“We’ll head to the tailor’s shop first,” Cassian told me as Niveus veered in that direction without any more hint than his master’s words.
The horse stopped near the door, and Cassian slid down before offering his outstretched arms to me. I uneasily slipped off the saddle, and he caught me with deft hands.
“You seem to have practice catching people,” I mused as he set me on my feet.
“Some of the ladies of my court sit side saddle during hunts, and need some help getting down.”
I lifted an eyebrow. “Not nethral hunts?”
“No, the more mundane type,” he assured me as he led us toward the door.
“And do they really need help getting down?” I wondered as we reached the entrance.
Cassian grasped the handle and grinned at me. “I did have this odd suspicion they wished for my help for ulterior motives. Now, let us see about your clothes.”
He opened the door and stepped aside to let me lead. I reluctantly stepped into the tiny shop, and he followed, closing the door behind us.
The interior of the shop was as tiny as its front. The whole room was about ten feet square and cluttered with baskets overflowing with spare bits of cloth, yarn, knitting needles, thread, and various bottles of dyes. The air smelled of cloth and flowers, and the floorboards creaked with the weariness of age and heavy use. A stove sat in the center of the place, and a soft, warm glow came from its belly, filling the shop with heat that scared away the chill in my bones.
A sizeable corner was occupied by a group of ten older women seated in a circle and facing each other. A huge quilt lay between them, and their gnarled hands worked quickly with their needles to make the cloth even larger. They chatted away, but their talk ceased at our coming. They lifted their heads from their work and cast their curious eyes at us.
“Hello there!” a shout came from the rear, where a middle-aged woman sat in a well-used and very plush chair.
The furniture had a high back, and thick arms and feet. The wood had been intricately carved with vines, tree branches, and small animals, but many years and use had worn the flora and fauna to muddied shapes.
Like the other women, she, too, held a needle, and a long dress was draped over her lap. Her fingers were stained with ink and dye of all colors, and they continued their work even as she focused her attention on us.
“What can I do for you lovely two?” she asked us as she gave me a look over. “Perhaps give your missus a set of good clothes? Those don’t look fit to go for a walk, much less travel around these rough roads.”
“They wouldn’t be rough if the king would send some men to fix those damn holes,” one of the other women snapped.
Another bobbed her head. “Yes, indeed. Ralph nearly lost a wheel off his cart the other day when he went rolling over Briar Hill delivering the milk. He struck a hole so deep that it spilled five gallons and spooked the mule.”
I nudged my elbow into Cassian’s ribs and gave him a pointed look. He smiled back at me. “That does sound like quite an easy fix, doesn’t it? Perhaps the king will hear about your gentle scolding and order a crew to come out to repair the roads.”
The first woman scoffed. “Not likely. You just don’t hear anyone from the capital these days.”
“There was that pretty lady who drove through a fortnight ago,” another of the women reminded her.
Her lady friend wrinkled her nose. “Yes, and what a brat she was! Complaining about the food at the pub, and my youngest doing his finest work for her, too! And then her just driving off and not bothering to leave a tip, to boot!”
“Were you both wanting something, or just the lady?” the tailoress interrupted.
“Just the lady,” Cassian told her as he set his hand on the lower part of my back. “My wife is dissatisfied with the clothes she purchased from a foreign lad, and would like something more akin to the people of the dragon realm.”
I had questions about what he said, but the woman just bobbed her head. “Of course, of course. We do have some of the finest fashions in all the kingdoms, even in these outlying parts.” She stepped aside and gestured to a small box. “If the pretty lady would stand on here, we’ll see what suits you.”
Chapter 16
I climbed aboard, and the woman slipped around me as smoothly as the snakes of Whispering Scree. She cupped her chin in one hand and nodded. “Yes, I believe I have something for you. It only depends on how many coins you’re willing to dole out.”
One of the women leaned to one side and peered out a front window. “If he’s anything like his horse, he should be carrying a whole mountain of coins!” Her comment caused the whole company to burst into laughter.
The shopkeeper frowned and waved her hand at them. “That’s enough of that, or I won’t be letting you ladies in here during shop hours.”
Some of them puckered their lips into a pout, while one of their number lifted her end of the heavy quilt. “But your shop is the only place large enough to hold us all and this heavy thing, Amelia!”
Amelia wagged her finger at them. “Then you’d better behave.” She turned back to Cassian and me with a wide smile. “I’m so sorry for that.”
