Page 36 of A Legacy of the Light

Fabric in every color, pattern, and material I could think of hangs on the wall to the left, spanning its full length. To the right, is a series of wooden doors that are likely changing rooms. There are a few women in here too, looking at the fabrics along the wall, discussing the upcoming celebration quietly between themselves.

Eventually, Reyne settles on a pale blue chiffon that brings out her coloring in the most beautiful way, and we’re led into one of the rooms. A small podium stands in the centre before a full-length mirror trimmed in silver.

“Now then, lassie, let's get a good look at you,” Cait says to me, and gestures to the podium. Reyne has gone to get us something to drink from the kitchen. I take off my jacket and boots and step onto the platform.

“So, are you Reyne’s mom’s sister, or her dad’s?” I ask her.

“On her daddy’s side. I’m glad not to be related to that hag of a woman he calls a wife.”

I can’t help my chuckle. Reyne didn’t have a very high opinion of her mother, either.

“Reyne and I have spent a lot of time together, since her mammy isn’t all that pleasant, and some of my designs appeal to her need to rebel against tradition,” Cait continues.

It doesn’t surprise me that Reyne pushes back, since she doesn’t take her place in court.

“Are they not all traditional, then?” I ask, as Cait busies herself taking my measurements. The ones I saw out on display seemed pretty traditional to me.

“Not all of them. I have to bend to some traditions in order to make money. But my love is in the gowns that offer me free rein. I tend to not display those.”

I step off the podium when she’s finished taking my measurements and sit to put my boots back on. Reyne comes back into the room carrying a black satin fabric that looks softer than a bed of feathers.

“I was thinking, Aunt Cait, that this fabric would look unbelievable on Elsie with her hair and eyes.” Cait’s eyes sparkle with the promise of creation, I’ve only seen some of her work but trust that her and Reyne won’t let me look foolish.

“Aye, I know just what to do with this. Good choice, Reyne.” Cait takes the fabric from Reyne and turns to me. “Is there anything you really don’t like in the dresses you normally wear, lass?”

“Umm, I don’t really wear dresses that often so whatever you think is best,” I reply.

Not only have I always let Rach pick dresses for me when we go out, but I’ve no idea what would be best for a ball hosted by a king, so I’ll leave it to Cait to decide. She nods and tells us that we can come and collect the dresses two days before the ball, so she can make any last-minute alterations if necessary.

Reyne and I spend another fifteen minutes chatting with her aunt before she affectionately tells us to clear off so she can get back to work. We head back to the main street and go to a store selling shoes of every possible variety. We both chose pairs that will complement the fabric of the gowns being made for us. Then we spend the next hour wandering the streets of the city, talking about anything and everything.

Reyne tells me more about her family. She glosses over her mom, and talks lots about her dad. They’re close as father and daughter, and her face softens with love when she tells me stories about him.

I tell her what happened to my mom and granny. Her kind response doesn’t make me cringe like it normally would back home when people offer words of comfort. I’m starting to relax around her. She seems genuinely interested in getting to know me. After Reyne points out some key places I might want to visit, we come to the city square ready for something to eat.

At one end, a large four-story building takes up the majority of the space. Tall pillars adorn its front, and people bustle in and out of the propped-open doors. Between the top of the pillars and the roof sit intricate carvings of Seelie reading, fighting and passing judgment.

“That building is the heart of the city. If, for whatever reason, the palace can’t be used, the council and the king will meet there. There’s also a library on the bottom two floors that’s open to the public. The rest of the building holds offices for people who work for the king but aren’t based at the palace. It’s called the Catharra,” Reyne explains. The carvings atop the building make sense now. They depict what goes on inside.

In the middle of the square sits a fountain, almost as tall as the Catharra. The stone is delicately cut into statues of horses prancing higher and higher, as if on a helter-skelter. From where we are, we’re granted an uninterrupted view of the palace where it’s built into the lower slopes of the mountain, overlooking its domain.

We enter a cafe on the square, a small bell chiming as we push through the glass door, and the interior surprises me with its modern decor. It’s almost like the cafes I’m used to in Brooklyn, with rustic wooden tables and chairs, exposed brickwork, and industrial lighting.

Reyne orders us coffee and sandwiches to go from the waiter who greets her by name.

“You come here a lot?” I ask.

“Oh aye, they do the best sandwiches in the city. Despite it being in the middle of everything, I’ll always come here if I can. We’ll take these and eat them by the loch?”

“Sounds great,” I reply and we make small talk as we wait for our order.

We thank the Seelie when they hand us our food and I follow Reyne back out into the bustling city. She leads me across the cobbled stone to a street that angles down towards the waters of the lake. As the path narrows, we pass by an alley.

A strong hand wraps around my wrist and pulls me into the shadows.

“Màiri?! Is that really you?!” A haggard looking man exclaims, hovering over me and holding my wrist painfully tight. His hair is unkempt and a scraggly beard covers his lower face. His dark eyes are rimmed in red and deep bags dip low on his cheeks.

“How could you leave like that and just show your face round ’ere again like nothin’ happened! After all this time!” he shouts at me. The smell of alcohol comes off him in waves, and it’s barely lunchtime. I shrink against the wall at my back.