Casimir's Journey Read Online Free PDF Page B

his arm. Rubbing it in, he saw the color was lightened, but still too dark. He needed some madder to add a bit of red as well.
    Adding first the madder and then the weld, he slowly brought out a color that seemed realistic. He rubbed it on the upper part of his arm and waited to see what it would look like dry. After a time, he used water to try to remove the color, but it didn’t come off. That was good. He wouldn’t be bathing much, if at all, but he couldn’t have his skin tone washing away should he get wet.
    Slowly, slowly, he began to color his face. He took the time to cover his ears and his neck using the glass to see them as best he could, rubbing the color in deeply. His neck would be more visible once he cut his hair.
    While his face dried, he worked on his hands. He made them a bit darker, as there would be more wear on the dye on his hands. They got wet more often and were rubbed more often. He’d need to take the dye with him. He made a note to ask the girl for a small container for any mixed dye he had left over.
    Taking the raw supplies would be a good idea as well. That way he could mix more should he find that he needed to touch up his disguise. Another thing to ask the girl for.
    As if called, she came back in and handed him a pair of scissors. “That will have to do,” he said. They were a little dainty for hair. “Thank you. May I also ask for a container to carry my mixed herbs in, as well as pouches for the various ingredients?”
    She was gone in an instant, and he felt bad for running her back and forth. His father had always taught that there was no reason to be anything but kind to those who served you. They often worked far harder than anyone realized. Casimir excused himself with the fact that he had not provisioned himself in this fashion before, and that the first time was bound to be a bit more labor intensive.
    “Hope to never have to do so again!” He said jokingly to himself. He was sure madness approached, as talking to oneself was a sign of such.
    Taking a deep breath, he held the glass up and put the scissors to his hair. It was foolish to be so silly about hair, but he could not seem to help himself. Missish or no.
    The first snip brought a large hank to the floor. He stared at himself in the mirror. Quickly, he cut through the rest of his hair. Once he’d made it all the way around his head the mirror came up for inspection again.
    In spite of all fears, it was not bad. Not at all. He didn’t say that out of vanity. It looked less raggedy than he’d suspected. Using the glass, he snipped and trimmed around the edges of his hair.
    He couldn’t disguise his looks. His face was what it was. He could make himself look a bit plainer, a bit more careworn. That would allow people to overlook his resemblance to the Crown Prince.
    The shortened hair showed him where he needed to apply more dye, and he worked carefully to cover up the pale skin. It looked even paler in comparison to the darkened hue of the walnut paste. It threw him off a bit to see this man looking back at him in the glass.
    His musing was interrupted by the return of the girl. What he hadn’t expected was Catrin to come in behind her.
    “Your clothes.” She dropped a bundle onto the bed. She gave the girl a jerk of her chin, and the girl scurried out again.
    “Your serving girl seems most cowed.” He kept his voice neutral.
    “She understands how I wish to run my home,” Catrin replied. He glanced at her. She didn’t seemed offended at his comment in any way.
    “It’s clear she understands,” he muttered. Catrin said nothing, only smiled.
    “What else will you need to begin your journey, Casimir?”
    “You’re being surprisingly helpful. I thought you didn’t approve.” He squinted at her. Something had to be amiss.
    “I don’t. I have, however, realized that your stubborn insistence has the possibility to provide me with a great deal of entertainment. You are certain that you are smarter than I,