Tucked away on a side street, deep within the Artisan’s District, crammed between a bookstore and Eue-Lysae’s favorite gym prior to crossing the veil, rests Nogea’s Boutique [1]. The small store, smelling of peppermint tea, is littered with spools of fabric strewn about. Dresses hang from brass railings running along the ceiling, leaving none of the pink-floral wallpaper visible. A single sewing machine spins away on a large dark-wood table, which is adorned with two chairs and a lamp.
“We should have just dragged her with us.” Enlynn holds the dress up in front of ?denora. Who, despite being ten cm taller than Gekaryna, is the closest in height out of the ladies-in-waiting.
She scrunches her face at the dress, worried it might not fit Gekaryna. Nogea had done a stellar job, as expected of her peerless reputation. Deep red silk satin makes up most of the dress, accented by a single, thin layer of light cream tulle forming the ruffled cuffs and a matching collar that reaches the top of the second front button. A single petticoat peeks out just below the skirt’s hem. The customary Herst oak-leaf-and-acorn motif encircles the hem, embroidered in gold thread, while matching branches, leaves, and acorns cascade down the center front, stopping at the brown leather belt. “I really hope this fits.” Enlynn says with an awkward chuckle.
“How recent are the measurements you gave me?” Ilsch says, not looking up from her sewing machine, never even slowing the pedal.
“Maybe six maidens; I took them before going to visit family.” Answers Awenela, wandering away from Konstanze, wanting to try on her own dress.
“The worst that can happen is that the skirt is a bit too tight around her thighs.” Says Ede.
“You know a few things about that, don’t you, Myna?” Enlynn teases.
“You’re going to die a wet nurse. I hope you know that.” Ede pouts, helping ?denora out of her winter outfit and into her new dress.
“I’m aware this is vela’Herst we are talking about, but if you don’t mind my asking.” Ilsch interrupts, not wanting any bickering in her store. “It seems odd that fat-stores there; we haven’t had a famine recently.”
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Enlynn turns to the tailor, tapping her chin; she has known Gekaryna the longest and has a vague memory of a similar topic coming up many years ago. “I think there was one on her mother’s side. I don’t think I should say more than that.”
Ilsch lets out a quiet ‘hmm.’ She knows very little about the Queen-mother; she cannot remember the last time Anwelyse V has even made a public appearance. Taking what Konstanze said to heart, she does not ask any more questions. A small groan coming from the standing mirror pulls her attention from her sewing.
“Ohh... Red and gold are certainly not my colors—this feels like a humiliation ritual.” Awenela looks at herself in the mirror; the dress, a more subtle version of Gekaryna’s, lacking the collar and the embroidery, matches the dresses of Konstanze and Myna.
“No, honey, you look fine. Don’t you worry.” Ilsch, who in her long career of being one of the top tailors in the Crown Isles, has worked with people of every stature and visage, but she has never seen anyone who truly shouldn’t step out of the house in anything but blue. She does her best to reassure the small blonde girl.
“Euu... No, mera’Wycerwyr. I beg to differ, truly. You did a phenomenal job; it’s just tragic that such a dress is wasted on the last woman who should wear it.” Awenela, again with the help of Myna, changes back out of the dress.
“If Gekaryna’s dress doesn’t fit, will you be able to alter it by the 17th?” Enlynn opens the thin, long trunk the ladies-in-waiting had brought with them.
“If you bring it back to me before 18:00, I can. It will cost you another two full-gold; one for the alteration, one for the rush.” Ilsch glares at Konstanze through her eyebrows.
“Then we should get going.” Enlynn heads over to the others, ushering them towards the trunk.
Placing the dresses into a long trunk, the ladies-in-waiting bid Ilsch farewell, returning to the carriage waiting outside. They depart for the castle.
Footnotes
[1] Opened by Ilsch Nogea Wycerwyr (b. 26/09/1004 EotG) (IHL-sch NO-yeh-ah VEE-cer-veer) in 1029 EotG, Nogea’s Boutique is an appointment-only tailor, where noblewomen pay a consultation fee of one full-gold, to tell Ilsch their idea of what they want made. If she agrees—which is rare; the fact the store is still in business is only a testament to the quality of goods she produces and the eminence of her store—she will make the dress the customer requests. The average cost of a dress from Nogea’s Boutique is about 5 full-golds, including the consultation fee.
