When we awoke in the morning we were still lying in the same positions, holding one another by the hand. Alex seemed more at peace with the situation of us too. I awoke to him looking at me a peaceful smile and awe over his face.
"Good morning." I said turning my head face down into the pillow and looking back at him.
"Good Morning, Maria. We have a busy day ahead of us, we should start getting ready soon."
"Okay."
He looked like he wanted to say something but thought better of it and merely smiled and left the room. I laid there for a minute before rolling out and stretching to hop in the shower and get ready myself.
Today was going to be a hectic day, Lar and Alex had already prepared my wardrobe for the trip so I would at least look the part of a high class elite who had an interest in fashion, while still giving me a choice in style. So I looked like I rubbed elbows with the people present but my look was still me. Today it was going to be people learning the timing for musical cues and timing for outfit changes. Plus any last minute tailoring adjustments that may be needed for the models.
When I got to the table for breakfast I was surprised to see Temple in his dark haired human disguise. He was talking to the other Redcaps and each one of them had a small package of glass vials in front of them. I went to the buffet style breakfast that was laid out and grabbed a plate and sat down at the table.
Vllard(Vi-yard) one of Lars brothers, is next to me at the table listening to Temple explain the side effects of when the elixir starts to wear off so they'll be prepared to either change back safely or take the next vial.
Vllard leans over and mutters to me, "I heard the 'Elixir' also makes us fall in love with the first woman we see in the human form. Do you mind being around when I change? I'd hate to be in the same boat as Lar."
My face was red and I tried not to grin looking at Vllard wide eyed but when he wiggled his eyebrows and winked at me I burst out laughing not able to control myself a second longer.
"Vllard you shameless flirt." Alex said walking up from behind and going to grab a plate of food.
"Look it's the pot calling the kettle." Vllard playful and dripping with sarcasm responded to him.
Temple looked over at us eyes bright and inquisitive, "OOOHHH! Did I miss something!?"
Alex shook his head, "No Temple just a joke."
Temple scanned us humming but told the redcaps that was all and they all went back to eating. Temple came and sat by me as Alex took a seat across from us, giving Temple a questionable look.
I was shocked myself when he sat next to me like he was my best friend he hadn't seen in years.
"SO SIN, I know everyone likes to call you Maria out of this bunch but Belle told me you preferred Sin. You don't mind right?"
He spoke so fast it took a minute a to register everything he had said. "Uh yeah that's fine." I say an awkward smile on my face.
"Oh good! SOOOO I had a question for you, since you're no longer with Alex would you like to go to the show with me?" He asked a wide open smile on his face waiting for my reaction.
I started choking on my food I was chewing and Alex dropped his cutlery on the plate.
"Temple, you don't even like women, why are you asking her to go to the show with you? Did you and your boyfriend have a squabble again?" Alex leans over the table in Temples direction as he spoke.
Temple looking at Alex and leaning over to meet in the middle of the table, "I'm a free man now, Alex. I can go with anyone, or are you asking cause you want to be my date then?" Temples voiced lowered and sounded seductive talking to Alex.
Alex calm and cool matches Temples timbre to say, " You already know you're not woman enough for me, Temple." He pats Temples face and sits back down and begins eating his breakfast again.
Temple looking slightly flustered begins to fan himself. Looking back at me he smiles, "Well I can't deny that. Anyways, as I was saying..."
One of the redcaps cuts Temple off, "I'll go with you." Leaving Temple stunned and then sizing the redcap up.
"Well then, Ms. Sin, looks like I have a date after all." Temple blushes and goes and sits by the redcap who would be accompanying him tomorrow.
"....?" I look at Alex and he shrugs. Vllard merely snickers and continues to eat. Come to think of it... I had never seen a female redcap....
Once finished with breakfast and the redcaps made the change into humans we headed to the venue. I'm glad that we are all wearing badges to identify us, the only name that changed was Lar's and Belle's. It made it easier to find Vllard so I could identify him. When I was able to memorize everyone's human identity to there actual identity I felt a little better.
I made sure I was sitting next to Vllard in the van on the way there.
"Hey Vllard, I got a ignorant question to ask you."
"Yes, Mija, everything changed on me..." He smiled insinuating something else.
I lightly smacked his arm, "Pervert!" I looked at him incredulously shaking my head. That got everyone in the van laughing.
"Okay, seriously I was just having a little fun Mija! What's your question?" He said still smiling.
"Are there female Redcaps?" I asked slightly embarrassed as I knew everyone was listening at this point.
I had 8 Redcaps masquerading as 8 charming and handsome male humans turn and look at me with huge grins on their faces making me want to melt into the seat. Why did Temple make everyone look so handsome?
"Hmmmm....uh hem. Yes Mija there are female redcaps but unless they are ... in heat? I guess you would call it, we tend to avoid them." He said quite callously.
"Please forgive my ignorance, may I ask why though?" I tried to be a polite about it as I could.
Darcen turned around and told me, "Because that's the only time they're not trying to kill us." His face was completely serious as was the others in the van.
"Well then thank you for satiating my curiosity." I smiled and pondered on that digesting the information.
"You know mija, the elixir doesn't make us fall in love." Vllard whispered to me.
I looked at him with an 'Oh really?' expression.
He whispered softly into my ear, "Now I know why when Lar is in his human form he likes Belle so much....."
He looked around and continued, "It just makes us horny as hell."
My damn mortified and shocked face.... must have been priceless. Everyone broke into voracious laughter....these assholes...I'm riding with the other crew back to the house.....
.....
Once at the shows location I'm kind of lost on what I should be doing as everyone else seems to have a designated task. Belle comes and grabs me having me go with her to stay out of the way of the crews.
I understood now after watching her move around why some of the guys would call her a prancing peacock. She did tend to strut around being very showy and aloof much like one would imagine a peacock would. I know she was a peacock in her true form, so I guess it was just a natural thing to do. I did have a question for her though and the second it came up in my mind she stopped and motioned for me to follow her to a less high traffic area.
"Yes I can change..." She was very vague but I caught on, " it's less energy wasted by doing it the other way. I love it when Devon takes it though, I feel like I'm doing alright as a wife for the time he does." She sighed looking off at Lar.
I'm kept my mouth shut remembering what Vllard said earlier in the van. Of course the all knowing oracle just looked at me gave me a devilish grin and whispered, "Yes, It's true." With a wink at me.
She burst into laughter at my face and thank goodness Alex came up and rescued me.
"Belle, quit making Maria feel so out of place and embarrassed. Go preen yourself or find something useful to do. Like prepare for the music and timing rehearsals." He suggested being callous.
She 'hmphed' and left quickly not pausing for a second longer around Alex.
"Don't let her little hot and cold attitude fool you. Yes, she's nice sometimes but she's a spoiled model and brat who's used to getting her way. Working in the industry like she has.....has made her very detached from real people and their perception of what people say." He waved his hand in the direction Belle left and then held his hand out for me to rise up from the seat I had taken.
"Come, let me introduce you to some decent people here." He helped me up and had me follow him out of the dressing area that was crazy hectic and took me to meet the people he enjoyed doing business with, even if they were not his biggest clientele.
As I was being introduced to everyone, another woman came in and waved to the lady who just introduced herself as Mia and that she worked with one the high end brand designers there.
"Natalia! I'm so glad you found your way here! Oh it's just a madhouse over there! Everyone this is Natalia, she's a designer but also my very good friend. She'll be debuting tomorrow night!" She went around and introduced herself personally to everyone and after a while, I was sipping a drink when she came up next to me at the little bar area of the venue.
"Whiskey, per favore." She asked knocking it back and then getting a refill.
"Having a attitude adjustment or loosening of tension from nerves?" I ask seeing her drinking like a woman after my own heart.
"Both." She smirked knocking back the next one. "So you work with Esencia de Vida?" She asked sitting down next to me.
"Yes and no. I've been their interpreter before but mostly we're just friends. I also own a dress that is apparently still desired and applauded so when La..I mean Devon asked me to wear it as a guest...How could I say no to my friend?"
"You own the Bisset Allured gown?" She asked excitement on her face.
"I didn't know it had been given a name." I laughed as she pulled out her phone to show a picture of me in the dress but my face could not be seen.
"Wait, is that you in the dress as well?" She looked at the picture again seeing the black curls that were evident in the picture and looking at me hair now.
"Sure is." I said calling the bartender back over for another drink.
"Wow You had to be what 20 in this picture then? Your figure doesn't look like it's changed at all. What kind of diet and workout do you do?"
I laughed, "I eat when I'm hungry, whatever I want, I'm just smart about portion sizes. I work out three times a week nothing to crazy but you have to work out all your muscles, every time you do." I keep it as honest as I can, because I do have to take care of my body or I can lose or gain weight just like normal people.
"Oh that sounds really simple, except for the workout part. Finding two hours in one day of the week lately for anything other than my collection has been exhausting. Ugh."
We're talking having a good time and I end up really liking her and we exchange numbers.
Alex comes up and tells me they're about to start the models rehearsals right now, he was going to go check on that. He leaves and Natalia is watching him go mesmerized.
"Are you and him together?" She asked.
"Alex? Uh...No, we're just friends." I say pulling my officer training to help cover the emotions that may run across my face otherwise.
"So he's single?" I nod to that.
"Oh I don't even know why I'm bothering it's not like an attractive man would be into someone like me." She looked dejected into her drink finishing it off.
"You might be surprised if you tried, Natalia. That man is more about a woman for who she is than appearance and whatnot. I've known him and Devon for 9 years now, trust me." I tell her thinking to myself, if she's the one Belle was talking about.... So far I don't have a problem with it.
"You think so?" She asked hesitantly and then something dawned on her.
"Shit I gotta go, they're doing the rehearsals I should be up there. I'll see you tomorrow if not before, Ciao Maria!" She took off giving me a quick peck on the cheek before running off to go be with her collection for the rehearsals. I laughed and just told the bartender to leave the bottle already.
.....
The next day was absolute CHAOS because of all the behind the scene activities. Reporters, magazine editors, celebrities and everything in between walking around and getting in the way. Once I was done with my part of helping which wasn't much I made my way to the bar turning heads as I was wearing the dress already with the show soon to start.
"Whiskey, 2 per favore. Grazie" I said grabbing the glasses and making my way to where Natalia was running around like a chicken with her head cut off nervous over debuting with all the other big names today.
"Thought you could use a little something." I said holding my hand out with a glass when she saw me and smiled.
"OH you're an angel! Maria how did you know I needed this." She sipped it for right now and then realized I was in the dress.
"OH MY GOSH! You're in the dress! Turn let me look!" She exclaimed. Soon she was rushing off to go get dressed and ready herself since we had under an hour left till show time.
Since she would be backstage until time to present her collection I walked out and saw Alex already sitting down in the front row and he waved me over to come sit.
"You look just as lovely as the first time I saw you in that Maria." He smiled at me, memories flashed through my mind at the thought.
"Thank you." I replied nonchalantly with a smile back not wanting to show how I was still affected by his words.
The show started and it was a fashion show. Models strutting down a runway in clothes, some I would wear some I'd torch and toss, but still exciting. When Natalia introduced her collection I got excited for her and when I saw it, I was thrilled! She had some amazing clothes that I wanted to take home with me. In fact the majority of her collection I wanted.
Alex leaned over and asked, "Isn't that the same woman you were sitting at the bar with yesterday?"
I paused, he noticed her.... "Yes, Natalia. I really like her. I'll introduce you two after again after the show." I told him.
The show was a success and I ended up being ushered on stage to reveal the Bisset Allured gown for the world to see. Before Alex walked me out on stage though he gave me dark veil covering for my face. "Anyone here can see your face, but pictures will not be able to see your face. I know you like your privacy."
"Thank you Alex." He walked me out with Lar on the other side of me with Belle, all of us linked arm in arm and did a bow before walking back off.
Afterwards was when we really had a good time. I found Natalia and told her I wanted her collection, thought it was amazing! She laughed it off at first and I had to reassure her I was serious.
"Oh come with me." I dragged her off to our group and introduced her to Belle 'Aida' and Lar 'Devon'. Then to Alex and left them alone going back to the bar. I suddenly realized... I didn't want to be here for that though.
I turned and ran right into Belle who hugged me, " I already got a taxi for you. We'll be back at the villa soon. I know it's hard, but you did good, Sin. I knew you would." She let me go and I left with out much to say now.
.....
Back at the Villa I was knocking back the whiskey trying to drown out the sorrow and ache of loneliness that I once again felt. I ended up getting mad arguing and talking with myself and proceeded to throw a glass cup shattering it over the unfairness of it all. I was alright just a few days ago. Now I had to give it up and be alone for someone else to get their happy ending.
When was I ever going to get my 'happily ever after'?!