Chapter 32 #2
“That’s an interesting question. I believe it’s just to make us look nice.” I secured the excess with pins.
“We could all wear the same clothes. That would be much easier,” Frid muttered.
“I take it that you want to go to the Winter solstice.”
“I can’t stay in this damn house any longer; I will go insane. And Victor is not easy to deal with, he never leaves. He’s playing on my nerves, actually.” Frid picked up some threads and examined the ribbons.
“Were you always friends?” I asked.
“With Victor? Are you kidding me? We used to fight a lot. Believe it or not, he’s more pleasant now compared to how he used to be.” Frid sat on the bed watching me.
“I thought he was very popular with girls.” I glanced at her.
“It’s a mystery to me. I don’t know what they see in him,” Frid muttered.
“Well, he is good looking.” I raised my eyebrows.
Frid frowned, looking unimpressed.
I kept working until it was time for dinner.
Grace had brought us some soup and freshly baked bread.
After dinner was finished, I lingered in the kitchen, watching Tynan and Victor washing the dishes together.
I felt stupid for wanting to stay in the room just to admire the muscles under Tynan’s shirt flexing when he picked up the plates.
This madness had to stop. I forced myself to go back to the room where Frid was throwing a tiny leather ball up to the ceiling and catching it with a strangely concentrated expression on her face.
The next morning, I returned to sewing first thing after I woke up, and then continued after breakfast. Tynan had already left by then.
I did not stop working to avoid thinking about where he could have gone.
Frid was too bored to stay in the room with me, and all I could hear was her laughter and Victor’s voice coming from the sitting area.
It was almost time to leave for the castle when, at last, the alterations were completed and I asked Frid to put on her dress one more time.
“I can’t believe I’m doing it,” she muttered, picking up the dress.
“It should fit right this time,” I said, taking a step back.
Frid needed help putting the dress on, and then I tightened her corset. Everything was perfect, finally. I exhaled, feeling satisfied with my work.
Frid looked magnificent in the dress that accentuated her beautiful curves and made her look incredibly feminine. The softness that she had in her face was framed by the delicate waves of her loose hair.
I gasped and clasped my hands together. “Can I please do your makeup,” I begged.
“Huh? Alright, I suppose. Sure. Since I’m already wearing this, it wouldn’t hurt.” Frid scrutinized herself in the mirror.
I found some pigments in the drawers earlier and used some crimson paste on her cheeks and lightly patted her lips.
“You look . . .”
“Laughable, pathetic?” Frid bit her lip.
“Like magic itself,” I finished, noticing an eye roll coming from the girl.
“I suppose you’re not going to change. Since you always look beautiful,” Frid grumbled.
“I found a dress that I think would fit.”
I returned to the closet, picking out the long peach-colored dress with a modest neckline and a matching suede corset. I put it on and removed my hair pins, allowing my curls to drop freely onto my shoulders and back. I could not remember if I had worn my hair loose since I found myself in Talman.
“I hate you,” Frid muttered.
“What?” My hand stilled on a lock of my hair.
“I thought you would spend hours, but it took you two minutes,” she added.
“Let's go. I want you to look in the large mirror.” I pulled her toward the door.
As soon as I opened the door to the sitting room, I saw Victor sitting on the couch with his legs stretched out. He looked like he was ready to take a nap. When we walked in, his head snapped in our direction and his eyes, once they landed on Frid beside me, could not look anywhere else.
“Frid,” he whispered.
“I know. See what they made me do,” she muttered, walking to the glass mirror.
I watched the young man sit up, his eyes glued to the blond girl as she checked her reflection.
“Gods damn.” She smirked, looking at herself.
“Do you like it?” I asked.
“I wouldn’t go that far.”
My lips curled when I saw the shocked expression on Victor’s face. For the first time ever, he was truly lost for words.
“How is it?” Frid turned to the young man.
“You look . . .” he mumbled.
“What? Terrible?” the girl asked.
“No! You look very . . . pretty,” he said and my heart sang deep in my chest.
For the first time in forever, I felt like my old self.
I found joy in making everyone around me happy, even if it was a small, silly thing like sewing a dress or doing someone’s makeup.
The look on Victor’s face, the faint blush that spread across Frid’s cheeks; were worth every second of discomfort and hard labor.
It was what I was good at, and it was something I enjoyed doing.
Frid grumbled and plopped onto the couch beside Victor who looked too dumbstruck to move.
I returned to the mirror and fixed my locks, trying not to smile every time I caught a glimpse of Frid and Victor on the couch.
“Don’t look at me like that. You make me uncomfortable,” Frid muttered, but I could plainly see that she was pleased.
As I was adding some pigment to my lips, Grace swung the front door open. I stilled, and was disappointed that it was not Tynan.
“Good evening! I see you’re ready to go.” The older woman paused, gazing at Frid.
After a long moment she nodded in approval.
“We are,” the blond girl responded.
I could not hide my smile when I caught Victor’s eyes traveling down Frid’s neck.
“Alright, I need to have a chat with the girls.” Grace peered at Victor.
“Do you want me to leave?” he asked.
“Yes, please.”
“Sure.” Victor got up and sauntered to his bedroom.
“Now, since it’s only the three of us here.” Grace sat on the couch beside Frid and patted the space beside her, signaling me to join them.
Reluctantly, I moved closer and took the spot beside Tynan’s grandma.
“Now . . . where was I? Oh, yes. Young women have all the power to do anything they want nowadays, but this freedom comes at a cost,” Grace started saying.
Frid frowned, giving me a questioning look. I shifted my eyes back to Grace.
“When I was young, I never wanted to settle, but the choice was taken from me. I don’t want the same to happen to you.” With those words, she produced two golden chains from her miniature purse.
I glanced at Frid, not understanding what those were all about. It was clear to me that Frid knew what it was because her face turned paper white before going beet red.
“I don’t . . . think . . . that . . . any of us need those,” she stammered.
“You may not need it now, but you may need it tomorrow,” Grace added.
“What is it?” I could not help asking.
Both of them looked at me without saying anything.
“Splendid. I believe Frid can tell you all about it later.” Grace got up and added, “I would put it on if I were you. I’m already wearing mine.”
Frid’s eyes closed as if she was in pain.
I watched Grace glide toward the exit, still puzzled.
“See you tonight.” She stopped before the exit giving us the last parting look.
“What are they?” I asked Frid when we were alone in the room.
“Is she gone?” Victor opened his door.
“Yes.” I watched him return to the sitting area.
“What did the old hag want?” Victor asked.
With curiosity, I observed his eyes landing on Frid’s face, and then focusing on the chain she was still holding in her hand.
“Is that . . .?” A shocked expression filled his eyes.
“Don’t you dare . . . don’t you dare say anything.” Frid got up and marched out.