Fit

Writers: Eimi, Yvonne
Date Posted: 7th November 2005

Characters: Penryn, Thalia
Description: Penryn's new clothes are delivered and Thalia makes him try them on for fit, although it might not be the clothes that are the issue
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 8, day 15 of Turn 3

Thalia had taken the opportunity to order a new day dress (or two) to go with her Gather gown, and Lyndim and her girls produced the first of them and a few articles for Penryn within the week. "Here you are, my Lady," the seamstress said, shaking out the gown before presenting it to the young Lady, who promptly held it up against herself and went to look in a mirror. The navy gown made her skin look porceline pale, and the pale yellow ribbon around the neck and wrists mimiced the gold of her hair. "It suits you very well,"

"I do think so too. It's lovely, Lyndim!" Thalia smoothed down the skirt, then reluctantly set it aside. A day dress could wait. She was eager to see Penryn's Gather clothes. "What do you have for Penryn?"

The girls proudly displayed their handiwork for the acting steward. A tunic of garnet red, the Hold's crest skillfully embroidered over the left breast in black thread. Two black bands tastefully circled the cuff, which flared slightly, no doubt part of one of the new cuts the seamstress had alluded to earlier. Black trousers with garnet piping along the seams and an ivory undershirt to add a little contrasting color completed the outfit. Simple, yet elegant. Penryn approved whole heartedly.

"Well?" Thalia asked. "What do you think?" "I like it," Penryn said with a genuine smile. He turned the tunic around on its hanger, nodding approvingly. "The color is very nice. Appropriate."

"Thank you very much, ladies," Thalia told the seamstress and her girls. "You can leave the clothing here. I'll be by later this week for my second gown fitting,"

"Of course, my Lady." Lyndim sketched a quick curtsey before ushering her girls out. Thalia turned expectantly to Penryn. "Well? Will you try them on?"

"Now?" the man asked, his blue eyes opening wide with surprise. "You mean for you?"

"I don't see anyone else in the room, do you?" Thalia grinned and sat down on a chair in the corner. Perhaps it was improper of her to ask, but new Gather clothes were _exciting_! "Lyndim was going on about the new designs from the Weyr and I'd like a chance to see them properly. Besides, what if they don't fit? How will you tell the seamstresses what's wrong?"

That was true. He wouldn't have the first clue what to tell the seamstress if something _was_ wrong with it. Penryn began pulling his tunic over his head when he remembered Thalia was watching. He was not accustom to a woman being the room when he undressed, and especially not a _Lady_. With a slight flush of embarrassment for his social faus pax, he picked up the clothing. "I'll be right back."

"Of course." Thalia felt a hot flush creep up her neck as she turned away to offer him privacy, but instead watched him from beneath lowered lashes. His back rippled nicely as he closed the door behind himself... **Stop it! You're a _widow_!** she thought. It was just because Aswic had been so _old_.

**Stupid, stupid..** he berated himself as he slipped his arms through the sleeves of the undershirt. He should have been more respectful than to just strip of his shirt in front of the Lady. Was it so hard not to make a fool out of himself? Or was it just so hard to go through this with a woman that was not his wife. Jaika was filling his mind all day as he waited for the fitting, stood behind as her as he inspected his new outfit and her imagine still burned in his mind still now as he slipped the garnet tunic on.
This is the sort of thing that they would have enjoyed doing together. She would have 'helped' him try them on, and he would be unbuttoning buttons as soon as she had them through their holes, giggling and laughing at his race against her fingers. Finally he would have let her bat his hands away playfully, admitting defeat and both would laugh as she finished fastening the shirt closed, straightening the hems and smoothing the cloth across his chest, back and arms. He knew it was more for the excuse to touch him than to be helpful, and he loved it.

But now it was just him. Penryn had avoided moments like these - moments that reminded him just how much he missed her, just how much he missed being touched and fawned over and smiled at. He couldn't _feel_ the memories... They were fading, and that thought made him feel sick inside. With a heavy sigh he scooped up his own clothing from the floor and opened the door.

Thalia looked up as he entered, having managed to regain her composure, and smiled. "Don't you look good!" She rose and gestured for him to come and stand next to her in the mirror. "And it looks as though it fits well... how does it feel?"

"Good," he nodded. "I think it feels good." Penryn raised his arms over his head and stretched them out in front of himself, making sure that his movement was not inhibited in any way.

Thalia ran her hands across the seams on his back and shoulders -
ostensibly to check for fit. The fabric felt soft against her smooth palms and there were no wrinkles or puckers where the seamstresses had made mistakes. She caught his eye in the mirror and smiled.
"You'll be the belle of the ball. I hope that you're ready to dance!"

Penryn wasn't sure what all the bells and ball would mean, but he did enjoy the feel of her hands on his shoulders. Yes, that was what it felt like... He smiled back at her in the mirror. "I think I have forgotten how to dance."

The Lady looked surprised. "Forgotten...! It'll come right back to you once you hear the music, I'm sure. And if that doesn't do it, I'm sure that there will be plenty of women who will be eager to remind you."

Yes... there would be plenty of women to remind him. And he usually avoided them. "Lady Thalia, may I ask you a personal question?"

A personal question? Suddenly she was nervous. "You may."

"How do you..." Penryn swallowed his words suddenly. No, he could not ask that. He could not ask her how she could look so happy so soon after her husband's death. It was not right to ask her how it was that she could go on with such a pretty smile day after day. "How do you... know which fabric to choose?"

Thalia blinked. That was... not a personal question at all. "My mother taught me. And it's not that hard; you just need to see what everyone else is choosing, and what's pratical for the weather."

"Hmph," he snorted. "Maybe that's my problem. Maybe I should start paying attention to people more."

"It couldn't hurt," she said quietly.

Last updated on the November 7th 2005

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