Something Old, Something New

Writers: Eimi, Yvonne
Date Posted: 31st October 2005

Characters: Thalia, Penryn
Description: Thalia escorts Penryn to the seamstress
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 8, day 9 of Turn 3

"Penryn? Are you ready?" Thalia knocked softly on the acting Steward's door before opening it. Unsurprisingly, he was seated behind his desk working on something. "Are you ready to go?"

"Go?" he asked as he looked up from the figures on the Smith Hall's expected tithe. "Am I supposed to be going somewhere?"

The Lady suppressed a sigh. It had been the same with her father and brothers - the moment a man had to think of his own appearance he'd be diligently doing something else, and the appointment would have been conveniently forgotten. "I told you yesterday - I've made us an appointment with the seamstress. She's meeting us to pick out fabrics and cuts for the banquet - don't you remember?"

"Oh, yes. Sorry, I totally forgot." He looked down at the sheets in front of him. How was he ever going to remember where he was?
**Shards...** He gathered up the hides and scraps of paper and stifled a sigh. Why did he _need_ to pick out cuts and fabric? Couldn't he just say that he needed an outfit, get measured and be done with it? "All right, ma'am, lead the way."

Thalia chatted good-naturedly about nothing until they reached the store room with the Hold's fabrics. "Lyndim? I hope we didn't keep you waiting,"

Lyndim smiled and curtsied as they entered. Tall and plump, she'd been a seamstress at Garnet Valley for fifty-two turns and had spent fifteen of those sewing for Lord Aswic - although he hadn't asked for much. The prospect of a pretty young bride to sew for had been quite the boon. "Lady Thalia, Penryn. I haven't been here but a moment. You said that you wanted new Gather clothes?"

Thalia nodded. "I'll need a new dress - something proper for mourning, but that could be altered later so that it's suitable for other things. And Penryn needs... what exactly do you do you need?"
she asked. "A new jacket and trousers? Or an entire outfit?"

"I don't know," Penryn said as he ran fingers through his hair. He would have just found something clean that looked like he hadn't been out in the fields in it... "Everything I guess. I haven't had a new outfit for turns really."

Thalia looked taken aback. "Turns?! Goodness. Well. We'll have to do something about that. I guess he'll need a new set of Gather clothes then, Lyndim. Do you have a colour preference?"

Jaika had always said that blue brought out the color of his eyes nicely. It seemed to be her favorite color on him. But, as the acting steward and the one who had been charged with care of the Hold until his arrival, perhaps he should wear Hold colors. Shells, this was making his head hurt. He fell back on old habits. "What do you think, Lady Thalia?"

Thalia bit her lip and took the opportunity to study him openly. His hair was a darker blonde than her own, and his skin much more tanned.
But it was his eyes... dark blue, the colour of evening skies...
"Something dark," she said, and sternly told herself to stop woolgathering, "since your colouring's on the fair side. Although perhaps something in Hold colours, since I don't see Lord Ishek dismissing you from your post. You're doing a fine job and it'd be a shame to disrupt the Hold again."

"Hold colors then," he said, trying not to smile at the unexpected compliment. It surprised Penryn to realize that Thalia's opinion suddenly meant something to him. She had definitely surprised him in the last few sevendays.

"And perhaps a new jacket, and a new shirt or two," she said, turning to the seamstress. "Dark colours, for work. And maybe something in blue. To bring out your eyes," she told Penryn.

Penryn looked at the Thalia for a moment to reassure him that the voice belonged to the Lady, and not to some distant memory of his dead wife. It was the kind of thing she would say - practical and thoughtful. Finally he answered her with an affirmative nod.

"Of course! We'll get your measurements and I'll have the Gather clothes delivered shortly. The rest will take a few weeks longer."
Neither Lyndim or Thalia seemed to have noticed anything amiss, and the seamstress happily fiddled with the measuring tape slung around her neck. "Me and my girls will have you a new suit in no time.
Now... there's velvet, satin, cotton, and a light wool dyed in garnet. I'd personally suggest the light wool and the cotton, perhaps with black edging in honor of the late Lord Holder and Steward.
Paired with a shirt in a light cotton, perhaps in ivory or white? And you'll have to decide on a cut. I can do something to specifications, or there's several styles come out of River Bluff that I'm itching to try."

"Whatever you suggest, Lyndim." Shards, but he was missing Jaika. This was the kind of thing she would have loved. Dressing him up, thinking up new cuts. And then when he finally had his new set of clothes she would take him home and make him show it off for her. Then she would see how fast she could get him out of it...

"Why don't we go with the light wool, and something new from the Weyr," Thalia said. Penryn was beginning to look a little overwhelmed. "Maybe Lyndim can take your measurements now, while I pick out my own fabrics. Then you can go. I'm sure that you've got lots to do,"

"Yes, I do have a lot of work I need to do. I'm sorry I'm not more helpful." He lifted his arms to be measured, wanting to hurry things along as much as possible. Work. Work would banish these lonely thoughts.

Last updated on the October 31st 2005

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Something Old, Something New