"Alright, you do exactly as I say, Asteria" Alexander explains.
It is three in the noon and Alexander meticulously scripts a plan, taking reference from the whiteprint of the Thespian palace which he had bought from a local, discreet merchant selling all kinds of illicit articles, for thirty Aureus. We were standing across a wooden table placed in one of the storage rooms.
"Right when you reach the heavily grilled gates of the palace, there will be two armed guards standing near. I want you to show them this identification card. It contains the name, age and address of one of the chambermaids who cleans the bedroom and bathrooms in the palace." He explains. He places the card on the scarred wooden table between us which faces towards me.
"Do you have to make me his cleaning lady" I sulkily asked after a moment of reflection.
"It doesn't matter what you are, just focus on the reason you are going there in the first place" he replies.
I roll my eyes and let him continue speaking.
"So, I assume the guards will let you pass the gates after you show them your card. Remember to not make eye contact or talk to anyone and never ever reveal your true identity" he yells, looking right into my eyes and pointing a finger at me.
"Alright mother, anything else?" I sarcastically ask. "Wait, but won't they get to know I'm a noblewoman just by looking at my attire?".
"Very well observed, which is why you will be wearing this". He leaves the room and after a few seconds, I hear the faint creek of a closet door opening after which it slams close. Alexander returns into the room holding a black dress with white trim and a full skirt above knee length which has a white, lace half-apron.
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"No way, I'm not wearing this ridiculous dress" I argue. I take the dress from his hands and ruffle the skirt of the dress with my hands and pat down the powdery dirt stuck on it.
"This is the only dress code for all the female servants working in there, you need to wear this to fit it" he explains.
"Of course, you have a reason for everything don't you" I grumbled under my breathe.
He smirks.
"Well, it's half past 4 and if I leave now I might be able to make it by a little past 5 o'clock"
I take the black, ragged dress and make my way out of the room into the wide, arched hallways and walk into my room. Tossing the dress on my mahogany bed, on which an all white woven piece of fabric quilts over the intricate designs, I step up to the enormous, obsidian mirror and look myself in the mirror. I began unlacing my stiff, brocaded gown after which I take off my silk petticoat which is lavishly decorated with ribbons and laces. The corset underneath the petticoat stands stiff on my chest till my waist which is tightly laced to make my waist look tiny. I grunt, trying to take off the uneasy fitting corset after which I peel off the silk one-piece, sleeveless shift with round neck and trimmed with lace.
I look at myself. This is it, this is the moment I've been waiting for, for three years.
