Characters: Blouse, Polly.
Rating: B

Disclaimer: The author makes no claim to owning the rights of anything to do with Terry Pratchett or Discworld.

Lieutenant Blouse’s Sock Brigade
by Amazon Syren

     The poor ‘lad’ had been bitten on the— right on the— gods, man, he’d have needed brass, um, you know, to survive that…
     He had, of course, found out later that, in fact, the ‘lad’ had been a lady. That had been back when he’s just become a lieutenant. His first command, albeit not his last. Six months later he’d been back at the front, a distinguished major with an article of clothing named after him. His wife, Emmeline, had been granted the very first pair of Blouses made in Borogravia: Fingerless gloves that came up exactly one and half inches over the wrist and ended in a delicate, understated ruffle.

     It was odd. He’d caught a snatch of conversation as he passed one of the tents.
     “Really, old chap,” a half-familiar, knowing voice had said. “Under the circumstances, they really should have given him socks, rather than gloves.”
     Soft laughter had followed. It hadn’t been until the next day, when Sergeant Perks had turned up in military-issue trousers, that he’d been able to place the voice.
     “Why, socks?” he’d asked her, eventually.
     She’d looked at him quizzically until he explained the reference.
     “I really couldn’t say, sir,” she’d replied. But he was sure he’d seen her blushing as she left the tent.