[crow]

Would a mask have been too much? But the helms were even more elaborate--- and therefore, likely more expensive. At the same time, the idea of going with a cheap mask didn't sit well with him either. He didn't wish to be stared at, but being mocked was hardly a better alternative.

Tentatively, he selected a few that appealed to him to try each one on in turn. There was a mirror conveniently close at hand, in which he could inspect himself once he had put it on.

[crow]

The first elimination made itself easy for him: two of the headpieces simply did not fit. One was too big, and another too small; he realized, belatedly and with some embarrassment, that the latter had been intended for a child. He put it back hastily, or at least as hastily as he dared without risking breaking something. That was not something he wanted to explain to someone if they caught him in here. He straightened, fitting another mask against his face, and considered his reflection.

[crow]

Many of the masks he hadn't chosen, he had dismissed on account of their being too gruesome or gaudy. Some were unholy combinations of both. The three that remained to him were therefore more neutral in their design, one bordering nearly on abstract representation. He did not know very much about Chaos, but based on what he had seen at the festival, they--- or perhaps simply this one--- seemed to be draconic in nature. The abstract mask looked more like a wraith, however.

[crow]

He found he actually preferred the effect, but in the end he put that one back too. If it was too much outside people's expectations, they might not be able to tell what he had chosen to dress himself as. That wouldn't have done him any good.

He didn't feel very strongly either way about the two remaining, so he picked the one with fewer horns. They were of a similar material, and even of a similar shape. It probably didn't matter which he picked, of these two.

[crow]

The other pieces came more easily, after that. Sivain had no place to stow his clothes, so he was limited to choosing what he could comfortably wear over his clothes. Fortunately, this wasn't as much of a detriment to his goal as it could have been. Rhodes was right; he did favor dark colors. Not everything he wore was black, but what wasn't was mostly darker greys, and there was a certain degree of liberty one could take with the costume, from what he had seen.

[crow]

There was, in fact, only one pair of gauntlets that fit him. He had more choices when it came to boots and pauldrons, so he chose those whose materials were not too fine, but not too cheap-looking either. He didn't intend to look shabby, but he also didn't want to be responsible for anything expensive. The war paid... not badly, but not terribly well either. Not for a lone bounty hunter, whose service was irregular, and whose manner did not encourage the currying of favors among his superiors.

[crow]

There was a kind of tail in the mix, which he only discovered after some investigative perusing, which was actually quite clever in how it was constructed. It was made of something like wood, but not quite, and lacquered, to give it the appearance of the hardness and sheen of scales. Overlapping pieces gave it some movement, while wires beneath the outside frame prevented it from moving too much. The whole of it was attached to a sash, to be worn around the waist.

[crow]

When he experimentally put it on with the other pieces and inspected himself, he found the result more pleasing than he had expected. He really did look rather... Rather like a festival-goer.

It wasn't as strange or embarrassing as he had thought it would be. The pieces he'd chosen had a very few gold accents as a whole, but the overall costume was dark. In anything but bright daylight, he would have blended very well with the shadows--- not that it was practical for anything stealthy, for other reasons.

[crow]

There were just too many bits and bobs of the costume for that. The tail, in particular, made noise as it moved, which was a definite giveaway. It was just as well that he was planning nothing of the sort.

He was just getting comfortable, turning around to inspect himself from behind, when he heard the noise of someone's approach. "Oh! It looks good on you," said a musical tenor. Sivain paled beneath the mask, and turned to the stairs.

[crow]

He hadn't heard anyone move until they were nearly at the bottom of the stairs, but sure enough, a person stood there beaming at him. He did a quick scan of the rest of the stairs that he could see, and then his immediate surroundings. Rhodes was still nowhere in sight.

He suppressed a sigh. He was on his own for this one. So be it.

The man--- in his forties, but small and dark, slim of build--- had his hands clasped together, a pleased smile on his face.

[crow]

His clothes were fancier than anything Sivain would ever have considered wearing in public, though the effect wasn't tasteless. There was something like a shawl around his chest and over one shoulder; colorful belts hanging at his waist; and a myriad of other scarves, all in warm tones, draped about his person. Sivain half expected to see bangles at his wrists and ankles, but there were none. He noted, with slight surprise, that the man's feet were bare.

Well, that explained how he had moved so quietly.

[crow]

Or perhaps it didn't. Bare feet helped, but Sivain wasn't a soldier for nothing. One had to have some training to be able to avoid his detection like that, even if he was distracted. He narrowed his eyes slightly, suddenly more on guard than he was, but fortunately his mask hid his expressions from view.

The man--- the shopkeeper, surely--- approached, still smiling. "You have quite the eye. It isn't one of the sets I have, but it might as well be."

[crow]

He indicated the displays, which had a few mannequins in full costume, though those tended to be rather more comprehensive than Sivain could tolerate, given he had to wear his clothes beneath the ensemble. As if reading his thoughts, the man said, "Your clothes complement it nicely too. I'm glad; I'm always happy to meet a fellow fashionista."

He had a pleasant voice, and his eyes danced with laughter. If Sivain had been the type with a gift with words, the encounter might have been a pleasant one.

[crow]

As it was, however, he simply felt stiff and at a loss. Perhaps it was fortunate for him that the man seemed happy to keep talking by himself; it seemed he wasn't the type to find silences offensive. "So, are you looking to rent?" he said.

In the face of a straight question, Sivain had an easier time finding his words. "Yes," he said. "I didn't see your rates. Do you---"

"You know, I think I'll give you a discount. You did save me the work of putting it together myself," said the man, tapping his chin.

[crow]

It was unexpected, but certainly not an unwelcome turn of events. Sivain wasn't obsessed with thriftiness, but it was good to save money where he could, and he was already made unhappy at the idea of having to pay simply not to be stared at in a festival. "How much?" he said.

The man paused, still considering, then gave a shrug. "I'm in a generous mood. Tell you what--- I'll make it free if you just bring it back to me intact."