Chapter Sixty - Pretty Dresses

Chapter Sixty - Pretty Dresses

Chapter Sixty - Pretty Dresses

Exiting the Exploration Guild building was like dropping a heavy load off my back. Suddenly I went from being scrutinized and under someones careful watch to entirely free to do as I wanted in the space of a few steps.

Whaa, that was stressful, I complained to the open skies. Even the stinky Port Royal air was more welcome than the tension in the Guild.

Amaryllis shifted next to me. That it was, she agreed. We should head out. We have a lot of things to buy and only one day to do so.

Buy? I repeated. I was thinking I would go to an inn. Theres a nice one in the East quarter, the owners a sort of friend.

Thats fine, but the day is still young and you need better equipment, Amaryllis said. That spear is... usable, but youre carrying a shovel as a weapon. I dont think I need to tell you why that isnt the brightest idea.

But I like my shovel, I said. I wanted to grab my shovel and hug it safe, but it was on my back, so instead I hugged Orange who was trying to shuffle her way out of my bandoleer. The poor kitty was already growing too big for the biggest pouch I had.

We can get you a sword, or perhaps a dagger. Though those are traditional Harpy weapons. Humans like heavier blunt weapons, right? Maybe a warhammer? Well get you something nice and proper. She started walking downhill towards the areas that I knew had more shops in them, so hiking up my backpack I jogged after her.

Amaryllis, I said. Were friends right? I asked.

I... yes, were friends, she said. She didnt sound completely sure, but I suspected there was a good reason for that. Amaryllis struck me as the sort of girl that had never had that many real friends. Which meant that it was up to me to teach her the joys of friendship!

Amaryllis. Friends dont make friends do things. Not unless those things are vitally important. I like my shovel, and unless its putting me and you at risk, theres nothing wrong with it.

The harpy slowed to a stop. Her face was blank for a while, then she huffed. Well, fine, you can keep the shovel I suppose. But that armour of yours...

Its been good for me, I said as I looked down at my gambeson. It looked nice enough.

Its clean, certainly, but it's got holes and cuts all across it, and I cant feel a single enchantment on the entire piece.

I blinked. Theres enchanted clothes? Wait, no, of course theres enchanted clothes. Thats brilliant! What sort of enchantments are there?

Amaryllis resumed walking, this time with her nose inching up into the air. That depends entirely on the quality and age of the garb. That and the ability of the craftsman. There are a few good stores even in a backwater like Port Royal that ought to have something serviceable.

I felt a grin growing. Shopping did sound like a good way to get rid of some stress. Plus I could find some totally awesome new stuff to wear while we gossiped. Is it really a backwater? I asked as I looked around. Port Royal seemed pretty big and pretty new. The buildings were all well-maintained and the area had a vibrancy to it that made it feel active and alive.

Its not the worst place. The smell could certainly be improved upon. But compared to the likes of Farseeing or Fort Sylphrot this is a quaint little city. The grenoil truly are trying their best but their culture is still... lesser.Th.ê most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m

I hummed as I thought about that. It sounded a little... a lot racist. But maybe it wasnt entirely wrong. Maybe this area was like a third world country compared to the rest of the world and I was just too ignorant to know any better. I guess it is kind of... old fashioned.

Yes, I suppose it would be, even to you.

I shook my head at that. I think youd be kind of amazed by the sorts of things we have back home, I said. I know that I sometimes miss the internet and phones... and toilets.

Amaryllis laughed, high-pitched and birdlike. I suppose some amenities are missed no matter where youre from. The Nesting Kingdom has these great big bathhouses that I sorely miss.

I havent taken a bath since I came here, I said. Or a shower. Ive been meaning to but... well, theres always more adventuring to do.

Amaryllis scoffed. If we visit my home one day, Ill show you the bathhouses; youll certainly enjoy them. The better ones have professional preeners. Its excellent. Though I suppose they couldnt do much for you.

I shrugged. So, um, back to enchantments. Conversations were always speeding past the sorts of things I wanted to know.

Theyre a way to twist ambient mana into a specific shape. Essentially constantly casting a weak spell, Amaryllis explained.

I zink I see, the grenoil lady said. With that, she moved back to the counter and opened up a large book, one filled with images. She looked back up to me a few times, then back down to the book.

What is she doing? I muttered to Amaryllis. I didnt want to interrupt the lady, but I was starting to get weirded out a little.

Shes creating an outfit, Amaryllis said. Its what good tailors do.

From scratch? I asked. What about all the things on display?

Zose, the lady said without so much as looking up. Are pieces zat are ready for some discerning clients and ze occasional experimental piece. Now, what do you zink of zis? She turned the book over and revealed a sketch of an outfit.

It was simple enough, a leather chest piece over a tight cloth gambeson that flared out at the bottom into a nice skirt. The sleeves were big and poofy and the armour seemed to incorporate a bandoleer already. There was a single pauldron over the left shoulder and a matching steel plate on the right hip. Whoa, I said.

Ah, my eye hasnt failed me yet, she said. Zis is a simple enough outfit. Ze skirt makes it a little unusual but some young ladies seem to favour zem. Ze price is for ze unenchanted version.

Price? I looked over the page, then found a number at the bottom right and almost winced. One lesser gold, two pure silver. That was a fair amount of my gold. How much do the enchantments cost? And what sort can you provide?

On a piece zats so new? Its not very expensive.

New? I repeated.

Amaryllis huffed next to me, it was her of course you dont know huff. The older something is the more resistant it is to magical changes. The harder it is to add something like an enchantment to it.

Is that why Insight tells me the age of equipment? I asked.

Yes, actually.

The grenoil lady picked up right where she had left off. As for enchantments, ze most popular ones are durability and cleanliness. We can also make the cloth fireproof or wick off humidity. Zere are mana absorption enchantments as well. If you want somzing specific you need just ask and we can find an enchanter for a fee.

I think the fireproofing, durability and mana absorption would be best for you, Amaryllis said. No need for the cleanliness enchantments, of course, and the more specialized kinds of enchantments are all rather, well, specialized.

Ah, okay, I said. Can you tell me how much those three would cost?

Zree enchantments working concurrently, and none zat use ze same spell structure? Zat would be... She scribbled some notes on a looseleaf, then opened a smaller book and raced through it, occasionally stopping to make a mark on the side. Zat will be... two lesser gold, and seventeen sil.

Thats just for the enchantments? I asked.

Zats right.

Ah, well, I think that I cant--

Well take it, Amaryllis said. But only if you can have it all ready within the next two hours.

I almost choked. H-hey, I dont have that kind of money, I said.

Amaryllis rolled her eyes. Im well aware. I, on the other hand, am not some poor peasant like you and do have some gold to my name. Consider it a gift for not letting me get kidnapped and ransomed.

Ah, but its too much! I said.

Dont be an idiot, this is nothing. And now youll at least look like you can stand next to me without being an embarrassment with that torn up armour of yours.

Well zen miss, all zats left is for you to pick ze colour.