"Oh my gods. You are actually insane, aren't you?"
Iris only shrugged as Kayde shook his head at her plan. Perhaps she shouldn't have said anything to him. Ah, it was too late to go back now. She'd done the damage.
"Come off it," she rolled her eyes. "Everything's going to be fine."
"There's no way this is going to end well." The guardian rubbed at his temples.
"I don't see you coming up with a better plan," she sniffed. "The captain has already made it abundantly clear that he's not going to talk at all to a soldier. We need to know what he knows, Kayde. I'm doing the best I can, here."
"And you will think he will talk to a woman?" Kayde asked, not unkindly.
"I have to hope he will."
"And what of your group? What of the General? What will they say when you walk out of this room looking as dainty as a flower? There's an immense difference between an actual woman and a man pretending to be one. Anyone who saw you would see immediately through Ingred." While Iris knew that might be the case, she couldn't help but think she might be able to pull it off if she had to.
"Unless you want me to put you in a skirt, you relax," she said, "I'm not going to let any of them see me. I'll go at night, when everyone is in bed. Don't take me for a fool. I don't have so many bats in my attic. "
"Do you not?"
"Kayde," she said, as if she were warning him, "I am doing what I can to save my village. My family. Hell, even your family. Would you not risk everything for your family's lives?"
"Perhaps," he said quickly, and then his voice softened, "But I would also risk everything for you. Which is why I am begging you not to do this. Please be sane, Iris. There has to be another way."
"I'll be fine, Kayde. I swear it. If you're so worried, then watch my back," she suggested with a small smile.
The guardian sighed, but nodded in agreement.
"I can't believe I'm agreeing to this. Perhaps I'm mad, as well. Are you absolutely sure that I can't talk you out of this?" he said as a last attempt to change her mind. Iris shook her head, and motioned to a bag hidden in the corner of the inn room with her hand. Kayde's eyes snapped to where she gestured and then back to her.
"It's my father. And plus, I already bought the disguise," she told him.
"Funny you call that a disguise now," he pointed out, "What do you call what you're wearing now?"
The question took her by surprise.
"I don't know," she said honestly, looking down at her armor, "Maybe Ingred Gwenneth is who I really am."
"Your bats are showing." It was a jest.
"Oh, hush," she grumbled. Kayde laughed, but rapidly composed himself.
"I understand what you are saying," he promised, and then changed the subject, "You might want to find a better place for whatever you have in that bag before the General gets back. He's sure to finish his dinner any minute now." With a nod, she scurried over and scooped it up. Within a minute, the costume was hidden elsewhere. Just in time too. As Kayde predicted, Zayn had finished his dinner. Both the guardian and the rogue watched as he opened the door and walked over to his bed.
"What's the master plan, Ingred?" he asked as he unhooked his sword belt, "You say you know how you might get his information, but refuse to tell me how..."
"The best plans are kept plans," she said simply, "All you need to know is that you should trust me." In this, at least.
"Very well," Zayn said, and then mumbled under his breath, "Make me proud, I guess."
----
When the General was finally asleep, Iris quietly snuck out of her bed and toward the bathroom. Her heart, that had been pounding rampantly since she bought the disguise, beat even louder now. In fact, it thumped so noisily, she swore it would wake Zayn. Kayde, upon seeing her stand, got up as well. With a nod in his direction, she closed the restroom door and grabbed her bag from behind the counter.
Iris wasn't sure what felt stranger, taking off her armor or putting on a dress. Gods, it had been so very long since she'd worn one. After zipping the back of it, she turned to the mirror and inhaled. She looked very feminine, despite the shoulder-length hair, and that alone had her reeling in shock. In the armor, it was hard to see the slenderness of her arms and the gentle curve of her hips, but now... it was all too prominent. This frightened Iris.
Even so, she knew it had to be done. With a sigh, she began pulling up her black tresses up into an elegant twist. Needless to say, she became frustrated almost immediately after beginning. The last time she'd done this, she was more practiced at it. She'd had way more hair to work with too. Even so, she was able to manage it... well, after three tries. She began to wonder if she was good at being a man because she had actually forgotten how to be a girl. It wouldn't surprise her.
Next, she powdered her face and brushed a bit of kohl around her eyes. She chuckled as she did this, noting that this was a different kind of war paint. Though, the slight mirth disappeared when she shaded her lips in liquid red.
Gods, this is bloody uncomfortable, she thought to herself, not enjoying the viscosity of the lip-paint.
Before she left the bathroom, she tied a dagger to her left calf. Not because she thought she would be bothered, after all, Kayde would be there with her; but because she felt so vulnerable. Fragile. It was not a feeling she enjoyed. Iris noticed that the weapon did some to counter that after she secured it... but not enough.
Either way, with one last deep breath, she stepped out.
Kayde was standing there, waiting on her. The moment he fixated on her, the corner of his mouth rose. Iris narrowed her eyes and began walking quietly towards the door, doing her best not to awaken the general. Her heart thrummed against her sternum with each step that she took, threatening to saw its way out of her ribcage.
Thankfully, the door didn't creak.
Neither of them spoke until the motel was no longer in sight.
"For a soldier," Kayde voiced as they made their way to the jail, "You can turn yourself into a rather lovely girl."
"I'm sure with a couple of oranges, and the amount of rouge I'm wearing..." she said satirically, "You could turn yourself into a rather pretty girl too. Still not too late to put you in a skirt too."
Hearing her still-scratchy voice, Kayde began rummaging in his pack. After a moment, he pulled out a little leaf.
"What is that?" she asked.
"It's an herb. Suck on it," he held the leaf out to her and, after a moment of hesitance, she took it.
"Why?" she narrowed her eyes at the tiny sprig, "What will it turn me into?"
"Such mistrust, even after all that I have done for you. It's for your voice. Even though you are not talking in your low voice, you still sound like you swallowed a good many sharp stones. It will take the soreness away, and in turn, the scratchiness," he answered while motioning for her to do as told.
With a nod, she did.
"Why did you have this with you?" she asked, "Did you expect I'd need to sound like myself at some point?"
"Of course not," he replied, "I got those herbs for myself."
"Is now the time that I find out that you're a girl as well?" she asked with a smile.
"Not quite," he countered. "There are more ways to get a sore throat than eating your voice fruits."
"Oh, I bet so," she said with a type of humor Kayde had not yet heard from her. She wiggled a brow for extra effect. The moment he understood her tasteless joke, he shook his head at her and grinned.
"Vile," was all he said.
"Indeed," she said simply. "That was a reach, wasn't it? Sorry for that."
Kayde chuckled. "War has changed you, girl."
"I think it has changed everybody."
----
They arrived at the jail not long after Iris's throat finally felt better. As she continued talking to Kayde, she found herself interested in the way it sounded. She was no longer used to the light soprano, and she definitely wasn't used to her throat not hurting. She refocused her attention when she entered her destination. The same lieutenant from earlier was standing about in the main area, pacing. He only stopped when he noticed them.
"Who goes there?" he asked.
"A scout of General Zayn's," Kayde answered quickly, "Do you not recognize me from earlier?"
The soldier narrowed his eyes for a moment and then smiled at Kayde.
"Ah, I do recognize you," he said, and glanced down at Iris, "But I don't recognize you."
With a moment of appraisal, he looked back up at Kayde.
"Very beautiful girl that you have here, who is she?" Thedorn asked. Iris would be lying if she said she wasn't flattered at the compliment.
"A girl that the general cares for... Her name is Elisa. He sent her here to see if she could persuade the captain into talking. He wanted to try this one last thing before killing the Token," Iris recoiled at Kayde's choice of words. A girl that the general cares for? What the hell, Kayde? She knew that he would pay for that jest the moment she could raise a hand.
"I see," Thedorn's said after a moment, though he looked thoroughly puzzled. "Well, Miss Elisa, I will lead you to our prisoner. May you have more luck than all of us."
"Thank you, sir."
With that, he walked to the cell door and handed her the key.
And then, she entered. He looked up, and Iris could tell he expected to see another soldier. After registering that she was not the usual visitor, his eyes popped open. "Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?"
She dangled the key to where he could see it. "You'd think the soldier outside would watch his key more carefully," she winked, "I am Elisa. Looks like you could use some help."
"I don't understand," he said, his eyes clearly roaming over her figure. She almost cringed under his gaze.
"You don't have to understand." She fidgeted with the binds at his feet first. "All you have to know is I'll have you back to your master within the week. Now keep quiet or they'll hear you," she hissed. She took care to lightly graze his calf with her hand so that her presence had maximum effect.
"You? Erodyne Maug-Rin sent you? " he said, a bit incredulous. So she had a name. Fantastic. Already a head-start.
"Mhm." She didn't start off asking questions. That'd only make him suspicious. Best let him ask the questions first.
"Why did he send a girl?"
Iris stopped what she was doing immediately. With a glower, she grabbed the bottom of his thigh and squeezed it. Bile rose in her throat at even touching him, but she had to remind herself that it was all for her father. "Don't you condescend me," she said. "Not after I had to fuck two soldiers to get to you."
He raised a brow. "Then you're one of his whores, aren't you?."
"More than that. Obviously," she sniffed. "I have skills in many areas. Skills that have served you well, mind you." She undid the last knot at his ankles, and his feet were free. She wasn't about to undo his hands, but that hardly meant she couldn't pretend to work at the binds. She could've walked around to where they were held up on the wall. Or, she could swallow all of her pride and get close and personal for inspiration.
She thought to her father and sucked it up. Lifting the hem of her dress, she threw one leg over his and leaned in close to where he was tied. Both of her hands found the knots, and she pretended to fidget with him. All the while, she was keenly aware his eyes were on her chest.
"Then what is your job description?" he asked after a minute.
She leaned back, perching on top of his knees. "You ask a lot of questions, don't you?" She played a little nicer. "You weren't far off. I used to join your Erodyne's bed." The words felt disgusting to say. "He saw more potential in me than that, though. And so now I do his dirty work for a good price. No one ever suspects the pretty whore, do they? I thought it was clever."
The captain raised a brow. "It actually... is." He looked her over. "You must be worth a whole lot."
"Mhm," she said. "But always worth the price. I'm good at my job."
"Get me out of here, and I'll pay you to prove it."
"Oh, not so fast," she curved her mouth up a corner. "I hardly serve just anyone that asks. I have criteria."
He looked amused. "And those are?"
"Are you a common soldier? Or are you of a more special sort? I have a thing for important men, you know."
"I'm a captain."
"Oh, there are lots of those," she went on, lightly pulling her dress up her leg. "What makes you worth it to me? Have you lead any attacks?"
He listed a few as his eyes wandered over her milky shin, but she put a finger over his mouth. "Oh, everyone knows about those. You could easily be lying to me." She cocked her head to the side. "How about you tell me what you're going to do when you leave here?"
"I could easily lie about that, too. How will you know it's the truth?" he countered.
"Because I know a lot more about Token plans than you'd think. Master Erodyne trusts me a great deal."
"I'll be leading an attack on Eda. Two weeks from now, if I get out of here and things hold to plan. How's that?"
"Boring," she trilled. She held in her racing heart. Two weeks. Two weeks until the attack. "I've heard Eda is nothing but civilians. It won't be much of a fight." She shook her head. "Hmm, how about this, then? Have you seen the fortress? Been inside to see mister Erodyne?"
"I have," he said.
"Prove it," she challenged. "There's the front entrance. Where's the other one?"
"That's obvious. It's near the..." he narrowed his eyes. Sudden comprehension darkened his face. "Wait, I recognize you."
"Do you?" Iris offered a devilish smile.
"You were with him earlier. The general..." he trailed off, "Except, you were, a soldier..." She'd been caught. On cue, she pulled right away from him. Gods, she was going to need a bath.
"Seems you're right," she laughed darkly, and pulled the dagger from her leg.
"But you are a woman..."
"Perhaps I am both," she stated simply.
"Oh, they'll hang you when they figure that out." A wicked smile spread across his face, as if right now, nothing would have brought him more joy.
"Ah, you are right in that," she walked closer, pointing the dagger straight at his heart, "Which is why my secret dies with you."
And so it did.