Chapter 23 Dominic's Consignment

Iris and lady Charlotte had arrived at a high-class mixed consignment shop. Iris never frequented such places before her return, besides the initial time to get dresses fitted for her. Iris had spent the entirety of Lady Valentine's absence to regain her cultivation base. If it wasn't mandatory for her duties than she didn't accomplish it.

Duke Evens Lockheed had made a big show about how lucky she was to be a noble's daughter, despite her trashy bloodline. When she had beaten the handsy second prince into the ground, the noble hit her once.

The sage responded by kicking him in the babymaker. The two came to an understanding at that point but he never liked her, and the sage found him a worthless insect, ideal circumstances for mutual ignoring.

"I don't think this old lady has the right outfit, Miss Charlotte." The outfit in question was a refined set of men's wear. Long dark slack, with gold trimmed blousing, sharp leather shoes. A dark outer coat, with a quitted orchid blouse. A sharp vest with gilded rope fasteners and a loose ruff white neckerchief completed the ensemble.

"Nonsense, you look dashing in such an outfit." Charlotte was beside herself. With a daughter in law as handsome as this, she was going to be gloating to the other wife's and mothers for decades to come. Dark hair and eyes were rare in this world, she was a stunning example of otherworldly beauty and looked great in a suit.

"I'm sure your friend Lady Lockheed would agree." Charlotte had picked up a few tricks on leading and guiding conversations.

"Hmm, let me ask her." Iris apparently knew a few tricks as well.

"She's with my daughter and their several blocks over, do you want me to send someone for her?"

"Oh no need, this elder can just use sound transmission." Idly waving to the now vary confused mother.

"It's nothing miss, just a technique to speak to someone whose far away." Returning focus, she whispered to her girlfriend.

"Should I wear men's clothes, or should I wear a dress?" No one else was able to hear it, but it wouldn't do to look insane by speaking to nobody for half a conversation.

"If you wish, this ball is for you to enjoy so I want you to do what you want." Valentine's voice was like a soft caress directly about her ears, restraining a blush she continued.

"This elder will be willful than, I think I want something that flows."

"I can't wait to see you when we get home…"

"I love you" Iris muttered quite even for voice project.

"Resend?" Valentine hadn't been able to hear, as her embarrassment distracted her from properly using the technique.

"I said, me too. I'll see you when we get home." Dropping the technique, she blushed like a mad woman. Love was scary the martial sage deiced.

"I think I want to wear a dress we don't have things like that in the martial realm."

"You said something without thinking didn't you." Snaping a fan up, her wavy blond hair, and sparkling eyes couldn't conceal her excitement. The airhead was sharp at the oddest time.

"Possibly might have said something when she told me something cute." Iris said evasively retreating behind a screen to remove the outfit she was wearing. Bingo!

"You and Lady Iris have something special going on don't you!" Her voice bubbled with overwhelming giggles.

"I knew it, you worked so hard for her sake, and you were so sweet to her every chance you got."

"That's well that's how martial sisters are supposed to be…" It was a lame excuse, but she didn't know if she should spill the beans or not.

"So, when's the wedding?" Wedding?! Iris was grateful that she was hidden behind a screen. She took one of the dresses offered and began to struggle into it.

"Were not like that…its…" She struggled to think of an excuse, after weddings people did bedroom stuff. She had lived long enough to know the basics but to do it was another matter. Furthermore, she wasn't sure if the noble even wanted to get married or not.

"I don't know if she wants to be Daoist partners or not yet, we just started dating yesterday…" Coming around the screen dress half on the attendant was taken by surprise before she cowered.

"You think you can get away with tricking this old maid?" Her aura clouded about, suffocating any light warmth, and withering the plants around the shop.

"I'm happy for you two, I'm glad you got together." For a moment nothing moved as the nightmarish cloud of doom hung about the shop before it vanished.

"Thanks, are you sure though your ok with it, I mean I know you're her stepmother…" Internally Charlotte was crying. That had been so scary if she hadn't raised a daughter and had a mothers will…

"I don't understand it at all. I don't get why two women would get together at all." She said with brutal honesty.

"I didn't do anything as a mother or a stepmother to her, so I just want her to find happiness. I'm a big girl Lady Iris, I can just keep my personal opinions to myself and not get in the way."

"Your smarter than I thought you were." Return behind the screen she attempted to put the dress she was wearing on properly.

"So have you guys…" Lady Charlotte had said more than that, but Iris wasn't ready to speak about a sex life that hadn't started. Instead, she fell over in surprise, airheads were scary in their own way too.

!@# !@# !@#

Valentine was a bit quicker on the draw so after a vague we started dating, she dissuaded her sister with stories of her time in the cultivation realm.

With her second cloth test approaching and an incredibly painful training schedule, she made little cultivation progress. Having faced mortal peril, the combat basics made a lot more sense. Since there was several days of lessons that she didn't need to take again, she was stuck visiting the assignment hall for a short-term mission.

What she found was utter bedlam.

The hall itself was a long hall shaped building, with several small rooms on either side of the main concourse. Set halfway down was a set of sought reinforced counters. To the left was a place for spirt beast processing, to the right was a redemption counter.

There had been plush nice carpet at one point, but the tapestry and floor had been damaged under the sheer press of humanity present. Spit and blood, from shouting and fighting. Burns from marital techniques, fist size dents in columns and some just plain rude things scribbled into the wall. What a startling place.

Frankly she joined the crowed towards main reception and waited.

And waited

And waited.

Took three steps forward.

Waited.

Dodge the body of some dude thrown out by an elder.

Still waiting.

At the lest no one really bothered her, and she eventually made it to the head of the line.

"Welcome to the assignment pavilion in which each day I hope to be struck down by heavenly tribulations." The outer disciple was older but still young, he looked 24 and it turned out he was sixteen, a fact found much latter.

"Um I need a short-term mission." She asked quietly presenting her token.

"What kind, what rank, what root affinities. Do you have the assigning trainer or elder? Did you also complete basic sect training, as well as mission introductions?"

Valentine froze up. There were far too many choices and her mind was whirling away trying determine what she had to do, but didn't know how or what to tell the person at the counter. Behind her more impatient people were heckling and cajoling her to get a move on it.

"Do you not know what you need?" The clerk asked, attempting to not be irritated or bothered. His senior had already seen the girl locked up and had intended to escort her out.

"Isn't there a form I can just fill out." Desperately clutching at straws, she fell back on her own bureaucratic knowledge.

"A what?"

"A form, a premade document that some one just fills in the blanks that has everything you need."

Behind her there was cries to keep it moving, for a moment nothing moved as the two disciples just stared at the girl.

Had she said something wrong? In a mere moment the senior male flipped her from over the counter taking her back to a small, overstuffed office. On the desk a small worn placard read, elder of assignment hall, the wrinkled elder was trapped under a dangerous pile of papers and folders.

"Tell us more about this form of yours." The senior said to the now terrified Valentine.