Disclaimer: Ink- $320, Paper- $230, Publisher - 25% of earnings, Replying to fans- 50% of earnings, Being TP... priceless..... they're are some things money can buy... being Tamora Pierce... Not one of them.

Chapter Five: Breeches, Brocades, and

Daine wanted to hide as soon as she stepped into bright lit room. Material and noble clothing hung over every niche of the room. Women giggled in the corners holding up bolts and men waved nonchalantly towards the brocades being held up.

Numair rolled his eyes at the scene but tried to look just as sauve as the others. If Daine could show half the self restraint he presented it would be a miracle.
Alanna walked up to a rushed man and bowed to him saying over the din, "Master Johorn, Myles sent me with the Mage Numair Salamin and his student Verlisidaine. Forgive me, but they need new outfits, and proper attire for Midwinter."

Numair gave a bow, "Sir. We had some trouble with bandits, and needless to say abandoned many of our things..."

"I see that" his eyes never leaving Daine. He studied her in the leggings and tunic she was wearing. Daine blushed trying to look uncomfortable and unhappy, feeling that she was failing miserably.

"Well mi'lady I'll have my wife take you into the other shop. Such a beautiful lady as ya shouldn't be walking in a wenches garb. Mi'lord if you'll come with me..."

Daine found her self being dragged off by a large red-haired woman grinning happily at her, "Aye lassie, doncha worry now, Ol' Bessie, they call me, and I'll help ya find a nice pretty dress far ya self donchya know" she kept talking as Daine turned to Numair shooting him a face of pure horror.

He just winked and she could here him telling and astounded Alanna, "We may be awhile, but I think we're going to need an escort. If you could meet us in an hour or so-"

As they entered the woman's chamber she saw three other ladies being fitted. The one closest had vibrant red hair and a permanent smirk, "Yes. And then you'll never believe this, but Prince Jon danced with me seven times! That's all. Can you believe it? Less then six months ago he would dance with me every night!"

Daine prayed silently that she wouldn't kill one of the woman before she escaped from the chamber. They were exactly the type that she could never hold a conversation at home. Of course those in court she knew in court had always shocked her when she went to Corus, this what she had expected when Onua had first told her where they were going... and this was what she had been regretting.

"Mi'lady I'll let ya be talk' in to these other fine gentles.. if you'll just take off those nasty men's clothin' so I can bes a takin' your measurements." The woman winked, "Be back in just o'ne min'ute" And the woman left her to change.

Reluctantly Daine took off her outer garments and looked around, the red-haired lady was now watching her carefully and smirked, "So your new in court? I hadn't heard of anymore courtiers coming... wherever did you come from that you had to arrive in those clothing" the other women snickered and Daine did all in her power not growl.

"I didn't plan to actually. I'm the wild mage Verlisidaine Sarrasri," she noticed the red-haired lady's snicker and other's that rose they're eyebrows but continued aloofly as she had seen Alanna do so many times before "unfortunately my teacher and I had some trouble with bandits on the way up from Carthak and I had to take on those. It was a choice between undergarments and breeches... and I'll take breeches over that any day." She played the tone as best she could but saw the others still look at her with distance.

"I'm sure" said the red haired woman. "Well I am Delia of Eldorne and these are the Ladies Cithara and Julisian. Its a pleasure meeting you Verlisidaine... Ladies?" She brushed them out of the room calmly with a plastered smile on her face.

Daine was about to pray for the luck she had just had when the door opened to have the plumb seamstress enter with a bundle of sewing supplies, "Ah I see the other ladies did leave. Well then... I can look at ya... aren't ya a pretty lassie, quite a catch if I do say so me self." she looked around her measuring her wrists, waists, chest, as she called in a nother shy maid, "Lizzie please do be a writing these measurements for your dear ol' mum" the girl nodded and took down Daine's proportions in a book. Finally the older woman told her she could step down.

"Now we can be deciding the fun part," said the elder woman. "All these pretty materials for yon's everyday dresses, and a few pretty lil' gowns for yonder ball. Don't right know if I'll bes an able to make it by tonight.. but I'll give ya this, you'll have something appropriate for yonder's decent on the grand stairs.... what I wouldn't give to descend on those." Bessie continued to pull down all sorts of materials. From brocades to silks.
Daine had no passion to descend on those steps again. She remembered the first time, just after she'd come from Galla, after the incident at Pirates Swoop. It had been nice, but all those eyes were something she wasn't so fond of. And then she'd at least had friends watching her... this time they'd be there, but have no idea who she was.

"Miss? Ares ya listen'n to me?"

"What? Oh forgive Mistress, I was just thinking. What did you say?" Daine jerked back to life staring at the astonished woman.

"Just sayin' I was thinkin' about this pretty blue, a nice colour for winter and a beauti'ful match for yon eyes. Some greys, and maybe even a forest green-"

Daine just nodded, "I put full trust in you Mistress." The woman look delighted and had her maids run through the fanciest and finest materials. Daine just sighed knowing full well those beautiful gowns would probably be ruined the first of the People caught sight of her. Finally she decided she needed to speak up, "Mistress... I do ask you though. In the line of magic I deal with, I need some flexible dresses. A few made for riding, and not just side saddle, along with a good number of sturdy practical gowns. Can you do that?"

Bessie raised an eyebrow but grinned, "Aye sure as can be Mi'lady, if that's what your want'in"

"It is" said Daine with a sigh then saw she was reaching for some furs for what she suspected was a cloak and added, "Oh and please no furs. Nothing fur made... I can't stand it."

"Is that all?" The seamstress said with her eyes starting to narrow.

"Yessum"

"Alright" she called the maids away from the furs and went back to sheaves of material.

After a few minutes the shy girl from earlier came over, "I'm supposed to be a helping you to choose some dresses until my mistress can finish yon's own. So if you'll be a followin me." Daine let out a sigh as she was shown into the back room.

She thought she'd be blinded by the gowns hanging on every available rack. The girl took off a variety of gowns and helped shove Daine into the them one by one.

After about a half an hour more time, and fifty dresses later, Lizzie decided upon ten she thought were suitable for everyday wear. Daine wanted to shed away, since all ten, while magnificent, were what she'd call, extremely unpractical.

Daine finally sat down in the last one, another long blue garment, with extravagant embroidery up its lengths, and long silken sleeves. "So.. umm... may I leave now?" she said unsurely.

The girl gave her a bewildered look, "Leave? but Mi'lady you aren't done as of yet. We still be a needin' to find you an appropriate midwinter's dress."

It was another twenty minutes before Daine was allowed to meet the others, wearing the same elaborate blue gown, and feeling very retched.

As she entered the main room, she found Numair handing Master Johorn some coins, and she couldn't help but grin, seeing a new black robe he was wearing over some well made nobleman's suit.

Numair turned with a start and saw her bowing to say, "Oh forgive me gentle lady, forgive me for not-" he stopped midway then choked, "Daine??"

"Yes. They've refined me" she said rolling her eyes.

"I'm sorry... I mean.. Its just... Your beautiful." Daine raised an eyebrow, she felt like laughing to see Numair speechless and he blushed, "I mean you're always beautiful. But that dress truly sets everything off."

"Yes.. and its also highly immovable" she said with a snort, "I love it as much as you adore that black robe you're wearing"

Numair glowered, "I made the mistake of mentioning I'm a black robe when they asked me my profession."

Daine let out a laugh, "I suspected as much." The tailor just stared at them and shook his head walking to his other costumers. Daine looked up at Numair seriously, "Should we find our dearest squire to take us to our rooms? I'd like to discuss something with you..."

The mage nodded a bit with a sigh, "Yes, I think that may be a good course of action. Might he be outside?"

"Alann- Alan? Outside. In this weather?" Daine let out something that sounded suspiciously like a snort. "You know what he told us."

Peaking outside to see the incoming new batch of snow Numair grinned back, "Point taken. Well we told him about an hour, so I suspect he should be back any-" The door open to let in a shivering Alanna who grinned up at the two mages.

"Sorry. I didn't account for the snow. I see you got fitted alright" Alanna was looking at the two of them wide eyed now, and Daine realized how they must have changed... from two breeches wearing nobles, to this fine garment.

Daine shrugged, "I admit, the tailor does dreams with clothes. Even if they aren't as flexible as a pair of-" Numair shot her a look and she realized what she had almost said, "breeches. But truth be told, the beauty of the skirts far outweighs the comfort of men's wear." That was it... she was most defiantly going to have to pay her teacher back for the look he was giving her at the moment.

Alanna raised an eyebrow but said nothing, just a slight look of incredulous that passed onto her face. "Well, if your finished I can show you to your guest rooms. They're near the other nobles and we're going to have to walk across the training grounds, I hope you don't mind."

Numair shook his head, "On the contrary, I'm rather interested in seeing the knights and other squires at their work, please show us the way."

Daine saw what he was heading towards and couldn't help but agree. She'd like to get a better idea on who all was working, and ages. Not to mention she couldn't resist the chance to see Jon, Raoul and the others in their younger years.

Alanna shrugged and said, "That's good then. its midwinter, so most of the knights and their squires are back at the palace. If you'll follow me Sir and Mi'lady." Daine almost choked, and let out a giggle, then tried to turn it into a flirtatious smile, quite unsuccessfully. Alanna had to stop herself from staring at the two, one half laughing at her, and the other with the most amused expression on his face.

So with the mages following her, Alanna led them, stony faced, back into the wintry courtyard, and to the training grounds.

There... to pay all of you back for the two months I didn't update.. you're gonna have to wait a bit more then two days for the next one though.... probably... but ya never know g.. and this was a good four pages to. Now to thank my reviewers (The reason I actually write it)

Rorouni: hehehe well I hoped you like this last chappy then. And see... a nice fast one in payment g sees flames OHHH PWETTY FIRE!!

Karakin: I'm getting to it... just not may People choices I have at the moment... but that'll definantly be playing a big part

Narm: g Glad to be able to help entertain you... (and was that fast enough?)

Equestrian: Thanks so much... glad you think so hugs

Moody: Thanks... neither have I really, which was one of the reasons I decided to add to the minute amount.

Marble: Yessum! Will do! Don't do anything drastic!

Insomniac: Thank you

Lioness: Thankee winks

Misty: Thats what I wanted to try for... glad you found it working

Simi: No worries... I ramble all the time.. and know whatchya mean about skirts