To a rather grand building

You are looking at a four story building, you weren't one of the hills so it wasn't a nobles' estate. At least it wasn't an important nobles' estate. The front had the same whitewashed exterior as all the others but it's windows were stained glass. At a quick glance they bore depictions of people, mostly women in several different poses but you didn't look long enough to identify what they were supposed to represent.

You were distracted from your observing by another presence from the carriage. A woman stepped out of the back section. The same woman Anastasia had with her at your debut.

Anastasia grabbed your wrist and pulled you to the doors. Also unlike the other buildings around this one had three steps up to its doors you stumbled up the first as Anastasia didn't give you time to catch up to her. "Where are we?" You ask as the door opens for her revealing a lavish interior obscured by a matronly woman holding the door open.

"Your Highness." The matronly woman holding the open door bowed deeply. "You're private room has been prepared on the third story." She stepped back so Anastasia could walk past. She was still holding your wrist so you got pulled inside with her. "Is he the one?" The woman was the picture of professionalism as she said it but her aura had a twist of disdain when she looked at you.

"Yes." Anastasia hadn't stopped walking as she spoke and the matronly woman seamlessly fell into step behind her. The other woman a step behind her creating a rather odd conga line as you walked through the foyer.

"I can see why you came to me your Highness." The woman said looked you up and down.

You have an ominous feeling about what this building was as from the inside those people in the stained glass windows look suspiciously like grooming figures. Hair flowing out with a comb running through it, hands being fascinated over by others. Had she brought you to a beauty salon.

"Have food ready for me." Anastasia as she waved her free hand and the woman left. Anastasia didn't turn to look at you as she approached the stairs. She took the first step but couldn't take the next as you dug your heels in.

After the ending in the carriage you had enough hormones coursing through your veins to act boldly. "Anastasia, why are we here?" You say.

She turns and looks you up and down. "Because you look like lower nobility and I need you to look better." She stared at you waiting for your capitulation that wasn't coming.

"Why?" You ask raising an eyebrow. You had a feeling defying Anastasia like this out in the open wasn't a good idea but you didn't have a good enough self-justification to explain beyond being blue balled and not being happy about it.

Anastasia didn't answer right away still staring at you. You saw her aura curl around herself protectively and her hand flicked. A familiar flick of her hand and a familiar illusion was case around the two of you. A little surprisingly the spell was not cast any faster or better despite the years it had been. "Because no one will accept my being friends with lower noble. But an upper noble who spent a few days in the capital before attending to their appearance because they were enjoying the temporary anonymity is believable."

"Oh." You actually weren't expecting her to give you a reason and didn't know where to go to from here. Though the fact you have told Vatarie you are the son of a Lord might come up at some point, though you didn't really want to bring up that situation right now. "Ok." You take the first step and Anastasia turned happy with you compliance.

The illusion dissipated before either of you reached it's edge and you made the way up the two flights. You picked up the pace to walk just a step a behind her as she'd instructed you in the carriage before you'd even arrived in the capital.

When you were on the third floor a man likely in his early twenties bowed to the both of you and indicated for you to follow him. After a short walk he opened a door and bow waving you inside. Anastasia walked inside with you behind her but her escort didn't follow instead taking a position outside the door. The man walked inside and stood behind a rather grand seat. Anastasia sat down in it and reached to her left. As the hand moved the man picked up and place a small table under it with an assortment of fruits and pastries carefully arranged on it.

Once Anastasia nodded in confirmation everything was adequate the man walked over to you looking you up and down. "What is the goal your Highness?"

"Christopher has spent two days in the capital and has totally abandoned decorum." Anastasia looked at you and you got the hint.

"I'd never been the capital, can you blame me for neglecting my appearance?" You ask over the mans shoulder. If she wanted you to be seen as a upper noble that meant playing the part as well, which meant talking over non-nobles.

"You have a good build." The man ran professional hands along your arms and shoulders bring them up to your neck. "Excellent structure." He ran a finger along your jaw line. "Is facial hair the fashion in your duchy?"

The assumption of rank was probably entirely down to Anastasia being your escort and nothing to do with you. "No it's not." Anastasia said for you. "You always did enjoy playing the commoner didn't you?" She said over the man currently examining you.

"After a while the attention of nobles can get, presumptive." You say with intentional emphasis hoping it would be accepted as reasonable excuse. All the women you'd met had approached you so it seemed likely being a male heir to duchy would garner assumed attention even to the knowledge of a commoner.

"The hair?" The man had walked to your side and looked over at Anastasia as he said it.

"Don't bother. He refused to even consider dressing in the fashion of the capital, trying to get him to grow his hair is a lost cause." Anastasia said popping a piece of fruit into her mouth. She was looking at you and you nodded a soft thank you to her. Your hair had been short for your swordsmanship training and you were used to it at this point.

The man let out an acknowledging breath and moved on. "I take it that goes for illusions as well." The man walked behind you as the examination continued.

"I've never felt any compulsion to apply any." You say it to Anastasia hoping she'd get the message. You could apply illusions to yourself but it would mean a lot of work if you had to apply illusion every morning like make-up.

"You're handsome enough to get away with it." Anastasia acquiesced to you and you thanked her with another nod. "But you'll have to fix your body hair."

It was the the price for the two request so you couldn't really argue. "Naturally, my commoner disguise does have to come off after all."

The man took one of you hands in his. "He has calluses." There was a hint of surprise in his voice.

"I find the phrase fighting them off with a sword is often literal." You say with a smile.

"What?" Anastasia asked.

"A saying from my Duchy, it means I have a lot of suitors who are less interested once they learn I train with a sword." You hope it would be acceptable. It was the first time you'd tried to use an idiom from your previous world. And it might be one you just created in this world.

"They can be removed quiet easily." The man looked at Anastasia rather than you for confirmation.

"Considering the number of noble women here you might need to keep your sword hand ready." Anastasia said with a raised eyebrow. Wait did that mean she already knew about Vatarie? "But that is no reason for commoner hands." You looked at your hands. Your finger nails were a little long and the cuticles weren't well looked after but commoner hands felt a little dramatic. Wow you really were a blue blood noble at this point weren't you.

"Very well. I will prepare the treatments." The man walked over to another chair and waved for you to sit in it. You walked over and took a seat. "We will begin with hair removal." The man walked over to a cabinet and took out two bottles and placed them on a small table by the chair you were sitting in.

"Lovely." You say with slight concern. This would be the first beauty treatment you'd ever gotten in either world. Hopefully it is as relaxing as it is supposed to be.