The Tiger Within 224 Calm Before The Storm Part 2

"Kyera Mei, is that you?" The older woman asked. Kyera frowned a bit at the use of her old name. She had not interest in it but the old ones were stubborn in their ways.

"Yes Granny, Is Ella Von home?" Kyera asked again and Granny cracked a rather sweet smile. Her teeth seemed sharper than perhaps expected, but her kind old face hid the edges of hte expression well. Raina smiled and Curtsied to the older woman.

"May we go in, Madam?" Raina asked and the old woman tilted her head to the side turning her head slightly toward the sweet young voice who had addressed her.

"Yes, dear you may. Kyera, you brought your family to meet me finally?" The old woman crooned and Kyera froze. Her cheeks turned red as embarra.s.sment washed through her. The horror on Kyera's face completely lost on the woman.

"No no no, This is Princess Raina of the Dancing Wind's Palace and her Father Fourth Prince Clovis…" Kyera started to explain hastily. THe older woman looked surprised for a moment and she digested what Kyera said.

"You were always a interesting one Kyera." The woman began but a younger woman walked out onto the sidewalk from within. The doorway framed her slinder form as the golden haired la.s.s looked at them both from just within. She was pet.i.te and lively, looking sweet and meek as a mouse. Her dress was beautiful and made to stand out. Pale blues and whites carefully balanced to bring out her eyes and hair.

"Granny, who are you giving a hard time?" She scolded the older woman who looked like a child whose fun had been spoiled. Kyera looked great fully at the woman who had rescued her from Granny. As much as she loved the woman, it was too easy to get into trouble, or have her spill too much about her past.

"Your Royal HIghnesses this is Ella Von, the best dressmaker in the city." Kyera introduced and the young woman looked at them both with curiosity. Raina felt oddly drawn to the young woman tilting her head a bit to show her interest. Clovis however seemed surprised this little woman had such a reputation in Kyera's eyes. She wasn't a easy one to impress.

"Your Highnesses, It is my pleasure to greet you all, may I inquire as to the nature of your meeting?" She asked, her little mousy voice suddenly very proper as she bowed low to the trio. Kyera sighed hating this formality but obediently following suite with a bow of her head. Clovis cleared his throat and motioned for Raina to speak.

"I was hoping you would do me the honor of dressing Lady Kyera and I for the ball…" Raina jumped straight to the point but quickly noticed her error. "Pleasure to meet you as well, craftsman." Ella suppressed a chuckle as her eyes danced over the Princess' shape then over at Kyera.

"I see, Well Kyera I think between the pair of us we should be able to set up the princess with something. As for you… Well let's see what we can make." Ella invited them both in and lead them to the work station. Raina was drawn into the conversation with the older women while Clovis was completely lost.

As much as he wanted to have a opinions he was lost in the colors and textures that surrounded him. She had no shortage of beautiful fabrics to choose from. The few dresses he could see hanging up or lifeless on mannequins caught his eye. There was grace and Elegance then there were these works of art. Wedding dresses, and dance dresses in styles he had never seen before caught his attention. There were plans for dresses pinned to the walls like ornate wallpaper.

One such drawing caught his eyes. It was of a woman facing away from the viewer, glancing back over her shoulder. A river just beyond her feet. The back of the dress caught his eyes in all it's intricate details but as his eyes followed the lines up to her face his curiosity grew. Long hair seeming to glow in the moonlight had been gathered into a bun at the back of her head and familiar features looked back at him from the colorless sketch. On her ear she wore the crest, but in her hair, nested among pale curls a tiara sat barely noticeable between her eyes and the elegant dress. His eyes flicked back to Kyera, his eyes focused on a place above her brow, half expecting to see the tiara there… but all he saw was soft, white hair.