Rirī was soon done with her bath and went to get dressed when she saw what she was given to ware.
A huge pink dress that showed the top of her breasts and made the bottom half of her body look like a pastry convinced her to put the nightgown back on. She decided to ask for her normal cloths to be mended and returned to her.
She walked out of the room, her orange hair tied up on top of her head neatly, though it was wet. She made her way through the hall, following the aroma of food. She hadn't realized hungry she was until the scent had hit her.
Soon she found the dining room, which was a thousand times grander than the bathroom had been.
A large mahogany table was in the center of the room, lined with gold candles and trimmed with lace.
The lovely Mrs. Collins was sitting at the head of the table, chatting fondly with her husband, who looked better than Rirī did; he must've had better doctors, not that she cared.
Mrs. Collins noticed her and smiled at first then frowned at her appearance.
"Ms. Kasai, where on earth are your clothes?" She exclaimed, standing.
Mr. Collins looked up from his meal and gave Rirī a nod of acknowledgement, gratefulness in his eyes.
"I do not ware western clothing. Would it be alright for my own cloths to be mended?" Rirī asked.
Mrs. Collins laughed.
"O, Ms. Kasai, if you want a kimono, we have some here. I will have Nevaeh take you to your room and bring you some cloths." She said.
"Might I eat first, Mrs. Collins? I am quite hungry." Rirī said.
Mrs. Collins burst into hysterical laughter.
"Are you mad? That's absurd; one doesn't eat without being properly dressed!" She exclaimed.
Mr. Collins rolled his eyes at his wife.
"Let the girl eat, Sophie. No one else is here." He said, his voice a gruff one; much different compared the screams of pain Rirī heard that night in the woods.
Mrs. Collins gave a huff and sat back in her seat.
"Very well, but I still think she should be properly dressed. What would the neighbors think? An Eastern woman being housed by us and she doesn't know how to properly dress herself? Absurd!" She exclaimed.
"Sophie, if this woman wanted to eat sitting upside-down then would allow it. You forget that she saved my life. She some respect." Mr. Collins said.
His wife snorted and slouched further into her seat, as far as her corset would allow anyway.
"Well I am merely thinking of what the-"
"That's enough Sophie."
Rirī stood quietly in the doorway and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"If it's not too much trouble, I would like those clothes you spoke of Mrs. Collins." She said.
The woman perked up and smiled.
"Wonderful! Nevaeh, dear, please take Ms. Kasai to her room and give her a kimono." She said.
The shy girl from before came forward, bowed low to her mistress and went to stand in front of Rirī, avoiding her eyes.
"Follow me, miss." She whispered, and then led Rirī down the hall.
Rirī followed and pondered on why this girl was afraid of her.