[x] (x1.2) If she's serious about that favor, I can turn this around soon after. And it's only a day…
"I'll do it."
"Will you?" She smirks, twirling a strand of hair "That was shockingly easy, given how antsy you've been about nearly everything else."
"They're just clothes, and I'm not too stubborn as to turn down a favour from some powerful court official for something so small as wearing a silly outfit."
You can feel Madame Kermes' gaze burning into your back. Having realized the error you said in describing the outfit, you turn to her with a contrite smile.
"No offense. I meant that I should not be bashful about wearing such wonderfully made clothing, especially in the presence of a master seamstress such as yourself, Madame." You say quickly, pitching your shoulders down and putting your hand to your chest as you attempt to avoid causing yet another scandal.
"That is fine." She replies with a broad and somewhat inhuman grin, seemingly satisfied. "An escudero has plenty to more to think about than the clothes he wears."
"But if he is to dress in this, there are steps to be done!" Sidonie smiles playfully.
"Yes. Your skin has a pretty tone but needs a little rouge around the cheeks, and something for the lips…" Her ears flick, as she appraises your appearance with her hands. "And the hair needs a little brushing."
You rub the back of your head and run your fingers through the brush of your blonde ponytail, sighing. There's really nothing more to be done, except go along with them at this point. You just hope that it's worth it in the end.
"If I'm getting changed, Sidonie has to be out of the room.Her presence is not quite appropriate, given our close status." You give the two of them a cool look. Given the situation this morning, you'd like to keep some secrets between the two of you...
Sidonie deflates a little and slams her palms to her waist, loudly and exaggeratedly sighing. "Oh, fine. You'll have to go without having a girl of your age fussing over you half-naked."
"It is the nature of men to make sacrifices in the name of ambition." You reply flatly, putting to mind your feelings about your present circumstances in microcosm. You get the feeling she's not genuinely mad, or even annoyed.
"She's interesting company, that girl." Madame Kermes addresses you as the clack of Sidonie's heeled shoes leaves the room and the double-doors close behind her. "How long have you known her."
"A day."
"A day. Surprising." She tugs at your sleeve, gesturing for you to begin undressing.
You hesitate a second, finding it a bit odd to be undressing, not in front of a woman, but in such luxurious confines. It's nothing like your room back on the carrier. So long ago now. Still, at least the process is familiar. Untie the cravat of your dress shirt and unbuttoning down to your undershirt. Shake your clothes, then fold them. The undershirt goes too, when she motions for you to continue. "I am the retainer of her ally on this planet."
"And yet she took you out shopping?" She seems surprised, but withholding judgement. It is a practiced expression of hers, that invites further explanation.
"I asked as much."
"Curious. She must think much of your mistress, and you, then." The measuring tape comes out and begins to move around you, extending itself of seemingly its own accord. "Although I suppose an escudero is never merely a retainer, so the normal rules of decorum only apply loosely."
"I hadn't considered."
"Then why ask her?"
You frown inwardly, feeling the question bite a little. While your initial jealousy did have an influence on your decision, you can't honestly say it was the only reason why you asked Sidonie to come with you on your day off. It's been on your mind for a while now if only as a feeling, and being asked has given you enough of a reason to put it to mind...
[ ] "I wanted to vet my lady's new associates."
[ ] (x0.7) "Most young men want to spend their leisure time in the company of attractive women, right?"
[ ] (x0.8) "I was interested in her personally, as someone high-placed but apparently my age."
[ ] (x0.9) "I have no taste. Someone close to the pulse of the high court would know good clothes."
"Oho." Madame Kermes seems satisfied by the answer. "Now this next part might be a little uncomfortable. The waist isn't too cinched, but we do have to establish a figure or it looks all wrong."
"...r-right." You gulp. Just what have you gotten yourself involved in?
The layers go on one by one as the cat-woman goes about sliding you into the dress. While you elect to not change undergarments, there's a layer of gauzy temperature-controlling fabric (apparently a necessity to be fashionable on an arid world like Coffre del Tesoro) between you and the lustrous paneled fabric and another of padding. At your insistence the lattter is of the cheaper sort, just meant to create the right profile rather than anything expensive or embarrassingly realistic (as they apparently have the capability for). You give a final wince as the last layer of it goes over your shoulders and is clasped and laced into place. The compression is not so much that you can't breathe and the hunger of a morning's walk has not gone, but a ceiling has been placed on how much you feel you could comfortably eat.
You wonder how Mireia manages in these clothes.
Sidonie returns to the two of you applying the finishing touches to your hair. Madame Kermes' hands are surprisingly dexterous, despite you not seeing anything like an opposable thumb on them earlier.
"Woooh. This was a great idea." Sidonie muses to herself, enjoying your present looks quite a bit.
"If you say so." You clear your throat and stand up. A little choker emblazoned with a golden bell tied around your neck subtly adjusts the timbre of your voice, although it's still recognizable. The faint tingle and tautness you feel in your throat must be the effect of the mechanism that drives it. "You must have quite the resource base to be able to play such expensive pranks."
"Oh, if only you knew Avagis." Sidonie's smile grows broader.
You feel a hand tap your back, as Madame Kermes finishes working on your hair. A little metal pin is run through it and much of it is wound up around it now, no longer flowing freely down your back. "And we're done for now. Would you like to see in a mirror."
"...no, that's quite alright." You say, standing up. You'd rather avoid it for now, given that you're only going this far for a favor from Sidonie.
The magistrate herself seems a little anxious to go too. "So where to now that we have you dressed up all pretty. Surely you have some places you'd like to go?"
What do you say?
[ ] "As a matter of fact, I'd like to see the florist to get Mireia some flowers."
[ ] "Geilar mentioned a decent blacksmith in the area. I'd like to buy a present."
[ ] "There's a market with a good mix of import goods and antiques I've heard of."
[ ] (x0.3) "I'll let you think of something."
