The Enchanted Artist:
A Limited number of dresses were artistically sewn from individual inspirations drawn from the creator's creative mind. Materials were gathered from all over the Arbezela Empire through merchant channels. From lace woven by 9th generation lace makers using silk threads from giant spiders. Freshly tanned leather made from skin or fur of monsters hunted down in Xek. Finest pearls, shells, and coral harvested from depths of Marloe's water during low tide by maidens. Raw metals and uncut gemstones from mines of Galdeon. Reach fabric by the yards in the most vibrant of colors from Darhan. Other small details that made up seasonal creations from the current head of House HitSio.
At the moment, she was drawing away the newest creations of dresses and suits within the sitting area of her shop with pencil in hand. Time she took to draw out even one outfit was time consuming since she always took her time with details of each piece. Like the current one she was drawing out a flowing gown with thigh high slit to the right and sweetheart neckline. When she put her pencil down on the edge of the side table with her eyes on the drawing she created. Not even looking up when one of five of her walked in and announced a tea break. Got her head nod from her mother when she had stopped in place to await an answer.
"It's a blend from Xek," She set a made pot down, "Called Masala Tea."
"Yo'ash boy no doubt is behind this one," Her mother mumbled, "Ingredients."
"Goat's milk, sugar, tea leaves, and spices like star anise, cinnamon, fennel seeds, and peppercorns." She listed.
What she got was a light hum from her mother when she lay the sketch book down in her lap with a sigh. Not able to figure out what else she can add with the urge to add this to the seasonal catalog. Already figuring that it could be added to summer or autumn with a minor change to it.
"Everything ok?" Lilia asked her.
"Three suits and two dresses," Her mother pointed to the board behind the sofa she sat on, "I hit a mental barrier."
Behind then was a board where her mother posted her works of art as the nobility and wealthy elite called them. Fabric and lace scraps were pinned next to each hand drawn outfit by push pins. We're spaced out into numbered slots that weren't even half way filled like they usually were.
"I get back from my tour of the conquered kingdoms with new stock for our store," Her mother happily recalled her half year long trip, "I can only draw out those."
"Don't you have anything from your travel doodles?" Lilia asked.
That question made her mother go quiet when she recalled the muse whispering in her ear during the trip. Smirk appeared on her face and she recalled those pieces as her tossing her current sketch aside.
"Rose?" She shouted, "Lilia. Where is that space case charmer with a nose for gossip?"
"Mother," Lilia disliked how her own mother called them,"Really?"
"What?" She crossed her arms, "She takes after your late father, as sly as a greased tea cup poodle during a hunt."
Both gave a moment of silence for a late court that dealt mostly in textiles, clothing, and business committees. The eyes for details when it came to numbers and designs made the man a freak. He always spotted the inconsistency in an invoice or pattern presented to him during work hours.
"I'll see where she is," Lilia sighed, "Give me a minute."
Out of the sitting area she would walk with a serving tray in hand and wear her best smile for clients. Seeing at Arsenal was in the middle showing off a finished series of dresses to a group of ladies. Who were impressed with the finer details from hand crafted metallic and gemstones accessories. As Yo'ash was assisting another lady through the formal gown catalog. She was near the center where the more sensual or smexy pieces could be flipped through. An off the shoulder piece tied in a mermaid style gown with a thigh high slit on the right caught her eye. Small alterations could be added to tieable straps to metallic chains on top of the slit.
Making it easier for Lilia to get to the hidden entrance, where she entered the hustling and bustling back area. This was an arcane mess of men and women from different departments just working away. Sounds of sewing machines and fabric shears shaping pieces in fabric were the loudest. Piecing together the latest orders that would end up on dressmakers dummy nearby. Single clip boards hang from a table next to these dummies that held the order from a client. Paragraph length each space held spoke about a certain pattern or solid to be used. Ribbon or lace alongside metallic and gemstone embedded detail of a gown or casual dress.
"Have any of you seen Rose?" Lilia asked as loudly as she could.
This made some workstations go quiet when they pointed in the same direction of the shop's second floor office area. She thanked them befor pe making her way to the second floor of the back area. Had a more of a casual sitting area with worn down furniture one wouldn't find upfront. She would find her sister in the company of Arsenal and Yo'ash youngest brother and proclaimed golden rose.
"Do your brothers know you're here?" Lilia interrupted the two.
"I told you my mother was calling me," Rose pulled completely away, "Now go stuff it."
Before she could be told any further that her mother could fetch her own drawing book from her office. A silvery blond young man with hazel eyes had a pillow thrown full force at home on his face. To further be told that nothing ever had a mother who was first empress of a great kingdom.
"That was your que to get lost," Lilia hinted, "Bye bye Raimo."
Rose was already up and not paying a single shred of attention to him as she picked something from atop a desk. Said her self goodbyes to Lilia and was gone before Raimo could stop her. Left him to either charm his way out of it with a wink and smile to suffer Yo'ash's wrath later.
"I was sent to check in after mother heard Ijada came here and made up with his ex," he pointed out, "She was worried about him."
"He's lively and has been making time for her." Lilia stepped aside for Rose.
The girls would nod at each other as Rose rushed off to her mother's side with a leather book in hand. One filled with drawings doodled by her mother during her travels away from home. Mostly all types of attire from, formal gowns with whimsical spirit of Merloe or suits inspired by fierce masculinity of Xek. Just needed a splash of color to be brought to lift within the shop's display window. Which was coming true when Rose entered the front of the shop with a nervous gulp.
"Everything ok?" Arsenal and Yo'ash asked in their own way.
" …" She held up the book to them.
"Countess Marian's sketch book." Both knew that leather bond pages.
Rose took a breath and walked into the sitting area where she handed over the sketch back with her best smile.
8*8
Restored, three story townhouse with a lavish garden was home to the eldest sons of Ariana de Secramise after they left behind Palace life. Arsenal and Yo'ash shared with their youngest sibling or only son of Haun Baek, Sang Sook- Jono. Servants were maidens and sons deemed disgraceful in people's eyes of Arbezela. Exterior and interior were a mixture of Xek and Durham cultural influences. Currently had its, first floor sitting room used to host the first prince of Arbezela, Duke Teo Ambrose Crytear.
"Is Dr. Flora on call," Yo'ash asked one do the servant girls, "I going to need a anti- venom injection after this."
"More like a prescribed trip to a spa in the mountains of Galdeon." Arsenal joked.
Spread of hand painted, bone China tea seat, from trading ports of Marloe with silver utensils and richest confectioneries. Serving a lavender tea blended with black Ceylon and lapsing souchong leaves, fruity black currant, and sweet vanilla. Soft music with a Durham twist was being played from a century old victrola. Wasn't pleasing the guest just sitting opposite of his half brothers.
"Well…." Lilia tried to recall, "I think so."
"Visit to a spa with a view would be pleasant," Lotos hummed, "Mother has been running us ragged."
The sight of two girls that had miraculously gifts and were engaged to his half brothers just bothered him. One who could read the hearts of man and another with the voice of a siren had interested him. Into his lap he placed both his hands with posture still straight and eyes darting from Lotos to Lilia.
"Are you two done with your jokes?" Duke Teo aske the two.
"One more." Yo'ash pulled Lilia into his lap.
"One that has us," Arsenal leaned forward in his seat, "Wanting to know when you leave, since we know why you're here."
"Neither of my sisters or I are interested in becoming your fiancée." Lotos answered for them.
Smirked of annoyance that slightly pulled at his face was one that was ready to call upon chains of restraint. Ones he could use to pin his brothers down and force them to give into his demands. He dismissed when recalling these two did have battle experiences in magical combat and close quarters combat. Along with being able to shift into animals that earned them their reputations. Arsenal was known as the silver wolf of House Phantom as Yo'ash was Blue Phoenix from Xek.
"Now we're done," Yo'ash took hold of his cup, "How is mother?"
"Besides finding out that Ijada and Raimo were sneaking off," Duke Teo turned down the offer for refill, "Still as tense as the day you two left."
"Meaning out fathers are still competing for a night with mother." Arsenal explained to Lotos and Lilia.
Both girls kissed the boys on the corners of their lips before rising from their seats in a lingering sense. Before excusing themselves from the area and when things were about to get more heated. Neither one liked being around when either one of the Arsenal and Yo'ash family members visited.
"Good luck," Both girls addressed the guys, "You know where to find us."
Out of the room from the second set of doors the girls went with Yo'ash goofily waving Lilia goodbye the whole time. When the door shut the girls were able to breathe clearly outside those closed doors. Hoping this visit didn't result in the needing to order another new tea set and coffee table.
"I wish he would give up," Lotos was disliking Duke Teo's visits, "I don't think he sees us as actual people when he asked us."
"I still think he's trying to steal one of us to rub in their faces." Lilia reminded her.
"Sounds like little Teo," Sang walked past them, "Even when growing up beside him, he always had to have what he wanted. Our Mother's and Grandparents' attention. First in EVERY lesson and EVERY activity we were introduced to."
"No wonder you three left," Lilia and Lotos didn't like what they heard, "How were you able to survive?"
"Caring elder brothers and my father," Sang mused over the kinder memories, "Actually I didn't want to be a plaything to my Uncle Weol Hyeon."
Chills ran up the girls' spine when Sang spoke the name of a disliked relative with such a cold glint in his eyes. They both found out that Sang was loved in different ways by Haun's side of the family. Former queen and king of Darhan saw him as a precious grandson unlike his uncles Weol Hyeon, Cheong Gang, and Chanhui. Since one of them had come to start calling Sang his new white ferret.
"Have I ever said how creepy your family is," Lilia bluntly states, "Like cringe."
"Lilia!" Lotos blinked out of shock at what her sister said.
"This is why I like you two." Sang shared.
They girls ended up helping him with the flowers he had in his arms to change out with dead ones. They were careful not to knock over the already chipped vases that were on tables in the halls. They were second hand and salvaged from ruins of temples by Sang visited.