Dresses and Daggers

"Since we are returning to court, we're going to have to get you another dress," Delaney Adair giggled as she watched the pirate woman's reaction.

"Oh please no," Ilona shook her head, "Can't I go as I am now? They know I'm a pirate, so there is no need to pretend otherwise."

Delaney looked over Ilona's usual breeches and shirt with a corset and the blade strapped to her thigh. She shook her head with a smirk.

"I'm afraid that won't do. But come with me now to the shops, and we will pick out something perfect for you. Not to mention this dress would actually fit instead of you having to squeeze into one of my old ones."

Ilona groaned but stood when Delaney did.

"You've said we will surely be friends after surviving a visit with the Queen, but I think if I survive this trip to the dressmaker, that will be the more challenging task."

Delaney laughed out loud at that and hooked her arm through the other woman's. Together they headed for the door. Ilona put on a show of being annoyed but anyone that knew her would have been able to tell that was all it was. A slight hint of a smile curled the sides of her mouth.

She may hate dresses and having to shop and be fitted for one... but the idea of getting to see herself dressed up and pretty again gave her a secret thrill. She was and always would be a pirate... but getting to step into another life for a time was almost magical.

-

Delaney and Ilona went to the dressmaker together, with Ms. Bird along to help if needed. Ilona stood and let herself be pinned, poked, and prodded as the women at the shop got all her measurements and worked to find the perfect dress shape for her.

They had been shocked when she had first walked into the building in her strange, masculine clothes. They recognized the Duchess of Edgewood at her side however and weren't foolish enough to comment.

The shopkeeper brought out all types and colors of cloth for them to inspect. Ilona looked at them, but she let the Duchess make most of the choices, trusting her knowledge of the subject. She rejected a few because she felt they were too extravagant, and Delaney smirked but didn't protest.

Ilona was surprised when the Duchess began working with the women to design her dress. She pointed out things and used terms Ilona could've sworn were in another language. As they worked and drawings of the dresses began to take shape on the paper in front of her, Ilona was impressed.

Who would've thought the wealthy Duchess who could have anything she wanted would have valuable skills as well.

Delaney got so carried away with picking fabrics and coming up with designs that soon, they hadn't just designed one dress but many. Ilona thought they should pick one, but Delaney loved them all. She insisted on paying for the dresses herself to make sure they were all done.

Ilona protested, but Delaney said simply that Ian would never take payment from them so she could consider the dresses bought with her brother's money. Ilona frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. She might have argued if she hadn't been relatively sure the Duchess was just as stubborn as she was.

Once they'd finished, Delaney paid extra for one of the dresses to be ready as quickly as possible so Ilona could wear it when they went to visit with the queen. The sooner they got that out of the way, the sooner they could all leave the city. Ilona didn't know where she would go yet, but she was eager to be away from the selfish King.

Since the weather was nice, the women walked home along the cobbled streets, talking about the fabrics and details of the new dresses that would be made. Ilona mostly listened, not knowing a lot of what the other woman was talking about, but she smiled and commented here and there. She was thankful that if she had to wear a dress, it would be one designed by Delaney Adair.

As they drew closer to the house, they both fell silent, noticing something was going on. They hurried, and soon they realized royal guards surrounded the house. Men on horses were all around, on the lookout for anything that might bring harm to whoever was inside.

"What's going on?" Ilona asked Delaney quietly as they walked up the path to the door, eyes darting from one guard to the next.

"I don't know," Delaney replied worriedly, "There have never been so many guards here like this before. I wonder if it's Sophia or Daniel. This is the number of guards you'd send for the King or Queen."

"Why would the King or Queen be here?" Ilona looked around suspiciously, the scene making her uneasy.

Before Delaney could answer, a tall, greasy-looking old guard stepped in front of her, barring their way to the door.

"The Duke of Edgewood is occupied at the moment ladies," he spoke, "You'll have to come back later."

"Excuse me," Delaney looked shocked, "I am the Duchess of Edgewood. Now, move out of my way."

The guard smirked, "No Duchess would be walking along the street like a commoner. Especially not in the company of a pirate."

His words pricked Ilona's temper, and she felt it begin to bubble.

"If you know I'm a pirate, then you should know I will cut you to ribbons if you don't move out of our way and let us in," she hissed, hands going down to rest on the hilts of her twin blades she was glad she'd worn.

"A threat against me is a threat against all the men here," the guard glared at her, hand going to his own heavy blade, "Now move back and be on your way!"

"I will not be forced to walk away from my own home simply because you're too stupid to realize who you're talking to," Delaney snapped, "Now move!"

She took a step forward, and in an instant, the man was drawing his sword to strike her down. He was never able to finish his task however. Before he could even get his sword entirely from its hilt, there was a flash of silver behind him, and he cried out and stumbled forward.

Ilona and Delaney jumped back as the man fell to his knees in front of them, shouting to the other guards as he went. Ilona looked down and saw there, sunk deep into his shoulder, was a knife she knew well. The women looked up and saw Ian and Vincent hurrying to them. The hilt on Ian's thigh was empty of its blade.

Vincent got to Delaney and pulled her back from the bleeding guard, looking at her with worry.

Ilona looked towards Ian, but before she could get to him, guards had quickly surrounded her and had swords drawn inches from her throat. Now, more were surrounding Ian as they realized he was the one who'd thrown the dagger.

The siblings met one another's gazes, their faces showing their anger but also their fear. As much as they hated to do it, in unison, they both slowly raised their hands in the air away from their weapons.

The Duke and Duchess turned to them then and looked shocked when they saw what was happening behind them.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Vincent shouted.

With a quick movement, he drew his sword. He swung it hard, knocking the nearest blades back from Ian and sending the men holding them to scramble out of the way. The others near Ilona were so surprised that they hadn't moved, so their swords were his next target. In one fluid movement, he moved fast and had knocked the blades aimed at her throat to the ground.

Ilona was surprised to see how deadly he was, even with his injuries. She supposed she should have expected nothing less from the man who had slain dragons.

"Lord Adair," the bleeding guard scrambled backward with wide eyes, "These women were trying to get into your house!"

The Duke's fury turned on this man, and a silver streak went through the air. The next thing anyone knew and the tip of Vincent's sword was against his throat, pinning him to one of the columns in front of the house. The green eyes of the Duke were now dark, and Ilona stepped closer to the Duchess. She was surprised to see this side of the usually calm and kind man.

"That woman," he hissed, pointing a finger towards Delaney, "Is my wife! Lady Delaney Adair, Duchess of Edgewood, which is exactly what she told you."

"H-h-how could I have believed her your grace? She was walking on the street with a known pirate and..."

"You could have asked anyone in my home instead of threatening and attempting to draw a blade on her. Count yourself lucky that she is unharmed because if you had so much as touched my wife, I would slit your throat right here where you stand."

"Y-y-yes your grace," the man squeaked, "I-I-I'm sorry!"

"Apologize to them," Vincent lowered his sword and grabbed the man by his injured shoulder, jerking him forwards toward Delaney and Ilona. He fell to the ground on his hands and knees and looked up at them with wide, fearful eyes.

"I'm sorry, my Lady," he said to Delaney before swallowing hard and turning to Ilona, "I'm sorry, miss."

The women nodded, but Ilona wasn't about to excuse this man's behavior, and she was glad the Duchess hadn't either.

"I want all of you to the farthest edges of my property," Vincent ordered, "No one is to draw a blade unless they are physically being attacked by someone else, and even then, you better make sure I would deem that person as a threat."

The guards still looked fearful, but they nodded and did as the Duke commanded. They moved away, and the one on the ground that had caused all the trouble got to his feet and moved to follow them. He hadn't made it more than a step however when Ian moved, grabbing the blade in his back and jerking it out. The man yelped and spun around with eyes full of anger. The moment he saw it was the pirate captain looming over him though he dropped his gaze.

Ilona recognized her brother's anger and watched as he stepped to the man, grabbing the front of his shirt and yanking it from where it had been tucked in his breeches. Ian took the fabric in his hands and with a smirk, used it to clean the blood from his blade. He slowly slid it back into its place on his thigh.

The guard looked up at him and although he was trying to hide it, there was no mistaking the hatred coming from him.

"You'd better go have that looked at," Ian spoke cooly, his face going back to the emotionless mask that made him a terrifying Captain, "You're not very smart. You're going to need to keep your strength or you'll have nothing."

The man glared at him for a moment longer before turning and walking away. Ilona knew that was probably the smartest thing he had ever done.