Her nails still remained short and jagged, the ends of her hair in tatters.
As the days grew colder, Lora found herself anticipating a visit home over the midwinter break. She hadn’t seen or spoken to Lady Tiana since she started at the Academy, so she was unable to ask her when she would be able to go home. She missed her father and brother more than anything and longed to tell them everything she was learning and about all of her new friends. Lora knew they would get a kick out her knowing the prince and princess and being bowed and curtsied to by a bunch of nobles. She would have written to them, but Lord Allistair had forbidden their correspondence, even within an envelope to him. He did not want to chance questions being asked about why she was sending and receiving correspondence from a commoner named Fletcher. She had to content herself with the knowledge that they knew she was learning a lot and being well cared for and the hope that Lord Allistair would inform her if anything untoward happened to them.
The restday before midwinter, Lora found herself in the library. She always tried to avoid it on restdays, but if there were any essays due, she needed the extra time to read and write so they could be finished on time. Even though she had made many strides, she was still embarrassed about her shortcomings. She was so focused on diplomacy that she did not notice that someone had sat next to her until she felt her arm being pinched.
“Ow!” she started.
Regan chuckled, his blond hair flopping down over his eyes. “You shouldn’t be in here on a restday. It’s indecent. If you must practice something, do something you like. Like shooting arrows. Or something that gets you outside, like hurling a Morningstar around. Or even riding.”
Lora shook her head. “Essay,” she said waving her parchment at him. “You know I need the extra time on this.”
“Well, you can’t blame me for trying,” he told her.
“What are you doing here on a restday, Prince Regan?” she asked as she put her charcoal pencil down. “Aren’t you and your royal sister usually at the palace learning about… royal things?” She tried to throw the “prince” in there whenever she remembered. It was hard because he always acted so informal with everyone.
He closed his eyes and sighed. “For once, I’d rather be there. Our midwinter ball is coming up. I have never been. I’m fifteen now, so I’m expected to start making appearances. I’m here to practice dancing.” When Lora snorted and laughed, he scowled. “Just you wait. I’ll make sure you have to come when you’re old enough.” He laced his fingers behind his head. “Speaking of which, I thought I heard you tell Catty that your birthday is coming up just before midwinter’s day? Are you going home to celebrate?”
She frowned. “No. It’s ten days journey there and back. Almost three sevendays just in travel. I could only be there for a sevenday, so L—Cousin Allistair said no.” She grimaced. “I miss my family. I am hopeful for the summer holidays. We shall see.”
“You’re turning thirteen, right?” he asked. When she nodded, he continued, “We should throw you a little party.”
“Please don’t!” Lora was shushed by an ancient librarian, and she winced. “Please don’t,” she said, lowering her voice back to an acceptable level. “I can’t contribute to anyone else’s, so it’s not right for me to have one. Same goes with midwinter gifts. I’ll have none of that. I get no pocket money until the Academy says I can go out into Glimmen on restdays.”
Regan yanked on her skirts. “You should get some gifts,” he teased. “You’ve grown since you got here. Your ankles are peeking out under your skirt there.” He turned his nose up. “It’s indecent.” When he looked back at her, he winked.
Lora looked down at how her short her skirts had gotten. “I’ll have to write to Cousin Tiana,” she lamented. “She said she would take care of that.”
He patted her on the shoulder. “At this rate, you’ll end up taller than me,” he teased. It was a good jest, for she was so short it was unlikely she’d be taller than any girls of their acquaintance. “Anyway,” Regan said, changing the subject, “Can you practice these silly dances with me? Sylvane refuses to.”
She shook her head. “As much as I need the practice, diplomacy calls. Maybe Catty? Last I saw her, she was headed for the stables. She may be riding or attempting to curry her horse.”
“Suit yourself,” he told her. Regan stood up, bowed his head, and left.
Lora bit her lip. Like Regan would rather be at the palace than dancing, she would rather be dancing than writing her essay. She picked up her pencil and then quickly set it back down. She reached into her pocket and drew out a very wrinkled, very tear-stained sheet of parchment. She flattened it out and read it again.
Cousin,
Lorana, I am pleased to hear from your teachers that you are performing adequately at the Academy. Your father and brother are well and send their regards. The keep and village of Haven Dale carry on. As to your question about visiting over your winter holidays, I’m afraid I cannot justify the expense. I will not have the wrong people notice that you are visiting with commoners. I appreciate that you have kept your word and not written to your family, but it is not worth the risk. A slip up or chance encounter could ruin all you are working toward. Because of this, you will remain in Glimmen for the summer holidays as well. Be well.
Cousin Allistair
She wiped away the tears that sprang to her eyes every time she read the letter, and she placed it back in her pocket. She understood Lord Allistair’s reasons, but she hated them all the same. Picking up her pencil, she wiped her nose on her sleeve. It was very unladylike, but Lora did not care. Diplomacy awaited.
CHAPTER 11
Her friends were respectful, and there was no birthday party. Lora did receive one gift from Catty. Catty had been upset to learn that Lora’s ears were not pierced and she could not wear the ear bobs, so Jane and she held her down one night before lights out and pierced them with a red-hot darning needle. Sylvane tried to hide the fact that she was watching, but Lora saw her roll her eyes once she was allowed to sit back up and soothe the sting of her ears with some ice donated by an air and waterwielder they were all friends with. Lora was grateful for the gift, but wasn’t ready to forgive her friends any time soon.
Shortly after her birthday, Lady Tiana paid her a visit. It was still winter holidays, so Lora was able to see her in the middle of the day even though it was not a restday. Her husband, Larence of Rock Harbor was visiting with friends in the city and did not accompany her. She sipped her tea and watched Lora over the rim of her cup for several minutes before speaking.
“Why did you not write that your clothes were getting too small?” she asked after a moment. “I would have seen to them. It’s easy to have things sent over for you.”
Lora removed a finger from her mouth and sighed. “I did,” she replied. “It must have arrived after you left.”
Tiana frowned. “I suppose I can take you to the tailors today,” she said. She took another sip of tea and placed her cup on the table beside her. She stood up and beckoned Lora over to her. “Let’s not waste time. We can talk on the way there.”
It was her first time in the city. In spite of having been in Glimmen for nearly six months, Lora had never been beyond the walls of the Academy. She tried very hard not to gawk and gape at everything around her, but she could not help it.
“Stop staring, cousin,” Tiana scolded. “As improper as it would be, I’m not above blindfolding you. There is a reputable tailor right around the corner. This little piece of the city is really not that exciting, so please just… walk. And get your fingers out of your mouth! The state of your nails, Cousin Lorana. I wish I could blame them on your training, but anyone can see that you’ve bitten them. Have you had your courses yet?’
Lora was taken aback by the question. “No.”
“Hmmm. I’m trying to decide whether it’s worthwhile to get you some things for that now. It’s difficult to predict, but I should say it will be soon, given that you’ve grown so much. M
ust I remind you to stay away from young men?” Tiana stared hard at her young charge.
“No, Cousin Tiana,” she replied. “And I would be grateful for anything you think is necessary.” Lora cold not hide her embarrassment at this topic.
Tiana sighed. “If only it weren’t,” she said. “Ah, here we are. Hurry along.”
Mistress Bethany’s tailor shop was nothing like the one in Haven Dale. It took up the entire bottom floor of the building it was in. Half of it was taken up by bolts and bolts of any kind of fabric in any color you could think of. The other half had ready-made pieces. Lora ran her fingers over a soft rose-colored fabric and wished that Tiana would have a dress made for her rather than purchase something off the rack.
Evidently, Mistress Bethany was used to Tiana’s custom for she greeted her like they were old friends. The tailor frowned when she took in Lora’s appearance, but shrugged and led her to a pedestal for measurements just the same. Tiana gave her some information about Lora’s age and her status as a student at the Academy. Lora tried not to wince as Tiana described her as a poor and distant relation.
“Are your nightgowns and underthings this small on you as well, Miss Lorana?” she asked as she measured. Her assistant’s fingers flew as she wrote down the numbers.
“Yes,” Lora admitted.
“Well, I’ve pieces here that will fit her for her unmentionables,” Bethany told her. “But I’ve nothing in children’s wear that will fit her. She’s only thirteen. The adult dresses are inappropriate, and they would be too long. She is in between sizes in my ready-made children’s apparel. I will have to have something made for her.”
Lora held her breath and dared not look at Lady Tiana. The only custom made items she had ever owned were the ones her own clumsy fingers had made for her. Clothes that had been burned or given away before she left Haven Dale for Glimmen. She started to raise her finger to her mouth, but quickly brought them down and clasped them in front of her so she would not be tempted to bite her nails.
“If that’s what we have to do, then that’s what we have to do,” Tiana told her. “Can you give me the same price as your ready-made pieces?”
Bethany nodded. “I have some inferior fabric I could use.”
“And the simplest styles possible, please,” Tiana told her. “The evening piece can be a little bit nicer. You and I can haggle over the sum once it’s made. I’ll be in Glimmen for another two sevendays. You can have these all done by then? Four day dresses and a dinner gown?”
“I can have them done in a sevenday,” the tailor replied.
Lora tried not to pay attention when Lady Tiana and Mistress Bethany started looking through fabrics and talking about styles. She knew she should be grateful to get anything at all, but she wished for something pretty. She did not want a custom made dress made out of an old burlap sack or whatever inferior fabric might be. Princess Sylvane and her friends already teased her enough. She did not want to give them any more excuses.
Exactly one sevenday later, Lady Tiana arrived to take her back to the tailors. Lora still gawked at her surroundings, but she felt that she was getting her bearings and might actually be able to find her own way to the shop. It wasn’t as if she’d ever have the coin to buy anything there, but the freedom of being outside the Academy for any reason was exciting.
When they reached the shop, Mistress Bethany again greeted Lady Tiana as if they were old friends. She quickly had Lora step behind a screen and undress down to her underthings. The first dress she tried on was a hideous olive green. The material was scratchy, and she made a mental note not to scratch her neck or wrists until Lady Tiana left for the evening. When Tiana pronounced the fit adequate, she was told to try on the next garment. The dress was a goldenrod yellow in the same itchy fabric in the same exact style. Lora took a deep breath and strode out to where the women awaited her. Tiana nodded and waved her back behind the curtain. The third dress was nearly the same ugly mousy brown as her hair. It too was in the same fabric in the same style. When she emerged from behind the curtain, Tiana frowned, but then shrugged and waved her back. The last dress was an unfortunate orange color, again in the same fabric and same style. She caught Mistress Bethany’s eye when she came out and the tailor had the decency to look a little embarrassed.
“Here is the dinner dress,” Bethany said. “I took a few liberties here. No extra cost to you. The day dresses, well… I felt she should have something to feel pretty in.”
Lora went behind the curtain and undressed. She passed back the orange nightmare, and did not look at what she received. Only when she noticed that the cloth was soft did she dare look at it. Her breath caught when she saw that it was the same rose-colored fabric she had admired when she had first come in. There were tiny roses embroidered along the neck and cuffs of the sleeves. The sash was wide and made of a shiny ribbon of the same color. Tears came to Lora’s eyes and she blinked them back as she put the dress on. She took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the screen.
Lady Tiana’s eyes softened. “That is quite nice,” she said. “I’ll pay what it is worth. It’s a good color on her. I will take some hair ribbons to match, as well.”
Mistress Bethany nodded. She made eye contact with Lora as she called to her assistant to fetch some ribbons, and she winked. Lora smiled back, and quickly hurried behind the curtain. Her happiness was only dampened a little bit when the orange nightmare was passed to her to wear back to the Academy.
The rest of the midwinter holidays were uneventful, as no one was around to make fun of Lora’s new dresses. As soon as Sylvane arrived back from her stay at the palace, she nearly fell on the floor with laughter. “And I thought ready-made was bad!” she gasped between guffaws.
Lora stared at Sylvane with her arms crossed in front of her chest. “They may be ugly, your highness,” she told her. “But they are what I have to wear. Many others are not as fortunate as I am. I have five brand new dresses made to fit me. Sure, the colors and cloth from four of them are ugly, but I don’t care.” She stared at the other girl until her shrieks of laughter quieted down and her smile became a scowl.
When Sylvane stomped out of the dorms, Catty put her arm around Lora. “Well done, my friend. Not even Regan can shut her up when she gets going.” She pulled away after a moment. “That really does itch. How can you stand it? Is your skin made of steel?”
“My practice tunic is underneath or I wouldn’t be able to stand still,” she replied with a shrug. “I’ve got scratches everywhere from before I thought of wearing it.”
Regan strolled into the dorms as he whistled a cheery tune. He stopped and blinked. “I see now what my sister was stewing about,” he said as he walked over to where the girls stood and pushed his hair out of his eyes. “That is the exact same shade as your hair. I don’t think you could’ve planned that better. You’re like a… walnut.”
“That’s a weird thing to say, Regan,” Catty said, punching him in the arm. “No woman wants to be called or likened to a walnut.”
He shrugged and Lora laughed. “Well a walnut is better than the dirty grey egg yolk, the pea soup catastrophe, or the orange nightmare.” She pulled each one out and set them on her bed.
Catty shook her head. “Did you commit some ghastly wrongdoing to your cousin Tiana?” She peered into Lora’s trunk as if it held a treasure trove of oddities. Her eyebrows rose and she pulled out the fifth dress. “This is lovely, Lora.”
Lora blushed and grabbed the dress from her friend. “I love it, but I doubt I’ll ever wear it. I never leave the Academy. I guess I have to have it though—just in case. It seems a waste of money.” She folded it and placed it back in her trunk followed by the three others.
“I had a thought,” Regan said. He had one arm supporting the other and was tapping his chin with his free hand. “What if we start dressing the part during etiquette? All we do is practice for those events.”
“I like it,” Catty said. “I’m sure Dain and Peter and Genea would do
it. What say you, Lora?”
“I like it, too,” Lora said.
CHAPTER 12
“I’m sorry you have to stay here for the summer, Lora,” Genea was saying. “I’ll be around. Perhaps I can convince my father to let you stay with us for a bit. We might be going to the coast around midsummer’s day. It would be fun if you could join us.” She smiled and pushed a lock of black curls out of her face.
Lora shrugged. “I’m years behind where the rest of you are in my studies,” she said. “I’ll be better off here reading literature, practicing the sword, or curtsying to Mistress Diane until my knees snap off. Plus Cousin Allistair said he couldn’t justify the expense when I asked if I could visit Catty. I can’t imagine he’d change his mind for you.”
Genea frowned. “Maybe if my father wrote to him…”
“You can ask if you like,” Lora said. “I just think you’d be wasting your time. I get the impression that my father feels badly that he can’t pay these experiences for me himself, and so even if Cousin Allistair wanted to, I don’t think he’d go against my father.”
Catty made a face. “Well, Dain might be staying even if I’m not. And Regan will be around.”
“At the palace, not here,” she said, her face glum. “Dain said he’d only be here for about a sevenday longer than everyone else. He offered to smuggle me to Mount Rathbone, but that would be too weird. Peter, well, he’s Peter. He waved goodbye to me when he left yesterday.” Lora sighed. “Regan might make it over here to the Academy a few times, which I suppose is better than being totally alone with the other students that are stuck here.”
Common (The Lora Fletcher Chronicles Book 1) Page 6
