17 To Fleur's

"Careful, Your Highness," Sir Gradral tightened his grip on my hand. "Mind your feet."

Ugh. Carriages.

Who thought it'd be so hard to ascend them? This specific one, was called a 'Four-Wheeled Landau'. And indeed quite a beautiful one it was, finessed from the inside with fine, black leather.

My feet struggled to balance upon the raised carriage step as it was smooth and my shoes had thin soles. I grabbed onto Sir Gradral's hand for dear life, embarrassed at my lack of ability in boarding a simple carriage.

"Your Highness, would you like further assistance?"

"Ahaha, no..." I laughed awkwardly, grabbing with my free hand on to the side of the leather door. "J-just give me a moment."

With all the force my small body could exert, I heaved myself onto the carriage but almost fell back down on the pavement as the carriage gave a sudden, violent shake. I gave a sharp yelp of alarm as my knees met the floor.

"No need to worry, Your Highness," Sir Gradral said assuringly, glancing at the front of the carriage. "It's just the horses. They seem very disconcerted today. But pay no mind, for we are to leave promptly." He said something imperceptible by my ear to the coach up front and hopped into the carriage, seating himself right across from me.

In a minute, the carriage started to quiver ever so slightly, and then it sprung into full action. It seemed that we were on our way.

"Your feet are fine, I hope?"

I looked up at Sir Gradral's face nervously, didn't quite catching what he said. "Pardon?"

"Your feet," he repeated, glancing down at my feet which I'm sure he couldn't see because they were hidden underneath a mass of fabric and tulle. "They didn't get hurt, hopefully?"

"Ah..." I blushed, for some reason. "They're perfectly fine, thank you." Seonhee, you huge fool.

After that, we rode in silence. The quietude was killing me, so I pretended to be interested in something outside the carriage window.

"Lovely weather, isn't it?" I asked, trying to diffuse the tension. Well I had no certain idea that the atmosphere was tense from Sir Gradral's perspective. He seemed extremely tranquil, looking out the other window as well. He seemed to be focusing his gaze on something outside, hence it appeared that I had gone by unheard.

"Sir Gradral!" I called again, this time a little louder.

"Hm?" He suddenly jerked awake from his daze. "Yes, Your Highness?"

I thought about asking him about the weather again, but I decided that it would be too lame. So instead I resolved to ask him about what he was looking out for so earnestly. "What is it that makes you look out so longingly?"

"Ah." A small smile appeared on his face. "It was my home. I was looking to see if either my wife or my daughter were visible from the windows."

"Your house? It is here?"

"Yes, Your Highness. It is quite close to the palace."

I suddenly remembered that Sir Gradral had said that he was from Eyress. So this district must be it. His hometown.

"Your wife and daughter... I hope it wouldn't offend you if I ask their names?" Ever since I came here, I had noticed that all these people had really strange names. Even the Princess herself. Back in my country, it was always something like Kim or Hwang or Cho. Not Cynthia, Haleth or even Elora. Quite strange, if I do say so myself.

"Not at all," Sir Gradral said. "My wife's name is Amice and my daughter's is Rosa."

"Rosa...that's a very unique name," I said, thoughtfully. "What does it mean?"

"Rose."

"Ahaha...I knew that!" Oh Lord, let me just shrivel up and die. Let me disappear from this world. Please, just reduce me to nothingness.

Sir Gradral went back to looking outside while I sat there, drenched in my own embarrassment. It seemed that I had nothing else to do, so I played with the ribbons on my bodice and looked at the houses we passed by. I wasn't able to look at anything properly because the houses went past us in a blur. But suddenly, a sharp ray of light blinded my sight. "Agh!" I rubbed my eyes frantically.

When I regained my vision, I saw Sir Gradral looking at me uneasily. "Are you alright, Your Highness?"

"Yeah..." To be honest, my eyes still stung. "What did we just pass by?"

"Pardon?"

"What was that mighty ray of light?"

For a second, Sir Gradral looked at me, puzzled by my inquiry. But then his brows eased up as he realized what I had been talking about. "You must mean the Priestess's monument."

"The what?" Had he just said the Priestess's monument?

"Great Priestess Grisha's monument. The mirror she holds must've caught your eye."

"Ah, okay." Holy crap. Was this monument he talked of of the same priestess who revealed the prophecy about me being sacrificed on my eighteenth birthday? I noted down a mental reminder in my head to go and break that shi*ty monument down some day. IF I only managed to survive long enough.

The carriage suddenly halted to a stop, making me almost fall face-first on sir Gradral's chest. "Easy," he said, cautiously, supporting me with his arms. "It appears that we are already here, Your Highness. Now do place your steps mindfully." Sir Gradral exited the carriage before me and waited by the step, his hand raised. He must mean for me to take it.

I chuckled to myself as I stood up, half crouched and took a few small steps towards the door.

"Take my hand, Your Highness," Sir Gradral said.

His hand felt tough and calloused beneath my grip. I stepped down from the carriage, this time with much more ease. "Thank you." I let go off his hand and looked around at where we had stopped.

I looked up and saw a large sign indicating the store we were at.

'Fleur's Garments'. (Written in silver italics.)

Oh. This was the place Christabel had previously mentioned. Had she said that they had the best dresses? Anyways, looking at the exterior, I have to say...I was stunned.

This looked like one of those vintage shops people see in movies...the ones which look like only rich people could afford them. That if you go inside, the shopkeepers won't let you get out without purchasing anything. Heck, they'd even grab onto your hair if you try to leave after trying on all their supposed in-fashion collection. Where the attendants go "Yes honey, you're doing great!" or "Love, that dress looks so GORG on you! You should totally buy it." I hoped I didn't look nervous while observing the beautiful dress display at the front and eyeing over the excessive flower arrangements at the entrance.

"Ready?" I heard Sir Gradral ask from behind me.

I let in a sharp inhale. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Sir Gradral moved ahead to open the door for me and we were both blinded by what was held for us beyond the entrance.

✿

Jewels. No, dresses. No, Jewels ON dresses. There was so much to take in.

"Welcome, Your Highness!" said a disembodied voice which penetrated through the store. "We have been expecting you."

I squinted toward the direction of the voice but saw nobody.

"It is such an honor to meet you."

Again, I turned my face in the direction of the voice which had now come from a different direction altogether. "Where are you?" I asked. "Sir Gradral where is this woman?"

Sir Gradral seemed just as confused, looking around himself. "I-I am not sure."

"I am here..." she spoke again. "I am everywhere...for it is my shop you have come to..." For some reason the atmosphere felt very eerie. I'm sure Sir Gradral felt it too because I felt him shiver beside me.

I sighed. "We haven't any time to waste. Sir Gradral, let us just visit another store if this woman is unwilling to show herself." Just when I turned around to leave, I heard a loud clatter behind me, as if someone had just shattered a few heavy pots.

"Egad! Forgive me! O' Your Highness, forgive me..." The woman jumped up from behind a counter by the far left wall. "Ahaha. Haha, I am sorry!" She cried out to me. "Come back...please..."

What a strange person.

She approached me, her hands brushing through her dark, brown hair which had been decorated with a large ornament-like accessory shaped like a peacock. Right in the middle. "I didn't mean to offend you. Yes, yes. How may I assist you?"

"... I need a dress," I said, studying this woman, who seemed to be the owner of this store. I can't deny that I had expected someone a bit more...polished up. She was unique, I'd give her that. Her short-cut brown hair certainly did compliment her moustache hairs. Um...and her lipstick was - just radiant. Absolutely ablaze. And ooh, her eyes- just…so bold! Lovely finish on the glittering eye shadow. Not to say, her dress was also very-um- flowery? Something my grandma would've absolutely loved!

  "You have come to the right place!" She laughed, her perfume getting to my brain. "My pleasure to be of your assistance. My name is Fleur Gratiana." She gave a rather unrefined half curtsy/half bow. Not that it mattered to me.

"Show me some of your best dresses," I said, lifting my attention to the lovely displays of jeweled dresses that surrounded us. Most of them were like the usual dresses I wore at the palace, colorful and ruffly. Nothing that caught my eye, though. "I need something unique. I need people at the ceremony to look at me and instantly think 'Oh, that must be the princess!' You know?"

Fleur was nodding along my every word. "Yes...yes...I have just the dress for you. Follow me, if you please."

Giving Sir Gradral an uncertain look, I followed Fleur all the way to the back of the store, followed closely by Sir Gradral.

"No men, please," Fleur tried to sound polite but I could hear the scorn in her voice. "Surely you wouldn't want to see this young woman dress up in front of you, would you?"

"I prefer not," Sir Gradral stopped in his tracks and turned away. "I will be seated by the door, Your Highness, if you need me for anything."

"Alright." Sir Gradral left me and Fleur alone in a moment.

"Now!" Fleur clapped her hands. The sudden loud sound made me jump. "Let us try on some dresses! The dressing room is right by here." She pointed towards a wooden door. "You may go in and undress. I'll go bring out the dresses. If you need me to assist you, just call out my name, okay?"

Before I could even answer, Fleur steered me inside the dressing room and closed the door.

Guess I had to take all of this off myself.