GOING SHOPPING

One week later...

Aristia woke up with a groan. She yawned loudly and rubbed her eyes as she sat up groggily. She heard bustling outside of her room as the door opened. In came her personal maid Adeline accompanied by some other maids.

She frowned as she asked in a cracked voice, "What's all the ruckus about Adeline?" She called Adeline by her full name as she wasn't at all feeling pleased.

"Greetings my Lady!" The maids greeted in unison as they all bowed. Adeline noticed Alaric who was lying in bed and yet to wake up. She wasn't as shocked as she was the first time she saw Alaric sleeping in Aristia's room the other day. Alaric had been sleeping on her Young Miss's bed constantly for the past week.

She turned to Aristia, "My Lady, we received orders from the Madam to get you ready. The Madam wants to purchase dresses for Young Miss and herself."

[Huh? Don't I have enough dresses already?] She had seen her full closet, after all.

"Shop for dresses? Why?" She asked.

"For the Duchess' tea party next week." Adeline supplied and understanding flashed through Aristia's eyes.

[I actually forgot about Duchess Alistair's tea party. But, this could be an opportunity to familiarise myself with some places in this world.] She thought as she got down from the bed.

She saw Alaric stir awake and one thought crossed her mind, [Oh no! Not again!] She thought as she prayed he falls asleep. But, her prayer wasn't answered, as Alaric opened his eyes and called out to Aristia, "Tia?"

With a sigh, Aristia turned around, "Yes Al?"

"Are you going to take a bath?" Alaric asked excitedly, ready to get down from the bed.

"Yes, I am." Aristia said with clenched teeth.

And that was how Alaric and Aristia ended up taking a bath together. Again!

***

Aristia listened to the sounds of rustling trees swaying with the wind and birds chirping and flying about happily as she stuck her head out of the carriage.

You may wonder why she was sticking her head out of the carriage. No it wasn't only for fun. She was currently having motion sickness and it wasn't fun at all.

[Can we get there any faster?] She thought as she laid her elbow on the carriage and rested her head on her arm.

She watched the scenery change from that of the trees to a busy street filled with houses, stalls and stores but the carriage didn't come to a stop. From their dressing, Aristia could tell that they were commoners.

The carriage continued to move until they reached a less busy street. This time the people walking along the street were dressed extravagantly. At first glance, Aristia could tell that they were nobles.

The carriage stopped in front of a store and the Coachman helped them to get down from the carriage. On getting down from the carriage, Catherine held Aristia and Alaric by their hands as they walked into a clothes store. The store looked well organised as different dresses when lined up in rows in different sections and areas of the store.

A middle-aged woman came out of a room in the store with a smile on her face, some girls tailing behind her. They bowed in greeting to her mother and the lady welcomed them into the store. Her mother nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"Would you want tailor-made dresses according to your measurements?" The woman asked.

"That will not be necessary, Madam Grace. Get me the best dresses you have in the store." Her mother said to Madam Grace.

Nodding, Madam Grace gestured to her sales girls as they hurried off to get the dresses.

"These are the best gowns in the store, made with exquisite material and the finest silk." Madam Grace said, pointing to the dresses brought in by her sales girls.

Catherine surveyed the dresses as she stopped at a beautiful lilac dress with lace sewn on the chest and diamonds embedded in the top and bottom of the gown. It looked like the type Aristia would see in princess cartoons as a child. In fact, most of the dresses did– some were just less wider and less puffy. Catherine nodded her head in satisfaction as she spoke to Madam Grace.

"I'll take this. Bring me a gown for the Young Miss." Catherine said as Madam Grace nodded, her smile spreading even wider.

"Right away, Your Highness."

Aristia shook her head for the seventh time as she observed the gowns brought in by the sales girls. None of the dresses brought in by the sales girls were up to her tastes.

She turned to Madam Grace, "I need a dress made according to my measurement."

Catherine shook her head. "We're getting the dresses for the tea party next week. A tailor-made dress couldn't possibly be ready before then."

"I see. I want a dress made according to my measurement, but I will make do with the ready made dress for the tea party next week." Aristia replied Catherine. She had a plan in mind. For now though, she would have to settle with the dresses here.

"These are the best in the store." Madam Grace said.

Aristia picked up a beautiful lavender gown with frills and a long sleeve. It complemented her purple eyes. It was passable in her opinion because it wasn't very wide but it was just as long as the others– almost touching her ankle.

"I'll take this mama." She told Catherine who nodded.

"The gown will be stunning, I assure you." Madam Grace said to Catherine, referring to the tailor-made clothes Aristia had requested.

"I will draft out the design for the gown myself." Aristia announced.

She wanted to use this opportunity to make a dress according to her preferences, just like the dresses in her world. If she was going to stay here against her will, then she was going to live comfortably, according to her wishes.

"That would be splend-, yes?" Madam Grace asked in confusion.

Turning to Catherine, Aristia repeated her words. To her surprise, Catherine nodded in support.

[Good, because even if she didn't agree, I'd have done it anyway.]

Catherine, on the other hand, decided to let her have her way. They could just leave it to Madam Grace if Aristia ended up drawing a circle.

Madam Grace only nodded her head as she handed the clothes over to the sales girls. She was surprised as this was the first time anyone had ever made such an absurd request of drawing the design of the clothes they wanted her to make.

She shook her head as she watched their backs as they left the store, "What a strange child." She muttered in a low voice so as to avoid being overheard and facing the wrath of the scary Grand Duke. She turned around and walked further into the store.

Meanwhile, Aristia, Catherine and Alaric went into a jewelry store to purchase jewelry. Aristia and Catherine chose some jewelry. Aristia felt like Alaric would feel left out so she picked up a brooch for him.

On their way out of the jewelry store, they met with another noble woman. She had ginger hair and brown eyes.

Based on the information Aristia got from the novel plot and her history class, she already knew that Catherine was the highest in the hierarchy, only below the Queen. This meant that whoever this noblewoman was, was lower than her mother in the hierarchy.

Aristia didn't know who this woman was as she hadn't reached that part in her history class with Viscountess Vasily.

The woman gave a respectful bow as she greeted, "Greetings, Your Highness."