kiramaru7 | Cross-posted from Madrona Project

Title: The Tale of the Kitten and the Antique, Part Three
Author: kira
Word Count: 1657
World: Capital city of Madrona
Main Characters: Pashmina, Grande Duke Alexander Saint-Germaine, Madame du Pris
Borrow: no
Summary: Two weeks after the end of Vine Fest, Pashmina gets a new client...

Pashmina stared forlornly at the mirror as he brushed his long, dark brown hair. Two weeks had passed since Vine Fest and the fun he had had with the Grande Duke of Germania. Sighing softly as he set the brush down, Pashmina pulled his hair back into a loose chignon. He lined his eyes, added a touch of rouge to his cheeks, and painted his lips. Pressing them together, he smiled sweetly at his reflection, before getting up form his dressing table.

Walking over to the full-length mirror, Pashmina checked his appearance. The reflection that stared back at him was sullen and looked more female than male thanks to the voluminous bloomers he wore over his stockings that were gathered nicely at the knee and the corset cinching an already slender waist. The frills at his camisole’s top hid the fact that he was flat-chested, adding to the illusion that he was a woman. At thirty, most of his clientele knew the truth, including those who had never had the pleasure of meeting him before. Not that he had many repeat customers. For as pretty and vivacious as he was when entertaining a client, Pashmina was not what most men wanted in a mistress and those that did, couldn’t afford him on a long term basis.

Pashmina sighed. It was another night in a long dreary string of them, for he rarely had one off, unlike the girls in Madame du Pris’ stable, who were given a week off here and there to accommodate their monthlies. Still it could be worse…he mused as he picked up a black silk kimono, slipping his arms into it and pulling it on, I could be an old queen at Madame Reynaud’s with no hope of getting out of there until I die… Plastering a sunny smile on his face, Pashmina left his room, closing the door behind him as a large uproar was heard coming from the front parlor. He idly wondered if another fight had broken out between clients over Suzette again as he slowly descended the stairs in his stocking feet.

Lost in thought, it was several minutes before he realized the commotion had moved from the front parlor out into the hall. Pashmina paused on the landing and frowned. There was something familiar about the tall blond, whose back was turned to him, which Madame du Pris was trying to desperately to back inside. It must have been bad if both the piano player and the house boy were there to back her up. Although, it was hard to tell with Adeline’s fit of hysterics over what was probably a rejection from the man. That girl always carried on like it was the end of the world id she was passed over by a client. Pashmina paused on the steps, and leaning over the banister, tried to see if a fight had broken out in the front parlor. He wondered if he should sashay down the stairs in an effort at diffusing the situation, instead, he studied the man as the feeling of familiarity was just too great to dismiss as nothing. Frowning, Pashmina wished the man would raise his voice, so that he could hear what he was saying to Madam du Pris and yet, he never once raised his voice until he turned around to face the stairs and made Pashmina the envy of all the kittens.

“Miss Pashmina! I’ve finally found you!”

“Your Grace,” Pashmina said, hurrying down the stairs as fast as he could without appearing to do so. “How good to see you again.” He smiled.

Alexander took his hand, and lifting it to his lips, kissed Pashmina’s fingers. “It’s so good to see you again, my dear.”

“The pleasure…” he paused and the Grande Duke chuckled, “is all mine…”

The Grande Duke smiled. “I had a lot of fun at Vine Fest with you.”

“I enjoyed your company too.” Pashmina returned his smile with one of his own.

“Go get dressed.” Alexander took Pashmina’s hand in his. “I thought we’d have dinner and go to the opera tonight.”

Pashmina stood there, dumbfounded. “Excuse me?”

“Well? If you’re not hungry or don’t like the opera…?”

“Oh no, Your Grace, it’s not that…” Pashmina struggled to put it in words that would not hurt the Grande Duke’s feelings, but settled on the truth, “It’s just that I have to work. I’m sorry…”

“I’m so sorry, Your Grace,” Madame du Pris soothed, “Perhaps another kitten would be more to your liking? Pashmina already has a client for tonight.”

“Whatever he’s paying, I’ll double it,” Alexander said, giving her a look that said “it had better be within reason too.”

“Your Grace…” Pashmina said.

“You do realize Pashmina is ummm…special…?” Madame du Pris asked.

“Of course she’s special, that’s why I want the pleasure of her company tonight and for as long as I’ll be here,” the Grande Duke replied.

“I guess I had better go break the news to Monsieur …?” Pashmina said.

Madame du Pris made a face. “Run along, Pashmina, and get dressed, I’ll take care of it. If you’ll excuse me, Your Grace?”

Alexander nodded, his eyes twinkling with mischief when he turned his attention back to Pashmina, after she had left.

“Your Grace, if you’ll excuse me as well?” he said, a flirtatious smile tugging his lips upwards.

“You may go.”

“I’ll be as quick as I can,” Pashmina said, before turning and climbing the stairs.

“Take your time, my dear,” Alexander called after him as he watched the petit brunet kitten go back upstairs. He waited until he was out of sight, and giving a quick glance in the front parlor, Alexander was satisfied the madam was occupied. He hurried up the stairs, hoping to catch Pashmina, before he disappeared into his room. Just as he reached the top, he caught a glimpse of him heading into a room at the far end of the hall on the left.

Alexander sauntered down the hall, noting with a wry grin the sounds of two people engaged in intimate behavior that came from behind a closed door. He felt like a naughty little boy, sneaking around places he should not be, not that anyone would question his being there. Another few steps and he reached Pashmina’s door. Alexander knocked. “Miss Pashmina?”

“Come in, Laska!” he replied in Russi.

Alexander chuckled softly and opened the door. “Yes, my dear,” he replied back in badly accented Russi, having learned it from his late wife, Irina.

Pashmina turned at the sound of his voice. “Your Grace!” he cried as he pushed away from his dressing table and stood up.

“Sit, Miss Pashmina.”

“But, Your Grace…”

“Just sit and do whatever it is you do to get ready,” Alexander said as he walked over the room’s other chair and sat down.

Pashmina sat back down, after turning his chair to face him. “I am ready for that,” he saucily replied. “It’s the going out for dinner and the opera I need help with.”

“Why? All you need a pretty dress and some jewelry, no?” Alexander reached into his jacket and pulled out a slender jewelry box. “By the way, this is for you, my dear.”

Pashmina’s face lit up. “For me, You Grace?”

“Yes. I picked it up on my travels. I’ve been in town for two weeks now, searching the various houses for you.” He handed him the box. “It wasn’t like I could hire someone to come find you, my dear.”

“I know… I can’t believe you actually went around looking for me.” And that you actually visited all those brothels just to find me… Pashmina mentally calculated the cost of what the simplest of evenings would have cost him and the fact that he would have had visited more than one a night in order to find him. You must really like me… and you don’t even know me… Not even my best clients would have done that…

“How could I not? I really enjoyed your company, my dear. I’m glad we met.”

“So am I.” Pashmina smiled and carefully opened the box. Inside was a pretty sapphire necklace. “Thank you…” he said breathlessly.

Alexander took it from the box and walking around to stand behind the kitten, he placed it around his neck. Closing the clasp, he gently spun Pashmina around to face him. “You look beautiful, my dear.”

Feeling the color rise in his cheek, Pashmina said, “Thank you… But I really need to get dressed, unless you want a bit of fun first, Your Grace?”

Alexander thought it over. “As tempting as that sounds…”

Pashmina’s expression fell.

“You didn’t let me finish,” Alexander gently chided, “We need to get to dinner or we’ll be late for opera.”

“Oh… Forgive me, Your Grace.”

Leaning in, Alexander kissed the kitten’s cheek. “You’re forgiven, my dear.” He smiled. “Now, let’s hurry up and get you ready. Do you have anything fancy in blue? I really liked how it looked on you when we met.”

Nodding, Pashmina stepped back and hurried over to the door to her room. Opening it and sticking his head out, he cried, “Laska?! Where are you?! Come, you idiot! I need to get dressed! It’s not good; I’m keeping His Grace waiting!!” He turned around smiled as he walked back over to where the Grande Duke waited.

A few minutes later, an older Russi woman bustled in, mumbling apologies, along with a younger kitten in training. Ignoring the Grande Duke, they dressed Pashmina in a blue evening gown. Sitting down at his dressing table, Laska did his make-up, while the younger kitten piled his hair up on top of his head. It was not long before Pashmina was ready to go. After pulling on a pair of opera gloves, he took the arm Alexander held at the ready and together they left for a night on the town.