The trip to the tailor's was expedited by the arrival of Tnok with the carriage. Apparently their detour took much longer than they realized, and Olivia had sent Tnok to get them. Tnok related the story on the drive. He concluded with Olivia sending Tonk to check up on them, because they were running late and she was worried.

“More likely Olivia wanted us to rescue her from dress shopping,” Orn’s father replied, causing Tnok to laugh. “But we did spend more time looking around than we planned, so I appreciate you coming back for us.”

The carriage rolled slowly to a stop and Orn’s father stepped out. Orn followed only to be quickly shooed back inside. “Leave that in the carriage, we will give them to your mother and Olivia later.”

“Actually,” his father said, from the carriage door. “I have a better idea. Place ivory piece on Olivia’s seat and the green flower on your mother’s. We will give them too them when we meet them again. Leave the others in the wrappers under the seat, that way we can keep the other pieces a surprise. Tnok will be with the carriage so we do not need to worry about it.”

Orn lifted the carriage seat and pulled out the small bundle that had the three necklaces picked inside. He then carefully replaced the padded bench, then set the silver necklace with the green rose on his mother’s seat and the ivory and lace necklace on Liv’s.

Orn sighed and looked between the bench’s lid and the third necklace in his hand.

“Are you ready?” his father called from the street, clearly wanting him to hurry.

“Yes,” Orn called back sliding the third necklace and its wax paper wrapper in his pocket. I will deal with this one later.

His task completed, he rushed stand by his father in front of a store with a large window. Through the windowpanes a pair of extravagantly dressed mannequins started blankly out at the street. His father did not even glance at the mannequins and moved to a small door painted to show a pair of scissors cutting a piece of ribbon.

A little bell chimed as they entered, and Orn saw that the painted ribbon on the outside of the door wrapped around inside and ran along the walls of the room. Orn’s gaze followed the ribbon and realized the chime over the door was the only similarity to the jeweler's stores. The room before them was open, and light poured in through the window on the street. Along one wall bolts of fabrics were displayed in racks while the other had soft looking couches for visitors to sit.

“Good evening, how may I be of service?” an older man asked as he came around the back of the racking. He tossed a sewing tape measure over his shoulder and wiped at his glasses before returning them to his face. The glasses made the man’s eyes seem to grow massively, and he smiled widely. “Count Balckthorn. It is good to see you!”

Orn was surprised, both by the man recognizing his father and the genuine sounding warmth in the man’s voice. He turned to his father who smiled back at the older man.

“Master Jerkin, it is good to see you as well,” Orn’s father replied with equal warmth. “You said you had given the running of the shop to your apprentice. I did not think I would get to see you.”

The man laughed, and waved the comment away. “I let him run the day to day, but I still do some work when it is interesting or I like the customer. I was absolutely not going to miss the opportunity to see you and your son. How could not miss an opportunity to see the young man before he burns the academy down?” the tailor smiled at Orn.

Orn’s father groaned, “Please do not say things like that. I do not want him to think I was a vandal.”

The older man winked at Orn, before turning back to his father. “It was a figure of speech, but there was definitely a fire in a shed that I believe you should be blamed for. I recall you took particular glee in disturbing the academy. You robbed blind anyone who was dumb enough to sit down for cards with you, and fought more duels that is strictly healthy. But, to be fair, I think that was related to the cards.”

Orn turned to see his father’s face in his hand. “Please do not remind me. I was a mess when I entered the academy.”

“You were also a mess when you left, but getting away from your mother’s people has clearly done good for you.” The older man laughed. “But here was are talking about old times, when I should be getting your son his uniform. We can talk while he tries it on and I do any adjustments.”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

The man gestured for them to grab a seat and walked through an open doorway into the back.

Orn’s father grabbed a seat on the couch and sighed when he saw Orn’s questioning expression. “It is a long story, but the short version is this. Master Jerkin ran into me when I was in trouble and he helped me. My clothes got damaged a lot, and it became a habit to go to his shop, to try to pay him back as he would not accept anything for helping me. My mother’s people are not nice people, and it made it hard to trust adults, but Mister Jenkin became one of the few I really trusted. He was also the one who helped me escape there at the end. I keep trying to get him to move down to where we are, but he always says he is too busy.” Orn’s father’s voice rose slightly at the last few words.

“And I am,” the older man yelled back from the rear of the store. A moment later he reentered the room carrying a bundle. “Now that I am only helping out here, I spend my time at guild meetings and pushing the youngsters to do better. The young tailors this day spend too much time on fashion and not enough time on good stitching. Somethings, academy uniforms for one, should be made durable, not in the latest fashions”

The man offered Orn a bundle of clothes and gestured to a curtain in the corner. “Go try them on, and wear them out. I was given a good set of measurements but checking is a matter of path pride.”

Orn took the clothes and headed for the back. Behind him he heard his father whispering about not needing to share everything. This only caused the old man to laugh again.

Orn closed the curtain behind him and saw a small bench beside a mirror. Laying the clothes on the bench he began to change.

…

Orn looked at his new uniform in the mirror. The pants were simple black pants, the jacket on the other hand was anything but. Several brass buttons ran down the center of the black breast of the dark red jacket. Making the whole thing more absurd was the extensive white stitching and piping along the black cuffs and breast.

This would catch on every twig in the forest. Orn thought after he made a few tentative motions to see how it moved. At least it is easy to move in.

As Orn swung his arms his hand brushed against the clothes he had been wearing, and felt his hand strike something hard in the pocket. His eyes grew wide as he remembered the necklace. He quickly looked around as it occurred to him this might be the only time alone he would have to give it to her for a while. “Kao.” Orn whispered softly.

In the polished steel mirror, he saw Kao appear behind him. “Really! You call want to meet me in a changing room?” She did her best to look incredulous. “What kind of goddess do you take me for?”

“The kind that knew I was both in a changing room and dressed before showing up.” Orn responded rolling his eyes.

Kao shook her head. “I may know where you are, but I do not know what you are wearing. You should be glad I showed up at all. Also since when do you not jump when I appear behind you. It is no fun if you do not at least act surprised when I appear any more.” The last statement was punctuated by Kao prodding him a few times with her finger.

“You have done it too many times, so it is not much of a surprise,” he managed batting her hand away, “but I actually wanted to give you something. I was shopping with father and I saw something that I thought you wold like.” Orn pulled out the package and unwrapped the necklace, holding it out to Kao. The small carved stone seemed to flicker like the fire rose it was carved into.

As he held out the necklace he continued. “You always seemed to like the way the village’s fire roses twinkled at night, so I thought you would like it.”

Kao examined it closely, and smiling replied, “Orn what am I going to do with you? First a changing room and now this. I was joking but you really have become forward.”

Before he could respond or even try to understand what she might mean she turned and pulled her hair back away from her neck. “Well if you are going to go that far, you might as well put it on.”

Orn did not know what she was getting at, but knew that he could not flinch. If he gave her any sign of discomfort he would never hear the end of it. Doing his best to remain nonchalant, he placed the lace necklace around her neck and closed the clasp.

“My knight is just so shameless,” she murmured, as she watched him clasp the necklace in the mirror.

Orn made a point of rolling his eyes and before he turned to walk through the curtain. “Well I have to show how well this fits, but you are welcome to come with me.”

She laughed, recognizing his discomfort despite his attempt to hide it. “I will pass.”

He did not hear anything else, so he assumed that she had left. He reached to pull the curtain aside and felt a gentle flick on the back of his head. A moment later he heard her whisper behind him, “Thank you even if you are far too forward.”

Orn walked into the room while panic rose in the back of his mind. Why did she say that? Did I mess up and not realize it?