touches down because
there’s always a pilot inside, I suppose. Every time I’ve been on
it there’s someone going here or there, mostly to the carrier
hovering over the Countess’s hemisphere.” Tinick pointed out the
window very specifically. “As soon as you leave the shield you can
see it, a beautiful ship despite its purpose.”
“What does it do up
there?”
“It keeps everyone
outside the shield surrounding the estate in line, of course.”
“Of course.”
“All right, let’s
get a few strawberries in you then get this dress on.” She waited
until Aspen ate the five strawberries on the plate, had a chance to
wash her hands, then the long dark purple gown was pulled down onto
her. There was some firm pulling and twisting involved in getting it
to fit, but both of them were pleased with the results once the
silky, long dress was fitted, though Aspen appreciated it
begrudgingly. She could barely breathe, she had to take much shorter
steps, and there was no doubt that she would be singled out once she
attended whatever event was waiting for her that day. “What is this
for?” she asked.
“Court is being held
all day today. The Countess is making an announcement this morning,
there is a luncheon this afternoon, then she is holding a celebration
for the return of her Consort. He’s conquered some new territory on
a moon a few systems over, I couldn’t be bothered to listen to the
details, to be honest.”
A knock on the door
made Tinick jump a little. With a few long strides, she crossed the
room, opened it and nearly growled; “A few minutes, please. She’ll
be out when she’s ready.”
The designer closed the
door firmly and returned her attention to Aspen, straightening the
neckline and pulling on the dress on her hips. “If I were to size
this for you without the compression girdle, you’d look much
better, but we all have our orders. This is for you,” she said as
she handed Aspen a small matching clutch. “The control for the
girdle is inside.”
Aspen was alarmed as a
rectangular square with the word; INITIALIZING blinked along her
outer forearm and Tinick didn’t miss a beat as she wrapped one hand
around the display, and held Aspen’s hand with her other larger
digits in a sweet gesture. “Do take care of yourself, I’ll make
sure there are a variety of properly fitted garments waiting for you
when you come back. Oh, and take care with how you walk in this
dress. The slits up the shins can rip all the way to the waist if you
trip. The stitching is pretty, but not very strong.”
Aspen smiled at Tinick,
mentally ordering her computer to deactivate. “I’ll be careful,
thank you so much.”
“Time to go,” the
woman said, gently guiding her to the door. “Remember, no rushing
until you have to.”
“I will,” Aspen
said, wondering what was able to reactivate her personal computer. It
had to be something in the clutch, it only happened when Tinick put
it in her hand, and the designer reacted to the screen on her skin
activating so fast that she had to ask if she knew what was about to
happen.
The computer and
display were off by the time Tinick left her in the hallway, handing
her off to Larken, who smiled warmly at her. “You look fantastic.”
“Thank you. I can’t
breathe,” Aspen said.
“Oh, the dress? I was
talking about this,” he said, caressing her cheek. “I didn’t
even notice the dress.”
For a moment she forgot
that there were four guards in platinum and gold armour behind them,
that she was trying to plan an escape, and kissed him briefly.
“On we go, love
birds,” one of the guards said behind them. His voice was muffled
by a round golden faceplate with platinum leaf embellishments. He
looked ridiculous.
They were led to the
main hall. It was empty this time except for a garish ornament in the
centre with green and silver vines climbing a latticework that
reached all the way to the ceiling. There was a place for two people
to stand at the
there’s always a pilot inside, I suppose. Every time I’ve been on
it there’s someone going here or there, mostly to the carrier
hovering over the Countess’s hemisphere.” Tinick pointed out the
window very specifically. “As soon as you leave the shield you can
see it, a beautiful ship despite its purpose.”
“What does it do up
there?”
“It keeps everyone
outside the shield surrounding the estate in line, of course.”
“Of course.”
“All right, let’s
get a few strawberries in you then get this dress on.” She waited
until Aspen ate the five strawberries on the plate, had a chance to
wash her hands, then the long dark purple gown was pulled down onto
her. There was some firm pulling and twisting involved in getting it
to fit, but both of them were pleased with the results once the
silky, long dress was fitted, though Aspen appreciated it
begrudgingly. She could barely breathe, she had to take much shorter
steps, and there was no doubt that she would be singled out once she
attended whatever event was waiting for her that day. “What is this
for?” she asked.
“Court is being held
all day today. The Countess is making an announcement this morning,
there is a luncheon this afternoon, then she is holding a celebration
for the return of her Consort. He’s conquered some new territory on
a moon a few systems over, I couldn’t be bothered to listen to the
details, to be honest.”
A knock on the door
made Tinick jump a little. With a few long strides, she crossed the
room, opened it and nearly growled; “A few minutes, please. She’ll
be out when she’s ready.”
The designer closed the
door firmly and returned her attention to Aspen, straightening the
neckline and pulling on the dress on her hips. “If I were to size
this for you without the compression girdle, you’d look much
better, but we all have our orders. This is for you,” she said as
she handed Aspen a small matching clutch. “The control for the
girdle is inside.”
Aspen was alarmed as a
rectangular square with the word; INITIALIZING blinked along her
outer forearm and Tinick didn’t miss a beat as she wrapped one hand
around the display, and held Aspen’s hand with her other larger
digits in a sweet gesture. “Do take care of yourself, I’ll make
sure there are a variety of properly fitted garments waiting for you
when you come back. Oh, and take care with how you walk in this
dress. The slits up the shins can rip all the way to the waist if you
trip. The stitching is pretty, but not very strong.”
Aspen smiled at Tinick,
mentally ordering her computer to deactivate. “I’ll be careful,
thank you so much.”
“Time to go,” the
woman said, gently guiding her to the door. “Remember, no rushing
until you have to.”
“I will,” Aspen
said, wondering what was able to reactivate her personal computer. It
had to be something in the clutch, it only happened when Tinick put
it in her hand, and the designer reacted to the screen on her skin
activating so fast that she had to ask if she knew what was about to
happen.
The computer and
display were off by the time Tinick left her in the hallway, handing
her off to Larken, who smiled warmly at her. “You look fantastic.”
“Thank you. I can’t
breathe,” Aspen said.
“Oh, the dress? I was
talking about this,” he said, caressing her cheek. “I didn’t
even notice the dress.”
For a moment she forgot
that there were four guards in platinum and gold armour behind them,
that she was trying to plan an escape, and kissed him briefly.
“On we go, love
birds,” one of the guards said behind them. His voice was muffled
by a round golden faceplate with platinum leaf embellishments. He
looked ridiculous.
They were led to the
main hall. It was empty this time except for a garish ornament in the
centre with green and silver vines climbing a latticework that
reached all the way to the ceiling. There was a place for two people
to stand at the
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