RP:Dress Up!
Synopsis: Celaeno and Raevyn finally pick out what they're going to wear for the Yule Ball!
Date: Dec. 21st, 2017
Enchantment Market
What was once a bustling commerce, now a lone stand remains. He sells his tenders to try and earn a living, for he believes in the rebuilding of the city and the need for commerce to grow and do its part. He sells his wears, some of the finest dresses in the entire world of Hollow. Heading to the north will take you closer to the castle while going back south will allow you to leave this once proud city center.
Celaeno had stumbled upon the pixie and fae home only twice before, but what had stuck out to her most was the sole dress merchant in the middle of it all. Considering her and her friend had to go somewhere with a at least a modicum of formality, it came to mind. It was only after they walked into the somewhat desolate market, that she remembered how out of place she felt both of those times, a bit plain in that colorful, forested city. At least this time she brought company...and glances over at said company as she gestures toward the stand. "Here we are!"
At least Celaeno wasn’t the only one that stood out in this colorful city of enchantment. Raevyn seemed to always be dressed in one shade of black at all times, which is perhaps in need of a change. She was excited when Celaeno had offered to lead the way in their shopping adventure, although the undead miser that trailed along behind them could be heard muttering. “Stupid contracts. Stupid meatbags. Gods, what did I do to deserv- Oh, right.” Raevyn was gawking around with wonder at all the pretty sights that made up this kingdom of pixies and faes. “Wow! This place is gorgeous!” And as she turned to view the gestured stand, for the first time in a very, very long time, Raevyn’s eyes lit up. She had always admired dresses. Heck, she even wore them at some point in her life. After the accident, she wasn’t quite the same, but that love of pretty things was seeming to come back little by little. “Wow!! We must try these on!!” she exclaimed. One hand extended out to Baelok and her fingers closed in on her palm a few times. “Money.” The undead shook his head. “Calm yourself there, kiddo. Go actually try things on first.” To Celaeno the girl would beam, “So what sort of style or colors will you be going for?”
Celaeno wasn't exactly beaming, but she had a considerable smile on her face as she watched Raevyn light up over the sights, the gowns. Inwardly, she was happy it wasn't so crowded and took deep breaths every once in awhile as she pushed herself outside that box she'd stayed in most of her life. So far it had done her a world of good, so why stop now? She hung by Raevyn, the quiet one by comparison between her exclamations and Baelok's resentful muttering. She dug in her pack a moment as the other young woman sought her guardian's part in all this. She pulled out a box, made of thin wood with a logo painted on the top smelling of tobacco and held it out toward the undead. "Here, I happened to be in the area the other day." When he opened it, he would find some of those cigars he wanted so much from sage in exchange for their lessons. Once he took it, Cela returned her full attention to the errand at hand. She glances around at the different gowns put out as examples and Raevyn's question makes her cheeks heat up. "Something with sleeves, a long skirt...black or gray?" Her voice went up as if she were stuck in a hole and uncertainly asking someone for a rope to climb out. "I'm not sure...what do you think?"
Raevyn was already busy at work, fluttering between colors and sizes, different neck cuts and lengths. She sort of missed this kind of thing. Maybe Nasada’s influence really was fading? Maybe that’s why she hadn’t had too many episodes lately? Either way, she wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Baelok took the box with a slight suspicion until the popped it open to see what lie in wait. The corner of his mouth pulls outward with a grin as he takes one of the cigars and sticks it into his open jaw. “I’m tellin’ ya Rae. This one. I’d trade her for you any day.” Those words went quite unheard as she both ignored him and was a little too busy mixing and matching. “That is a good question! Well. because of your.. condition, I think we should accessorize that way. So if you go with something black, we’ll have to get your some accompanying silver jewelry that will compliment your gauntlets. Although, something grey or silver might blend in better, and take the attention away from them entirely.” Raevyn was trying her best to think of her friend and boost her confidence, knowing full well that this wasn’t exactly easy for the half-elf.
Celaeno lets her hands rest at her sides rather than setting them against her stomach, tucked in her sleeves. She glances over her gauntlets, not the most delicate things, but they had a few swirling accents carved into their bottom edges--a signature of the smith she'd commissioned rather than her own hand. She thought over them a moment, not precisely a secret, something she was proud of if she had to admit her feelings on the matter. She tilts her chin a bit higher and nods with a smile. "How about the silver on black, then? Let everyone marvel at my handiwork. Perhaps it will earn me some new projects." With a color scheme in mind, she takes a turn glancing over the gowns, noticing how deep some of their necklines dipped. "However, it might be good to find something with a bit of a higher neckline, or...well something that doesn't show off my chest too much." Her cheeks got brighter at that idea, for more than just the scars.
Raevyn was quite relieved when Celaeno chose to showcase those wonderful pieces of art in all their glory. Truth be told, she never really knew how to address the situation. She was awkward and over thought everything when it came to speaking about Cela’s hands. The confidence showcased by the half-elf definitely helped the young necromancer to stop walking on eggshells. “Excellent! That is a great idea! They really are marvelous.” Raevyn confirms with a matter-of-fact nod. With Celaeno’s bashfulness, the pallid human could not help but giggle a little, sifting through the different designs until she found a couple that were much closer to her friend’s specifications. “Perhaps one of these? Not too revealing, modest, and still very much elegant.” She then spoke aloud, “I am still undecided how I wish to present myself. I… “ She pauses to think, a bit of shame coming over her features as she asks, “Do you think it would be wrong if I wore something a little less modest? All my life I have been confined to a more conventional and conservative code of dress. I would maybe like.. To try something different. Even if I show off a little cleavage.” To which Baelok immediately piped up, “Wouldn’t be much there.”
Celaeno glanced over them and picked one with a slight off the shoulder v-neck that didn't dip too low, but was form fitting enough with plenty of skirt to trail behind her. She thought a moment, glancing over her friend and tapping her chin. She wasn't an expert on other females, what was considered attractive or not, with only her sister's gut judgements to guide her growing up. The perhaps overly thoughtful silence ended in a firm nod. "I think yes. You're pretty, but not in the child bearing sense, which works in your favor. And if Baelok is thinking about your chest enough to comment, I'd say it's worth drawing attention to." She glances toward him with a teasing grin. "Besides, if any ladies or gentlemen think of becoming to amorous, he'll be there to fend them off. It gives you the perfect excuse to have fun with it. Knees and thighs as well are also apparently good to show for attracting attention. What colors were you thinking? Should we match or would that be too...quaint?"
Raevyn’s nose wrinkled a bit and her lips pursed as she looked down at her breasts with the undead guardian’s comment. She would squeeze them together, trying to create a mental image of what it might look like when properly dolled up. She didn’t have the biggest chest, but it wasn’t absent! Baelok was flashed a playfully dirty look before the girl replied to Celaeno, “Oh! That’s pretty! You’re going to look so great!” The compliments offered by the half-elf had Raevyn smiling in a reserved manner- She had never really been told she was pretty before. It was definitely a boost! “Thank you… I was afraid I would come off like some sort of tart. I just.. I want this to be fun, and you’re right. I mean, about Baelok being there for protection. For both of us.” The guardian was watching a few feet away and scoffed at the notion. “You’re on your own, kiddo. Celaeno brought me cigars. I’m her bodyguard now.” At least his sense of humor was coming back! A simple flick of her wrist waved the joking male off as she chose to address the issue of color. “Oh no. I’m not sure! I was going to go black, but maybe you are right. It might be a little too predictable. Well. What do you think?”
Celaeno 's face breaks out with new heat at Raveyn's praise of her choice. For the half-elf, it was just about as daring as she'd ever been for the way it seemed like it would cling. Refocusing on helping her friend set her in a better state as she purses her lips, going back to that analytical process as opposed to a more creative one. "Hmm...Well, we possibly should coordinate somehow, but perhaps as complimentary as opposed to matching. Like you wear white with silver accents or black with gold accents? Or...perhaps a violet with silver accents? That would be a lovely color on you, I think...or a deep red." The sureness in her voice started to slip as she fidgets with the tail of her braid and has a good chuckle at it all. "This always seemed frivolous to me, but it's harder than I thought." She runs her fingers over a few of the gathered dresses and stops at the most revealing one she sees. "Perhaps this one?"
Raevyn’s thumb hooks under her chin, the index finger pulling and bouncing her lower lip as she thought Celaeno’s suggestions over. Black and gold were her original choices, but as soon as she heard violet and silver, she was sold! “I… yes. I think I will go for the violet and silver motif. The color has always been so pretty, and the silver to match you would be wonderful.” With the shake of her head, Raevyn compliments her friend, “Nonsense! You’re doing just fine! I don’t think I would want anyone else here with me doing this, in all honesty.” Baelok finally lit that cigar he had been kind of chewing on, his booted steps making a casual approach to look at the designer’s wares. When Celaeno pulled out the more revealing dress, the neophyte necromancer’s eyed widen in surprise. ‘Cela! You think so?!” It was a lovely color of violet, with a sweetheart plunge neckline. Definitely a little farther down the liberal scale than she had originally imagined. It was a gorgeous piece, though.
Celaeno blinks, glancing at her choice with raised eyebrows. "I...think it will look nice. It...um seems like it will drape well. And...it does what you wanted with the...chest." She takes a deep breath, settling the bundle of uncertain nerves building in her stomach. There was a slight thump in her chest and she rubs it. Her voice comes out firmer and she smiles. "I think Cari approves. Yes, you definitely should."
Once more, Celaeno would not be the only one whose nerves were being unkind today. This sort of dress was very much unlike the reserved, conservative girl that would be wearing it. She could imagine her mother’s voice now, ‘Raevyn May McGowan! How dare you wear something so provocative! You’ll look like a common whore! Your body is for your husband only! Modesty is a girl’s best friend!’ And then, she thought about it a little deeper. All her life she had been her mother’s sweet dear child. She did everything she was told. For what? To be pressed upon with a hot iron and then forever banished from the only home she had ever known? It was time for a change. Raevyn needed to grow. She needed to shed that life and leave it behind. Besides, this was an event that only comes once every so often! She could afford to live a little. “Very well… if Cari approves..” she finally said, offering up a smile. The dress was taken in her grasp and held up against her body to get some sort of an idea how it might look. She would have to go find proper accessories afterwards, that was for certain. She was about to ask if she could try the dress on, when she looked up and realized- It didn’t look like there was such a place! “Um… do.. We just purchase on faith? Or, is there a place to change nearby?”
Celaeno 's eyes widen as she notices that it was...just a cart in the middle of a relatively empty market place. She glances toward the merchant, who seemed to be snickering a bit as he watched the women looking over his wears. He waves them over toward the other side of the cart where a small tent had been put up with a curtain closing it, big enough for a tall human to fit in comfortably. Cela sighs with some relief and bows her head to thank the gentleman as she moves around toward the tent, shoulders stiff. "I suppose I can go first?" She selfishly ducks inside, getting her turn to try something on out of the way. Jangling pots and pans and a few thuds followed her taking off her pack, then going from her baggy tattered robe to the sleek gown. When she glanced around inside the tent, attempting to look at her reflection, only the blank fabric walls greeted her back. She peeks out, biting her lip as she glances between Raevyn, and even Baelok with tendency toward a sharp tongue. Another one of those deep breaths was taken as she emerges. The black gown suited her just as well as the robes, though its color was deeper than the faded fabric of her usual clothing. The long sleeves disappeared under her gauntlets while only the tip of the markings on her chest peeked out from under the neckline. The skirt trailed over her feet across the ground, and she reaches behind her to pick up the slack. "Could you...bring us a mirror, sir?" The merchant in question started rummaging through his cart.
Baelok smirks in the only way he could, puffing on his cigar as he watched Celaeno’s plight. “Ya need some help in there? My eyes work better than a mirror! And I can tell ya if you’re getting fat in weird places.” Raevyn shoved the hulking male and scolded him almost immediately. “Baelok! You behave, or I will take those cigars from you.” Another of his scoffs, “Try it short stuff.” When the half-elf emerged from the tent, Raevyn was actually stunned. She had never really seen much of her friend, mostly due to the fact that she was never without those ghastly baggy robes. And now that she was in such a form fitting dress, Raevyn was quite taken aback. Both hands lifted and made fists in excitement, those pearly white teeth sinking into her knuckle as she struggled to contain herself. “Whoa. Silver-hands. Why ain’t you wearing stuff like this more often?” That compliment came from.. Baelok? Raevyn nodded excitedly before removing her hands away from her face, adding onto the guardian’s compliment. “You’re so gorgeous Cela! It looks so good on you! Look!” That last word was emphasized as the merchant brought over a lengthy mirror and set it next to the tent for the women to use.
Celaeno 's entire face grew red, giving her already tawny features a decent clay tint as she went to tuck her gauntlets in her sleeves, only to find them not there! Instead, she folds her hands and offers both of them a bashful nod of thanks. She'd grown accustomed to comments like that toward her twin. It was oddly jarring to hear them directed at her, though she tested her ability to move in the dress, finding, despite it's tighter contour, it moved just as well if not better than her robes. Even the skirt offered only a little of an obstacle, easily lifted as she gave a teasing curtsy, a further test and not showing off--or so she convinced herself. As light caught in the mirror once it came, she gave the man another polite bow and a muttered "Thank You" before turning to behold herself. She blinks and her chest flutters again. Was that really her sister trying to communicate or was it just shock of how much her own reflected reminded her of her far more liberal twin? She licks her mouth and turns around, starting to smile when a little voice popped up in her mind. 'Really? You look like you're trying to marry. I thought you were a scholar. Vanity is supposed to be beneath you.' Her nose wrinkles at the reflection. Much like Raevyn, her own parent's voice tried to weasel itself through to burst her happy bubble. Well, she straightened her posture, helping the dress accentuate her medium build even more, and she tilted her chin high. "I think...I like it." Then there was definitely a strange pull on her chest, something...off, more than the little bumps she felt sometimes since she discovered her sister's more aware presence. Her reflection in the mirror flashes for a moment, a fraction of a moment, to a taller elven man dressed in black that resembled her, standing in the same arrogant pose. Then it vanished, leaving her heart quickening in her chest and her face growing somewhat paler.
With a bit of amusement, Raevyn watched her friend first struggles, and then finds her stride with the lovely elegant gown that they had picked out. It was nice to know that she wasn’t the only one who would probably fight with getting used to the idea of wearing something so extravagant and alluring. As soon as Celaeno admitted to liking the dress, Raevyn’s hands rapidly clapped together in an excited manner. She had to bite her lip to prevent a bit of a squeal, but it was easy to see that she the girl was enjoying this more than she should. Raevyn soon retrieved her own dress and took it into the tent to get changed. It turns out she had forgotten to bring her satchel in, so the dress was set down and she reemerged, catching first Baelok’s glance. He seemed slightly concerned and nodded his head in Celaeno’s direction to indicate that something way off. When the pallid girl looked over to the half-elf whom had been looking into the mirror, that change of shades was almost immediately noticed. Raevyn quickly hurried to Celaeno’s side, one hand placed upon her shoulder as she asked, “Hey, Cela… Are you okay?”
Celaeno took a hold of Raevyn's hand, her grip a bit tighter than she meant. She glanced over, staring into Raveyn's face for a good long minute, searching her features. They all stayed the same, everything arranged the way it should and not morphing into another's face. She lets out a relieved sigh and lets up on the pressure she had been applying to Raevyn's hand. "I...I thought I saw someone else in the mirror. Just a flash. It's nothing, it's probably just..." She squeezes her eyes shut, cutting herself off. No more being vague and secretive. "I saw my father for a moment and felt...odd. I'm sure it's just the stress of everything, though."
The grip of Celaeno’s hand upon her own had the pale necromancer slightly wince, but not so much that would cause Celaeno to let go. The half-elf was obviously disturbed by what she saw, and if she needed something, or someone to hold onto, Raevyn wasn’t going to deny her in any form. With her free hand, she feels Celaneo’s forehead, her dead blue gaze dancing amongst stormy grey. She was visibly worried for her friend. “You saw your father? What did you feel?” It was now no secret that Cela’s father was a dark and terrible man, so who knows what he could have done to her that might have left an everlasting effect. “Are you sure you’re okay?...”
Celaeno ' forehead felt a bit clammy, but nothing more out of the ordinary than a cold sweat would make it. She bites her lip a bit of guilt gnawing at her gut, as if she had caused the strange vision. She swallows, resisting the urge to make more excuses so they could go back to their activity. "Yes...some old doubts crawled up while I was looking at myself, things he used to say. Then the mirror changed and my chest felt...tugged. It's done things before, small things I assumed were Cari." She rubs her temple and releases her hold on Raevyn's captive hand. She musters a grin, waving her toward the tent. "Go on and get changed. If you want to speak of it more, we can after you've had your reveal. You're not the only one excited to see what it looks like."
Raevyn eyes the silver-handed woman carefully, a bit of a scan for any sort of withheld information, before she finally found herself smiling once more. The hand that had checked her forehead for fever was gently cupped against the right side of Celaeno’s cheek as the human nodded. “Okay. But if it keeps happening, let me know, okay? We’ll hope for now that it’s just a side effect of having Cari within… but if it gets worse, we’ll need to act.” With the grin and the dismissal to go get changed, Raevyn offers a bright smile in return and quickly hurries off to go try on her dress. “You two almost done or what?” the impatient guardian asked. From inside the tent Raevyn shouted back, “You be quiet and enjoy your cigar! This is our time!” It would take a few minutes for Raevyn to finally get the courage to step outside of the tent. She was a bit embarrassed of how the dress fit. It was extremely form fitting, and the plunging sweetheart neckline reached down to her sternum. With no straps, and no real prep, she was going to need a little work to keep the things up. Still, for the most part, it did fit. The pale girl steps out of the tent now with a worried expression, both hands locked over her stomach. The dress, dark violet at the top, seemed to ombre into more lilac shades near the bottom, where the dress layered out around the girl like the petals of a flower. With a deep breath she looked from Baelok to Celaeno, awaiting their opinions.
Celaeno rubbed her chest once Raevyn withdrew into the tent, as if phantom sensations leftover from the incident still haunted the area. While her mind raced on instinct, trying to logic through what could have happened, she pushed it down, trying to focus on the moment instead. Plenty of ominous things had cropped up for the future, but not right then. She wanted to enjoy it for what it was. What better to put her back in that mindset than a quick tease toward Baelok? "We haven't even chosen jewelry and shoes yet. From my limited experience, that could take even longer.," she offers him with a small smirk. When Raevyn came out from the tent, Cela's face lit up as she studied her friend. "You look beautiful! At least one person will surely mistake you for the queen." Not that she knew what either of the Queens of Frostmaw looked like. The various shades of purple contrasted against her pale features in such a way as to enhance them from what she could see, especially compared to her dark hair. The color even seemed to brighten a bit more of the faint color in her friend's eyes. Cela hmms to herself as she walks up to Raevyn, lifting up her own skirts so as to not get them dirty before purchasing the gown. "I remember when Cari wore something of this kind, she said it always helped to stick her chest out so it wouldn't fall off." Cela's chest seemed to puff out some with evident pride at her friend's daring decision, nonetheless.
Baelok pointed at Celaeno and snapped back, “You watch it. I was just beginning to hate you less than most other sacks of flesh.” That was obviously his way of telling the poor girl that he thought positively of her. Even if it was just a little. The compliment paid by Celaeno had Raevyn taking her turn to fill with color, those pallid cheeks hinting with blush. “Oh stop, you flatterer.” she replied with a giggle. The girl twirled a little, her head looking back over her shoulder to check out the rear of her dress to see if it lined up well with her features. So far, so good. When Cela came to stand before her, the human mimicked her action and puffed out her chest a bit, Baelok now taking a quick jab at his charge, “In order to do that you’re gonna wanna grow one, first.” Normally this might cause Raevyn to take a hit to her self-esteem, but no way, not today. She ignored his comment and moved to the mirror, adjusting her chest slightly upward to dry and fill things out a little more. She realized she might need a little support to keep things defying gravity, but all in all she was quite pleased with the result. The only thing, however, she noted that now the brand atop her left breast was exposed, and she gently ran her fingers along the burn mark in idle thought. She would then look over to her friend and ask, “I think… I’m happy. Are you happy?” And if she was, then it would be time to accessorize!
Celaeno actually batted her eyes up at Baelok, the shorter woman practicing a rarely used innocent quirk of her head as if she had no idea what he was talking about, innocent of all wrongdoing. When Raevyn started adjusting the dress some Cela's mind began to work. There was something that had helped other women she's seen...when the term comes to mind she snaps her fingers, a spark shooting from them, but it harmlessly dissipated into the air without the other runes that accompanied it. "I know of special underthings, like a corset almost, that can help! Hopefully they will be more flexible than a corset, though. those things look hard to breath in..." When asked if she was satisfied, though, Cela beamed and nodded her agreement. "Yes, very much so! I think now we are ready to move from gowns. I'm not sure if they have jewelry here or not..."
Raevyn gave herself one last look in the mirror before she turned to Celaeno, the snapping and spark causing her head to to flinch with surprise. “Special under...things?” she questioned, before sort of figuring it out for herself. “Oh! Excellent! Yes! That sort of thing should do splendidly!” Hailing the dressmaker, Raevyn let the man know that they would indeed be taking the dresses, the undead guardian wasting no time in forking out the gold to cover both items, as well as a couple different styles of shoes for each woman to choose from, depending on their tastes. Once Raevyn had changed back into her everyday clothing, she rifled through the remainder of the dressmaker’s wares, a disappointed look over her face as she couldn’t find anything they needed. “It doesn’t look like they carry jewellery…” she said. Baelok would groan in response. This would mean more walking. “Damn it you two. Follow me, I’ll show you to a few places to get something nice.” They would wait for Celaeno to finish gathering her things together, before Baelok started the lead toward Vailkrin, the first of a few stops toward finding the things the girls would need to complete their outfits.