There were so many decisions to make, and so many things Alison felt she was supposed to care about, but she didn’t know enough about it all to even have an opinion. The only thing Alison really cared about was marrying Keir and having a nice time with their friends. All the rest of it? It was too much.
“Don’t apologize, sweet girl,” said Lydiach. “There’s no wrong way to have a wedding.”
“Let’s just talk,” said Rinka. “Why don’t we feel the fabrics? Do you like how any of them feel?”
Alison nodded. There were delicate silks and intricate laces, fuzzy velvets and rich jacquards, fluffy tulles and gauzy chiffons, and even some rough wools that Lydiach said would be good for a cloak in case the day was very cold.
Focusing on how the fabrics felt was easier than trying to decide everything all at once. “I like the feel of this lace,” said Alison. “And this one—”
“A fine chiffon,” said Lydiach. “Those are lovely, but they’re quite sheer. Would something like this do for the layer underneath?”
She handed Alison a very smooth silk. “Yes, that will do,” said Alison.
“How do you want to look?” asked Rinka. “Prim and proper, pretty and natural, or sultry and sexy?”
Alison laughed. “I don’t think sultry and sexy would do for a wedding.”
“It would for a fairy wedding,” said Lydiach. “You should’ve seen the humans’ faces at my cousin’s wedding. I thought one of the old ladies was going to die from shock.”
“Please invite me if any of your other relatives get married. I’d love to see that,” said Rinka. “So then prim and proper or pretty and natural?”
“Pretty and natural,” Alison said. “Maybe if I look sort of vaguely vegetal, like I grew out of the winter woods.”
“Oo, that’s an idea,” said Lydiach, flipping through the magazines again. She and Rinka pulled them forward a bit so Alison wouldn’t have to see. They pointed and murmured quietly to each other until both were nodding in unison. “I think we know just what to do. Do you trust us?”
“I do,” said Alison.
“I now pronounce you ‘wedding dress decided,’” said Rinka. “You may kiss your maid of honor and talented seamstress.”
Alison laughed and kissed Rinka on the cheek, thanking her for her help. She touched her finger to her lips and gently pressed it on the fairy’s cheek, careful not to topple the tiny woman over.
As they left the shop, Rinka turned to Alison. “Give me the list of things you haven’t decided and don’t really care about. I know you don’t want to burden Keir, but you don’t have to do this alone.”
“Well, there’s the reservations at the inn for my mother and her family. There’s the entertainment. Oh, and the food. And I suppose we also need to figure out if we’re having it in the church…”
“Pixie’s britches, Alison. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather elope?”
Chapter Ten
THE LIGHTING
Charlotte
The response from Julian came on the day of the Solstice tree lighting.
Charlotte had continued giving out samples for the rest of the week, looking over to see if Julian would join her outside in response.
But as the days passed and the queue outside of Julian’s shop diminished, Charlotte began to worry their strategy had been too successful. Although Charlotte was still annoyed that Julian refused to cooperate with them and had shown nothing but disdain for the notion that he should care about what happened to Mrs. Knox’s shop, Charlotte didn’t want to sink his business straight away either.
She needn’t have worried.
The market square and High Street were bustling with foot traffic by the time Charlotte made it out with her sample tray. But few people stopped, and the ones that did took their sample and kept walking.
It couldn’t have been the tree that was drawing them away. It had been fully decorated for several days, and the lighting wouldn’t be until nightfall.
Charlotte noticed a crowd gathered in front of Julian’s shop. But there was no Julian outside, sample tray or not.
“Come and see. It’s beautiful,” said Lady Sibba as Charlotte approached. The elf was wrapped in far more layers than the day required, and still she shivered as she took Charlotte by the arm, brushing her golden hair over her pointed ears to keep them covered.
