Arcadia's Ignoble Knight: The Sorceress of Ashtown

A Sorceress's Indulgence

Despite Caspian's protests, Erica managed to drag him into one of the many shops lining the street.

Having never shopped for clothes before (all of the clothes he owned at the academy had been provided by the academy), he was surprised by just how large the store's interior was. It looked much bigger on the inside than it did on the outside. Lining the walls and interspersed throughout the store were shelves and racks filled with many different types of clothing, all of which were for women.

Erica dragged him over to one particular section that seemed to contain nothing but fashionable―not to mention expensive―dresses.

"Which one do you think would look better on me?" she asked, holding up a dress in each hand. The one in her left hand was a light blue evening gown that showcased a strapless top with a high slit running up the left side of the dress. The gown shimmered and sparkled as Erica moved it about, making Caspian realize the entire outfit was adorned with thousands of small gemstones. The other dress was a red silk blend fitted fishtail gown. Its plunging neckline told Caspian that, if Erica decided to wear it, she would be exposing far more of her cleavage than he'd ever seen before.

Both were extravagant, and both looked like they cost more money than Caspian would have in his lifetime.

"Why are you asking me?" Caspian asked. "You think I know anything about fashion? I wear the same uniform almost every single day. By the Spirits, even the clothes I wore on that train were picked out for me by the headmaster."

"So the headmaster picks out your clothes?" Erica giggled. "That's kind of pathetic, don't you think?"

Caspian twitched at the insult. "It's not like I have any choice. I don't have any money to go shopping for my own clothes. Bite me!"

"I would love to, but unfortunately, I'm currently with my loyal but bedridden Derek," Erica lamented, even going so far as to put a hand to her head and act like she was ready to faint from depression. She recovered quickly, however, showing that it was just an act. "'Twood be a shame if I betrayed my loyal Knight's trust and fidelity like that." Her lips twitched into an exotic smile, made all the more bewitching by her single visible eye. "But, after my poor Derek kicks the bucket, I'll be more than happy to bite you all you want. Who knows. Perhaps I shall even let you bite me back."

Caspian sputtered incoherently for several seconds.

"W-w-what the heck makes you think I'm going to bite you?!" He paused, but only to catch his breath. "And it was a figure of speech! Don't take me so literally."

"So which one do you like better?"

"Would you stop ignoring me?!"

When Erica just gave him a blank look, Caspian's shoulders slumped. He looked away from the Sorceress, trying to hide the new color to his face. This woman really was the worst.

"The red one," he mumbled, his gaze flickering over to her, only to look away again. "You look better in red." Why was she looking at him with those succubus eyes (or would that be eye?) of hers? Couldn't she see that her stare made him uncomfortable?

Then again, maybe that was the reason. He'd heard rumors about Erica Angelo long before they had met on that train. At the time, he had not believed them, thinking them to be just what they were called, rumors. Now though... now he wasn't so sure.

"I do, don't I?" Erica's smile was so obnoxiously cheerful that it made Caspian's right eye twitch. "In that case, I'll add this one to the pile, then. Now, let's see what other clothes we can find."

Caspian groaned as he was dragged off again.

What must I do for this day to end?

***