The Proper Dress

[Parin d'Aulaire]

Despite having enough money to get all her nice clothes back and then some Parin gave some real thought to shopping before coming to the Market. She studied the villagers for a whole day before deciding that she aught to dress in a fashion somewhere between a royal page and a royal groom. After all if she was a groom for an Angel, she now had a right and a duty to look good. The first thing she'd done before shopping was payed a visit to the local Change Maker, employed by the king for the town. There was no way she was going to walk around with so very much money on her person. Once she got her change in gold and silver coins, she went back home and stashed most of the money in her invisibility cloak's box in the wardrobe she'd found it in. Then she'd gone back out with a much less heavy purse plus a few coins in each shoe.

Once she reached the market again, she first stopped to get new shoes, a few pairs of breeches -she got a few odd looks till she told them she'd got a job as a groom- and a few -more in style- tunics. She'd just about run out of the money she'd taken, but decided to go to the Overlay Shop where they put seals on overlays for Royal and other families of rank. The moment she walked in the door it felt like she'd come home. The smells of rich fabrics filled her nose and thought it was very quiet in the shop, Parin knew instinctively what that meant - about a dozen girls were working in the work room overhead sewing with beautiful fine stitches the designs into the fabric.

"I am sorry little girl, but we already have enough seamstresses working for us." A stuffy but polite man was looking down at her. Parin turned around to be sure he wasn't looking at someone behind her.
"You mistake me sir," she said, once she saw she was the only other 'little' girl there. "I have gotten a job at the royal stables. I am here to get two overlays made."
The man seemed surprised but seemed to decide he would go though the motions anyway. "May I see your letter of remark?" he asked.
Parin froze. She'd forgotten a letter of remark AND she forgotten to ask for his Grace's seal! Rats! She'd have to go back and get it!
"Please pardon me but I have forgotten to ask for it," she said Curtsying finely, "thank you for reminding me, I shall go to fetch it right away. I am sorry for taking up your time." However, just as she'd left the shop to head back to the stables . . .

[Horu]

The market was alive with people moving from one place to another. Most of them shoppers or sales men but tangled in the throng there where also plenty of pick pockets and thieves. For instance there where three boys, in the early adolescents, they weren't out shopping they where just out to have fun, make trouble. They noticed a younger girl going from one dealer to the next gathering clothes, rather nice clothes as a matter of fact.

The boys judged that since she was buying such nice clothes, she had to me rich. Maybe she was the daughter of some lord. The boys decided that maybe this little girl could use a lesson in humility and maybe learn a bit about charity. The followed her to the over lay shop. And waited outside...

When she came out they made their move. One of the boy walked up in front of her. "Hey there, girl, wacha' got there." He said as his buddies walked up behind her. It was obvious that these boys where not here to play nice.

[Parin d'Aulaire]

Parin's eyes grew wide.
"I have nothing." she said trying to sound calm. Indeed she didn't, for her packages she safely transported home after every other purchase. It was true she was wearing the new shoes and one pair of the breeches and one of the nice red tunics but all the money she still had was in her new shoes - her purse was quiet empty.
Parin had never lied -even a white lie- in her life but somehow she had a feeling these boys were up to no good. They were scruffy and they surrounded her like a pack of wild dogs. Still she didn't shrink. It was unlikely that these boys had magic, but she did.
"Let me pass," she said. "I have been hired as a groom at the Royal Stables, and there is much I must complete. I am sure young men such as yourselves are also too buys to tarry long."

[Horu]

All three boys laughed at her. "We aint to busy poppit. As a matter of fact we're kinda bored." Said the boy be hind her to her right. "We just saw you buy'n stuff and decided to enforce the new tax." Said the one in front. the other two nodded and chuckled. "Ya see all liittle girls like you is suppose to pay us the gold you have or have us beat it out a ya."

The third boy smiled, "He and don't think little tricks'll work i remember seing you gettin kicked out of some where for that witchery. I'm willing to bet the people here will believe us over a witch." He said

[Parin d'Aulaire]

Parin's eyes got wider and she frowned. A hot feeling swelled up in her chest and ran to her cheeks which turned pink. She didn't need and Magic sense to tell her these boys were lying, what king would make young roughians tax collectors? Parin put a finger to her lips as if thinking about this proposal, then made a motion to get her purse as if cooperating. She got it into her hand, then look the first boy straight in the eye with her pale green ones.

"That was a horrible job, really," she told him, "Your family should have taught you better." Then she pushed him over, out of her way and jumped over his form and ran for her life toward the stables. She knew she had a head start but she didn't dare waist a moment. It might take them a moment to untie and unstrap their boots from each other but it's not like she knew any sticking charms to make them stay that way.

[Horu]

When the first boy fell so did the others now that the laces on their shoes had been bound together. They all tried getting up to chase parin but only ended up falling again. One of them ended up pulling out a knife and just cutting the cords. But by the time they where up and running the girl had disappeared.

Horu was actually just returning to town from the stables when he ran into the little girl who had escaped some rather harsh treatment. Well actually he didn't run into her it was the other way around. He grabbed her shoulder. Parin, What's wrong is everything alright?" He asked.

[Parin d'Aulaire]

"Your Grace," cried Parin out of breath! "These boys are chasing me! They were trying to get the money I hid in my shoes and I magicked their boot laces and buckles to tie together and I ran away and oh, I need your Grace's Seal and letter of remark so I can wear them when your Grace needs me to look nice for the king or others your Grace holds in esteem!" Parin took a breath then continued to tell the story, unconcerned that she was telling it out of order in all her excitement.

"I was coming out of the Overlay Shop when the boys cornered me and told me there were tax collectors. They were far too rough and young to really be. Please don't tell the villagers I tied their shoe laces together! They said they'd lie to them if I used magic and make them mad at me again." Parin looked at 'his grace' worried and scared.

Would this be the end of her job? Had she just thrown all that money away on nice clothes when she could have saved it to feed herself? As anxiety overwhelmed her she began to cry.
"Please don't fire me," she said thought her tears.

[Horu]

Horu listened silently to her story. She seemed to be rather frightened and worried. So Horu keep his expression concerned even though he felt pride for her get away. And she was almost in tears as she started begging him not to fire her for using magic to defend herself. It seemed to horu that she had done quite well on her own and saw no need to punish her infact he may have to reward her some how.

Just then the three boys pushed there way out of the crowd. They saw Horu and immediately though he was a soldier fron the city,"What ever she just told you is a lie." Said one. "That little witch just attacked us with magic." Said the second boy. "She needs to be hanged or burned at the stake for witchcraft." Horu could tell whether or not some one was lying but he didn't need that ability now. Even if he didn't know who was telling the truth he would have taken her side. He was appalled that children could want such punishments for someone else. Did they not understand that life was sacred?

He wanted to set the boys strait but the church of Avaren already didn't like him and him dealling any punishment would be viewed as vigilantism. Instead he needed to play along he hoped Parin was smart enough to understand what he was doing. "Oh really. Well I'll see to it that she get the proper treatment now you boys run along and stay out of trouble." The boys, disappointed that they weren't going to see any blood walked away and disappeard into the market off, no doubt to cause more trouble.

He had only acted like he believed the boys to get them to go away and as soon as they where out of ear shot he looked down and smiled at Parin. "I have the perfect treatment for you." He said grabbing her arm and pulling her back into the market. he looked around till he found what he was looking for. A market stall selling fresh cut honey comb. He pulled her over to the sweets stand and and gave the seller a silver coin for a slice of the sweet treat. It was an inch think hand sized piece of beeswax and honey. He took it from the seller and handed it to Parin. "Just so you know I don't fire people for using their heads to get themselves out of trouble."

[Parin d'Aulaire]

Parin was worried when his Grace lead her back into the market, but not as worried as she'd been a moment before. Once he stopped in fount of a booth that smelled of sweets Parin dried her tears. His Grace bought a square of something that looked very sticky and gave it to her with a piece of paper round it so she could hold it.

"Just so you know I don't fire people for using their heads to get themselves out of trouble."

Parin took the object now knowing for sure it was a reward. Indeed it was sticky and it smelled very sweet, like molten sugar. It was of a golden color and seemed to be held together by a lighter golden mesh of small hexigon shapes. How ever there was still one bit of information she needed.

"It' so pretty!" she said to show him she appreciated it. "But . . . what is it your Grace?"

[Horu]

Horu was perplexed how could she not know what she was holding. She might not know what a honey comb was but she should at least know what honey was. He remembered her say she didn't remember her real name maybe she didn't know other things either. It didn't matter he would tell her. "It's called a honeycomb take a bite. here I'll show you." he bough another piece for himself and took a bite of the chewy, sticky, golden candy.

The sticky sweet stuff is Honey and the little shapes are made of wax. The whole thing is made by honeybees." He explained. he then noticed her clothes where new and clean. "Nice outfit."

[Parin d'Aulaire]

"Oh!" said Parin, not sure what to think. Surely she shouldn't eat wax? Was that not what candles were made of? Her question was answered a moment later when his Grace bought another honeycomb and ate some. If he'd eaten it, it must be okay, for a angel wouldn't lead her astray. She carefully took a bite, just as he complimented the clothes she'd bought. She tried to swallow quickly but the bit stuck to the sides of her mouth making it impossible to speak, after a few tries she got it down.

"Oh thank you, your Grace. I haven't worked for an Angel before, so I decided I'd better put my best foot forward. Um, please can we go to the Overlay shop after we finish the pretty Honeycomb? I kind of told them I was going to get my letter of remark . . . I suppose I should have asked you ahead of time what your Seal was. It's something with wings right? Like a circle of gold with wings and smaller rings on it that jangle? That will look so pretty in white with crimson trim and gold thread!" Parin took another bite of her sweet honey comb and waited for his Grace to answer.

[Horu]

Horu laughed. it only just donned on him that he had turned her into a little worshiper. She though he was some good spirit set to help her. In a way he was but not in the sense she thought. He would help any one who needed it not to long ago he had helped the flower seller fix her market stand because it has been charred in the dragon attack. And he had saved countless lives from the dragon itself. "I'm no angel Parin, I'm just a man trying to help out a little girl that needed some help." He explained.

She hads asked about an overlay symbol and he had one, some where. He stuck the rest of the sweet honey comb in his mouth. and wiped his hands clean on the the paper it came with. and took a dagger from his boot. In the middle of the cross guard was a silvery dragon head like symbol. "Here is my seal Parin, with out the blade of course.Try not to use plain colors the color scheme should be metallic if it's possible. and no red. other than that I'll let you pick what color to use.

[Parin d'Aulaire]

Parin looked up at him with a worried expression as he explained he was not as divine as he seemed.
"B-but," she exclaimed looking at the only too earthly symbol he showed her, "You have to be Divine! Goddess knows it's impossible to earn a whole platinum coin! The man at the change shop kept giving me weird looks when I asked him to change it for me! I am sure he thought I stole it, but you and the Goddess protected me from him by sealing his tongue! I saw him drink red water to try and unseal it but all he could say to me was 'be careful and don't lose that money, kid!'"

Parin looked down at the seal and ate another bite of her honey comb. she had a smaller mouth so it took her a few more bites to finish before she was done, but at last she managed it. "I think they have some opalesque thread for the head . . . and black silk will look shiny for the background. I suppose the trimming could be gold - but all that is more expensive than what I had originally figured in . . . I better have only one made. If I get a stain on it that will be that but I suppose I could just be extra careful and only put it on at the last minute before I present your Horse, your . . . . If you aren't Your Grace who are you?" She looked up at Horu curiously, wondering what his real title was.

[Horu]

It was then that Horu really started thinking aboiut how expensive worshiping the metallic dragons really was. He had an idea. "Gust use white black and yellow then bring what you have of the seals to me. I'll make them look like the right colors." he assured her.

Then he thought about her other question. He had an answer but it was a long one he had to shorten it. "I'm not an angel I'm what your people would call a paladin. I'm a knight fighting in the name of a deity rather than a king. So, i guess you could say that I'm guded by the devine like a celestial might be, but I am only mortal." he explained "As for the platinum... That is actually proof that the deity I worshp exists. I worship Bahamat, the the platinum dragon. Like all dragons he has a hoard but his hoard is filled by only teasures of platinum metal. So the platinum coins is actually my payment for serving him." He explained in a lower voice so fewer could hear him. Yess Bahamat payed hansomly but not if Horu went buying luxries with it. It was not to make him richer it was a to make him more effective at serving the great one. Helping those in need was part of carying out his will so helping Parin was not against his gods wishes.

[Parin d'Aulaire]

"Oh," said Parin. She felt disapointed that her Angel was infact a Earth Angel, but not as disapointed as shed been a few moments before. Still How could a Dragon be a God? More so How could a male dragon be a god? Did everyone not know that Goddesses were more powerful? Perhaps no Goddess wanted Horu . . . maybe only girls could surve Goddesses. Maybe -if she was a good servant to Horu- a Goddess would smile on her and make her a Paladin too! Parin cheered up at this thought.

"Hmmm, ok sir, I will do as you say about the overlays," said Parin decisively. "Shall I order them now or next time? If we order them now, you might want to come with me. If I do it later you will have to write a letter of remark, please."

Parin looked up at Horu and relized that maybe he didn't shine as much as she'd first thought . . . but that didn't really matter because his shine came from within anyway.