The rest of the day passes blessedly quiet and quick. Eryk and Gisela will drop by some time tomorrow evening to pick up the enchanted girdles. I hope they will be satisfied with the result. I certainly am. I'm not quite done with the day yet though as I still have an appointment with Agnieszka.

I close up the shop and make a quick trip down to the creek to freshen up a little before I head over to my neighbor's place. I wonder what kind of clothes she will suggest. Another overall would be nice. Its a sturdy and practical garment after all. Maybe another blouse to go with it as well?

I'm already halfway over when this morning's encounter forces its way to the fore of my mind once more and I come to an abrupt stop. She wouldn't? Wouldn't she? Not this early in the evening, not when she made an appointment of sorts with me. Right? I turn my head slightly to listen for any telltale sounds. There is nothing out of the ordinary to be heard. I approach the backdoor of Agnieszka's house with a little more care anyway, keeping my ears perked, just in case.

Try as I might, I could not pick up anything that would make me reconsider. Just as well. One surprise a day was plenty enough. After taking one last deep breath to calm my nerves I knock and call out to her.

“Agnieszka? Are you in?”

Her boisterous reply follows promptly.

“Valeria, dear! Come on in! I'm just about ready for you!”

I do as she says and enter her home. It is in many ways pretty similar to mine. There are even plenty of plants hanging from the rafters for drying. They aren't alchemical ingredients though. At least not strictly speaking although I could probably use some of them. No, they are, for the better part, various vegetables with a few kitchen herbs mixed in.

Agnieszka is awaiting me at a big table with a few bales of fabric laid out one side and a basket with needles, scissors and tape measures on the other. She lights a second lantern and greets me with a cheerful wave and a smile on her lips.

I wave in return and close the door behind me, before walking over to join her at the table. I run my hand over the fabrics as she puts up the lit lantern. One is soft sheep wool while another is linen. The third is hemp as far as I can tell and it is much thicker and heaver than the other two. I raise an eyebrow as I turn to face Agnieszka.

She just smiles though.

“I expected that you might want an additional overall. It is a very practical garment after all. Plenty of people, both men and women, wear it to work around here. We use the same fabric the fishermen from the coast use for their sails to make the garments last.”

“I see.”

I nod as I answer. That does indeed sound sensible. It might feel a little strange at first though. I'll get used to it though, no doubt. There still is something else bothering me though.

“What about the other fabrics?”

The voluptuous woman pushes the heavy bale of hemp cloth aside with some effort.

“I though we might use one of these two for an additional blouse to go with the overall. I can get my hands on some cotton as well, if you want, that will take a while and cost a little extra though.”

Cotton sounds lovely. She is right though, she probably will have to get it shipped from Barter Town. Cotton doesn't grow around here after all and Barter Town is the closest city where a trader might be able to get their hands on some.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

Before I can say anything she waves me off though.

“Let's take your measurements first. We can talk about everything else as we go. You should strip down to your underwear though, so I can be sure all the measurements are accurate.”

Even as she speaks she grabs a tape measure from the basket with the sewing supplies.

I blush fiercely but do as she asked anyway. I'm familiar, at least vaguely, as it has been some time, with the procedure that is to follow after all. I slip out of my overall and the blouse I' wearing with it and throw both over the back of one of the chairs at the table.

Agnieszka motions me a little closer to the light and gets to work with an ease that speaks of practice and not just a little either. She takes just about every measure I can imagine and then some. She notes everything down in a little book and not just with a piece of charcoal either.

“You are doing this pretty regularly, aren't you?”

She nods and makes some more notes.

“Most women do their own tailoring around here. At least for everyday wear. I have always done a little more than that though. And nowadays they quite often come to see me if they need anything a little more special, like wedding dresses and the likes, since I have the experience.”

She puts the tape measure away and closes the little book.

“I have the time as well, since I don't do as much farming as I used to anymore. And I can pick up fabric we don't usually have around here as well, since I go to the city pretty regularly. We are pretty much done by the way.”

I nod and get dressed again.

Agnieszka in the meantime pulls some thin boards off a shelf. Some she puts on the table, while others go back on the shelf.

It takes me a moment to realize that they are cut in the shape of patterns for various articles of clothing. My eyes widen a little as I take in the shelf for real. There have to enough of those to make most professional tailors from the city go green with envy.

“You do a little more tailoring than most around here, huh?”

She just laughs in turn, thus I continue as she keeps pulling pattern boards from the shelf.

“So, a sturdy overall and a blouse? What else do you have in mind?”

She starts sorting the boards into a number of piles before answering. She pats each pile in turn as she finally speaks up.

“The overall and the blouse. A light dress for our festivals as well as some stockings and a few sets of underwear.”

I get a little lightheaded as she keeps talking. My mouth grows a little dry as well. I don't want to argue with her either as she isn't wrong about any of the things she suggested. I actually need more than just another overall. I'm a little hesitant, as I ask the question now prominent on my mind I dread the answer, but I have to ask anyway.

“What is this going to cost me?”

Agnieszka closes her eyes for a moment and adds everything together, making liberal use of her fingers as a calculation aid, as she does so.

“It should be seven silver Crowns and six bronze Crowns all together. No haggling. No discounts.”

I groan but nod in agreement anyway. In all honesty, she is already offering me a pretty good deal. Still, the expense stings a little. I rub my temples before answering.

“I should have the money tomorrow evening, or the day after at the latest, when Gisela and Eryk get the girdles for their son's wedding.”

Agnieszka pats my shoulder.

“Don't worry about it too much. You pay for the clothes when I have them ready and you come to get them. It might take me a few days to get everything finished anyway.”

Again that sly smile finds its way onto her face.

“And I might just drop some of the coin at your place again in turn. I couldn't help but notice that lantern of yours. I could use something like that myself as well.”

Now she is talking!

“It is a pretty simple enchantment. Much more basic than the girdles I made for Gisela and Eryk. If you bring the lantern and a fresh candle I could enchant it for you for as little as a silver Crown. With a fresh candle it should provide light for a year.”