Penname: javamomma0921

Derivative Fiction

Rating: T

Disclaimer: All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

Prompt: Trade

Idea Completion: You buy a wedding dress

Trade

Days in the small shop passed quickly and happily. Brienne, though distant at first, was a lovely person who liked to talk almost as much as I did. It took some time before she realized I had an aversion to being touched in any way. Once she realized this, she stayed carefully just out of reach and our relationship blossomed. I had found someone nearly as lonely as I was.

Brienne was a master saleswoman but she had such poor taste in clothes that I wondered how she ever stumbled into the world of high fashion. I found myself taking her shopping and actually designing for her after a time. About two months into my time there, Brienne had been transformed. She was always beautiful, but now her body was dressed appropriately and she radiated confidence. Her confidence followed her out into the shop and our little business flourished. My designs had, of course, been huge hits. It was quite helpful in this business to see ahead to the next big trend.

We had a small, but incredibly wealthy and devoted following who had seen our fashions strolling down the streets of London and Paris and come looking for their own taste of Le Mousseux Rose.* The designs that I came up with were easy enough to implement, costing us only the bare minimum for materials and labor. We were truly making a both a name and a fortune for ourselves.

One night in March, Brienne had left early, leaving me at the shop to finish up for the night. I really did like working with Brienne, but it was so much easier when she wasn't there. I could lock the door to the shop and work at vampire speed to finish what needed to be done. I was always able to leave earlier when she left me to finish things than when she stayed to help out.

After everything was completed, I stepped out into the fresh night air, breathing in the smells around me finally feeling happy with the direction of my life. I knew that life would lead me away from here someday soon, but for now I was content. I had made a friend of sorts in Brienne and I knew that my help had been a positive influence in her life. I felt wanted and needed. I wondered if this is what having a family would feel like. Suddenly, the world around me went blank; the future was changing.

There was a girl, beautiful yet plain, planning to marry soon. She had no money to buy a dress and she was desperate. She wanted to look beautiful for her groom. She was coming to find me; she'd be here any second.

I snapped out of my vision and looked around myself, dazed and bewildered. Where was she now? Was she here already? How far would she go to get what she wanted? Would she try to force me to get what she wanted or would she just beg? I hadn't see her plans because she hadn't made up her mind yet.

"Mademoiselle Alice?" a timid voice from behind me whispered.

I turned around to face the beautiful girl from my vision. She was terrified and embarrassed at the same time. I could tell she disliked asking for handouts, but this was something she could not leave to chance.

"Yes," I said. "How can I help you?"

"I've seen your beautiful clothes all over Paris and even watched your work sometimes in your shop. No one makes clothes like you do; no one."

"Well thank you, darling. But who are you and what do you need?" I had grown practiced in pretending confusion. No one appreciated someone who seemed to know more about them than they did themselves.

"I'm sorry, Mademoiselle. My name is Gabriella. I'm getting married in three months."

"Congratulations!" I said warmly. "Would you like to commission a dress?"

She looked down, picking at her inexpensive clothes and unconsciously chewing on a stray piece of hair.

"Yes," she breathed. "I would very much like to commission a dress. But--"

"But what, love?" I asked after a few seconds had passed. "What is troubling you?"

"I can't pay," she said, barely above a whisper. The blush in her cheeks was a red fire announcing her embarrassment to me. She fought back her shame and lifted her eyes to meet mine. "I can offer you a trade though."

I blinked and stifled a laugh. I knew she was being quite serious, but it always struck me funny when something surprised me. It happened so rarely. I had expected pleading and begging, but not an offer of trade. I wondered what she could offer me.

"A trade? What did you have in mind?"

"Mama taught me to sew when I was just a little thing. Now I'm quite good. I could work for you, pay off the cost of the dress with my work. I'll work for as long as it takes, Mademoiselle. I promise."

The blackness took over and I could see the future clear as day. She would work with us, side by side with me learning the trade until it was time for me to go. She would be my replacement when the changing tide took me away.

I smiled at her.

"I'm sure we can work something out," I said. "Why don't you tell me what you had in mind?"

And so it was that I found my second friend in France. This would be a difficult place for me to leave when the time came. Thankfully the future had a stronger pull on me than the present.

*Translation: The Sparkling Rose

A/N: I love it when I open up the Wit Fit Mail and the idea just takes over. This one basically wrote itself the minute I read the prompt. I hope you enjoy it. Can I just say that I love writing Alice? :) Have a great day, ladies!