Chapter 6: Dress Store Breakdown

Bash's brows furrowed slightly and his frown deepened. He stood outside the surplus store stiffly, his hands behind his back. Since when did Mary enter surplus stores? It was hard enough spending last summer teaching her how to shoot a gun, and Bash never forgot the shock to his system when he first bought her the taser. When Mary told him about the dress store, he raised a brow. She was acting suspiciously.

His lips thinned in a line as he took in the pink walls of the dress store. Sequins, sparkles, and tassels were everywhere. He never felt so out of place in his life. Well, that wasn't true. He was often dragged into bridal shops with his mother, before she died. Even when she wasn't getting married. Bash eyed a far corner and saw that the store merged into a tux shop. Deep down, he shivered. He directed his attentions to his charge as she shopped around the store.

Mary walked through the dresses, choosing a simple black A-line gown with a corset middle section and a slightly mermaid style bottom half. She held the dress up to herself and looked in the mirror before her, tilting her head as she looked at herself in it. "Bash, tell me...does this suit me?" She asked, turning to look at him as she held the gown up to herself still. One hand still tightly holding the bag from the surplus store that held his gift.

She felt as if things were going to be tense, and yet she hoped that things wouldn't be this tense. She would ask him politely to please stop the car someplace they wouldn't be seen later, when she was done shopping. She wanted to get things figured out between them, and hopefully she would be able to give him his gift without him losing it. Otherwise she would leave it in his car, and she would go inside the castle upon their return.

Bash eyed the dress and Mary for a brief moment, before studiously redirecting his gaze to a rack of green dresses. GREEN dresses. Oh boy."I'm sure anything Your Grace chooses will compliment you," he said carefully, face impassive. He truly hoped she wasn't asking for his honest opinion, and merely trying to mess with his head. Luckily, before Mary could ask anything more of him, a sales lady approached.

"Hello! I take it you are both finding everything okay? My, that dress is gorgeous, isn't it? One of my favorites. Would you like to try it on in a fitting room?" the lady spoke to Mary, smiling wide at them both. She was short and a bit thick, with olive skin and brunette hair. Bash looked to Mary and waited for her answer.

"This one, and perhaps one of those green strapless corset style gowns as well." Mary said, giving a small nod as she looked at the way Bash was reacting to her right now. She had wanted his opinion though, but she wasn't sure if she was going to get it. She placed the bag from the surplus store within the rather large purse of her own, before looking to Bash.

"Bash, would you mind holding this for me while I try the dresses on?" She asked, tilting her head as she looked at him. She handed the sales woman the dress, nodding towards the rack of green ones as well to indicate she wanted to try that one on as well.

Bash held out his arm and allowed Mary to drape her purse straps around it. The sales lady giggled.

"You must be loved a lot, I couldn't ever get my ex-boyfriend to hold my purse in private, much less in public!"

Bash eyed the woman, and the green dress, for only moment. "I'm sure her boyfriend would be more than willing to take this purse from me, if he were here."

"Oh! So you aren't...I'm sorry, it just seemed as if you two were intimate."

"Not romantically."

"Ah! Are you siblings?"

"More like companions."

"Friends?"

"Something like that."

"So then, you're single, sir?"

Bash eyed first the sales woman, then Mary. Looking at the woman, he said, "You picked the wrong size. No, it's correct, but the make of that dress is different. The way the seams are, it will be too tight around the bust. Get a size larger. If she likes it, have it custom ordered." He stepped a bit away then, trying to distance himself from whatever the hell the Queen had gotten him into. He stared hard at the prom dresses on the wall, listening to both Mary and the other woman's retreating footsteps. He exhaled through his nose.

Mary shook her head, walking into the fitting room with both the dresses. She found herself quite taken by the woman bluntly asking Bash if he was single, she actually wanted to have the woman fired by all rights. But that wouldn't look good, not for his family or her own, he was right about that.

She came out of the dressing room in the black dress, admiring herself in the mirror and the way it hugged certain curves of hers. She was about to call out to him, but paused, choosing to look over her shoulder at him instead. She found herself suddenly very upset, and just wanting to leave all the same. She went back into the fitting room and quickly changed back into her normal clothing, leaving the dresses upon the hangers and exiting the room quickly.

She walked back to Bash, taking her purse and hooking it over her own shoulder once more. "I wish to go back now, I'm done here." She said, her voice unable to hide the sudden sadness that had creeped into it.

If she stayed any longer, she knew she wouldn't be able to hide it again. She made her way for the elevator, pressing the button quickly numerous times in hopes that it would come quickly and free her from this awfulness she was feeling.

Bash was an unwilling participant in a conversation with the sales woman, when he saw Mary rush by him a moment later. She didn't wait up for him, didn't pause, and Bash too excused himself as he followed after his charge, wondering what the hell was up with her now.

He reached her in short strides. "What is it?" He asked as he stared down at her. "What of your dresses?"

Mary continued to push the button, shaking her head slightly. "I don't care for them after all...I've got too many at the castle. I just...wish to go now." She said, feeling the sadness within her voice as she watched the elevator doors open up.

She was within the elevator quickly enough, and kept her back to him as she waited for him to push the button to where the car was presently. She just wanted to go back, seclude herself in her room and try and forget her stupidity for the day.

One hand clutched her bag to her chest, feeling the weight of the package within it and knowing that she would give it to him before she went and locked herself away in her room for the rest of the day.

Bash wanted to say something, but then again, he didn't want to say anything. He was still upset with her, and hurt - man, he admitted it - by her words and actions not even an hour before. If she didn't offer to tell him what was wrong, did it really have anything to do with him?

Bash sighed heavily, his aggravation flaring again. "If you say so, Your Grace," he muttered, hitting the button for the second floor garage.

He waited for her to exit the elevator first as he escorted her back to the car. He unlocked the Altima electronically as they approached it, and paused to look at her.

"Are you still sitting up front? Or is the back seat suitable?"

Mary bit back her tears, hearing his words. "Oh I'm sure the back seat is exactly where your charge belongs, isn't it? As you've stated so clearly, I've been a fool this entire afternoon! Well here then, no use in postponing this!" She snapped out, pulling the bag from within her purse and thrusting it into his hands.

"I had hoped to give this to you under different circumstances, I remembered you saying something about how you wanted to get this...so I thought I would get it for you as a surprise...as a gift. Well there you are, your newest weapon to keep your charge safe." She said, opening the back door to the Altima and getting into the back seat.

She couldn't stop the tears as they flowed down her cheeks, but at least in the back seat he wouldn't have to look at her. She pulled the door shut a bit harsher than expected, but she refused to look at him. Could he not see that the conversation he had just been having, not even ten minutes ago was the cause of her upset?