The Lady in the White Scarf

By Jordan Foster

Where is she? I crouched on the roof of a flat stone building overlooking a cobbled alley, pulling the brim of my cavalier hat closer to my nose. She promised to be here an hour ago. I rose slowly. I should get back to the zeppelin now. The crew will be wondering what happened to me. I could only imagine what they’d do if they believed that the Blue Baron had been arrested. I snorted. That would never happen.

I turned to the horizon and gazed at our zeppelin floating on the outskirts of the city. I came all this way for nothing.

Then, a small thump sounded from below my squatting perch. I whipped around and grinned at the young dark-haired woman hurrying out of the alley. She turned toward me slightly, pulling her white scarf from underneath her trench coat.

“Afternoon, Scarf. Not even going to greet me?” I dropped from the roof, snagging the parcel she’d dropped as promised.

“Seven o’clock, Blue,” she answered curtly.

Of course she’d remind me of my later engagement instead of offer pleasantries. I shook my head, then secured my blue mask. “Seven. Right.”

I clambered back onto the building and sprinted across the rooftops to the city’s edge. I had a party to crash.

* * *

Florian barged into the back room of the zeppelin just as I finished changing.

He snorted the second he saw me. “Who let a filthy Higardian noble up here?”

I rolled my eyes. “Very funny.”

I’d been forced to exchange my blue mask with a black one, but worst of all was the red neckerchief tucked under my black waistcoat. I wished I’d never opened Scarf’s parcel. She wouldn’t even let me keep my blue feather; she’d provided a black one instead.

“Blue is unacceptable at the ball.” Scarf had only laughed when I frowned at her. “Don’t look at me like that; it’s your fault Higardians hate blue.” Being an infamous nuisance came at a price.

“Well, have fun on your date.” Florian shrugged.

“It’s not a date! This is about stealing the Bonds Accord. Elantra will be ransacked by merciless Forden raiders the second that treaty is signed.” I exhaled slowly. “I can’t let that happen.”

“Oh, I thought you were meeting Scarf, my apologies.” Florian nudged me with a snicker. “Go get that confounded paper.”

I nodded, inhaling slowly. I had no choice.

* * *

I easily slipped into the palace with the flood of guests. No guard wanted to invoke the wrath of a noble by not remembering them, so they let me through without question. Now I had to find Scarf’s contact, Ruby. Why is finding a flashy red-headed girl so hard? All I could find were blondes and brunettes. Not a single ruby in the bunch.

Then, I saw her. Her red waves bounced with every step of her clicking heeled boots. Her pitch-black dress trailed on the marble floor, her layered skirts swishing, but what kept me staring was the white scarf tied tastefully around her neck.

“Scarf?” I breathed when she waltzed within earshot, receiving an annoyed look in return. What is she doing here? I thought I was meeting Ruby. I cleared my throat and then grabbed her hand. “May I have the honor of dancing with you, miss?”

She whipped her hair into my face. “You may.”

I whisked her onto the floor with the rest of the swaying couples, one hand on her shoulder and the other on her waist. I stared at the Bonds Accord displayed just off the dance floor.

Scarf cleared her throat. “Lovely spread they have.” She nodded toward the tables full of fruit from the fall harvest.

Why must she be so formal? She knew it was me. “Yes, I suppose. There’s a strange lack of blueberries.”

She choked, clearly hiding a laugh, then quieted her voice. “Since when do they have blueberries at harvest festivals, Blue?”

“Oh, never, but I did what you asked, didn’t I?” I grinned at her. “Why didn’t you tell me you were Ruby?”

Her cheeks flushed for a moment. “I’d hoped you wouldn’t recognize me, and we could do this professionally.” She shook her wigged head. “Look, let’s make this quick. Get the Accord and get out; that’s the plan.”

“Our cover is still intact, Scarf. Can’t we dance a bit longer?” I twirled her into a dip, gazing into her hazel eyes.

A smile leapt onto her lips but disappeared seconds after it formed. “Not here. You’re going to blow both of our covers.”

I pulled her upright. “Then where?”

“You know where to find me.” She removed one hand off my shoulder to retrieve a trio of smoke grenades from underneath her skirts. She placed them between my hand and her waist. “Go before we lose our chance.”

I nodded. Time to save Elantra.

I inhaled sharply, steering us as indirectly as I could toward the Accord’s pedestal. Then, I dropped my first grenade. Bang!

I released Scarf and seized the scroll in the thick of startled cries. The second grenade obscured my dash for the window, and the third I hurled at the delicate pane, shattering it, using the last of the sooty plumes to cover my exit.

I tumbled out of the window and onto the ground, casting one last glance into the chaos of the ballroom. Flames spiraling up the drapes pierced the first of my smoke grenades, adding to the chaos. The fire’s distraction wouldn’t last when they saw the broken glass, but I’d be long gone by then.

I picked myself up, tucked the scroll into my waistcoat, and made my escape. A grin grew on my face as I dashed through the streets, November air nipping at my nose. The Higardians wouldn’t be getting aid from the raiders after all, and they had the Blue Baron to thank. I chuckled slightly. The Blue Baron and Scarf.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jordan Foster is a young writer with a love for the Lord and random facts about His world. She seeks to bring glory to the Lord through her words. When she’s not writing, you can find her watching nerdy YouTube videos, spending time with friends and family, playing her clarinet, and with any luck, baking her famous cookies.

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