Chapter 13
Aurora entered the drawing room, followed by Philip and Emily. Waiting inside was the kingdom's renowned tailor, Sir Brian Hawthorne.
The moment he saw Aurora; he immediately stood and bowed.
"Good day, Lady Aurora. Please accept my sincerest apologies for arriving late. His Highness, the Crown Prince, required my services urgently." The tailor was nervous because Lady Aurora always threw tantrum, but he hoped if he mentioned the princes name, she would be understanding.
Aurora smiled politely, "Good day, Sir Brian. There is no need to apologize. Please, have a seat."
As Aurora settled into one of the armchairs, Sir Brian took the seat opposite her.
"Emily, would you please bring me my sketches?"
"At once, My Lady.", Emily quickly left the room.
Meanwhile, Aurora turned toward Philip, "Philip, please arrange for tea to be sent."
"Of course, My Lady."
"And why don't you have lunch while I meet with Sir Brian? Instruct Gabrielle, Emily and Anne to join you."
Philip blinked, "My Lady, who will assist you?"
Aurora waved a dismissive hand, "Send another maid."
Philip looked unconvinced, "My Lady—"
"Philip."
"Yes, My Lady?"
"I promise I will survive twenty minutes without supervision."
Sir Brian immediately looked away to hide a smile.
Philip sighed dramatically, "I see my services are no longer required."
Aurora nodded solemnly, "You have finally been promoted."
"Promoted?"
"To enjoying your lunch."
Emily returned just in time to hear the exchange and burst out laughing.
Philip looked deeply offended, "I shall remember this betrayal."
Aurora grinned, "You say that every day."
The room filled with light laughter.
Sir Brian found himself staring at the young lady in surprise. This was not the Lady Aurora he remembered. The old Aurora had been impatient and often demanding. This Aurora seemed relaxed, approachable, and oddly charming.
Emily handed Aurora a folder containing several sketches, "My Lady."
"Thank you.", Aurora opened the folder and carefully spread the drawings across the table.
"Sir Brian, I have several gowns that I would like altered according to these designs."
The tailor leaned forward curiously. The moment he saw the sketches, his eyes widened. Then widened again. And then widened even further. For several seconds, he simply stared.
Aurora tried not to laugh, "Well?"
Sir Brian slowly picked up one of the drawings. The designs were unlike anything he had ever seen. The silhouettes were elegant. The sleeves were refined. The skirts flowed naturally. Most importantly—They did not resemble oversized curtains.
"My Lady..." he finally said.
"Yes?"
"These are highly unusual."
Aurora smiled, "I'll take that as a compliment."
"They are certainly different.", Sir Brian studied another sketch, "And surprisingly beautiful."
Aurora's smile grew, "You truly think so?"
"I do", He looked up.
"However, are you certain you wish to wear these?"
"Absolutely."
Sir Brian glanced at the sketch once more, "If these gowns appear at a noble banquet, every young lady in the kingdom will be demanding the same style."
Aurora nearly laughed. Good. That was exactly the point.
"I'll take that as another compliment."
Sir Brian chuckled, "I suspect you're about to create a fashion crisis."
At that moment, a maid entered quietly, "My Lady."
"Perfect timing ", Aurora turned toward her, "Maria, would you please fetch the light blue, pink, and white gowns from my wardrobe?"
"Yes, My Lady.", A few minutes later, Maria returned carrying the dresses.
The moment Sir Brian saw them, his face paled.
Aurora noticed immediately, "Sir Brian?"
The tailor looked stricken, "My Lady..."
"Yes?"
"You wish to alter these gowns?"
"Correct."
Sir Brian clutched his chest dramatically. The gowns were masterpieces. Expensive masterpieces. The finest embroidery. The finest fabrics. Months of work. Years of experience. And Lady Aurora wanted to cut them apart.
"This feels like a crime."
Aurora laughed, "A crime?"
"A terrible crime."
Maria covered her mouth to hide her smile. Even Emily struggled to remain composed.
Sir Brian picked up the pale blue gown," My Lady, this dress is beautiful. We could just make the outfits from new material"
"Which is why it deserves a second life",
The tailor looked unconvinced, "It is already living a perfectly good life."
Aurora laughed again.
For a moment, Sir Brian almost forgot she was a noble lady. The atmosphere felt surprisingly comfortable.
Eventually, he sighed dramatically, "Very well."
He picked up two of the sketches, "I can begin with these."
Aurora brightened, "Wonderful."
"Although...", He hesitated.
"What is it?"
"Young Lady Selene Alexander's coming-of-age banquet is in five days. I still have several commissions to complete."
Aurora nodded, "No problem. There is no rush."
Sir Brian visibly relaxed. Most noble ladies would have demanded immediate service.
Instead, Aurora smiled and replied, "Good work should never be rushed."
The tailor found himself liking her increasingly, "I can complete two gowns before the banquet."
"That would be perfect.",
Sir Brian carefully gathered the sketches.
For the first time in years, he felt genuinely excited about a commission.
These designs were fresh. Modern. Elegant.
They challenged everything he knew about noble fashion.
He could already imagine the reaction when Aurora wore them.
The kingdom's ladies would lose their minds.
"My Lady," he said sincerely, "thank you for trusting me with these designs."
Aurora smiled warmly, "And thank you for bringing them to life."
After discussing fabrics and alterations for a few more minutes, Aurora rose from her seat.
"If you'll excuse me, Sir Brian, I have a rather busy day ahead."
The tailor stood immediately, "Of course, My Lady."
As Aurora walked toward the door, she heard Sir Brian muttering behind her.
"What have I gotten myself into?"
Aurora glanced over her shoulder, "You agreed willingly."
Sir Brian sighed, "I know."
Then he looked at the gowns again.
"And yet I still feel as though I am participating in a fashion-related assassination."
Laughter echoed through the drawing room.
Smiling to herself, Aurora left. For the first time since returning to the past, she felt genuinely excited.
Not about the Crown Prince.
Not about becoming Queen.
But about creating something entirely her own.
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