Akatika's Legacy Page 5

  “Fine, but this one will cost you. Tony needs a new coat for the festival, you have to take me to your father’s shop and let me look around.”

  “Just let you look around. You’re not going to try and leverage me?” Gabby asked.

  “Of course not, who do you think I am.”

  “You and Tony are awfully close. Maybe some of his rougher charms are rubbing off on you.”

  “He’s a nice boy. He –” Ivy started.

  “Ivy relax I’m giving you a hard time. When can you leave?” Gabby said as she took Ivy’s hand.

  “Evening bell.”

  “Meet me at my house. We’ll talk and maybe I’ll take you to Papa’s shop.”

  “I’ll see you then, maybe sooner. I’ll try to get my assignments done quickly.” Ivy said.

  Gabby started to walk toward the door. “The sooner the better, I have something big to tell you. Really big news, really, really big.”

  Ivy wrung her apron in her hands watching Gabby leave. Her big news always had a way of getting them in trouble.

  The rest of the day flowed by uneventfully. Gabby had finished dinner was sitting at her tiny desk looking through the books that she had taken from the monastery. They were all handwritten no type at all in them. She had no idea what language they were written in but some of them had some very dark pictures in them. One was almost all pictures with only a few lines written under them.

  The picture filled book intrigued her the most. It was the best preserved one. Almost as if time had not touched it. It was bound in a soft leather over wood. The corners of it were edged with what looked to be silver. There was a gemstone in the middle, a ruby or a garnet she couldn’t tell, all she knew was that it was red.

  She tried to remove the gemstone, but it wouldn’t budge not even with the sharpest knife in the kitchen. After an hour to trying and only managing to put several gouges in the soft leather, she gave up. The gem would not come out of its setting.

  The pictures were fascinating. They were drawings but not like any she had ever seen before. They were of overlapping shapes and vague drawings of a person or animals and sometimes objects like candles and knives were at the center of each of them. She knew that it had to mean something, but she couldn’t puzzle it out.

  The knock at her door made her jump and she quickly hid the book under her pillow.

  “Come in.” Gabby replied to the knock.

  Ivy walked into the room and closed the door behind her. She handed a piece of candied plum wrapped in a bit of paper to her.

  Gabby’s eyes widened. It was her favorite treat and was too expensive for her to buy and her parents thought it was a waste of their coin to buy the exotic fruits. An “extravagance” her mother had told her.

  “It’s from Tony. I told him I was coming over and he sent this with me for you. He said that he owed you for the bacon.”

  “Oh, he ate the bacon from my breakfast last week when I was at Papa’s shop. I was in the back room and left my plate at the counter and when I came back, he was eating my breakfast.”

  “You were going to tell me about what happened yesterday when we went riding.” Ivy coaxed.

  Gabby rehearsed the entire story to Ivy not sparing any details, except the locked gates with the piles of coin. That was a detail Lafe and she agreed to talk about together with Ivy.

  She showed Ivy the torn and bloodied shirt and the pile of mysterious books. Ending the story of her exploits with the heroic rescue by Lafe.

  Ivy was on the edge of the bed. Her blue eyes wide soaking in the whole story. She leaned back and frowned.

  “The cursed monastery? You went inside the cursed monastery? The place that was cursed and everyone died inside. You know it was cursed, right?” Ivy quarried.

  “At first it didn’t seem cursed but once the skeleton attacked me, I changed my mind.” Gabby admitted.

  “What if other skeletons or worse ghouls or the like escape? They could come here and attack us.”

  “They would have to make it all the way to town and past the guards. Lafe took care of it with one hit, I’m sure we’ll be fine.” Gabby explained.

  Gabby stood and took Ivy’s hands and helped her off the bed but didn’t let go. “Lafe and I need to talk with you about Tony. It’s not what you think, we want his help with something.”

  “Why not have Lafe go to the barracks and talk to him?” Ivy asked.

  “Because we need to talk with you first. It’s really big but I promised not to say until Lafe was with us.” Gabby replied.

  “Alright, when?” Ivy asked.

  “I don’t want to do it until Lafe has a chance to calm down. A few days maybe.” Gabby said, then smiled. “Let's go to Pa’s and look for a gift for Tony.”

  Chapter 4

  Hand in hand Gabby and Ivy made their way to the Joel’s clothing shop on the other side of town. When Lord Clint had the city rebuilt, he had created an ordinance that homes and businesses had to be in separate districts. That decision had left the guilds and shop owners furious with the lord, but there was little that common people could do about it.

  Eventually, the edict changed when Lord Clint had to spend all his time listening to petitions and grievances about the crime that had increased. The petitions led to the size of the city guard being increased and eventually, shop owners were allowed to have homes in the same district as their shop.

  This left Gabby’s father in a tough situation, at the time he had opened his business and couldn’t afford to build a new house in the district with his shop. He settled for spending every other night in the shop while Gabby’s mother stayed at home. When the guard patrol was increased, he no longer felt he needed to say over.

  From the outside, Gabby’s father’s shop was as normal as all the rest, but inside it was lavish. The inside was filled as bright as it was outside at mid-day in the summer. There were three chandeliers and several sconces on the walls all to provide enough light for Joel’s patrons. The walls shelved bolts of every fabric imaginable in every conceivable color.

  There were displays of the latest fashions all made by Joel or one of the three other tailors he employed. Most people in the town would not have a set of clothes as high quality as the ones that decorated the wood and wire dummies in the shop. They were made to look like a person, but they lacked a face and hands. The lack of features always left Gabby a bit creeped out by the mannequins.

  There were no shoes or boots, just clothes, and cloth. If someone needed boots or shoes Joel sent them next door to Lafe’s father, Henry Souter who was the cobbler. Together they managed to keep most of the upper castes happy with their wares.

  People came to Henry for shoes and boots. If they wanted clothes, Henry sent them to Joel. When Joel’s patrons needed boots or shoes, he sent them to Henry. It had been that way for thirty-four years. They had been childhood friends that talked about going into business with each other but never did because each wanted to be the owner. The two adjoining shops was the next best thing. It kept their friendship strong.

  Ivy knew she couldn’t afford anything in the shop, but she loved looking at everything. Her family was wealthy, but she was not allowed access to any of it. Her father insisting, she learn the value of coin by earning her own. She was provided a place to live, food to eat, and basic sensible clothes. Most of what she earned went toward more fanciful clothing than was allotted to her from her father.

  She loved to come into the Joel’s shop to find ideas for clothing. She couldn’t afford them even with the discount that he always told her she would get. She came in this time to get an idea of what she might be able to make herself for Tony, her own salaries as an apprentice was almost nothing.

  Gabby led them around the displays, stopping every now and again to admire some elegant article of clothing. Eventually, they ended up in the smaller part of the showroom where clothing for men was on display.

  Ivy walked up to a mannequin that was displaying a dark grey wool coat. It was made
in a long style that went all the way down to the knees. An old style but still sophisticated enough to be on display at Joel’s shop. It had pockets in the waist and breast, the kind that were sewn inside the coat not patched on to the outside.

  The buttons on the front and epaulets looked to be real silver buttons. The inside of the coat was a quilted brocade of red and gold flowers on a blue background. Ivy lifted an arm and was shocked at the weight of it. It was the heaviest coat she had ever lifted.

  “They’re heavy alright. It’s for the nobility but not one of them has ever bought one. The only one I ever sold was to Marcus Lynch. It’s lined with leather and small metal discs. A layer of padding comes next and last the lining. That’s why the confounded things weigh so much.” Joel said as he rounded the display.

  “Why is there metal and leather inside?” Ivy asked.

  “So, the nobility can walk around looking pretty and have armor to stop a knife. Things can get heated in the parties they host, especially when they are playing that card game Loot and Legends. Too much money floating around to keep cool heads.”

  “They fight over a card game?” Gabby asked.

  “It’s not so different than common men playing at dice or kings. Someone wins too often and gets accused of cheating. Then out come the knives.” Joel placed his bear sized hands on Gabby’s shoulders.

  “Girls come with me. I have something I have been working on all day and I want you to see it.”

  Joel led the girls past the counter where piles of cloth were being measured and cut by one of Joel’s tailors. Bernard, Gabby thought, but she never could put the right name to the face. Two of the tailors were brothers and the other was their cousin. All of them looked as if they were a copy of one another, and what made is worse was they all wore the same thing each day.

  They entered the back room, which was half storage and half work room. Piles of cloth sorted by type and color laid on tables around the perimeter. Dress forms and mannequins sat with half-finished clothes on them in the aisles. They stopped in front of a series of four mannequins that were draped over with a jute tarp.

  Joel centered the girls in front of them and lifted the tarp. Gabby’s eyes widened and she began to giggle excitedly. Ivy brow scrunched up and she looked confused.

  The first mannequin had trousers made from leather dyed a deep olive color. It was paired with a bright blue vest over a white tunic on the first mannequin. The second was a coat that was also of the same leather with elaborate gold and silver embroidery around the cuffs and hem. The third and fourth were similar to the first two only the leather was a light tawny brown and the embroidery was blue and gold. The part Ivy was confused about was the mannequins were all female forms.

  “The boys have been helping me work on these all day. Well everyone except Bernard out at the counter he’s been minding the shop for me.” Joel announced.

  Gabby ran up and started inspecting the clothes right away. Ivy was not sure how to react to the seemingly masculine clothing on female mannequins. But after a moment she noticed that there was silk brocade on the side of the trousers that Gabby was examining.

  These were not all that masculine then; a man would never wear something that had that much pink and flowers on it, Ivy decided. She moved closer and began her own inspection of the ones in front of her.

  “These are the new riding clothes that I made for you girls. I still had your measurements from last festival Ivy.” Joel proclaimed. “I think that they will be a hit once the ladies start seeing you girls riding in them.”

  “You want us to wear these. They’re so revealing. I can’t, I would die. My mother and father would die. My whole family would die from embarrassment.” Ivy explained.

  “I’ll put them on right now.” Gabby announced. “I have no problems. Trousers are much more comfortable than the bulky skirts everyone loves so much. Oh, and they’re not drafty.”

  “Ivy please, reconsider. I need as many people in the right social circles to be seen wearing them. Young, pretty girls out riding along with their high-class friends. This could set a new fashion for riding.” Joel pleaded.

  “Sorry. I can’t, it’s not that they aren’t beautifully made, don’t think that. My parents, they would kill me, and I can’t let people see me like that.” Ivy apologized.

  “Ivy the coat is long enough that it covers your thighs all the way to your knees. It’s like wearing a dress over thick leggings.” Gabby put in.

  “I’ll give you the coat from the front room. I only sold one and I need the mannequin for the new men’s clothes I’m working on. It’s yours and I’ll size it to anybody for you. Is it for your Pa or brother?”

  “She was looking at it for Tony. They’re not official like Lafe and me.” Gabby said with a wink at her father.

  “I see, have him come in tomorrow, in the morning and it’s his. I’ll size him up and have it finished by evening bell.”

  Ivy was blushing both for the intended gifts and the way Gabby had announced her and Tony’s relationship so casually.

  “I guess a few times out riding would hurt. If it’s to help you and your business, I suppose I could do it.” Ivy whispered.

  That was what you could count on Ivy for. Helping others, it was her biggest fault. Not the helping of course but she was so nice and helpful that it was an issue. If she saw a problem, she had to fix it. Gabby didn’t want to take advantage of her, so she tried never to show weakness around her because of it.

  She took the clothes into the small curtained room used to try on the new garments. Ivy’s mind was caught up in what she was about to do. She was going to wear clothes she didn’t think were appropriate because it would help Joel’s business and help Tony get a new coat.

  Once she had the trousers on, she did have to admit that the feel of the silk lining against her skin and the way the legs fit was nice, actually extraordinary she admitted. The tunic was so light and almost danced across her skin. It was almost enough to make her forget that she was wearing trousers at all.

  Looking in the mirror, Gabby had been right. The coat did cover most of what she feared was exposed. It might not be as bad as she thought.

  Gabby slide in through the curtain. “These are so amazing. I can’t believe Papa made them for us. They’re real silk inside. This outfit probably cost a full gold mark.”

  Ivy’s eyes went wide and her face reddened again. That was what she made in a whole year working for Gertrude at the apothecary. Joel’s patrons had that much coin to purchase one set of clothes with!

  “A full mark! I Can’t wear these, help me out of them.” Ivy exclaimed.

  “Calm down. You can and you will unless you don’t want that fine coat for Tony.” Gabby said as she finished buttoning up Ivy’s coat.

  “Fine but this is really nice of your father.”

  “He sees it as a business investment. It cost him less to make than a mark to make and once the higher-ups catch on to the fashion, all of them will buy some. And they always come to my Papa when they see something new.” Gabby bragged.

  Ivy and Gabby spent the next few minutes examining each other in the mirrors. Trying to find out which looked better. In the end, they couldn’t decide each was special in its own unique way.

  “Have a walk around in them. You’ll see what I mean about the comfort.” Gabby insisted.

  Ivy hesitantly walked out of the small changing room. After seeing that no one was around except Bernard. She began to walk more confidently. Gabby was right these felt great to walk in. You didn’t have to worry about your feet tripping on the skirts.

  Gabby jogged by and slapped Ivy firmly on the rear and let out a sharp whistle. Ivy forgot about propriety and began to chase after Gabby. She could run at full speed in these with out any problems.

  “I’m no horse and my legs are longer than yours Gabby Sanderson!”

  “Is that a threat from little miss prim and proper, for shame.” Gabby laughed.

  Ivy blushed and ran after
Gabby. They went a few laps around the showroom weaving through the displays. Ivy finally caught up to Gabby, and in the most ladylike way she could, she pulled up the tails of Gabby’s coat and gave her a slap on the rear. They both broke down into giggles.

  It was then, they noticed Joel, Bernard, Hank, and Eliot all laughing in the doorway to the storeroom.

  “I see they fit well and are easy to move in.” Joel said between chuckles.

  “Yes.” was the only reply that Joel got as Ivy walked as formally as she could back to the changing room. She decided it was time for her to be on her way back home.

  Ivy changed into her dress careful not to ruin the new clothes. She took them to the front counter and Bernard wrapped them up while she thanked Joel for the new clothes and the expensive coat for Tony.