Once again, Alice was awoken by Vic coming into her- no, his, room. She was not so startled as the first time, but she was still slightly affronted. At the least, he did not linger. She dressed in solitude again, glancing out of the window at the clear blue sea. She'd never swam in it before; ladies didn't tend to swim. And she couldn't help but idly wonder what it would be like, surrounded by that cool cleanliness. Probably better than the staleness she felt all around her now. What she would do for some fresh undergarments... Well. If what Vic had said was true, then she should be feeling fresher in a short while. 

The boat was docked with a small lurch, and she emerged from the captain's cabin. Without a hairbrush or any sort of grooming material, she wasn't exactly looking her best. She walked close behind Vic, eyes wide at all the new sights awaiting her. She was half-afraid that she might be robbed by some of the more unsavoury characters hanging around the ports - in fact, she was slightly glad to be beside a man of such stature. Tiny walked next to her, more quiet after his embarrassment yesterday. She didn't really mind him there. He seemed to be a good young man as far as pirates went. 

Alice nodded at Vic's words to her outside of the inn. Female jealousy and cattiness was very much real, even amongst the higher classes of society. She'd experienced biting words from older, 'ladies,' a couple of times before. His rough hand on her shoulder sent tingles down her spine. He was becoming more and more familiar around her, and she couldn't tell whether that was a good thing or not. But she thought she liked it, and that was all that really mattered, right? Following him inside, she was struck by loud noise and some scantily clad women. She made sure to stick close to Vic while he chatted to an older woman. She averted her eyes as he just about pulled off his shirt. In this place, she felt terribly unattractive with all of these done-up women roaming around. 

When Lyla and Rosa came to take her to the baths, she almost felt embarrassed. They were both pretty, young girls. Lyla was Caucasian, with dark blonde hair and hazel eyes. Rosa looked to be Spanish, full lips, dark hair and brown eyes rimmed with kohl. They were both dressed scantily, leaving nothing to the imagination. In fact, she barely even knew where to look. They lead her through darkened hallways, and she had to ignore the sounds from behind doors. Eventually they took her into what seemed to be a washroom. Lyla instructed her to stay there, and they both disappeared. Eventually they came back with a large bucket and a wooden barrel sawn in half. They laboriously filled the bath with hot water, steam floating off the top.

Alice was not shy to undress, quite used to having handmaids assisting her. She stepped into the hot water, sighing with relief as she sat down. Taking the washcloth, she began to rub dirt off her skin while Lyla and Rosa washed her hair.  The water quickly became sudsy and murky, and she reveled in the simple scent of soap. Once she stepped out, they helped to towel her dry and anointed her with a scent of lavender. It was a lady's scent, and it almost brought a tear to her eye. It was a smell of familiarity. They brought out a simple shirt and a long skirt, along with new undergarments. She thanked them, and despite the rough scratchiness of the fabric, it was far better than her dirty, elegant dress. It now laid in a sad heap next to the bath. There was no use in having it anymore.

Lyla brought out a pair of trousers, holding them up to her hips. "They may be useful," she explained at Alice's surprised look. "Sometimes a woman has to be a man." The girl insisted on bundling them into a small woven bag for her, then sat her down on a chair. Lyla and Rosa brushed out her hair, and that was it. They weren't handmaids of course - they weren't there to wait on her. But they looked at her for a moment. "You are lucky to be with him, the Incubus," Rosa murmured, Spanish accent thick on her tongue. Alice shook her head. "No, no- it's not like that. He kidnapped me." The two girls smirked at one another, shook their heads, then took her out of the washroom. They lead her to a small room with a window overlooking an alleyway. They bidded their goodbyes and Alice thanked them, before she was left alone.

What was Victor up to, she wondered?