An Unexpected Invitation

by Ceillie Simkiss

“Here you go, Miss Beatrice. This ought to help you get your voice back.”

  I moved myself into a sitting position, my back against the wall of the small room. I surveyed the small room as Molly began to tell me about the journey and the current state of things.

  We had arrived in the city three days before the wedding was supposed to take place. Molly checked into the inn where we had made arrangements to stay, and then spoke the counter spell that would release me from my form as a scarf. The inn’s chef had brewed the tea specially for me from the stock that Winston had given me, and I was grateful for it.

  “Don’t worry, I paid her extra for it. She’s very kind,” Molly informed me. I nodded, already beginning to feel more human.

  Once the cup was empty, I tried to push myself up off of the floor. My body informed me that that was a mistake. The tea, and everything else that was still in my stomach, violently removed itself. I fell hard onto my knees and spewed it all into the metal tub that was intended for bathing. I could already tell that this trip was going to cost more than expected. We were going to have to tip the maids very well if I didn’t start feeling better soon.

  Molly grabbed my cup out of my hand and refilled it while I slid back to the floor. Once I was firmly settled against the wall, she handed it back to me.

  “Winston told me to make sure you drank at least two cups of this tea, and then several more of just plain water if you can get it. He said you’d be awfully dehydrated after two weeks as a shawl.”

  I drained it again, setting it back on the floor.

  “Okay, so we have three days until the wedding, but there’s a reception the night before according to the invitation. You and I will both need suitable clothes for both parties. Once I’m hydrated, we’ll need to go find something.”

  “Do you even know where a reputable tailor is that can get something done on that short a time frame? Mama would have laughed in your face if you’d asked her to do two gowns fit for a noble’s wedding in less than a week.” Molly pressed her lips into a fine line and raised her eyebrows, making her skepticism clear.

  I smiled back up at her and held up my cup for a refill. She filled my cup and I took a sip this time. Most medicinal teas were awful, but this red tea tasted of elderberry with a slightly bitter aftertaste. It was actually quite good.

  “Ah, but I know just the person. See, I grew up here and one of my childhood friends opened her own shop with her wife, and I know they would absolutely love to meet you. Plus, I told them we were coming ahead of time so they should have something prepared. Oh, speaking of, have you sent a bird to your mother yet?”

  “Not yet. I wanted to make sure you didn’t do anything foolish like try to go out on your own.”

  “Well, then we can do that, too. I think I’m well enough to make it downstairs and have a proper meal with some actual water, if you’ll help me get up?”

  “Are you sure? We can sit a little while longer if you need time to become a real person again.”

  I grinned at her.

  “Silly girl, I’m not a real person! I’m a witch!”

  After a full meal and with several stops to rest, Molly and I were making our way down the cobbled street of Bryn Eirian’s main street. It had changed a lot since the last time I was here five years ago.

  When I had grown up here it was a small yet bustling town. It had slowly grown as I did and now he could only be described as booming. People were everywhere in the streets and every shop window that we peered into offered something very different from the shop next to it.

  It wasn’t difficult to find the shop I was looking for. The exterior of the shop was built of the same stones that the pathway was, making it look like the building had grown out of the street, leaving space for two windows and a doorway. The windows were what tipped me off that it was Briallen and Eleri’s shop. They were decorated in swabs of varying shades of pink that would let no one forget that they were lesbian shop owners. A curvy mannequin stood in each of the windows, one wearing a bright pink confection of a gown and the other wearing a simple but elegant green skirt and bodice set. It practically had their names written on it.

  Molly looked over the building, and the clothing on the mannequins within, with a critical eye. She certainly was her mother’s daughter. Looking up above the shop, I realized that it did have a name written on it - The Hill’s Finest.

  “This is us,” I informed her with a grin.

  The clap of a small bell sounded when we walked through the door, making Molly jump a little bit. I rested a hand between her shoulder blades in an attempt to comfort her. It seemed to work, judging by the slight slackening of the tension there.

  “Welcome to The Hill’s Finest,” a heavyset dark-skinned woman called genially without turning to look at us. “We’ll be with you in just a moment!”

  I took advantage of the time this gave me to look around the shop. Reams of folded fabric were stacked on shelves so high that I could barely see the top of the shelves against the ceiling.

  Dressmaker forms that had been expanded to be taller, curvier or thinner were scattered all around the shop with dresses, suits and combinations of both in various states of completion. All of the designs were so clearly Eleri’s that I couldn’t keep a smile off of my face. I didn’t see Briallen or Eleri anywhere, but that didn’t surprise me. There were three clients already being seen to by the younger women who were clearly their assistants. That showed they were likely doing well for themselves here.

  My eyes caught on the curtain at the back of the room that clearly separated the client area from the work area when it rustled and opened to reveal Eleri herself - a small, dainty woman wearing a smart gray pinstriped bodice and trouser set. Of all the things that had changed since I had last visited, it was clear from the beaming smile on her face that her feelings for me were not one of them.

  “You’re here!” she squealed loudly.

  Moving so quickly that it seemed like she flew, Eleri gathered me in her arms and squeezed so tightly that I thought I might break in two. Even if I did, I didn’t care. It was so good to see her and hold her I wanted to cry.

  “Bri, it’s Beatrice! She’s actually here just like she said!”

  I heard a bench screech as it was pushed back against the stone floors and then saw Briallen duck to avoid hitting her head on the curtain rod and then her tall, stocky form was barreling towards Molly and I. Molly took a step back from where she’d been at my elbow, steadying herself against the wall. Without what seemed like too much effort, Briallen lifted both Eleri and me into the air and spun us around.

  “Hey, put Miss Beatrice down! You’ll make her sick.” Molly’s young voice demanded. She was right. I could already feel my face beginning to flush and my stomach to churn.

  Briallen set me down with a quick apology that I accepted without a thought. I brushed my simple cotton gown to ensure that I was still decent. All of the clients and assistants in the room were staring at us. Despite my unsettled body, I was thrilled to see my friends. It had been more than three years since they had last visited me on the island. Eleri did the same, then turned her brilliant smile on Molly.

  “You must be Molly, Beatrice’s young assistant and friend. It is a pleasure to meet you finally. Beatrice has told me so much about you over the years!”

  She offered her hand to shake and Molly took it tentatively. Eleri pumped it up and down enthusiastically and I had to laugh at the shocked expression on her face. I had forgotten that she had never met these two. I had told her stories over the years as well, but meeting them in person could be more than a little overwhelming.

  “It’s nice to meet you two as well,” she said shyly. She turned back to me, her forehead wrinkled in worry. “Miss Beatrice, are you all right?”

  “I’ll be all right in just a jiffy here,” I assured her. She was still worried, but I was telling the truth and she could see that by looking at me.

  Eleri’s attention was still on Molly. I could tell f
rom her gaze that she was already mentally updating the outfits that she had made for her. I had done my best to give her Molly’s measurements and preferences, but Eleri had always had a better sense of fashion than I could have dreamed of.

  “Come to the back with me and I’ll show you the outfits we have prepared for you. While we get them perfected for you, you can tell me all about the journey and how Bea is actually doing. I know full well she’s been sugarcoating life on that island of yours.”

  In her practiced way, she led Molly back to the workshop. Briallen turned her attention to me, her dark eyes bright against her pale skin.

  “Since we knew you better than we know Molly, we’ve already got your outfits completed as you requested. We just need to make sure they fit properly. Head back to the fitting room and we’ll get you all fixed up. Then you can tell me about your latest experiments and I’ll fill you in on all the latest gossip around town.”

  I grinned at her. It was good to be back with my friends again.

  We heard the orchestra playing from almost a mile away. We had been offered a ride with several of my friends, but I would prefer to not spend the entire evening vomiting now that we had made it all the way here.

  A carriage pulled up moments after we reached the gated entrance to the. One of the Bryn Eirian footmen opened the carriage door and helped Eleri step down from the carriage. She resembled a parrot with her bouffant of bright red hair and pale green gown.

  Briallen didn’t need the assistance, but took the footman’s hand with grace. When her feet hit the dust of the ground, she swept her gaze across the walkway until it snagged on Molly and I. She gestured to her wife, who ran over to us with a gleaming grin on her face.

  “You look exactly the way I imagined you would look,” she said, walking in circles around us with a critical eye. “Though I see you accessorized on your own. Hm…”

  Molly shifted self-consciously next to me. I reassured her with a hand on her shoulder and she smiled down at me gratefully. She looked resplendent in a silver and blue gown that she had accessorized with a pair of aquamarine ear studs that her mother had given her for her birthday the year before and a silver chain that dropped to her navel with the visage of the goddess on a small, flat pendant. We had braided her hair into a crown. She would rival any of the noblewomen that we would meet tonight and make a great impression on anyone.

  I also knew that I looked really good. They had chosen a draping buttery yellow georgette gown for me that made my skin glow, with forest green accents and vine embroideries that brought out the green in my hazel eyes. The sleeves were tight to my elbow and then fanned out like a bell to cover my hands. It was exactly what I had wanted.

  “Yes, you look practically perfect. We have done another great job,” Eleri declared with a triumphant grin on her face. I rolled my eyes good naturedly at her. Of course, she was talking about herself and Briallen, which was only to be expected. She had always had pride in her work, and with good reason. I felt more confident in the stress that I had in any outfit I could remember wearing, aside from my work coat.

  Briallen grasped her wife’s hand tightly and we all began to walk towards the party together. According to the gossip, it was to be one that the duchy would remember for decades. The Bryn Eirian family had spared no expense on any aspect of their eldest son’s wedding, despite the fact that Ambrose had never had any interest in a formal wedding.

  When we got to the door, we realize that even the gossips had not estimated the size of this gathering. The ballroom was packed full of people wearing their season’s best. Tables draped in forest green linen and small white flowers were scattered across the left side of the room and guests mingled among them At the center of all of them sat a long, rectangular table that I knew would eventually seat the lord and spouse and their families

  It was a little overwhelming, even though I had expected it.

  “Let us go find our table, shall we, Molly?”

  Her brow was wrinkled as she scanned the room.

  “Will we have a table? I didn’t realize that you had told them we were coming.”

  “I sent a messenger yesterday,” I told her with a laugh. “They saved a space for me. We should be near the head table somewhere.”

  We made our way over to the clusters of tables and guests and peeked at the placards to find our names. As I’d expected, we had been placed at a table directly to the right of the head table. Briallen and Eleri were two tables away from us, I noted with a twinge. I wished we’d been placed together so that we could talk more while I was here, but that was the way of family weddings.

  I saw several people that I recognized from the Academy of Mages and from the village, though I hadn’t seen many of them in years. I didn’t see Ambrose or Oriol, but that was to be expected. They were both going to be incredibly busy, but I was sure I would find them before the night was out.

  Molly tugged at the bell sleeve of my gown from where she stood next to me to get my attention. She pointed behind me, and I saw that Oriol’s parents were standing there. They had apparently been trying to get my attention while my mind had been wandering.

  “We are so glad to see you here,” Emilia whispered, clasping my hand in her matronly one. “When it was so last-minute, I was worried that you wouldn’t be able to get here in time.”

  I squeezed her hand.

  “I would have moved the oceans and the earth to get here in time to be here for this, Mrs. Bartoli. Thanks to Molly here, I didn’t have to do that. Just do some experimenting and ask a friendly fae for help. You know, nothing major,” I laughed. “Have you and Sebastián met my friend and assistant, Molly?”

  Molly poked her head forward and waved shyly. They nodded in greeting with welcoming smiles.

  “Molly, these are Oriel’s parents, Emilia and Sebastián Bartoli. I lived with them during my studies here in Elisad. Sebastián taught me more about healing than any of the Academy’s teachers ever hoped to. He’s the reason I got the posting on the island, and the reason we’re here today.”

  The large, jolly man was blushing a deep rose red beside his wife, who was beaming. Looking at them together, I was reminded of how much Oriol had always looked like them both. They had their fathers stature, nut brown skin and optimistic outlook on life, while their facial features were almost an exact replica of their mother’s aquiline nose and full lips. Their warm auburn hair was all their own, though.

  “Now, don’t sell yourself short, young lady. Your skills helped you as much as my recommendation might have with your posting. And you were the reason that Ambrose came to visit when Oriol was home. The rest was all them.” I laughed.

  “It is a pleasure to meet you after all these years, Molly. Beatrice speaks highly of you,” Emilia said graciously.

  Now it was Molly’s turn to blush, something I hadn’t seen her do in years.

  “Why you tell everybody about me?” she whispered in fierce embarrassment. “Can’t you let a girl make her own first impressions?”

  I raised an eyebrow at her.

  “You don’t want me to brag on you to anyone and everyone about you? Sebastián is one of the best witches the world has ever seen and for some reason he values my opinion. You want to continue learning, don’t you?”

  She growled quietly in response, but turned a smiling face towards the Bartoli’s. They had watched the exchange with bemused smiles on their faces.

  “Do you intend to be a healer like Beatrice here?” Sebastián asked. “I understand that you quite enjoy experimenting with more unusual magics than our girl here.”

  Her face brightened and I knew that she would do well in his company. When they began to chatter, I fixed my attention on the woman who had more or less adopted me as a young adult.

  “Now, Emilia, tell me about the plans for tomorrow’s ceremony and afterward! We barely got notice in time for me to get here, let alone know what’s been happening with Ambrose and Oriol. I want to know everything.”

&nbs
p; The next day found everyone together again on the shores of Lake Fenn.

  Ambrose and Oriol stood at the end of the short dock that had been built into the lake, their hands interlaced. They spoke quietly to each other, and I could see the love on their faces. Ambrose wore an elegant burgundy suit that made the freckles stand out on his pale skin. If you looked closely you could see the light lace pattern that was embroidered into his jacket, matching the floor length lace cape and veil that Oriel wore over a forest green raw silk jumpsuit that outlined their curves but left plenty to the audiences imagination. Onlookers could see the outline of the hill that gave his duchy its name between the lovers as they stood waiting to be wed. It was breathtaking.

  They looked happier than I ever remember seeing them. I thought that my chest might burst with pride and joy at seeing them look at each other while they waited for the priestesses to begin the ceremony once the sun had begun to set. I was seated between the Bartoli’s and Ambrose’s brothers and sisters, and we had been catching up for nearly an hour

  Guests were splayed out around the lake’s edge in a fan shape, with an aisle between them. The end of each row held a candelabra that would serve as our lighting for the ceremony.

  The three priestesses arrived just on time, lighting candles as they came down the aisle with the fluidity that could only come with years of practice. As was traditional, they wore simple cream gowns and red cloaks. Their hair was bound up with a lacework of crimson threads.

  A hush fell over the crowd as the head priestess took her place between the lovers on the dock. The other priestesses stood behind each of them.

  “Friends, we are gathered here today for the cementing of the bond of marriage between Ambrose and Oriol,” the head priestess began.

  “Do each of you come to this gathering of your own free will with the intent to form the eternal bonds of matrimony with your friends and family as witnesses?”

  “We do.” They answered in harmony.