At the moment, Esmeliyah was lodged in an inn. She had stepped in through the front door clothed in the hooded black custom of a warrior only a few hours ago. She was then brushed, polished and adorned, thankfully in the last 365 days she had undergone some skin therapy to remove or fade the many ugly scars she had gained over the years.
Esmeliyah had been told that she had been picked for this particular mission because she was beautiful. She hadn't believed them then but after being given the treatment of a lady consecutively for the last year she was starting to see it. The most beautiful women were usually offered up as tribute and she was looking the part. In her trainings since the last year she had made use of wooden weapons rather than real blades, she had lived in a manor and been served by maids. She was ready.
The door burst open and Esmeliyahs maid, Colene came rushing in or at least speedily walking appropriately. Colene was a foreign woman who didn't belong to Sukecha but from Otunara where Esmeliyah would pretend to be from. Colene had served under Otunara's princess and was saved by another member of the Kings Calvary when she was almost beaten to death. Colene knew that her new mistress was a sham but she had been hired not to ask questions.
'My lady, the carriage and procession have arrived at the location'.
Her superiors had had a carriage depart a Dukes manor in Otunara in grand fashion days ago. The same carriage was now somewhere in the mountains waiting for her to join them on their way to the palace. Esmeliyah and Colene would secretly exit the inn and join the procession.
Esmeliyah stood up from the dressing table as gracefully as she could manage.
'Colene get my sword and cloth make sure nothing of mine is left behind'.
' Done, my lady'.
'Alright, go cause a commotion so I can slip out, I'll meet you by the bushes under the oak tree'.
'Yes my lady', Colene said however she hesitated to move.
'Any problem?'
'Forgive me my lady may I dare ask that you carry the thigh piece jewelry with you. If I am to carry that large expensive jewelry, your sword and your clothing I fear that I would be too conspicuous'.
'That's fine Colene, go now. Meet me in the next seven minutes'.
Colene bowed and left the room.
Naturally Esme could have slipped out without the need of a commotion. But with her heavy dress and the noisy beaded sleeves and torso of her traditional Sukech wedding dress there was no way she could attempt to shadow walk (move unnoticed).
The Sukech traditional dress was one of a kind. It was usually made with expensive fabrics like silks and lace. The style was intricate and elegant. A long full skirt that needed a spring to ball out properly. The skirt was made of two layers, one that was attached on the inside of the spring and one that was attached on the outside. This was because the skirts of Sukechan wedding dresses often had huge slits up the right leg and it was inappropriate for the spring in a lady's dress to show. A huge beautiful thigh jewelry was worn mid thigh to add beautification and also to discourage peeping men from looking into a lady's skirt. Although the Sukechan dress was not a two piece, it looked like one. This was because very little fabric covered the upper part of the dress, embroidered turquoise silk began from just above her breasts and ended just above her pierced navel. Usually clear quality lace or any other fine see through material was used to cover everywhere the silk fabric wasn't covering and was also used for the sleeves. But in Esmeliyahs case little pearls and diamonds were arranged in rows to form the sleeves of the dress and to cover(barely) her shoulders and belly. It was indeed a traditional wedding dress fit for a tribute woman to the king. Thankfully it was custom to wear the traditional wedding dress of the land one was tribute to or Esmeliyah would have had to come in the heavier set that was native to Otunara people.
Exactly seven minutes after Colene caused a distraction both mistress and maid reunited in the bushes by the oak tree. From there Esme using her sword carved a temporary part for them to walk into the mountain side. The walk was a little hectic, Esme had to lift her skirts to avoid any mud while cutting through the thick grass. They didn't have to walk very far, just a little up the mountainside hidden by a large boulder a grand procession was waiting. About half of them wore a uniform identical to Colenes. Immediately Esme walked into their line of sight the whole procession courtesyed and bowed.
Colene quickly rushed over and began speaking to the head of processions in the nararian language, Esme had learnt the language but could only catch a few words because she stood at some distance from the procession. A few minutes later Colene returned to Esme's side.
'My lady, the mountain side is steep. The coach man says that he must first ride the carriage to the open road and then we can get in'.
Esme sighed. 'Tell him to hurry up or we wouldn't be in sync with schedule'.
'Yes milady', Colene said. She hurried over to inform the coachman who immediately began riding the carriage down the mountain side. A warrior who Esme presumed was acting as a protective escort rode his horse up to her and offered to give her a ride to the open road.
'That would be lovely, get down'.
'Pardon milady?'
'Get down and walk I'll ride the horse myself'
'But milady, the road down is a bit steep'
'I'll manage fine sir, now keep moving'.
Despite the inconvenience of the spring in her skirt Esme managed to seat securely on the horse though her entire right leg was naked.
She rode the horse down the mountain side behind the grand carriage as the procession followed. They soon came to an open road for travellers and when there weren't many people walking by, the procession quickly emerged into the road. In a flash they had all taken their places by the carriage. Esme returned the horse to the lead escort who took his place in front of the carriage. Colene concealed Esme's clothes and weapon into her luggage chests and helped her wear the beautiful thigh jewelry piece that was in the shape of a large butterfly.
Now looking like a complete traditional bride, Esme and Colene were helped into the carriage and it began to steadily roll forward.
Everything was physically in motion now there was no going back.