Chapter Thirty-Five: No, Maybe, Yes
Elsword was quickly called out of the mansion when she woke up, Chung still fast asleep, to get her dress. Instead of going to the local wedding gown store in the city Eve brought everyone back to Delilah. The servants were running about in a frenzy. Food had to be prepared, menus made, decorations hung in the maze. The girls carefully walked past the busy workers and reached Delilah's room. Elsword knocked on the door.
"Mom? You in there?" She asked. The door soon opened and Delilah was wearing very casual clothing, jeans and a t-shirt.
"Ah! You're here. Alright girls, come on!" Delilah took Elsword's hand and quickly dragged her down the stairs. The others calmly followed. Delilah quickly brought the group to her limo and after everyone got in they were well on their way. As the car drove through the city streets the girls inside drank some tea.
"Delilah, why are we leaving the city?" Elsword asked as the limo pulled onto the highway and headed east.
"I have a good friend who makes high quality work." Delilah explained, "We want nothing but the best for your special day."
"Where are we going to?" Aisha asked.
"Sander." The queen replied swiftly.
"Ah." Aisha looked out the window. Hopefully none of her royal guards ended up forgetting she liked her royalty kept a secret.
"Isn't that going to be a long drive?" Elsword asked nervously.
"Not that long, we'll be taking a private road." Delilah said, "But it depends on how we pick your dresses." Elsword groaned. So many girls coming with her meant so many tastes. Would they even find a dress they all could agree on?
"Well since it's going to be a long ride what should we do?" Ara inquired sweetly. Elsword knew Ara would be perfectly fine with anything.
"Twenty questions?" Rena asked. Rena was a mystery; she would be positive but she seemed to be quite intent on this wedding.
"I have no objection." Eve commented. Eve was going to be her worst nightmare; if she said no to something that was final.
"Okay, I'll go first." Elesis said. No doubt Elsword's sister would be very helpful but she still had her own preferences.
"Are you an animal?" Aisha asked. Aisha would probably agree with everything unless it really was bad since she didn't want to risk exposing her identity.
"Yes." Elesis answered her question.
"Do you have fur?" Delilah decided to play as well. The queen would also be a no worry zone; she was hell bent on having this wedding be everything Elsword wanted.
"Yes."
"Are you short?" Elsword probed.
"Yes."
"Do you have paws?" Rena pressed further.
"Indeed I do." Elesis said, hinting the group was getting warmer.
"Aw man, I left Dizzy at home…." Elsword suddenly remembered. Dizzy would be in good hands however since he had a maid chosen to watch over him. Elsword looked up then, "Are you a Phoru?"
"Yep!" Elesis said cheerily.
"Alright my turn!" Aisha jumped on board.
"Are you an animal?" Eve asked, thinking it best to begin the round with similar questions.
"No." Aisha said as she sipped some tea.
"Are you…..a color?" Ara went next.
"In a broad sense, yes." Aisha said.
"Are you an object?" Elsword said after the ebonette.
"Yes."
"Are there many like you?"
"Lots."
"Can you move on your own?" Elesis asked.
"No." Aisha crossed her legs.
"Are you…." Rena remembered Ara's question, "Red?"
"Nope."
"Are you a…..gold-like yellow?" Delilah asked.
"Yes."
"Sand." Eve said calmly as she sipped her tea.
"Aww, you win." Aisha kissed the Nasod's cheek.
Going back and forth time flew by as the car drove on. Before they knew it they were closing in on Sander.
"Blanket!" Ara said vigorously.
"Yup!" Rena replied.
"Well, that was a pleasant way to pass the time." Delilah mused as she saw the car parking outside a large building.
"Please go easy on me girls." Elsword pleaded. They all looked at one another and grinned.
"Nope!" They all said as a chorus. Taking what was hopefully a joke they all got out of the car and walked into the store. Countless white gowns lined the walls to the point is almost burned the eyes. Eve walked to the counter and tapped the bell.
"Coming." A voice came from the back just loud enough for them to hear.
"No way." Aisha breathed. Around the corner came a familiar face.
"Granny Vapor?" Everyone was fairly surprised.
"Ah yes, Elsword right this way." Vapor said as she pulled Elsword along. Everyone followed, "You all sit right over there, and we'll be right out." Everyone sat down as Elsword and Vapor disappeared into the dressing room. Elsword gaped as she saw three full racks of exquisite wedding dresses in the room, all with her name attached to the poles.
"Are these-?"
"Come on Elsword, take those off so we can start." Vapor cut her off as she took a dress off the rack. Seeing they were pressed for time Elsword quickly disrobed. Standing in her underwear Vapor helped the crimsonette into the first dress. It was perfectly smooth and form fitting with little to no designs on it. However it had gloves sleeves that were fairly troublesome to get into and much too tight. Putting on a pair of snowy, laced stockings and white heels Elsword carefully walked out to the viewing room.
"No." Eve said the moment Elsword was in view. Without any words, or objections from the others, Elsword spun on her heel and walked right back into the dressing room.
"Eve said no, and I don't like this one myself anyway."
"I see. On to the next in that case." Vapor said. As Elsword carefully took off the dress, with the help of Vapor's helpers, the alchemist came back with a more complex dress. It had no gloves attached to it but had a laced choker with it that was connected to the fabric. White embroidery gave birth to faint butterflies amidst the three distinct layers of the dress. It was snug and comfortable on her chest and the choker was just tight enough to not jostle around when she walked and was not restricting. The gloves that came with the ensemble reached up to her shoulders and were a little loose but Vapor told her it was part of the design. Taking a breath she walked back into the viewing room. Eve didn't give an immediate disinterest and Elsword got on the rotating platform and slowly turned for them to get a 360 view of her dress.
"I like it." Ara said.
"Hmmm…." Elesis took it all in slowly.
"The exposure of her back is well thought through." Rena commented.
"True. It reveals enough to provoke interest but not enough for it to be overly elaborate." Eve agreed.
"Aren't the gloves a bit loose?" Delilah's expert eyes caught the minor detail.
"It is part of the dress design." Vapor said, "Are they a problem?"
"No, we don't want the look to be all tight up." Delilah said.
"I don't know…." Aisha squinted as she looked at the nearly invisible designs on the layers, "I mean, what's the point to the designs if you can't make them out that well?"
"I agree, even I myself have some difficulty making them out." Eve said.
"I don't think so." Elesis finally said, "It doesn't really….suit you."
"Why? I kinda like it." Elsword said as she stepped off the pedestal.
"It's not really reflecting your personality. It looks more like something Delilah would wear." Elesis elaborated.
"I didn't want to say it but yes it is true." Delilah agreed.
"It needs to be plain." Rena said.
"Absolutely." Eve commented.
"The designs are just pointless." Aisha pointed out.
"The ruffles are a bit much." Ara said nervously.
"Alright, we'll try something else." Elsword sighed.
"So no designs, no ruffles, something plain." Vapor murmured, "That's one rack out of the equation." Elsword breathed in relief. Vapor took her off and the group began to talk to each other.
"I hope we weren't too harsh." Ara worried.
"It's fine, Elsword can take opinions." Elesis said.
"We have to make this perfect, I won't accept anything else." Rena said affirmatively.
"Likewise my dear." Eve said.
"Maybe the next one will be the dress." Aisha said hopefully.
"Perhaps." Delilah remained undecided.
"Alright guys, here's the new one!" Elsword said as she walked out, "Before you guys say anything, I really, really like this one."
"Oh my, that looks nice." Rena admitted as Elsword got on the pedestal.
The new dress met the criteria. It was plain with no ruffles, but still had a few well-placed creases for visual effect. The silky gloves lost their solid form at her elbows and split into several thin straps that circled her arm before meeting the shoulder of the dress itself. It came with a tight choker with dull blue gems that contrasted with her hair and making their eyes fall to the bride-to-be's own crimson orbs. The chest region was well contained but had an opening in the center that exposed a bit of her cleavage. It became like a snake around Elsword's waist as if the dress was coiling around her like prey, and loosened into a perfectly flowing sea of white fabric with delicate yet strong laced fabric lining the bottom.
"Perfect." Elesis commented swiftly, "That really fits you a lot better compared to the last one."
"Indeed, yet the lace at the bottom seems a bit overly elegant for one such as her." Eve criticized.
"Elsword might not have as much regality as you Eve but it's there." Delilah said, "That little bit of complexity gives off the expression of her more royal nature."
"It really brings out your waist Elsword." Aisha smiled.
"It's not super tight too." Elsword said.
"But it's made just right so it's not loose and wrinkled." Ara said.
"I cast my vote for this one." Delilah said.
"Same." Rena, Ara, Aisha and Elesis all agreed.
"I too will accept this article." Eve said.
"Awesome! This is the one!"
"Nope~. Now we need to pick a veil." Rena said.
"This dress comes with a matching veil Rena." Vapor said, "It is much like the dress itself."
"We'll take it." Elsword said. She wanted this dress and she was going to get it one way or another.
"Very well. Vapor, send the bill to my account." Eve said.
"No need, I paid in advance." Delilah said.
"We'll get this neatly packed and send you on your way then." Vapor said. With that last note played Elsword got undressed and changed. Once the dress was ready for moving the girls got back in the car for the trip back to Hamel. Elsword was bouncing with joy.
"Tomorrow's the big day sis." Elesis said with a smile.
"Yes…." Elsword placed a hand on her chest, over her heart, "Yes it is…."