MASKED CHARADES

CHAPTER 1

ENGLAND 1838

AILEEN was thrilled but overwhelmed to know that today, all her days of hard training and intense determination will be put to the test, as today she will fight and spar with the imbeciles in the village who bully the innocent village inhabitants, taking their money and belongings by force. Due to the small population, and the large distance between the village and London, the people's needs were neglected and the order needed to stop this behaviour towards innocent people was not kept. She learned this well before, that brutes existed on the food of fear, and innocents for sake of their family and loved ones were always fearful. It was a law of nature that those who are strong rule upon those who are weak, this law was being applied to the humans in this village now.

But not anymore. No innocent will be subjected to animosity, for fear of the well being of their loved ones. No more will people lose money or their lives due to the harsh and cruel behaviour of those who think themselves to be strong but use their strength on poor people who cannot even look after themselves. in the previous six years she made sure she trained hard with all her might, in archery, sparring and firearms.She made herself strong, to not look up at others to help her out of pity or misery. She refused to be that innocent girl who, six years before, could not save her family, and instead she chose to be of help to others, being there for those who are weak and need help. Though society did not approve of a lady taking the tasks of men to hand, she was keen on avenging what was taken from her. Society was just a charade she played to keep her real, revenge seeking self, under wraps, though she was also intent on eliminating the cruel dogs in the skins of humans from society.

Propriety demands for a lady to possess proper etiquette which she learned well enough in the care of her aunt Beatrice's careful guidance. As the only heiress to the late Duke's widely spread estates she had to follow a certain protocol in the eyes of society. Though she lived far from the scrutiny of others, she had to maintain decorum. Her aunt approved of her thinking and training to help others in the cruel world but never wanted her to be subjected to scrutiny by society or named as a bluestocking or light skirt so she proposed that her training should be kept secret, encouraging Aileen in all her activities which were mostly partaken by men but also giving her a complete education in etiquette and the activities respectable ladies of society partook in. Aileen could lead her double life as long as her dark side was kept unrevealed. Beatrice took Aileen into her care six years back, keeping her safe from gossip mongers and the pain of losing her family. She understood the emotions of her niece and encouraged her but on one certain condition, that no one was to know of her true identity or be able to identify her during such encounters.

To this Aileen happily complied, as she herself did not want to be recognised by any of her enemies, subjecting her remaining loved ones to danger. No one will ever know her true being. She decided to go by masked identity. Today her mentor and teacher of six years will test her abilities by taking her for her first encounter with gang of a few men in the village, who were making the villagers lives hard to survive.

She was dressed and ready in the clothes her aunt had ordered for her to be made by a modern modiste in America so that no one would be able to get any clue about her being, as words spread easily in England through seamstress' mouths. She was dressed in black breeches, hugging her legs, with long, black boots covering her legs upto her knees. A black dress shirt was tucked into her breeches, which was then covered by a black corset beginning at her décolletage and hugging low till her waist. Her hair was as dark as night and was done-up tight in a bun, leaving no strand undone. She had already secured her weapons over her waist; a pistol and a sword. A dagger was also placed safely in one of her boots.

She took a deep breath. Tonight was the night she had been praying and intensely waiting for. If everything went well, She'd live her life in this masked manner until she gets to Crooke. Lastly, she opened the drawer of her vanity and there laid a black mask. It was a simple satin silk mask, mainly used in masquerades, that will cover the portion of her eyes, hiding half her face and saving her from recognition. She took out the mask and put it on her face, tying the ribbons behind her head. The idea of the mask was taken from a man in London who was going by the name PHALCON and living his dark side through a black mask covering his identity from others. Many people talked about him, making known he was threat to robbers. Though Phalcon was a presence in London, he was talk of every town and village as well.

She left the manor, moving towards the stables where her black stallion was saddled and waiting for her to mount. Her trainer Robert, who trained her in sparring, archery and firearms for the past six years on the order of his mistress, Beatrice, stood there, near his horse. Soon they both mounted and, in no time they left for the village.