Being a master of disguise definately had its perks - young Raquel could really go anywhere, do anything, and get away with it. Though, at times, this talent could land him in some rather difficult or embarrassing situations. There was the time he had been disguised as a knight-in-training and had subsequently been caught up in a battle - a minor border skirmish, but nonetheless quite the eye-opener for the young rogue, especially considering that he had minimal skill with shield and blade. Another time he had been gathering information in a local inn; he had disguised himself as a drudge and lingered on the edges of conversations, hiding in the shadows, and remaining unseen - until a serving wench had tripped over him, spilling her tray of food. He had been sent to the kitchens, sternly rebuked, and set to work under the watchful eye of the head cook. The cook was quite observant, and spotted Raquel every time he had tried to sneak away. At the end of the day, he had drifted home, weary, dispirited, and not possessing the information he had tried to acquire. Still, both these incidents paled in comparison to his most recent adventure.

It had been one of those lazy summer days. The sun was high in the cloudless sky, warm, but not oppressively so; the scent of honeysuckle floated upon the light breeze, and even the bees seemed to fly lazily from one blossom to the next. Folk just sat in the shade, sipping iced juice and chatting about nothing in particular. It had been a good day for Raquel, though a tad slow. He had lifted an apple from the market and thoroughly enjoyed it as he strolled down the main street. Appetite sated, coin purse (recently) filled, Raquel decided that this would be the day he would see the inside of Starblossom Manor.

It wasn't so much what was in the manor that interested Raquel - he had, after all, lived in a manor himself before he had forfeited the life of nobility for a life of adventure - but rather who was in the manor. The daughter of Dowager Starblossom, Alricia, was reputed to be the second most beautiful woman in the kingdom, after, of course, the king's own daughter, the Princess Tiarea. Though Alricia had no lack of suitors, Dowager Starblossom turned them all away - she simply would not have menfolk wandering about her manor. She claimed it brought back too many poignant memories of her husband, the late Duke Neddard Starblossom.

Raquel, though, had a plan. Moreover, he had a disguise. After a brief stop at the bakery for a roll (which he even paid for this time), Raquel headed home to don his 'perfect' disguise. Twenty minutes later, he slowly walked up the cobblestone road to Starblossom Manor, atop the hill outside of town.

"Oi there, young lady! What business do you have at the manor?" cried the gatekeeper, appraising the approaching figure. She was thin, but not unattractive - willowy perhaps - with long ebony locks. She wore a modest, white blouse and a long blue skirt that emphasized her gentle figure. "Though, I daresay if you come back in a few hours when my shift is done, I can find some business for you." He winked lewdly at her and pointed to the gatehouse.

Raquel blushed, and in a high, sweet voice he replied, "I hear that the Lady Alricia Starblossom need a new maid. I've come to apply for that position." He smiled demurely. Though quite embarrassed by the guard's comment, Raquel was pleased that his disguise was good enough to inspire such a comment. He decided then that the hardest part about playing a girl was not the voice (he had been practicing that for weeks now), but dealing with men...

"Oi, that she is," the guard said cheerfully. "Remember lass, if you should get the job, that I'm down here. A house full of girls might get a mite lonely for a lass as lovely as yourself." He winked at Raquel and let 'her' through. "Ask Jess, the cook, about me if you have any doubts."

Raquel got the job and spent the summer as Alricia's friend and confidant, even after Alricia discovered Raquel's identity - though, needless to say, she kept that secret from her dowager mother. Their friendship grew even stronger and the beginnings of love blossomed, but that is a different story.

Perhaps the difficult and embarrassing situations caused by his myriad of disguises weren't that abad after all. In one he had learned how to fight, albeit poorly; in another he had learned the meaning of hard work; and in yet another he had discovered love.