submission Aheila

Name: Aheïla

Email: thewriteaholicblog (at) hotmail.com

Title & Genre: OIL AND BOILING WATER -- Steampunk adventure with romantic elements

Pitch: Tatiana reckons a finer Britannia starts with a female Scholar. Broken engines, flirty French pirates and noes are hurdles of little import.


First 250 words:

The door slammed shut in my face. Its hinges rang from the shock for a couple of my angry heartbeats. I looked down at my bulging breasts, cursing them as my newfound habit instructed. I tried everything to get through the mahogany threshold and past the high marble walls of the University. Never was I allowed to step in.

Once, I strapped my breasts, which wasn’t as uncomfortable as releasing the glued fabric after wearing it for a day. I borrowed my brother’s clothes and tied my hair in a fashion appropriate for young educated lads. Altering my voice would have been tawdry and tedious to maintain. I wanted to agree with the general image of the people allowed in, but I held my gender in high regards and wouldn’t go as far as to forfeit it.

They derided me.

I opted for a new approach, one that lay at the other end of the spectrum. I put my breasts on a nigh indecent display in a precious dress and wore pricey perfumes. I adorned my neck with my most beautiful jewellery, powdered my nose and reddened my lips. They offered to accompany me somewhere else. Somewhere private.

Shoddy fops.

It seemed to me I had done it right this time. I wore the appropriate kind of corset, humble yet full of promise. My feet suffered in tight leather shoes with ridiculously high heels. I spoke in the low, charming voice suitable for a lady. I bowed, I fluttered and I smiled.