Disclaimer: I only own what is mine. My OCs and Ideas.
A/N: Ok, so a change of gears from the last chapter. Still, some good stuff going on. Not much to report. Although I will try my hardest to make the time and sit down and work on my other two stories. I really want to have Next Generation: Anna finished up by the end of the summer, or at least nearly done. And Together As One I know will take more time so I want to get the ball rolling on that one. Right now, I am looking into getting a new laptop, so when I finally get one that should really help speed up production on my writing. Anyway, enjoy!
Reviews:
ArtemisBAMF1218- Summer, it's becoming less and less like I remember it, summer is getting shorter and all that summer homework. I mean come on people...
Anyway, you mentioning Aiko's tiredness has sparked an idea for later, be looking out for that.
Wow, glad you love it so much. And thank you for the praise. It means tons.
I'm looking forward to getting working on the wedding, this is going to be an amazing thing to research and write. Danny, sweet loving Danny.
Ok, I have so much planned for the upcoming chapters starting with, I think, chapter 20. So, without further ado, let's hurry up and get there. Enjoy!
Chapter 17
Aiko pulled her hood that covered her face as she walked down the street with Māmā.
It was too early in the morning. Shopkeepers were just now sweeping the doorways and dumping water into the roads.
No one bothered to take a second look at her and it was nice.
But Aiko refused to chance it. She kept her face well covered.
"Turn here," Māmā said easily.
Aiko nodded. They were in the pricey and nicest part of the shops. It wasn't the markets that were people's homes and shops with people on the side of the road selling things.
The stores were all up kept and nice. This was more of the place for respected tradesmen and women. Not the everyday things.
The best clothing and materials were here; the best weaponry, the best herbs, and spices, the best and more expensive imports. Furniture was built here. Restaurants were here. Aiko had spotted a matchmaker's businesses already too.
Young girls who were only old enough to start their training were outside in the street sweeping and working up a sweat in the morning sun.
Aiko looked around. Regular everyday people did come down this way. It wasn't so expensive and high-end that everyday people would never dream walking the streets, it just was never as loud and busy as the market.
"Beautiful morning, is it not?" Māmā asked.
"Yeah, it's beautiful." Aiko smiled. "It's way too early."
"Well, she had an appointment right as the day starts up so we had to come in early. She said she can make some time for next week if you are pleased with her work." Māmā said calmly. "I know you are tired, but best foot forward. You must represent yourself well. There are young apprentices running around, be a good example."
"Of course," Aiko nodded, "more social pressure."
Māmā stopped outside the shop with her hand on the door. "Aiko. I am serious."
"I know, Māmā." Aiko nodded. "Best behavior."
Māmā gave Aiko one smile. She pulled open the door and Aiko walked in, pulling her hood off her head.
Aiko looked around. There were three young girls all in the small lobby.
There were some places to sit and some dresses and fabrics hanging from the walls.
The oldest of the girls was embroidering a small cloth, she was sitting at a desk with many books behind it.
She looked up at the two who had entered the shop.
She smiled at them and put down her work standing up and bowing deeply.
"Emiko! Yoshiko!" The girl snapped at the young girls as she stayed bowed.
The two girls rushed over and bowed. "Welcome!" They sang together.
Aiko smiled. They all straightened up and Aiko bowed to them in return.
"Lady Kung, Lady Aiko," The oldest girl smiled. "A pleasure to meet you both! My name is Asha."
"Nice to meet you, Asha," Aiko replied.
"You are nice and early." Asha smiled. "Miss Chén is very excited to meet you."
Aiko smiled and nodded, "sounds good."
"Please, I'll take your cloak and get you some tea." Asha offered. "Miss Chén has stepped out for a little while, please have a seat."
Aiko nodded as she easily took off her cloak and handed it off to Asha.
Māmā nodded and walked over to a table and sat down.
Aiko followed and sat down, placing the book full of designs and patterns down on the desk and opened it to look at the two dresses that she had selected.
Aiko looked up as she heard Asha walk over. "This is Longjing tea, Dragon Well Tea. If you need anything, please, let me know."
Māmā smiled at Aiko. "Excited?"
Aiko shrugged. "I don't know."
"You know, you've been nervous and on edge a bit lately, I think this will help you out. Make things calmer. Once you get to talk to Miss Chén and start to get a picture, I am sure you will be more excited."
Aiko sighed as she sipped her tea. "I hope so. Danny's been so relaxed with it all up to this point. And I've been nervous and I don't think he appreciates it very much."
The pair waited quietly for a while.
To Aiko the morning was still too young. Much too young and she was much too tired.
The apprentices, as Aiko had guessed, were running around. Asha had returned to her work, every now and then looking up to watch Aiko and her mother, but she didn't speak to them as she worked on her project before her.
The other two were running around to get things done as fast as they could; sweeping, mopping, dumping water into the street.
They seemed to make a ruckus as they went from the back of the store to the main room and back.
Aiko didn't look at them. She instead flipped through the book looking at the two designs that she had picked out.
One looked very elegant, and the other was much more traditional.
Her mind urged her to look at other pictures, even if she loved the pictures she had picked out.
Aiko sighed as she poured herself more tea. She picked up the cup with both hands and drank some trying to wake herself up.
"Lady Kung, Lady Aiko!" A cheerful voice came from the entrance of the shop.
Māmā stood up as a woman approached them.
They bowed to each other.
"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Aiko," She smiled at Aiko.
"A pleasure to meet you too," Aiko easily stood up.
"I'm Miss Chén. Master Seamstress. You have been introduced to my students, correct?" Miss Chén asked.
Aiko nodded. "A lovely group. The younger two are quite awake considering the hour."
Miss Chén shrugged. "They are young and full of energy. Asha gets bothered by it. She's an extremely good worker."
Aiko just nodded.
Miss Chén picked up the book off the desk. "Do you have anything in mind?" She asked.
"Yes," Aiko nodded. "I believe I found something."
"We were thinking about getting two dresses," Māmā spoke up, "as traditional for a Chinese wedding."
Miss Chén looked Aiko over. "Yes, well, come with me."
Aiko and Māmā followed Miss Chén through a door into a room littered with fabrics and patterns.
"Here, my dear," Miss Chén said handing Aiko an off-white under-gown. "Change into this."
Aiko sighed and nodded. She found the room divider and slipped behind it before she slipped off her dress and changed.
"So, you are marrying the king, correct?" Miss Chén asked.
"I am," Aiko replied slowly.
"I have never been blessed with the honor of meeting him. Tell me about him." Miss Chén suggested.
"He's great." Aiko smiled. "He's the Iron Fist and he's a really powerful warrior, we spar sometimes." She stopped as she tied the belt around her waist. "I am not sure what you want to know about him."
"The basics are fine."
Aiko sighed. Gossip. That's what this would become.
She rolled her eyes. "We've been spending time together making the plans and arrangements. That's about it."
"He's a gentleman, correct? Or is his calm and perfect demeanor just for show?" Miss Chén asked.
"It's not just for show, he is really like that. He has his flaws, but he is really a calm and respectful person." Aiko said as she stepped out with her dress in her arms.
Miss Chén looked Aiko over. "You have a wonderful thin figure. You are rather tall, and you carry yourself very well. You should get something to compliment that."
Aiko sighed and gave a smile. "I guess that is ok, I am undecided still."
Māmā took Aiko's dress and traded the book with her.
Aiko flipped through the pages. "I thought this one, for the ceremony," she pointed out.
The dress was very traditional, red and gold. "I didn't like the collar, however." She added.
"That could easily be removed." Miss Chén said taking the book and stepping back from Aiko.
Looking from the book to the girl repeatedly. "Hm, it's slim, much like you are. Two pieces… I'm not sure… I do love the phoenix on the front. You much wear a Phoenix and King Daniel must wear a dragon."
Aiko nodded her head.
Miss Chén flipped through the book. "Do you have certain preferences?"
"Nothing tight," Aiko said instantly.
"And nothing busy," Miss Chén added. She looked through the book. "You have a natural beauty about you, something you should not distract from."
Aiko sighed and looked over to Māmā who was smiling.
"I have a dress very much like the one you like; your dress must be completely made from scratch. How long do I have?" Miss Chén asked.
"About a moon, I believe," Aiko said. "We have a date, but we have not officially announced it. I guess we are still waiting on something."
Miss Chén watched her with an unreadable expression. "Two dresses in a moon is easy." She decided. "I will do them myself."
She handed the book off to Aiko and started to dig through some piles of clothing.
Aiko looked to her mother.
"You are doing well." Māmā nodded.
Aiko smiled weakly.
Miss Chén walked back. "Alright, this is an older piece very similar; we can look and see how it fits you."
Aiko nodded as she walked closer and was helped into the dress.
Aiko sighed. They had been at the dress shop much longer than planned. It was past breakfast, and Aiko was hungry and starting to get grumpy.
She tried her hardest to keep quiet however as she was measured and asked a billion questions.
"Are you alright, Lady Aiko?" Miss Chén asked as she walked back around to stand in front of Aiko.
Aiko was in a different dress now, less traditional, very most, but the one that she had picked for the celebrations afterward; floor length and beautiful.
Asha walked in with a tray in her hands and Aiko looked over to her as Miss Chén and Māmā spoke about the dress she was wearing.
Aiko stepped down on the stool as Asha walked over and placed the tray down on the coffee table near a couch.
Aiko sat down and looked at the food. "Wow."
"Is that from that Lǐ boy again?" Miss Chén asked loudly.
Asha looked up. "It is," She smiled, she looked over at Aiko. "Please help yourself."
Aiko looked at all the snacks.
Tanghulu, candied fruit; Dango, sweet dumplings; and Nuomici, sweet rice dumpling.
Aiko picked up a pair of chopsticks and got herself a Dango.
She held her hand under it to prevent any spillage.
She gently placed it in her mouth and chewed. "This is good." She smiled with bright eyes.
Asha nodded. "There is this really quiet boy who works in a bakery down the way, he's the only boy in his family, his mom owns the shop and he's been bringing me some desserts every now and then."
Aiko smiled. "He sounds charming."
Asha smiled to herself. "I guess. We don't talk a lot or anything. He just keeps bringing me treats and offering to do chores around here."
"Sounds like he likes you," Aiko smiled, she reached for some Tanghulu.
Asha's face burned. "No… I mean… I…"
"Are you engaged to someone?" Aiko asked.
"No, I'm still fifteen." Asha smiled. "He's sixteen or seventeen."
"Looks like he has his mind set on you." Aiko laughed.
Asha sighed, her face burning. "I am not sure. But he is a very nice boy."
Aiko just laughed to herself. "You know, before I was engaged, everyone kept telling me and Danny how great we were for each other."
"You mean King Daniel?" Asha asked.
"Well, yes, I just do not call him that. As long as I have known him, he insists upon being 'Danny'." Aiko nodded. "I thought you already would have known that?"
Asha gave Aiko a strange look.
"Not to be disrespectful or anything!" Aiko rushed to cover herself. "It's just, I figured everyone would know who I was, and this is a big deal isn't it?"
"Marrying our King? Very big deal," Asha nodded. "I just did not want to jump to conclusions or anything. No one really knows 'Lady Aiko Kung' anyway." Asha shrugged. "You are just a name in the city, people remember you from a year ago, but since you returned, no one quite knows how you have changed."
Aiko sighed. "I guess that would be true."
Asha smiled. "So, how long have you known King Daniel?"
"Since I was five and he was six," Aiko replied as she reached for more Dango.
Asha nodded. "You must be close to each other."
"We are." Aiko nodded.
Asha watched Aiko for a moment. "Do you love him?"
Aiko nearly choked on her food, she coughed a few times before swallowing her face hot red. "What?"
"I do not mean to impose, but… not all marriages are for love. Some are for business." Asha explained. "You are both from very high-class families."
"I… I love him!" Aiko assured. Her face was red. "And he says he loves me as well. His sister is constantly assuring me of that too."
"Ah, the Lady Rhynisha!" Asha smiled. "I have heard she is very interesting."
"That's one word for it." Aiko sighed.
"Aiko, come stand on the stool again." Miss Chén said quickly as she held up some fabric in her arms. "Asha, tell me what you think."
Aiko sighed as she got back up and walked over to the stool.
She stepped up and the fabric was held up and draped around her.
"I like it." Asha nodded. "That color looks good on you."
Aiko smiled.
"Miss Chén!" Emiko dashed into the room. "You are needed out front!"
Miss Chén sighed. "I guess that is long enough for today?"
Aiko nodded. "Yes, I can come back."
"Asha, help her out of that dress." Miss Chén said. "I'll be back."
Asha walked over as Aiko stepped down.
"Is this the one?" Asha asked.
"I don't know." Aiko shrugged.
Asha nodded as she undid the back of the dress and helped Aiko take it off. "I hope you will be coming back."
"Don't worry; I am certain I will be back." Aiko nodded as she took her casual normal dress from the table and went to change.
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