He’d added a touch of blue makeup around his eyes. Overall, he looked like a man who could have strutted off the cover of a romance novel. Devastatingly handsome but definitely not appropriate for a noble ceremony. I hissed, “Araceli, maybe this is a little too far—”
“Call me Ari. For today, switch to thinking of me as a man.”
I laid eyes on the transformed Ari and lost all ability to speak.
He wore a gleaming black vest—and nothing underneath it. His bare, lightly muscled arms ended in black gloves. The scaley pants left very little to the imagination. Red locks puffed out around his head like a crown. A splash of purple gave his eyes a sharpness like those of a hawk. He’d acquired a cane with a silver orb that he twirled between his dexterous fingers.
“Gah,” I said.
“Yes, that was precisely the effect I was going for.” Ari glanced sideways at his reflection. “Hmm, I think I like how I look as a man, too. Now I’m even more confused.”
“You’ll find yourself someday,” Lao said with a sympathetic look. “You’re young! You have plenty of time.”
“Your clothes,” I said weakly. “They look great on you. I truly mean it.” Ari was exactly my type. It was all my brain could do to function.
“Thank you.” Ari gestured at me. “Come out and let me see if I picked the right dress for you.”
Forcing my hands to stop covering myself up, I stepped out from behind the dresser. I looked anywhere but at Ari.
“Oh my.” Ari whistled. “You look every bit as stunning as I expected. Please, wear that. It looks so much better on you than it did on the real duchess.”
“But we have the same body,” I protested. “And she had more dignity. More confidence.”
Ari snorted. “She had overconfidence. And she wore too much jewelry. She didn’t have your pleasant aura. With your sweet smile, you’ll be conquering hearts.”
Lao winked at me. “Hot damn. If you change your mind about wanting to keep this strictly a show, then let me know.”
