No Need for a Core?

While her husband and wife were entertaining guests, Moriko had some work to do. Last night had hammered out who was going to be trading what and when, but now Moriko was working on coordinating to help Ricardo adjust his next planned route, and to get some of the things she had asked for to get carried with them. He had already agreed to carry anything she wanted to bring, but he wasn’t going to arrange to get everything together. Master Theodoric had indeed spoken with the Grand Master and spread word amongst the temples and other groups interested in maintaining historical records indefinitely, so now the next few days were scheduled with meetings to answer their questions.

It was a touch annoying to be honest, she was pretty certain that she’d passed along everything they actually needed to know, but it seems most people feel better getting to talk to someone face-to-face in a situation like this. Moriko was much happier with what she was going to do in between meetings, which was helping out the students who walked a path similar to hers. She was also going to ask them about what they wanted in their life, and figure out how she could help them achieve their other passions. She wasn’t going to just buy special tools for someone who wanted to be a sculptor, but she now had connections in the merchant world, she could point them to someone who could give the student a deal or offer some sort of payment plan. There was a difference between helping someone on their path and doing it for them.

Moriko would have found the next few days until the caravan left to be busy enough, if only a little stressful, but life was not going to be that simple. She had received a summons to Master Theodoric’s chambers again, and he was holding out an envelope towards her. His amused smile combined with the fancy-looking envelope and seal to make her feel nervous as she took it from him and examined it. The flowing script that addressed it to her, care of the monastery, was beautiful and delicate, practically a work of art. It took a lot of a certain type of training to write that way.

She flipped it over to look at the seal with a growing sense of dread, which proved well-founded. The center of the wax seal contained the royal crest, while the edges were imprinted with a set of small runes charged with magic. When she touched the seal, the magic sparked in recognition that the envelope had reached its intended recipient, automatically cracking the wax in a precise pattern. It wasn’t a secure enough method for anything truly important, but it was more than enough to keep out casual snooping. It also meant that who ever had used the seal’s stamp now knew that she had opened it.

Moriko pulled out the neatly folded papers within and read.

To Lady Moriko,

The Royal Family is well aware of the potential importance of a Living Dungeon inside the borders of the kingdom, and in your capacity as both their contractor and their spouse, we would like to invite you to a private dinner two days hence at the palace. In light of the circumstances and the short notice, we have included a voucher for a clothier who should be able to help you be ready by then. Assuming that we do not receive a reply declining the invitation, we will have a coach awaiting you at the monastery by the fourth bell of that afternoon.

I also understand that you have met my little sister, and I look forward to hearing more about your encounter with our wandering flower.

Yours Respectfully,

Princess Kagami Apifera.

P.S. As you are effectively a diplomatic representative for your dungeon, ‘Lady’ is already the correct form of address, but you will also find enclosed the proclamation giving you the title formally.

She sighed softly, then asked “Princess Kagami is the eldest, correct?” She was not going to tell him about her new title.

“Correct. An invitation I take it?” He didn’t sound like he was really asking, it probably wasn’t hard to figure out once he saw the envelope and seal.

“Yes, though thankfully to a private dinner.” And being from the eldest sibling, the invitation was pretty much the strongest invitation that was not a nicely worded order. “Um, do you have a list of the royal family with descriptions?” Moriko had a fairly large family, but the royal family was slightly larger, and she didn’t pay enough attention to remember all the younger ones.

“I can get one written up and sent to your room.” Her master was looking far too amused, and Moriko did her best to not glare at him for it. “Shall I include some etiquette? I believe curtsying has come back in fashion for women in the court.”

“Yes please.” Moriko said through gritted teeth. It’s not that she was incapable of the courtly graces, it was that she never paid attention to them and found most of them annoying. “May I go now? It seems I need to go get a new dress.”

“Of course my dear.” Theodoric answered with a chuckle, waving her out. Moriko bowed and did her best to not stalk away. It wasn’t his fault, his amusement just didn’t help. So she sought solace from her husband and wife, which they did give but the monk was certain she felt a bit of amusement hiding behind their attempts to comfort her.

As Moriko made her way out of the compound and into the city, she worked herself through several meditative exercises as she sought to calm herself down. This was not an attack or an attempt to make her look bad, this was not some grand political dance, if it was then it would have been a public feast or some such nonsense. Which didn’t mean it was not political, it just wasn’t that sort of politics.

Her exercises also helped Moriko acknowledge another piece of what bothered her. While she could hold her own in a casual, friendly verbal spar, and occasionally land a telling verbal blow in a less friendly altercation, the subtleties of courtly versions of such things were beyond her, and if she did realize she’d been given a dire insult, she would have no means of retaliation. She would be entirely out of her element.

The section of the merchant district she was headed to was more upscale than she was used to, but that was not really a surprise. She had to ask directions a couple of times, but eventually found the clothier in question, a fairly large store front that looked to lead out to a small garden that created a buffer between it and the home behind it. While her parents had an even larger plot of land, Riverbridge was a much smaller city. Making fine clothes for the richest people in the kingdom must be turning a decent profit.

She breathed deep and held it a moment before slowly releasing it to calm her nerves. Then she walked up to the door and lightly knocked before entering. Moriko knew it wasn’t necessary for a store, but she felt like she was intruding on a space foreign to her. Inside she found a luxurious store with a handful of completed outfits on mannequins near the walls, with artwork, fabric samples, and books full of patterns taking up the rest of the wall space.

Several comfortable tall chairs and tables were decoratively scattered about the floor, though a larger space was left open in the center. On the far side of the room was a counter, and an older woman whom Moriko presumed was the proprietress. She looked to be human, though the stockiness of her build might suggest a touch of dwarven or similar bloodline. If the woman had any reservations about Moriko’s appearance she never let it touch her face as she gave Moriko a warm smile. “Good day miss. How may I help you?”

Moriko strode forward as she drew the folded voucher from a pouch. “Hello. My name is Moriko, and I was informed that I should come here for a dress I need in a little under two days.” When she reached the counter Moriko handed the voucher over to the clothier.

“Oh?” She asked as she took the voucher, then read it over carefully. “Ah, I see.” She eyed Moriko thoughtfully for a moment. “And how much do you like dresses my young warrior?”

That was when Moriko realized she’d not changed and was still wearing her uniform. Oops. “Oh, I like dresses a lot. So long as they don’t restrict me.” She grinned at the clothier. “Most of my non uniform clothes are dresses actually. They tend to be fitted around my body, flowing in the skirts, and a little more than knee length, depending on the weight of the fabric. Though longer with properly done side slits work too.”

The older woman nodded along, her gaze slightly unfocused. “So designs that are pretty but that can be practical. I can work with that. Not a lot of time even with my skills, so I would like to skip giving you time to browse and make some suggestions. Any issues with that?”

Moriko shook her head. “I know what I like for me, but I don’t have any experience with this sort of thing, so please, lead the way.”

“Alright, come here.” She walked around the counter to pick out a selection of books, flipping them open to the right patterns quickly. “So, for our first visible layer, we start with a skirt with accordion folds across the front and back, but smooth side panels. The top for this layer would be a short shirt with no sleeves. The second layer would be a single-piece dress with short sleeves and large front and back panels, open on the sides to show off the underskirt. Then we top that with a cropped open-front jacket with sleeves down to your elbows, then false sleeves draping down slightly longer than your forearm and hand.” The stout woman grinned. “Tear away, of course, and the stitching for that would be disguised with a fancy bit of ribbon work. And while you won’t need them here, I am guessing you might be happier if I hide some weights at the upper edge so you can use them as weapons in a pinch.”

Moriko stared at the pages and papers arrayed across two desks in mild shock at the speed she’d been presented with so many options. Every piece the clothier had described had at least three variations displayed to be selected from, as well as notes for tweaks and customization. It was a bit dizzying. When Moriko recovered, she started examining her options closely. “Hmm, if you can make the undershirt work as well as wraps, then I think I would like a shorter option with wider straps. If I will need to still use wraps underneath, then a bit longer so the wraps don’t peek.” Of course, part of this design was that the whole of the undershirt would not be visible.

“For the dress, I think I like this design best, but I would like it to be a touch more daring. Do you think we can do a few diamond cutouts along the side, going from a little below the underarm to a bit above where the panel splits? Or would that be too much?”

A third voice cut in suddenly, making them both jump. “Oh, I think that would be wonderful. You do have the best designs Mistress Ula.” the rich female voice purred behind them. Ula and Moriko spun to find a dark-haired and pale-skinned seven-tailed kitsune woman behind them.

Ula’s face cracked briefly with a flash of annoyance that quickly transformed back into a welcoming smile. “Lady Yuriko, a pleasure to see you again, though I certainly wasn’t expecting you today. Are you escorting – oh.” Ula’s eyes glanced towards Moriko with a pitying look. “Your timing was not coincidental, was it? Should I be expecting to entertain all of them as they meet the young lady?”

“As perceptive as always Mistress Ula. But then, you have been putting up with all of them since the oldest was ready to be fitted for her first dress.” The kitsune turned towards Moriko and curtsied. “A pleasure to meet you Lady Moriko. I am Lady Yuriko, advisor to the king for the Azeria clan, and currently acting as escort of the peeresses of the court. Who shall be arriving very shortly.”

Moriko felt a slight sense of panic at the sudden royal ambush. By all the gods she was still wearing her temple uniform and was going to be meeting the other four royal princesses! But it was too late to run, she could hear the front door opening behind her to let in the voices of excited young women.

And part of her mind couldn’t help but wonder just how had Yuriko snuck into the shop without either of them noticing? Being found was less of a mystery to her, she’d had to pass several guard posts on the way here, and it would have been easy for them to have someone watching the shop.