Theory to Practical (Part 2)

Eastern Zilla

Nevertheless, Mriga at least wanted to go and give it a shot. It was better than standing here ineffectively. She squared her shoulders and went to look for a communal bathroom. She was reminded of one of Shaurya's earliest lessons.

In his deep throated voice, he had said, "It is not going to be practically possible for a person to carry a disguise everywhere. But when a spy leaves home, she/he prepares in advance that one can create a temporary illusion about oneself with the help of things readily available in the surroundings. Gender reversal is one of the most effective strategies. You are lucky enough to be a girl because smooth faced guys can exist if portrayed convincingly. But most importantly, you have got to believe that you are one before trying to showcase to others."

Mriga had prepared her clothes at night for the event planned today and she was really glad that she had done so. Stepping into the four walled, open area which served as the boundary for the communal bath, she looked for a section which catered to neutral gender, instead of solely dedicated to men or women. Otherwise, going inside as a girl and coming out as a guy would get her beaten up there and then.

These gender-neutral bath areas were specifically for eunuchs, or people who didn't mind the presence of the opposite gender while they were semi clad for their personal reasons.

Ten minutes later a small guy with broad shoulders, dark kohled eyes and a swarthy face stepped out. He was wearing a robe and pajamas and the hair was tightly coiled in a top knot.

Mriga had been honing her skills ever since her initial lessons and had experimented with many looks. A small pouch always hung by her side now in which she carried kohl made out of burnt almond, a dark powder which she had made by crushing many herbs together to get the right face colour. She had discovered a knack for changing skin tones and this dusky look was her favourite shade. It reminded her of her father!

She had taken off her kurta and wrapped it around her shoulders as extra padding. Underneath it she was wearing another kurta but this one had buttons in the front and she opened them to make it look like a robe. Also the overlapping of flaps helped disguise the shape of her chest which she hadn't bound earlier. She hoped that the dark camisole top inside was enough to take the attention away from her growing curves.

After receiving ribald comments from a few people for asking about the nearest brothel, Mriga finally managed to reach there. It was a normal looking building contrary to her imagination. Going in, she reigned in her nervousness and made a beeline for the person who stood at the welcoming counter.

"Uh… I am looking for someone," she said inadequately.

She had no idea how to look for the person who could help her but she was out of ideas at the moment.

The man stared at her and extended his hand.

Mriga looked at him nonplussed and then suddenly realized something. Taking a couple of coins out of her pocket, she offered them. The man grinned, showing his nicotine stained teeth but shook his head.

"I need to see your identification papers first. I don't think you are eligible to enter here, little guy!" he smirked.

Controlling her irritation, she brought out a yellowing parchment which proclaimed her age to be the above the minimum limit for entering the brothel. This was the same parchment which she had snuck and saved from Shaurya after the first time they went to that pub, ages ago.

Mriga had been preparing her persona slowly in the past months as it kept becoming clearer to her that being a spy was her true calling. The man frowned at the paper in hand but couldn't question its authenticity. He stood aside, revealing a curtained entry behind him.

"You pay after you choose," he said, focusing on the next customer standing behind her.

Though it was early afternoon, there were enough people milling around the place. As she entered, there was a strong fragrance in the room but Mriga couldn't identify the flower which had been used as the essence. It was a big hall with stairs going up in various directions. No light filtered through but big, fat diyas illuminated the place, making it look mysterious and alluring at the same time.

Mriga peered closely at the faces close to her but still had no clue how to go about looking for the person.

"Are you visiting us for the first time?" a girl's tinkling laughter spoke next to her ear, making her feel ticklish.

Mriga pressed her hand against her chest in a subconscious gesture. The girl was clad in a bright cotton saree, her curves peeking out from various vantage points. Her hair was woven in an intricate bun and had Mogra flowers woven in. The face was painted a rosy hue and so were the lips. Metal bangles tinkled from her arms and the waist had a tight metal belt, accentuating it. In contrast, Mriga felt that she was like a block of lumber!

"I… I am looking for someone," she said.

The girl cocked an eyebrow and asked, "Who? Can I be that person?"

Mriga could feel her cheeks heat up at the girl's words which had a suggestive tone to them.

"No, I mean I am sorry but the person would be much older. Probably twice your age," she said with slight uncertainty in her voice.

Mriga remembered clearly that the links in the brothels were only changed when the previous one passed away.