LIBERTINE / LEVI ACKERMAN

2 - We Were Girls Together

There were glass cases against all the walls displaying knives, with one glass case centered in the middle of the small establishment, holding the most intricately carved knives and a man standing behind it. Imogen recognized most of the knives - the most adventurous clients of hers enjoyed having knives held up to their skin and ligaments. She had to know which ones were daggers, capable of piercing the skin easily, if the blade was carved from carbon steel, as rust would cause a multitude of health problems that Jannik would kill her for if The Winking Mares was found liable. The knives in the center glass case were beautiful, shimmering in the low lantern light, which caught on the designs etched into their wooden handles. One, propped up on a stand front and center, was pure steel and covered in tribal carvings; probably a 4 inch blade. Rina was arm in arm with her, her thin jacket brushing against Imogen's shoulder.

They could've walked into a knife store actually looking for weapons, or showing off their knowledge, but it was a worthless idea. Every time Imogen had purchased knives, leathers, or straps for her clients, the man behind the counter explained the details to her endlessly - no matter how knowledgeable she seemed. So, it was Rina's idea to take advantage of the men's fragile desires: the need to explain to poor women how their little toys worked.

The two women approached the man behind the counter.

"How much for the knife in the center?" Rina asked.

"The one in the center will cost you 3 Marks." Their eyes widened a bit.

"I wish I had a husband who could afford one of your fancy knives," Rina cooed. Imogen held back her satisfied reaction - she was like a Black widow, luring in prey. She looked around at some of the patrons in the store: one man wearing blue slacks and a gray suit jacket, a young, scrappy man twirling one of the knives between his fingers, and three men who looked to be merchants. She wished that there was ever a woman in here. Maybe, in another world, Imogen could've been a sharp and cunning assassin, stalking into the knife shop with authority and fearsome strength. In this world, her only bargaining chip was her face and body. Rina already had the man behind the counter wrapped around her finger. An ego was the easiest thing to identify in a man, and the easiest thing to manipulate. She smiled, watching her apprentice go to work.

"What are you smiling about, pretty lady?" The man wearing blue slacks and a gray suit jacket leaned in next to Imogen.

"I just love to learn from intelligent young men," She said innocently, and the man behind the counter took notice, nodding at her approvingly.

"Then I think it's best that we keep talking..." The man next to Imogen smirked, "What would you like to know?" She wondered if this man had any real merit to his life, his achievements. It baffled her that he was so invested in displaying his knowledge of common fighting knives to a woman.

"What's the blade made of on that one?" She pointed to a knife in the display case. He started explaining the process of collecting and firing stainless steel into a blade. Imogen watched absentmindedly, analyzing his features. He was handsome, in a slightly rugged way, and he did appear to be smart enough. Was it wrong of her to assume the worst about him? He was obviously pursuing her, but was that inherently malicious? Every man was a client to her now: a puzzle to be dissected and sorted into neat piles that she can analyze and perform for. In a way, it reminded her of the way clients viewed her.

It wasn't equal, of course, because these men were paying for direct access to her body. But they viewed each other in the same way - one dimensional, clear intentions, only there for a specific purpose. She didn't quite know how to conceptualize a man who wasn't explicitly her client anymore. What if this man before her loved to provide? What if he was the type of man to hold a woman close at night and keep her warm?