Claiming The Remnant

Chapter 10

[ Taiya ]

"Lady Esther, please forgive my sister…" Isha started.

"Nooo, I beg that you forgive my sister…" Izla continued, rushing to stand before me.

Grace coughed pointedly.

"Please forgive us both, My Lady." They said in unison with a little bow.

I didn't want to forgive them. I wanted to send everyone away and curl up. I was humiliated and hurting. I wanted to go home. However there were expectations of a Lady such as myself and it would be most unseemly if I presented myself to His Royal Highness in this state. I was extremely low on options.

"I accept your apologies, now, a little decorum if you will." Rallying my determination, I straightened my shoulders, lifted up my head and settled my hands on my still tender stomach. I was not opposed to some tomfoolery but I did not know these ladies; not on motivation, nor intention, so how much was in good humour I did not know. Not only did I not know the women around me but I felt foreign in myself. Things didn't add up. Like my hands. Ladies do not have calloused hands.

"Please continue, Izla." I affirmed when no one moved.

"Of course, My Lady." Izla stepped behind me. She worked quickly, with deft hands snipping, combing and styling. The time it took for her to do my hair and leave it smelling sweetly of jasmine was but a fraction of the time they had spent arguing and teasing me. I suspected Izla could have done the work thrice over in that time which in itself seemed preposterous. Having not yet seen the finished product I reserved my judgement.

"Voilà!" Izla announced. Was I supposed to know what that meant? Either way she was clearly done.

My expectation was that a hand mirror would be brought to me but instead Han placed a lightly steaming china cup in my hands. The fragrance of honey and ginger was simply delightful. So thoughtful of a gesture, to bring me a drink that would help settle my stomach, that I was almost in tears again. Then again that was their job.

The twins directed me back to my cosy chair next to the fire. Once again the room was transformed. The table and mountain of hair products were packed away along with the chair. In their place open framed clothing rails were erected and a panoply of dresses, coats and undergarments were hung in colour coordinated groups.

The feeling within was one of wonder; I did not think I had ever seen such an array.

"Sister must you keep insisting on ordering them by shade? How many times must I go over the benefits of organising by season!" Izla tutted.

"Hush now, Izla. I'm working." Isha paced the length of the rails, eyes narrowed. When she reached the end Isha pivoted on the spot, eyes never leaving the swathes of material. "What do you normally like to wear, Lady Esther?" Isha asked. Suddenly all eyes were on me.

"I…" I couldn't think. The only gown I could recall was the one I wore at Duke Bander's Estate and it had been most uncomfortable.

"Material? Colour? Style?" She prompted.

"Perhaps…" I floundered again. Little dewy tears began to form in the corners of my eyes and a flutter of panic skittered through me. I had gone entirely blank. Where there should have been memories I could only find a big empty gap. A chasm that stole any further sound from my parted lips.

"Isha has brought quite the selection of shades, what catches your eye, Lady Esther." Grace piped up. The tightness in my chest faded at her words. I was immensely grateful for the interjection.

"Blue." I said after casting my eyes over the gargantuan blaze of colours. I felt very confident about blue. I liked blue. I was sure of it.

"Blue?" Isha pouted. "Cyan? Cobalt? Sapphire? Azure?" She looked at me expectantly. Seeing the look on my face she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ok blue, I suppose that's a start."

She looked at the blue garments once more scratching at the spot on her head where the pink strip of hair lay. I blinked. Wasn't it Izla that had the pink hair? One sly look in her direction confirmed Izla didn't have a streak in her hair. I must have been confused.

"I'm ready to take your measurements now, Lady Esther." Isha flicked her wrist lazily at the small pedestal that was where the chair had been before. With as much grace and poise as I could muster (which wasn't much given how utterly exhausted I was) I stepped up. Han held out her arm for support before helping me disrobe.

An unusual level of discomfort was rising in me. The situation was not unusual nor unpleasant but still the walls were closing in. I could almost see the shadowy figures of all the leering men in that awful dungeon.

Isha was, thankfully, quick and I was in some comfortable, well fitting, underclothes in what seemed like no time at all. The first dress she tried me in was powder blue and the weight was so much that I could hardly stand. Isha wasn't happy with the shade, saying it clashed with my hair but had wanted me to try the style.

The fit was most definitely flattering, with the pinched waist and alluring bust but the many skirts and weighty material was not for me, at least not in my current state. For the life of me I couldn't think what cut the dress was. Puffy was all that came to mind.

The next dress was midnight blue according to Isha. It was some long flowing thing that hung off me but with a few touches here and there the dress seemed to shrink down, confirming to my body. I swear it even got shorter; the hem suddenly swinging at just the right height rather than draping down the side of the pedestal. It must be the pink magic but I couldn’t recall an instance of it being used in this way, usually it affixed other magic to objects.

"Mirror!" Isha called, clapping her hands in summons. A large floor length mirror was carried in by two of the people that Isha and Izla had brought with them. Izla seemed displeased by Isha's direction regarding the mirrors placement but much to my relief they didn't argue about it. Isha angled the mirror in one swift, expert motion, framing me perfectly.

At the sight before me I shrieked and most ungracefully stumbled back off of the pedestal. There was no one to catch me and in an attempt to catch myself I put out my arm. Upon hitting the ground there was a resounding snap.