“Gail,” I exclaim in awe, pulling my travel packs off my back and letting them drop to the floor.
“I know,” she breathes, watching my reaction as I walk towards the dress. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen in all my travels within Knowledge and Warrior, and even now, coming up close, I’m not even sure ifdressis the proper word to call it. It’s just so different.
The ensemble is two separate pieces constructed of the same shimmering chocolate brown fabric, with the top piece hosting long sleeves that I suspect will fall past someone’s wrists and rest in the middle of their hands. At the end of that sleeve is an intricate design of gold and black oak leaves that form a circle all the way around the edge. The black is harsh against the shimmering brown fabric but the gold brightens its counterpart, the colors blending so perfectly together. The sleeves lead up to theshoulders and then down into a deep cut at the chest, an area that would greatly reveal the curve of a woman’s breasts. The full of the fabric is cropped just a few inches under where the ribs would rest and then tightens around the upper waist.
“I have no words,” I murmur quietly, glancing down at the second piece of the ensemble.
The hugging skirt sits a few inches below the top, the brown fabric flowing down to the ground in a beautiful shimmer. The front of the skirt is cut shorter than the back and has a slit so high that it shows off a hefty amount of hip. There’s more gold and black threading of oak leaves along the hem as well, the whole thing equal parts beautiful, sexy, and modern, and truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
“I’m hoping you’ll wear it tonight,” she moves up next to me with a smile.
“Yes, of course. I would be honored,” I nod to the young girl, “your talent is far beyond your years, Gail.”
“I think so, too,” the girl laughs, “though you’re the first person to inspire me to make my own changes. It’s a bit different than what we normally wear in Warrior, but hopefully the court will appreciate the bold change.”
She shrugs and gives a small sideways smile, “we’ll see.”
“Gail,” I look at her with insistency, “I will proudly wear this piece tonight. Everyone will know of your work by the end of the night.”
Stormfall gives a small caw from my shoulder, his yellow gaze landing directly on Gail. I reach into my bag and pull out eight cinerins, nearly depleting the rest of my coin, and hand it to the girl who is worth so much more.
“Not for this,” Gail stops my hand with a smile, “this dress is for me. I’m not ashamed to admit that I created it selfishly, and I ask you to wear it tonight still in selfish desire.”
Too far beyond her years.
Stormfall’s talons grip my shoulder, as if in agreement to my thought.
I bow my head, “honored.”
“Good,” she grins, “then let’s head back to your room and get this on you. There’s a few areas I need to tailor to your body.”
I leave Stormfall and Golem with Gail in the main room of my guest quarters and head to the small bathing chamber to quickly rinse off from our travel. I pin my hair above my head and hastily move into the steaming water, groaning at the lack of time we have before court begins.
“I just thought,” I yell to Gail as I step out, throwing on a deep green robe that was provided in the room, “I don’t have the proper boots to wear with this.”
“I have that covered, too,” she yells back, “don’t be upset, but I took measurements of your feet the last time I was with you.”
I laugh at the girl and walk to the bed, “why would I be upset?”
Gail grins and pulls out a set of thigh-high black suede boots that make my eyes go wide. The heel is tall, taller than I’ve ever worn, and will end up arching my foot into a slender curve.
“Where did you get an idea like this, Gail?”
The girl huffs and waves her hands down her body, “do you see me, Lady Alexis? A girl like me has to think of ways to make herself taller.”
“By making herself uncomfortable?” I arch a brow, “Gail, you’re prefect the way you are.”
“They’re not that bad,” she crosses her arms in defiance, “you’ll need to break them in, but once you get used to the height of the heel you’ll feel like a thousand cinerin.”
“You’re amazing,” I shake my head with a chuckle, “though probably putting too much trust in me to not stumble in your dress.”
“You’ll get used to them, I promise. Plus, these heeled boots will sell,” she grins mischievously, “andyou’regoing to sell them for me.”
“Damn straight I will,” I laugh, walking over to my travel packs to pull out a pair of long socks. The boots slide over my legs and grip my thighs just above my knees, the feeling similar to the boots I bought from the Palisades but far more tight. The high heel beneath me is awkward when I stand, and I nearly trip when I lean down to strap my blades, but I find my footing by leaning on the bed and secure them both against my lower thighs.
“Just walk back and forth a few times so you can get used to the arch,” Gail beckons, “it’ll be uncomfortable at first but I really do promise you’ll get used to them. I made myself a pair a few months back. They’ll grow on you.”
My first few stepsareuncomfortable, and I swear I look like a baby fawn trying to walk for the first time. Gail has to suppress her laughter behind her hand when she watches me.
