How do I look?

[Anonymous]

It always looked so effortless on those ladies. Really, it shouldn't be this hard. Just some curls and some pins and it should be perfect. And the hat she had gotten should have sat perfectly. Yet it wasn't happening so well.

Frowning at her reflection in the battered copper mirror, Wren turned her head this way and that. She had managed to get most of it up, but it just didn't seem the same as the lady who's hat she had stolen.

And the woman had been mostly her size too! Wren had managed to squeeze into the dress, though it was a little tight around her hips and bust, the woman had more typical Serenian looks than Wren did.

Giving up, Wren headed into the main room, thick curls bouncing as she practically skipped over to where Jackal was. She had never gotten why everyone was so afraid of him, he was just a big puppy!

"Jaaaackal! What do you think?" Giving a twirl, she posed with a bright smile, "I just got it!"

[Tally]

They needed to get into a real town soon.  The decent food around the camp was getting scarce, and if it was scarce for Jackal, then the rest of them had to be getting really restless.  He was taking the edge off his hunger with a piece of slightly stale bread when Wren pranced in.  What in the seven hells was she wearing now?

"I think you need to go visiting your priorities," he said, grinning.  Leave it to Wren to steal a hat of all things.  "But you wear it well, love.  A shame you're stuck amongst us louts and ruffians.  Fine attire like that goes to waste out here, no?"

[Anonymous]

Wren pouted, hands on her hips before she flopped down into his lap, arms around his neck, "Don't be silly! A girl's number one priority should always be looking pretty." Her face then split into a wide grin, cheeks flushing with the compliment, "Really? I look good? Yay! Just you watch! I'm gonna catch me some real pretty noble boy! They know how to treat a girl right ya know!"

[Tally]

"Aye, well..."  He gave her a kiss on the cheek.  "Don't you go gettin' soft.  Livin' in a lordling's manor and all, all those servants seeing to yer every whim."

[Anonymous]

Wren laughed, still wrapped around Jackal, beaming up at him. Everyone was always so scared of him, but Wren had never been. He was just too sweet and unlike most of the men around, he knew how to compliment her, which meant Wren adored him even more.

"Course I wont get soft! I ain't gonna stay away from here for long ya know. I would miss ya too much and I bet ya would just die of loneliness if I weren't around."

Her belly gave a loud rumble at that point and she flushed, trying to talk over it and pretend it hadn't happened, "'Sides, this group would fall right apart withou' a delicate feminine touch."

[Tally]

"The camp just wouldn't be as bright without you, darlin'."

There was no mistaking that sound that interrupted his next words.  She was just as hungry as he was!  "By the gods!"  Jackal pounded a fist on the table.  "I'd be a right shameful lout if I let a lady go hungry.  Up, girl!"

He lifted her off his lap so he could get up and grab his sword off the table.  "We're goin' into town."

[Anonymous]

"Town? Really! Yay!" Wren clapped her hands and then frowned down at her dress. There wasn't really a place for her sword on it, but she wanted to wear it into town. But leaving the basecamp without a sword just seemed to wrong.

She would just have to settle for the knives strapped to her legs. Wrapping are arms around one of Jackal's, she beamed up at him, "I'm in such a good mood from gettin' this dress, I'll even let ya buy me some cider!"

[Tally]

Jackal heaved a contented sigh.  He lead the way out and to the haphazard construction of wood that passed for their stables.  "A fine lady on my arm, and coin enough to spend buying her things.  Must be what a nobleman feels like!"

He scratched his chin, considered that dress she had on.  "What'll you do?  Hike that dress up around your knees or ride like the ladies do, both legs on one side like they're sittin' a bench?"

He'd object to the whole parade if they were about business, but—the gods willing—their quarry was food and fun today instead of trouble.

[Anonymous]

"Well, unless ya plan on lettin' me ride on her lap, I'll just hike it up I guess." Wren puffed her cheeks out, a little annoyed. She hadn't thought of that and the noble bitches always had carriages and shit. But she was wearing the damn thing and if she tried to sit with both legs on one side, she was going to fall off.

"Humph. Them nobles always make this look real easy."

[Tally]

"I reckon riding sidesaddle is a skill you'll have to learn if you plan on keeping yourself fancied up."

Jackal mounted on up, making just a bit of a show of how simple it was for him.  He wasn't the one wearing the bloody dress.  The horse danced beneath him, as anxious as he was to cover a few miles.

[Anonymous]

"Ya know, most people would be supportin' of a girl tryin' to get all prettified." Wren huffed, tossing her curls. Gathering up her dress, it took a substantial effort to haul herself onto the horse. And more effort to get somewhat straitened out, though the dress had to be hiked up well over her knees.

Face flushed from the effort and embarrassment, Wren kept her back straight and started riding, "Not one word Jackal. Not one damned word. I'm a graceful fuckin' dove."

[Tally]

"I'm supportin'!  I let you have the dignity of workin' it out for yourself didn't I?"  And he wasn't commenting on how silly she looked with that dress riding her thighs.  See?  Supportive.

He let the horses canter out some of their excess energy from being bound in the stables for two days, then drew up and set the pace at a quick trot.  "You can still ride with the best of 'em, dress or no."

[Anonymous]

"'Course I can." Wren flushed a little at the praise, smiling at Jackal, "Though, I really gotta figure out a better way." Her hand smoothed down the dress, trying to get it farther down her legs. She managed to get it straightened out enough that she was only flashing a bit of ankle, which was a fast improvement.

"It's just so pretty! Just ain't really made fer ridin..." And it was pretty. It was lined with a pure white fur and had heavy dark green velvet. Real, actual velvet. And the chemise felt soft as anything.

[Tally]

"Ask around the next time we find ourselves in a decent city.  The lady folk there are sure to have answers for you."  Truthfully he just wanted to witness Wren questioning some cornered noblewoman on her riding habits.  He'd pay to witness that!

"I'm tellin' ya, you'll have to figure out how to ride sidesaddle.  That's how they they all do it, ain't it?"

[Anonymous]

"Fuck sidesaddle! How can ya expect ta ride around half on the horse? Don't make no sense." Wren huffed, puffing her cheeks out, "Though, I suppose I might have ta. Just think it's stupid."

She then gave Jackal a winning smile and batted her eyelashes, "Or ya could just buy me one of them fancy carriages!"

[Tally]

"Didn't say it made sense!  Don't think it's supposed to.  How much of the things those people do makes sense?"

Jackal took them down the main road for once.  This was a visit, not a raid.  "Here now, how much gold do you think I have?!"

[Anonymous]

"Don't you start actin' all poor now. Ya could get me one if ya really wanted too I bet!" Wren laughed again, tilting her face up into the sun light. It was nice to ride along the main road for once. She knew it was going to make her freckles so much worse, but it felt so good to let the heat soak into her.

"'Sides, ain't fittin' for a lady o' my, er, quality ta be ridin' around without a carriage!"

[Tally]

"You get yourself too fancy, you won't be able to hang about with us louts and knaves."  Sometimes he wondered what she got out of this life, and if this was really where she wanted to be, but it didn't bear worrying over.  Nothing held her there, as nothing held any of them.  She could go or stay as she pleased.

[Anonymous]

"Ha! Like ya can get rid of me that fast!" Wren gave another one of her barking laughs, "'Sides, who would take care of ya, huh? Ya would be a big ol' mess with out me round here."

The rest of the trip went quickly, Wren was pretty comfortable on a horse, dress of no dress. Once they were in town, Wren slid off the horse in a rather undignified manner, swearing up a storm as she did so.