"Of course, you don't want to usetoomany greens." Another pointed look over the spectacles. "Some brides get it in their heads to use three different kinds of filler to save money on flowers, and it winds up looking a bit weedy. Telegraphs lack of budget."
There’s that all important word again."I-I really just wanted to get some ideas. Um, I was told that if I don't have anything specific in mind, I could give my budget and color ideas and —"
"Marnie, roses just came in. Twelve dozen, all colors. They need to get in water and they're not going to clean themselves."
Lurielle stood with her mouth still open, completely forgetting what she had been saying as another bustling goblin moved across the flower shop as if Lurielle were not standing there at all, throwing open the doors to the coolers.
"I want all of these baskets pushed up, let's move this entire second row. These things have been sitting here all week, lost on the bottom. Make sure you're pulling out anything that's already wilted.”
The goblin she had been speaking to, evidently Marnie, seemed entirely disinterested in the suggested tasks. She cleared her throat pointedly, but the second goblin paid no mind.
"I thought you were going to be moving these lilies? You know the truck is coming in today with the planters, we need this space."
"I already started," Marnie said dryly, rolling her eyes. "But I wasn't in the middle of talking to a customer, or anything, right?"
When the other goblin spun, noticing Lurielle for the first time, Marnie gestured derisively. Instantly, the second goblin's demeanor changed.The manager, Lurielle thought to herself.No, the owner.
"Oh, wonderful, perfect! What can we help you with, dear? Interested in a basket, hmm?"
It took all of her willpower to keep from wrinkling her nose at the week-old offerings in the cooler. "I – I was just asking questions. I'm starting to plan my wedding, and —"
"Oh, a wedding consultation! Marvelous! Did we have you as an appointment today? I just need to make sure it’s marked properly in the book. . ."
Lurielle floundered as the first goblin threw up her hands in frustration.
"It's not a consultation, Lou! We haven't even gotten that far! Why don't you go start cleaning your precious roses, since you're so concerned about them?"
She backed out of the store as the two goblins reared on each other, bickering, oblivious to her silent exit.
Lurielle breathed a sigh of relief once she was out on the sidewalk.This is why you don’t wander down random alleys.She wasn't a particular fan of the city and didn't know her way around very well. Khash lived in a swanky high-rise on the waterfront and the immediate neighborhood around his apartment featured a bevy of similarly high-end boutiques and restaurants, including a florist whose elaborate displays of orchids and tropical flowers had already intimidated her out of entering one shop that day. That they’d managed it from the sidewalk was even more impressive.
Her hand had been reaching out for the door when she saw the sleek nymph inside, taking orders from a haughty-looking dryad. From the window, Lurielle could see a wall of white orchids and hydrangeas, architectural vases, and nothing at all that saidI’m marrying the orc of my dreams. There was an actual tree growing up through the center of the building, blossoming from the roof in an eruption of branches bobbing with autumn-gold leaves, and from the opening, Lurielle could hear the dryad's strident tone, complaining about someone who’d just left.Just think what she’ll say about you when you have no idea what you want.
Deciding their flawless presentation and window display were, like the rest of wedding planning, already a bit over herpaygrade, she’d let her hand fall away. She had continued walking down the sidewalk, turning up an alley and down another, finding herself instead with the bickering goblins.
You’re going to get lost. Just back to the main road and go back to the apartment.There was a luxurious-looking bridal salon just up the road from the Templeton, she thought perhaps she would stop in and peruse the dresses, force some ideas in her head instead of the strange inability to do anything that had gripped her the past several weeks. It was as if the more she knew she needed to start planning some sort of semblance of a wedding, the more inert she became, unable to force herself to do even the most minor, menial task involved.Go to the bridal salon. Look at some of the dresses, get some ideas. That's all. Totally painless.
When she'd reached the shop, its windows filled with frothy confections and sheer, bejeweled-front gowns. Lurielle paused again, her feet fighting her forward trajectory.Seriously? Are you going to be afraid to walk into every single store in the city? Just going to plan your whole wedding from the sidewalk?Swallowing hard, she pulled the door open, finding herself standing before a pristine white desk, manned by a tiny, prune-like woman with miniature iridescent wings.
The elderly pixie's name was Rosebud and she told Lurielle that her family had been in the bridal business for six generations. Rosebud seemed so pleased to share her history in the industry that it nearly broke Lurielle's heart to inform the tiny bewinged woman that she was, perhaps, the most unprepared patron who'd ever had the temerity to stroll through the shop’s doors in the entirety of those six generations.
No, she did not have an appointment. No, she had not called ahead. No, there was no one else joining her that day. She had no idea what styles she was interested in, wasn't certain of herbudget, didn’t know her formal dress size, whatever that was, didn't have any ideas at all, actually.
Rosebud had pursed her tiny rosebud lips. "Don't really know much of anything, do you, dearie?"
Lurielle had given the woman her most winsome smile, which she knew wasn't all that winsome and likely resembled a grimace of pain.
Evidently,browsingwas not a word in the wedding industrial complexes' limited vernacular.Budget. Upscale. Your big day.She listened to the same few phrases being repeated around her as the nymphs and pixies working in the shop flitted about, waiting on the two actual clients — both, presumably, having called ahead with booked appointments, plenty of ideas, and supportive family and friends there watching. Both of the women trying on dresses were elegant and beautiful, a human and one who appeared to be a selkie, and coupled with the staff, in their identical black pencil skirts and slim-cut blazers, Lurielle began to pre-emptively lecture herself against taking any of this to heart.
Rosebud returned to her desk after alerting one of the sales nymphs to Lurielle's apparent black hole of knowledge, leaving her standing in the salon, waiting.You're going to go in there and feel like a bull in a china shop. You should have at least brought Rourke. Then you wouldn't be alone.Lurielle reminded herself that she didn't need to be a size 2 to have value, that the width of her hips was not as important as the fullness of her heart, and that ultimately, she was marrying the most handsome orc in the entire world who would be happy if she came to the fire before him in a potato sack.Naked. He would be thrilled to get married naked.
Therewas an idea she'd not considered. They could get married at the resort, where their relationship had first begun. She wouldn't need to worry about not having a supportive circlearound her as she tried on dresses, wouldn't need to worry about uplighting or an elaborate venue, not with the scenic backdrop of Greenbridge Glen stretched around them. She wouldn't need to worry about wearing anything at all, and although she would never be able to tell her coworkers about her nuptials, Lurielle wasn't seeing any immediate downside.In lieu of gifts, please bring your own towel to sit on.
She was shown to a fitting salon, a plush, jewel box-like environment swagged with curtains and surrounded in mirrors. "One of the dressers will be in to take your measurements," the young pixie told her, looking as if she ought to have still been in high school.
Lurielle opened her mouth to object. She didn't want her measurements taken. She didn't want to be stripped naked in front of strangers, didn’t want to sit in this glorified fitting room and wait for unasked-for dresses to be brought to her. She didn't want to try on anything alone, she didn't want to doanyof this alone. She barely wanted to do this at all.
"Oh, I – I'm not sure that's necessary? I really just wanted to look —"
