Sue nodded slightly. "So, where d'you wants to be headin' next?" She asked, looking at Celeste. "I know you told me earlier, but i forgot. Sorry." She looked down at her feet, biting her lip. With other people she had guided around, if she forgot anything, they usually hit her. She knew Celeste wouldn't, but…it was muscle memory.
"Don't worry, I do the same all the time." Celeste said, snorting at her own expense as she started for the door, waving for Sue to follow. "We're off to find clothing, because I packed for the trip instead of the stay. I really am scatterbrained."
Sue nodded, and followed her quickly. "Alright." She smiled slightly. "Yes, you'll be wantin' some different clothes for the court. If'n you go to the Dragon Festival, you'll be wantin' some fancy clothes for that. And you'll want nice stuff in case you gets invited to any formal meals or anythin'."
(Ooh so I had an idea that we could do if you want, it might add drama…so the Duke, who wants to overthrow Soren and replace him, talks to King Lin, and the Duke and Lin decide to work together? Idk it could be interesting if you want)
((I like it!))
Celeste made a face, leaving her hood down this time as they walked. It seemed more than one person recognized the witch, though most of the whispers did spawn from her odd appearance. "Formal meals and fancy events? Are you absolutely certain I have to go to these?"
(alright!)
Sue nodded, then shrugged. "Well…some of the time, the king hosts a dinner or ball or whatever, what everyone's got to go to. An' he can't choose not to host them, sometimes. He has to host one each time a new ambassador arrives, or anything. The nobility loves a party."
"Which means, with King Lin here, chances are there will be some event." Celeste mused, lips drawing down in a not-too-serious pout. "I'm not a fan of formal things like that. Well, you know more than I do about what's proper to wear, think you could help me out with choosing? I'll buy you lunch for your troubles."
Sue smiled slightly. "Come with me." She replied, leading Celeste through the streets. "There's a seamstress who can make you a few nice dresses to wear." She replied. "An' you don't have to buy me anythin', I'm just doing my job."
"I'm dragging you along on my scatterbrained errands, I really owe you something. Besides, if not for all of this, when's the last time you ate?" Celeste asked, tilting her head in question as she followed the girl along various streets. Pluto had joined them at some point, this time sticking close to Sue. "'Cause if it was, you know, the last meal, then you should eat anyway, because you need to."
Sue shrugged. "I don't need much food, miss Celeste." She replied. "But thank you." She led Celeste through the streets, her steps quick and sure. She knew this city like the back of her hand, including where to go and where not to go. During the previous king's reign, police had grown lax, and so a lot of the bad neighborhoods had grown far worse. Soren was doing his best, but he had so many other things on his plate that it couldn't be a priority.
Celeste huffed, but let the subject drop for now. She had every intention of roping Sue into eating at some point though, even if it meant going under the guise of getting herself food. For the time being, she turned her gaze to studying the city as they made their way through it, trying to commit each street and landmark to memory just in case. A force of habit. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw a flash of dark clothing, but when she turned to look, there was nothing suspicious, just passerby doing their own shopping and things.
Sue led her to a small, wellkept shop, and went inside, holding the door for Celeste. "Mrs Harrow!" She called. "I've got a new customer for you!"
A tall, stately woman came out from a back room. "Oh?" She walked right up to Celeste, boldly looking her over. "A witch? Interesting." She pulled on one of Celeste's arms, spreading it to the side. "Good body proportions. Smile." She commanded. "Oh, a good set of teeth, too. Yes, I can work with her." She looked at Sue briskly. "What does she need?"
Sue looked slightly amused at the older woman's brusqueness. "Some gowns an' stuff for balls an' formals an' dinners." She explained.
Celeste blinked, her brain catching up a moment too late, though the rest of her body had no problem listening to the commands. Though the sudden contact caused an uneasy feeling to coil through her gut, she did her best to shove it away, remembering that that was how a seamstress worked. She looked between the two speaking, cutting in after a moment. "Not too much, just a few things. Er-do you need payment ahead of time, ma'am?"
The seamstress shook her head. "No, payment is covered by the king, as you're from out of town." She replied. She crossed the store to where bolts of fabric hung from the walls, and brought a few over, holding them up to Celeste to compare for color. "Now then. What sort of a look do you want? Mysterious? Flirtatious? Alluring? Sexy? Beautiful?" The seamstress asked. "Those are the typical choices of young women at the palace. Of course, most of them are trying to get with the king, but…" She clicked her tongue, setting aside some fabric. "By the way, I am Arboria Kune."
Sue was quiet, standing to the side.
"Celeste Sovanna. It's very nice to meet you, miss, but I am absolutely not going to let the King pay. I'll pay myself." Celeste said, shaking her head as she looked between the fabrics. "And I'm not attempting anything of that sort. Something…fairly simple would be best? Not many of those style options sound..like me, to put it simply. Sue? Any thoughts? I'm hopeless at this." She scrunched up her nose slightly at her own expense, looking to Sue for input.
"Miss, to be frank, you can't afford me on your own." Arboria replied. "And you absolutely cannot dress simple!" She snorted. "Someone as pretty as you, dressing simple! In the palace!" She shook her head despairingly.
Sue smiled slightly. "Well, Miss Celeste…I'd say to just follow miss Arboria's suggestions. She be one of the best there is at this." She said with a small shrug.
Arboria grabbed some fabrics, setting them down on a small side table. "Here. These colors would look absolutely beautiful on you!" She said, holding them up.
Celeste sighed, her shoulders lowering slightly with the movement as she looked between them, before nodding. "I guess I should trust you to know what you're doing. You've got full creative liberty then, though I'd really rather not wear anything too out there." She tucked her hands into her pockets, eyeing the fabrics as Pluto pushed his way through the door and into the shop, somehow, to flop against her legs and watch the goings on. "Those are stunning blues. Where do you get your fabric died?"
"Hm? Oh, here and there." Arboria replied, humming softly as she matched fabrics together. "Some of them are magic, so they never lose their color. Never!" She smiled, flashing white teeth. When she was younger, she would have been a strikingly beautiful woman. Now older, she was still striking, but somehow regal, her hair an iron grey and pinned back in a neat bun. "And dont worry about being too 'out there', I would never dress anyone in an unbecoming way."
Sue was quiet, standing to the side.
"And, yes…" Arboria held up another fabric that would go perfectly with the blue, a shimmery green. "Now, if only you had the right color for gold." She sighed. "Gold would go absolutely lovely with this blue." She shook her head. "Ah well."
Celeste blinked a few times, raising an eyebrow at that. "Gold is an accent color, right? I'm guessing you're referring to my skin tone as a no-go with the color." She made a face, thinking for a moment, before nodding. "They'd clash. Oh! Is it possible to request that my…back is covered by fabric? Upper back."
Arboria pursed her lips. "Why?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "I can do it, but many flattering styles have a drop back." She said, looking over at Celeste. "If it is because of tattoos, that is fine. Tattoos are in fashion right now, especially those lovely lacey looking ones." She said, setting aside swaths of fabric for later.
"Not-not tattoos, no. I wouldn't have a problem with those being visible." Celeste shook her head, unfastening her cloak to fold it and tuck it away like she had earlier. Though it wasn't her best idea, she wasn't quite sure she would have been able to just talk about them, so instead, she turned her back to Arboria, reaching up and pinching the fabric of her shirt. It was loose enough that, when tugged, it slid down without much issue, revealing the horrid scars marring the skin of her back. The mark on her neck was visible as well, but certainly didn't draw the same attention as the scars from lashings all through her childhood.
Arboria winced. "Oh my…yes, I-I can see why you want to cover those up." She said, looking away after a moment. Then she looked back, and gently put a finger on where the scars ended. "So this is the lowest the back can be allowed to go, in the assumption that you don't care if people see the tattoo." She pulled her finger back. "I can work with that." She scribbled down a note on a scrap of paper. "I need to take your measurements. So if you'll stand straight, arms out, feet apart, that would be lovely."
Sue inhaled, looking down at her feet.
Celeste had tensed when Arboria touched her, but she didn't flinch away. Staying quiet, she nodded along as the seamstress talked, releasing her shirt and standing as instructed. "Thank you. I know I said full creative liberty, but…I really would rather those stayed covered. At least until I've come to terms with them."
Arboria nodded. "Of course. Are you alright with the tattoo being visible?" She asked as she took Celeste's measurements. She measured Celeste's arm length, then height. Waist, bust, hips, leg length. Everything she needed to, and then some. "Because if not, the dress will have to have a very high collar in the back, which will not look very good."
"The marking showing is perfectly fine." Celeste assure her, taking a deep breath. The haunted look in her eyes had faded with a little time, and now she'd taken to making faces at Sue for no particular reason. "It's…a part of me I'm proud of." Shows what spawned the name Dream Thief.
Sue smiled slightly. "Focus." She mouthed, smiling.
Arboria hummed softly. "Ah, i see." She replied. "Good. I can work with that." She said, straightening as she finished the measurements. "Now, I believe that's all I need. I just need your name, and where in the palace you are staying, so I can get ahold of you when the dresses are ready."