I think you should wear your hair down," Nee said, looking me over.
"For a dinner? I might kneel on it," I protested.
She smiled. "We'll dine empire style, for Prince Alaerec will be there."
I remembered from my visit to the Renselaeus palace that Shevraeth's father had been wounded in the Pirate Wars many years before. He could walk, but only with difficulty; and he sat in chairs.
"So wear your hair bound with these." She picked up an enameled box and opened it. There lay several snowstone hair ties, with thin silken ribbons hanging down. The ribbons were all white or silver.
I looked at my reflection. My gown was so dark a violet it was almost black, and had tiny faceted snowstones embroidered in lily patterns across the front. Nothing would ever make me look tall or voluptuous--even after a year of excellent food, I was exactly as small and scrawny as ever--but the gown flattered what little figure I had, so I didn't look ten years old. "All right." I simpered at my reflection. "Think I'll start a new fashion?"
"I know you will." She laughed. "I want to watch it happen."
"They might not like me," I said, sitting down on a hassock while Mora's gentle fingers stroked and fingered my hair.
"Mmmm." Nee watched with the air of an artist looking at a painting. "Do not give that a thought. You're --something new. I think…" She paused, gestured, and Mora adjusted the thin snowstone band higher on my brow, making it drape at a graceful angle toward the back of my head.
"Think what?" I played nervously with the new fan hanging at my waist.
"What's that?" Nee looked up, her eyes inscrutable for a moment, then she smiled reassuringly. "I think it will be fine."
And it started fine.
"For a dinner? I might kneel on it," I protested.
She smiled. "We'll dine empire style, for Prince Alaerec will be there."
I remembered from my visit to the Renselaeus palace that Shevraeth's father had been wounded in the Pirate Wars many years before. He could walk, but only with difficulty; and he sat in chairs.
"So wear your hair bound with these." She picked up an enameled box and opened it. There lay several snowstone hair ties, with thin silken ribbons hanging down. The ribbons were all white or silver.
I looked at my reflection. My gown was so dark a violet it was almost black, and had tiny faceted snowstones embroidered in lily patterns across the front. Nothing would ever make me look tall or voluptuous--even after a year of excellent food, I was exactly as small and scrawny as ever--but the gown flattered what little figure I had, so I didn't look ten years old. "All right." I simpered at my reflection. "Think I'll start a new fashion?"
"I know you will." She laughed. "I want to watch it happen."
"They might not like me," I said, sitting down on a hassock while Mora's gentle fingers stroked and fingered my hair.
"Mmmm." Nee watched with the air of an artist looking at a painting. "Do not give that a thought. You're --something new. I think…" She paused, gestured, and Mora adjusted the thin snowstone band higher on my brow, making it drape at a graceful angle toward the back of my head.
"Think what?" I played nervously with the new fan hanging at my waist.
"What's that?" Nee looked up, her eyes inscrutable for a moment, then she smiled reassuringly. "I think it will be fine."
And it started fine.
( Sherwood Smith )
[ Court Duel ]
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