Closed Bruises (Rue)

[Arundel]

Arundel wouldn't have been surprised if her gulp was audible as Rue handed off the expensive looking gown to her sister. Giving such trust to the child in dressing herself - it made her knees weak. But she managed to keep her lips clamped tightly shut. It was a monumental effort, and she waged war with the part of her that wanted to mother hen and wrestle Reed into the dress herself. Don't smother her. Don't smother her. Arundel chanted the mantra over and over to herself, until the youngster disappeared into a changing area. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. Gods have mercy on my coin purse.

She managed to compose herself when Rue turned back to her. They were alone now, and could talk at their leisure. The Drykas couldn't help but smile. "Don't worry, I have four brothers. I know all about survival." Her grin widened. "You're among like-minded women!" Laughing, she motioned to herself and the changing area where her sister had disappeared in to. "And I don't expect you to be a master on your first try," she soothed easily. "I'm not good myself. We will work on it together." Her eyes danced with amusement. "We'll be a force to be reckoned with. The men of our pavilions will have a lot to contend with if they step out of line by the time we're done training."

She smothered a laugh so she could hear her sister speaking up from the private area. "What?" Arundel asked. A muffled huff from Reed made her laugh. "Need help!" Unease prickled her scalp. Uh oh. "Let me come ge-," she started to say, but was cut off by her sister stumbling out of the changing room. It was worse and yet not as bad as she'd presumed. Arundel covered her mouth to keep from bursting into laughter. Her sister stood out in the open, half clothed. The dress was stuck over her head, and her arms stood straight up through the arm holes. The rest of her was naked except for her little undergarment bottoms. She was far too young to have a developed female figure, so their mother wasn't too strict about underclothes.

"Help!" she whined loudly, sounding close to tears. Arundel couldn't help it - she came unglued. Her loud laughter filled the pavilion as she made her way over to Reed. It took her a few tries - clumsy from mirth - but she managed to pull her sister's head through the neck hole. The look on Reed's face made her have to turn away. She covered her mouth to muffle the laughter, pleading at Rue with her eyes and pointing at the thoroughly embarrassed child. "Please," she managed between smothered giggles. "Help her, would you? I can't look at her like that I don't know why."

[Naiya]

Rue

"By the time we are done training?" She questioned mock scorn heavy in her voice, "I'd bet they already fight to keep up." She grinned at the other woman, flexing her arms exaggeratedly.

Nearly breathless from laughter she could hardly straighten enough to see the changing area when Arundel spoke back to the girl. She watched the older woman go from mirthful to worried in an instant, then back full circle to laughter so strong she could hardly move.

The younger sister had gotten herself stuck in the dress, and when her head popped though the top opening Arundel seemed to lose herself dissolving completely into laughter. She turned to Rue pleadingly, barely holding in more laughter and asked her help.

Thank goodness, because Rue had been stuck in limo of what was needed and what would be crossing the line for help. "Oh, honey. Here, it's okay. We will get you all fixed up." She soothed the girl as she rushed forward.

Circling the girl she found the problem quickly. "There is a clasp here, that's what's stuck, hold still a moment." She pinched the fabric, careful not to get skin, and unclipped the fabric, then with a soft tug the dress fell down around the girl, covering her once more.

"That was sneaky, wasn't it?" She knelt in front of the girl, adjusting her dress and the tumble of hair that had been mussed in the 'incident'. "Hidden in the cloth like that, how were we to know about such a thing?" Her hands continued to move as she stepped back, signing compliments and reassurances to the girl while she looked at the dress.

"For all that trouble, at least it looks good, huh?" She turned to Arundel, hoping the woman had enough composure gathered to console the child. She pointed the girl towards the mirror, fastening the clip at her neck before letting her pass.

After a moment, she gave Arundel a pained look, signing with her hands the laughter and merriment she had kept contained while she fixed the dress.

Nightsong

[Arundel]

Arundel wiped her damp eyes when she finally managed to halfway catch her breath. Reed glared at her imperiously - an expression that the older woman was all too familiar with. She'd sported that look many times when she was her sister's age. Arundel would never admit it, but she was just as much a fireball when she'd been young. She smiled at Rue, cocking an eyebrow and pursing her lips to smother another chuckle. Reed was examining herself closely in the mirror, swaying back and forth and spinning every which way. The dress was pretty. It blue fabric complimented her sister's straight blonde hair and dramatic icy eyes. The spitting image of their father.

She folded her arms, watching the child primp delicately like she was a full grown woman. Shaking her head, Arundel sauntered to one of the displays for a closer look. Her fingers fondled the smooth sleeve of a long white gown - too long for Reed but still youth sized. It had golden knotwork with a scene of birds embroidered along the sleeves, collar, and skirt hem. It laced up the back, and appeared to have a second layer underneath. She didn't like it. Not her or Reed's colors at all. But she was sure someone else would fall in love with it. It looked expensive though.

Arundel turned back to Rue. "How long have you worked here? Do you make a lot of these yourself?" Reed suddenly piped up, "I want another!" She looked pleadingly at her older sister, clasping her hands together and sticking out her little lower lip. Arundel shook her head, signing no. "We will need to leave soon. I promised mother I would bring back a sack of grain so she could make flat bread." Reed pouted and glared, turning back to the mirror, not to her surprise. She'd get over it quickly when they stopped for a treat.

[Naiya]

Rue

Rue smiled at the girl, throwing her a wink as she caught her attention in the mirror. The girl's attention did not linger on Rue, though, and quickly she was back to primping in the mirror.

"A couple seasons," Rue told her in response, "but I have been coming here to visit Maybell for almost as long as I can remember. As for the clothing, I make a fair share, but my embroidery is not nearly as fine as that of the others." She turned as she spoke so that when she finished her hands were blocked from Reed's view. "She could try one more, if you'd like, I could even help her dress."

"I'm sad to hear it. I could spend the day chatting when the conversation is such fun, and with company as darling as this one." She turned to Reed, her tone turned only slightly teasing. "But if you stay and try more dresses, I'm afraid no one else will, since they won't look as beautiful in the dresses as you look in that one."

Nightsong

[Arundel]

Reed turned pleading eyes on her older sister, and flashed a megawatt smile. Arundel raised an eyebrow, returning the child's stare shrewdly. When her sister wanted something, she could flip from a pout to a smile in record time. She rolled her eyes skyward, shrugging in defeat. "You can try on one more." Reed squeeled with delight, launching at Rue to grab her hand and tug her toward the dresses. Arundel couldn't help but smile. "You've unleashed the beast," she teased Rue. Time had gone surprisingly quickly. She could tell by the change of light that they'd been here already almost two bells. Must be the good company.

While they were picking out the second dress, Arundel went browsing again. Running her fingertips across a silky blue shirt, she spoke with her back to the other two. "When and where do you want to meet? I can come any time after the morning. I know a nice spot not even a bell from Endrykas - maybe about half that."

[Naiya]

Rue

My schedule is what I make it here, so long as I get my work done, others can sell or not sell clothing just as well as I can." She stopped speaking for a moment as Reed dragged her by the hand to an entirely different dress, distracting her from her words.

"This one? It is almost the same as the one you're wearing-" She broke at the sight of the girl's pleading look, it was her choice anyway, "Alright, come on, we will put this one on you."

They moved back behind the curtain and Rue spoke to Arundel once more as she helped Reed switch dresses, her voice slightly muffled by the fabric hanging between them.

"Maybe you could come by here when you have a some free time, I don't live far so I could pick Wildfire up easily enough. Then we would be sure not to miss each other if things got busy."

Reed reemerged before Rue did, bursting from behind the hanging in a rush to see herself in the new dress. Rue was a little slower, gathering the previous dress and hanging it once more from the rack.

"Do you think that would work?" She asked as she turned back to the two others.

Nightsong

[Arundel]

Arundel turned when her younger sister emerged from the changing area with a flourish; Rue right on her imperious little heels. It seemed today was a day for continuous smiling. Her eyes crinkled at the sight of the child posing every which way in front of the long mirror before her, and she leaned against the table where the shirts she'd been examining were neatly folded. "It works for me. I have some things to do over the next few days," she explained, signing the word responsibilities, "but how about I meet you here four days from now, and I can show you the spot I mentioned." Her hands twisted into another set of gestures; morning and after sunrise.

A voice suddenly called from the front of the pavilion, where they had first started this conversation. "Girls?" Arundel's cheeks flushed faintly, and she crossed briskly to the open divide of the two halves of the shop. "Mama!" This was Reed's voice, answering the inquire of their manifested mother. The little Dinos whipped by her older sister in flash of fine dress, and leapt into the awaiting woman's open arms. Blue eyes turned up to meet green, and their mother's eyebrow rose and forked - an expressive trait Arundel had inherited. "It doesn't look like you two are getting the supplies I need for dinner." She smiled apologetically, starting to sign an excuse before their mother held up a finger. For a moment she stood chastised, lips pursed and frowning.

Finally, her mother smiled and laughed. Relief flooded her system, and her shoulders sagged. "We made a detour." Another bubble of musical laughter sprang forth from her mother's throat. "I can tell. What a beautiful detour. You look lovely, Reed." Her little sister beamed, eyes bright and glowing with the praise. "Rue's dresses!" Arundel turned at the mention of her new friend. At least, she thought this was a new friend. She smiled at the red haired seamstress, signing apologies. "I'm sorry, Rue. This is our mother. It seems she came to find us." The smile playing across her mother's lips broadened. "My name is Haile," she said in the way of greeting. "Amethyst Clan."

"Would you be so kind," she continued laughingly, "as to help Reed out of this pretty dress so we can go fetch dinner?" She looked pointedly at Arundel, who smiled and ducked back through the opening she stood at, back into the main portion of the shop where her mother stood. Haile whispered something to Reed then set her down, and the child ran back to Rue with boundless youthful energy that was tiring merely to watch. Arundel and her mother bent their heads together in quiet conversation as Rue helped the child change back into her plainer dress. When she was returned to them looking far less glamorous, but more herself, their mother picked her up and propped her on the curve of her hip.

"Thank you," she said graciously. "I'm sure we'll be back another time to actually buy one these. I'm sorry to leave so quick, but there's so much to do." Haile smiled apologetically and readjusted Reed, who waved sadly at Rue as they turned and left. "It was a pleasure to meet you!" their mother called as she exited the pavilion. That left Arundel and Rue alone. She turned and looked at her, grinning in embarrassment. "My mother can be brisk. She thinks there aren't enough bells in the day to get everything done." A ripple of laughter shook her shoulders. "But I should follow them. She'll need help." Her hands signed farewell and pleasure. "I'm glad we came in today. I'll meet you here again in four days, before the sun is highest." Arundel smiled. "I'll see you then," she concluded breathlessly. With a final gesture of farewell, she turned and jogged from the pavilion, hurrying to catch up with her mother and sister.

OOCI know you wanted to get this thread wrapped up, so I took some liberties to get it finished up - or to put you in a position where you can finish it up. I'm sorry this took so long!

[Taylani]

Arundel

Skills :

+4 observation
+5 socialization
+1 interrogation

Lores :

Reed: Diva of Dinos Pavilion
Some things are private.
Desire for Unarmed Combat training

Rue Nightsong

Skills :

+1 sewing
+3 observation
+5 socialization
+3 Business/Retail

Lores :

Soreness of sparring

Notes :

PM me with any concerns about your grade, and don’t forget to delete/edit the grade request