The Tewalts’ Boutique

"WELCOME TO― OH, it's you," a voice said in a deadpanned greeting. "And here I thought that a lovely lady would finally― Alice! Look at you, as beautiful as a flower in bloom. How can I help you today, darling?"

"Hands off, Daryl," Spade chided, lightly slapping Daryl's hand as the latter reached towards Alice, fully prepared to give the lady a hug. "She's off the market."

The blond man had swiftly curved over from behind the counter over to the doors when he noticed Alice stepping in. Effortlessly, he breezed by Spade, paying him no mind other than when he was ever so rudely jostled away from his prized customer.

"Pfft," scoffing under his breath, Daryl sorely rubbed at the back of his hand, paying Spade no mind other than a roll of his eye. Turning his complete attention to Alice, the charmer continued, "And what winds have blown you over today, gorgeous?"

Chuckling under her breath, Alice returned her greetings. "It's nice to see you again too, Daryl."

The Tewalt twins, Daryl and Deacon, opened a luxurious boutique in town. They sold and offered high-end dresses and matching accessories, both ready-made and custom-ordered depending on their customers' requirements and specifications. As their materials didn't come cheap, the goods that were sold in their boutique could add up to a hefty price. That meant that their customer base consisted mainly of the rich and noble. Even the royal family had done business with them before, their brand being one of the Queen's utmost favorites.

Despite their childish and casual personalities, when it came to business, the Tewalt twins were completely different from when they were spending personal time out with friends and family. The two men were devoted to their art, making sure that they earned a large profit and at the same time, ensured their customers' satisfaction so that they would come back again. Thus, with their friendly personalities and their professionalism, they had made for themselves a formidable name in the world of fashion, not just in Gladiolum. Merchants and nobilities from kingdoms away would come to them with business opportunities, hoping to get their hands on some of their items.

Unfortunately for them, with high-end goods, rarity became its beauty. The Tewalts' dresses weren't as easy to buy as people hoped. Soaring high prices only made them more yearned for.

"We're here for a dress," Spade answered for her. "She's to be my date at a party that's coming up shortly. Do you have anything on hand that might fit? Something more… formal?"

"Not getting a custom?" Daryl asked, eyes wide with shock. "Here I thought you would be pampering her to the high heavens just to keep her around your sorry ass."

Unlike the previous time, this round, Alice was unable to keep her laughter in. Her efforts in suppressing her chuckles went to naught as she burst out in a guffaw, her hands immediately slapping over her lips when she realized she had barked out laughing. It hadn't been her intention to laugh out so loudly but Daryl and Spade's exchanges were too much for Alice to handle.

It was a refreshing sight to see. For all Alice knew, Spade didn't have many friends inside the palace. Yet, outside as Johann, he had tight brothers in arms that could freely joke around with him. A small voice in Alice's head wondered what would happen when the day came and the twins found out that Johann was actually Spade, the second prince of Gladiolum.

Would they still be able to joke around like right now?

"That would be best but the party is pretty last minute. We haven't got the time to wait around for a custom. She needs it by tomorrow, earliest."

Hissing air out between his teeth, Daryl winced.

"Yep," he agreed. "That is a little tight on time."

Turning around, he beckoned the two over. Daryl led them past a set of curtains, revealing the boutique's glory behind them. Racks and racks of beautiful, glamorous gowns adorned the walls. In the center was a slightly raised stage, most likely for the customers to see the dress better in the mirror. The entire boutique's setup reminded Alice of the wedding gown shops in her hometown. She had wanted to try on a dress so badly whenever she walked by them in the mall. Marriage wasn't her first priority but every girl could still appreciate a well-made dress.

"Lucky for you, Deacon was just preparing for our new line," Daryl said. Leading them over to the door at the back, he drew the curtains that shielded it from the public's eye. He placed a hand on the doorknob, stopping to make sure no one was looking before smiling charmingly at Alice. "Prepare to be blown away, Alice."

Pushing it open, Daryl stepped into the dark hallway inside, Spade and Alice following suit closely. The door behind them closed, leaving them completely in the dark as they headed towards the light at the end of the corridor. As it grew brighter and brighter, Alice finally understood why Daryl had been so secretive about the room. It was shielded away, separated from the main body of the boutique because the room was where the magic happened.

In the center of the room, Deacon sat. He had multiple brushes in hand as he sketched away at the parchment in front of him. When he heard the sound of footsteps, he raised his head. The last time Alice had seen Deacon, his hair was neatly gelled and he looked so neat and so clean. Yet, now that he was immersed in his work and engrossed with design, Deacon's hair was even messier than Daryl's. His fringe was everywhere, strands poking out at every angle. Dark eye rings colored the bags of his eyes, making him look even older and sicker than he originally was. The room was a mess, sketches and rolls of fabric thrown all over the floor, littering the room like a rubbish dump.

However, no matter how messy the room was, Alice knew that the 'trash' in this room was nowhere near the things that could be found in rubbish bins. Each design here can cost up to thousands of fleurons.

At the back, a short distance away from the creative warzone, there were a few mannequins that were set up. The dresses that the mannequins wore were all dazzling beauties, dresses that were even more beautiful than those that were used in high-budget Hollywood movies. Jewels dazzled across the bodice of the dress while the skirt puffed out and dragged on the floor. The material used on the skirts was translucent, layers upon layers of chiffon that were stacked on top of silk. There was a little bit of everything― gossamer sleeves, elegant lace, and shimmering jewels.

Three dresses seemed to be completed, simply waiting for the day they would be presented to the public. Their colors were all soft, ethereal, and dainty, as if they were dresses made with magic, not by hands.

"We have guests, Deacon," Daryl announced their presence. "Time for you to step out of the nest and breathe a little."

"It appears to be so." In his seat, Deacon stretched his arm over his head, sighing loudly in satisfaction when his joints popped lightly. "Welcome to the den, Jo, Alice. I apologize for the mess. Didn't think that we would be having guests over anytime so soon. Or at all, in fact."

"Alice is in need of a fairy godmother," Spade voiced, gently urging her forward. "Make her as glamorous as possible, if you will. Money isn't an issue."

"Since when was it ever an issue for you?" Deacon joked. Standing up from his seat, he twisted his body left and right to stretch his back before walking over, a measuring tape in hand. "Let's get your sizes down first. Apologies, but the female helper isn't allowed into the backroom. We can head out to―"

"Oh, no, it's fine. I don't mind if you do it," Alice butted in.

At her words, both Deacon's and Daryl's eyes popped open.

"Are… Are you sure?" Deacon stuttered, unable to believe his ears. All of the ladies that he had encountered ― especially noblewomen ― were always very particular about their interactions with men. This was the first time he had met a woman so brazen and fearless. Alice seemingly had no shame at all.

"Well, I can do it myself if you're not comfortable," she offered.

"Well, don't mind if I do, then!" Daryl chirped, jumping forward.

He snatched the measuring tape from Deacon's hands, nearly hopping his way over to where Alice stood before he was promptly halted by Spade once more. The former had his hand on Daryl's shoulder in a steely grip, smiling menacingly at the blond before seizing hold of the roll of tape from his hands. Giving Daryl one last squeeze on the shoulder, he finally released his grip, leisurely walking towards Alice and leaving Daryl wincing at the back in pain.

"You are not getting your slimy hands anywhere near my beloved Alice," Spade casually spoke, throwing the words behind him without even looking back.

He edged closer towards her, just inches apart. With the short distance that barely separated the two, Alice suddenly regretted her decision. She should've just accepted the offer of heading out to get the store's helper to take her measurements. Before, she hadn't thought so far to deduce that Spade might offer to be the one to help out instead.

Having the prince just inches away from her made Alice's skin flare up, blazing a bright, burning scarlet. She could feel the heat from Spade's body warmth, his breath on her skin, and most importantly, his gaze that seared a hole right through the top of her head. Alice refused to look up and away from the floor. Instead, she focused her line of sight solely on the ground, biting hard on her bottom lip to maintain a steady breathing pace.

All of a sudden, she felt cold fingers underneath her chin. Before she could react, Spade tilted her head up so that her gaze clashed with his, staring right into those steely eyes of his. Winter had long melted away from his irises. In those eyes, all Alice could see were rolls of cerulean waves. Flecks of silver and green lined the sea of sapphire, a sight that made her heart squeeze and flutter in a frenzy. Her throat went dry, words long gone from her lips as her mind went blank. Unable to even move, Alice simply stood there, staring up at him even long after his frosty fingers had left her skin.

"Pardon me," he muttered under his breath.

Two arms wrapped around her, bringing their bodies even closer than before. Alice's breath hitched in her throat, catching when Spade's hands accidentally brushed across her waist, lingering a second too long. Subconsciously, she stepped forward just a bit, causing her to collide against his chest. In her attempt to avoid his touch from behind, she had only ended up stepping into his embrace willingly.

"Oof," she murmured when her forehead bumped against his chest, causing her to recoil just a little. However, before she could inch away again, Spade's hands were already on her upper arms, holding her in place.

"Careful there," he hummed, his voice suddenly deeper and hoarser than usual.

The look in his eyes sent Alice's cheeks further up into flames. Her mind went empty of thought and she was now afloat. In her chest, her heart was racing a thousand miles an hour. Even though they were in a room, sheltered away from the sweltering sun, Alice could feel the full force of summer's heat. It flared across her skin, lighting up every inch and every crevice.

While it was definitely summer's heat that scorched through her body, there was still another season that arrived to welcome Alice. Perhaps, for her heart, spring had come.