Page 118 of Journey to the Elderoak
“The general?” Ghorza asked.
Ava turned around and smiled sheepishly as Fanya answered, “Oh yes. He is smitten with her.”
“He’s a good man. And very handsome.” Ghorza winked and approached to make small adjustments, pinning the fabric in the waistline. “This won’t take me long. I’ll have it delivered to the castle within a couple of hours.”
After getting the measurements and alterations, Ava dressed into her original clothing and thanked Ghorza profusely. She and Fanya headed out the door for lunch when they ran into someone entering the shop.
Ava looked up. “Cas?”
He stuttered, like he was caught red-handed as he stood in the store, face bright red. “Uhh…Hi.”
Fanya looked at him with her hands on her hips and eyed him suspiciously. “What areyoudoing here?”
He rubbed the back of his neck as his eyes darted between the two of them. “I…um…I just had to pick up my uniform. Ghorza was doing some alterations on it for me.”
“Ghorza doesn’t alter uniforms. This is a dress shop.” Fanya raised an eyebrow.
“She’s doing me a favor,” he blurted, fidgeting.
“Mmm hmm,” said Fanya. “Well, we must be off.” Shelooped her arm through Ava’s and dragged her out of the shop. “Goodbye!”
Ava met his eyes and smiled as Fanya dragged her away. Once outside the shop, Fanya whispered, “He’s lying.”
“I gathered as much.”
Ava was in her room,pulling on the gown with Fanya’s help, fingers shaking as she tried to adjust the waist. Cirilla had woven her hair into an intricate braid wrapping around her head, interspersed with tiny white flowers and green crystals.
Fanya wore a beautiful deep green dress with a tight beaded bodice and wide organza skirt that bounced when she walked. Her hair was left down and curled along her back.
Fanya took a step back and inspected her. “You need jewelry.”
“I don’t have any.”
“I’ll be right back,” she said as she left the room.
Ava admired herself in the mirror. Fanya had put a small amount of rouge on her cheeks and lips and lined her eyes with kohl. She touched her pointed ears, still startled when she saw them.
A part of her remained in disbelief. How she went from a wildlife biologist to a lost fae princess. It felt so natural to be here. In her home. But other times it was overwhelming. And it was times like these she wished her mother were here to guide her.
A light knock at the door startled her. “Come in,” she called, expecting Fanya with jewelry.
She looked in the mirror over her shoulder and met eyes with Casimir as he walked in.
He stilled in the middle of the room, at a loss for words. Ava waited for him to speak as she watched him in the reflection.After a moment, she turned to face him. His throat bobbed as he evaluated every inch of her.
“Ava…” he rasped. “You’re absolutely breathtaking.”
She marveled at him, jaw-droppingly handsome in his uniform. He wore a forest green jacket embroidered with the gold emblem of the Elderoak tree and the general insignia underneath, brown pants and polished boots. Leather armor adorned his shoulder caps, and he was armed with his sword at his side. A forest green cape flowed behind him lined with golden thread and moved as he walked toward her.
“You look…quite handsome yourself.” She smiled as she shifted on her feet.
He stopped a couple feet away and cleared his throat. “I have something for you,” he said and held out a box.
“What is it?”
His hands trembled as he opened it, revealing the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen. Gold branches wove together, leading toward three teardrops of dangling peridot gemstones. A larger peridot hung at the bottom layer of more golden branches as they met together in a point.
“Oh,” she gasped as she reached to touch the necklace. “It’s…beautiful. I don’t know what to say. You didn’t need to do that.”
