Army of Sin - Season 2 - The Gathering

Episode XIV - Paths That Cross

Location: Eze, France

"I feel utterly ridiculous!" Evangeline groused.

"You look amazing," Mona replied, having come over to observe preparations. She made sure to stand out of the way as the make-up artist continued her ministrations on the face of her best friend, "Like a darker, sexier Xena, Warrior Princess; woman power everywhere."

"Mhm," Evangeline replied, doing her best not to smile and mess up the canvas that her face had become for the make-up artist.

"There!" The artist, Isabelle sighed happily, slipping her brush into the long case that contained the tools of her trade before securing the entire set.

"A wizard as always, Isabelle," Evangeline thanked the shorter woman with ancestral traces of Latina mother and Asian father imprinted all over her face.

"No probs Hun, hey Mona!" she acknowledged Evangeline's best friend with a soft smile.

"Bye, Gorgeous!" Mona replied with a soft smile of her own.

"Mons..." Evangeline trailed.

"What?" She asked innocently, eyes lingering on Isabelle's departing legs.

"Too much feminine energy," Evangeline replied with a shake of her head before pushing to her feet. "I. Look. Ridiculous!" she ground out.

Mona bit the inside of her cheek, trying her best not to laugh as Evangeline enunciated each word.

Folding her arms, Mona shifted her weight as she swept her gaze over her friend's beguiling costume.

The leather of Evangeline's sandals was cured until they were dark brown in colour; a pair of shin guards ending just beneath the kneecaps. Her smooth, upper legs were bare and toned, disappearing beneath the warrior's shirt she wore. Around her waist, a medieval replica of a sword hung from her jeweled belt, its pommel a metallic bronze. The mounds of her breasts peeked over the top of her leather corset, rising and falling with each breath, small beads of sweat disappearing into her exaggerated cleavage. Just below her sternum was the face of a white cobra with jaws spread wide to reveal poisonous fangs. She certainly was something to look at, Mona thought with a grin, "You look like a dream," she said aloud.

"I totally agree with management," Andrei chimed in as he walked over to where they sat under a hastily erected tent.

"Don't you dare!" Evangeline playfully snapped as the photographer made as if to raise hands to the camera he always wore around his neck.

"My apologies, Milady, I shall resist," he backed off with hands up. "We're ready when you are. I'll be in the Garden."

"Go get 'em, Tigress!" Mona encouraged as Andrei took his exit.

"Lights. Camera..."

"Action!" The two friends finished with a bump of fists.

They were shooting the current catalogue for a travel magazine that planned to feature chosen parts of France; one of them being the tiny village of Eze. The main attraction of the old-fashioned village they wished to highlight was the exotic garden set on the site of some ancient ruins. Andrei had the model and production crew conduct the photography mainly on the western side of the garden, near a tiny pool that overlooked the expanse of deep blue sea below. The actual shoot passed without incident, the models all performing their own roles with experienced precision. This particular catalogue did not require a multitude of wardrobe changes. Even Karolina, who played the role of a chambermaid, drew calls of appreciation from Andrei amid non-stop shutter clicks of his camera.