|
Post by Risk on Jun 4, 2010 15:41:16 GMT -5
Alyssa watched Gillian rush to the back room, and then turned her eyes back to the woman who now questioned her. A dress? Surely not. Alyssa had not been to a formal event since her fiance died... But that had been a year or so ago now, hadn't it? Perhaps it was time to begin her life again. She scanned over several dresses, searching for something that was particularly and strangely attractive to her. It wasn't long before she spotted exactly what she was looking for.
It was amethyst purple, the very same color as the jewels and iron in her armor, and a thin cut silky fabric. It took her a moment to realize that the front was shorter than the back, coming only to her knees whereas the back hit the floor. Around the middle was a sewn in belt of jewels and beads of only a slightly lighter color, and its straps were meant to be tied around the neck as well. The back was not quite as open as Gillian's, but she supposed that for someone who was not quite ready for formal dates yet, it would be fitting.
She pointed slowly, "That one there is quite handsome. I should like to try that on if I might."
|
|
|
Post by Steinerman on Jun 4, 2010 15:45:40 GMT -5
Guinevere clapped her hands once in approval, nodding her head as she did so. "My my, yes. That Purple seems practically made to match you, Knight-Commander. Of course you shall try that dress on."
The elder woman seemingly glided over to the dress and lifted it away from the carefully designed hangings. Bringing it back to Alyssa like one might bring a revered artifact. She handed the dress delicately over to the Knight-Commander and pointed the way to the dressing rooms with a smile upon her lips. "Go now, Knight-Commander. I look forward to seeing both of you in these dresses. You two will be the talk of the town." She said with prim assurance.
|
|
|
Post by Risk on Jun 4, 2010 15:51:55 GMT -5
Alyssa took the dress into both arms, as though it would break if it touched the floor. The fabric was soft on her skin and she smiled as it draped over her fingers. She walked briskly, though steadily, toward the dressing rooms, careful to take the empty one beside Gillian. There, she quickly and carefully slipped into the dress, enjoying the feeling of the softness on her legs. She tied the knot behind her neck and let her hair down over it before turning to look in the mirror.
And what she saw was incredible, if for no other reason than she had not worn a dress in years. The fabric flattered every curve in her body, accentuating and diminishing where necessary. The Knight-Commander touched her hair gently, as though it might fall off if she were too harsh with it. It had been a long time since she'd let her hair out, and it was long now, and soft. Her arms and legs looked spectacular, and she had to think for a moment to remember when the last time was they had been exposed this way. Certainly never in public in a dress like this.
"Gillian, my friend. Have you gotten your dress on?"
|
|
|
Post by Steinerman on Jun 4, 2010 16:07:47 GMT -5
From the dressing room opposite Alyssa's, there was a muffled squeak and a sigh of annoyance. Gillian's voice came drifting over the doors separating the two women.
"Well...it's going fairly well. I just can't get this infernal clasp to secure. It's a little odd though, not having shoulder-straps." She laughed lightly, "It's been ages since I wore a strap-less gown. The neck strap is interesting. But blasted hard to clasp."
Finally there was a click and a pleased sound escaped Gillian's lips. "Got it." She said, triumph in her voice. "How's your dress?"
|
|
|
Post by Risk on Jun 4, 2010 16:15:06 GMT -5
Alyssa thought for a moment as the question met her ears, unsure of how to respond, "Incredibly different than my uniform." She chuckled, "But astonishing nevertheless. Might I see yours?" She stepped out of the fitting room, dress still on, and looked toward the room where Gillian was. She wasn't sure how to hold herself, having been in pants and a shirt for so long, so she settled on clasping them in front of her rather than behind. It seemed a good place.
Alyssa had to wonder why there were so few people in this shop. Though she knew that it wasn't exactly often that people needed a new gown, there were so many beautiful garments that she might have come in just to play dress up if she weren't needed in uniform on duty at all times. And if she weren't alone on all of her off-time. This Guinevere really new her stuff, that was for sure. Calmly glancing over the store, she looked at all of the beautiful dressed and wondered if she would ever have a date like Gillian had.
She wasn't exactly good material for it, and most men wanted a quiet wife these days. Something gentle away from the thoughts of war they dealt with all day. Knight-Commander Lightshield was not the type.
|
|
|
Post by Steinerman on Jun 4, 2010 16:53:00 GMT -5
Gillian unlatched the door to her changing room and stepped gingerly out, not wishing to move too quickly, lest the dress be damaged somehow.
Every movement she made seemed to send new shimmers down the dress, which fit her almost as if it were made for her alone. She was dazzling, to put it mildly. Her slightly darker skin gave her a truly exotic look, her hair tied carefully into a pony-tail that covered the delicate clasp of the neck-strap.
She spun gracefully so Alyssa could see how it look from all angles. "So?" She questioned nervously. "How does it look?"
A moment later her breath was taken away as she behold Alyssa in a dress rather than armor and pants. Her mouth opened wide in true amazement. "Oh my, you look positively ravishing, Knight-Commander." She said before the other could reply to her earlier question. "Truly, that dress seems almost made for you."
|
|
|
Post by Risk on Jun 4, 2010 17:02:28 GMT -5
Alyssa grinned as Gillian came out in her dress, dazzlingly beautiful in her gown. She was about to respond quite enthusiastically when her commanding officer first began to compliment her own dress. Turning her face downward to hide the red in her cheeks, she smiled broadly, "Why, thank you, Ma'am." Turning her face upward again, she looked over the blue dress on her companion, "You are quite stunning yourself, Miss. I'm sure your gentleman friend will quite enjoy looking at you in this."
Alyssa stepped forward slowly and walked around Gillian in a circle, careful not to step on any part of it at all, "Yes, I think this will do quite nicely." Straightening the fabric a bit over the woman's shoulder she heard the shopkeep hustling over to see how they were doing and Alyssa stepped back to enjoy the appearance of her friend again, "You're absolutely dazzling, Grandmaster."
And then the inevitable question ran over the Knight-Commander's mind as she turned to Guinivere, "How much are these?"
|
|
|
Post by Steinerman on Jun 4, 2010 17:11:04 GMT -5
The Shop Mistress opened her mouth to quote the prices of the dresses when Gillian waved her hand in a pleading fashion. Guinevere nodded and closed her mouth with a small smile.
Gillian turned to Alyssa, "Well, they're really quite expensive, actually. But don't worry, I may be a social Pariah, but I still have a fair bit of money left over. The Order has several benefactors in Stamaria. Knight-Commander, please, you look so dazzling in that dress, allow me to buy it for you. As a gift."
Gillian smiled hopefully at the Knight-Commander. Knowing that while the Knight-Commander's pay was by no means small, the woman most likely wouldn't wish to part with such a large sum of money as the dresses would require to purchase. While her parent's estate had been taken from her, she had been left a sizable sum of money in a special account for her use only. Her family line was old blood, and with old blood came old money, as some liked to say.
|
|
|
Post by Risk on Jun 4, 2010 17:32:26 GMT -5
Alyssa watched the two women as they decided who would answer the Knight-Commander's question. Finally she learned that the dresses were as pricey as she had first thought. She was surprised to learn, however, that the Grandmaster wanted to purchase her dress for her. Odd, she thought, that she would do that. It was only a dress, no matter how good it looked. But she knew that if the woman was offering it to her, at these prices, she was serious. Alyssa nodded.
"If you think that's what you want to do, I've got no reason to stand in your way of doing so. Just know that you do not need to do it, by any means." She smiled then, "Though perhaps someday when I have a gentleman of my own to travel to a party with, we can go together and I'll pay for dinner." Laughing softly, she stepped back into her dressing room to change back into her uniform. She was sad to leave the silky dress for the scratchy woolen breeches, but it was necessary. She pulled her hair back, more loosely than usual this time, and stepped out, holding the purple dress fondly in hand.
Knight-Commander Lightshield hoped very strongly that she would someday be able to wear the dress. As beautiful as it was, there were few occassions that called for such a garment, and as pleasing as it would be to wear it there was no man to match. No Jason. No one.
|
|
|
Post by Steinerman on Jun 4, 2010 17:57:59 GMT -5
Gillian smiled warmly. "Bah, I insist. Knight-Commander. These Dresses don't often stay here for long, finding such a beautiful one as that, which fits so well? Yes of course we'll buy it."
She went to the back room to change, and then she and Guinevere quickly worked out the price, plus a small discount for being old friends. And soon the sum of money changed hands and the dresses were carefully packaged and ready to be moved. Gillian grinned, her smile lighting up the room. It felt good, to have someone to talk too while Michael was away on his mission.
She led the way out of the shop, parcel in hand, heading for the parked limo a few feet away. "Thank you so very much, Knight-Commander, I've been worrying about this for the last few days. I haven't seen him in almost a month, he travels a lot. You've put many of my fears to rest."
The driver quickly got out and opened the door for the two women, seeing as their hands were full. They set the parcels in the seat across from theirs and then sat down to enjoy the ride.
Gillian couldn't stop from smiling again, her day had brightened up considerably. And Lightshield hadn't asked any more questions about her mysterious lover, which was a good thing. Being in a considerably good mood, and having not eaten for several hours. She asked, "Do you need to be someplace special, Knight-Commander? I'm rather famished and was hoping to pick up a late lunch somewhere, my dinner isn't until late this evening."
|
|
|
Post by Risk on Jun 21, 2010 18:17:04 GMT -5
Alyssa looked quickly over at Gillian and shook her head, "I've nowhere to be at all. It would be my pleasure to go to lunch with you." Thinking for a moment she nodded to herself, looking back out the window, "If you'll allow me to pay for it of course." A gentle smile crossed her face, and she blinked softly.
It was good to have a friend again, even one who was her commanding officer.
|
|
|
Post by Steinerman on Jun 21, 2010 18:32:02 GMT -5
Gillian clapped her hands together once, a broad smile spreading across her lips. "Then it is decided." She said with finality. "We shall lunch at a nearby outdoor restaurant, it is too beautiful a day to spend inside when we can enjoy the sunlight."
She turned towards the front of the vehicle, usually a tinted window was in place between the passenger section and the driver, but she was not the type to make much use of such as device. "Teryn? Off to Alice-N's, if you would. We're in the mood for some lunch."
The young driver in the front seat nodded his head sharply, "Right away, Grand Master." He replied, his tone clipped and overly formal.
Gillian rolled her eyes, "You don't have to be so formal, Teryn. I've told you that." She chided lightly. The young man's head nodded once, if anything the sharpness and formality of the movement increased.
Gillian chuckled and turned to Alyssa, "Teryn thinks it is his absolute duty to be formal at all times in my presence, even if I do not wish it. It's getting bloody annoying, actually."
|
|