Page 27 of Sorcery, Swords & Scones (Tales from the Tavern #2)
Twenty-Seven
Sass stood before the small mirror that hung on the wall of her room above The Tusk & Tail, tugging nervously at the neckline of her new dress.
The burgundy velvet felt impossibly luxurious against her skin, so different from the practical wool and linen garments she'd worn her entire life.
In the Ice Lands, fashion was linked closely to survival.
Dwarf garments were layers upon layers of heavy wool, leather, and fur designed to keep the bitter mountain cold from seeping into your bones.
This dress was the opposite of all that. Where her dwarf clothing had covered every inch of skin, this gown featured a low neckline and a skirt gathered high on one side, revealing far more leg than she’d ever shown.
"Sweet simmering cauldrons," she muttered to her reflection.
When Tinpin had insisted on designing the dress for her, she'd trusted his expertise. The gnome haberdasher had an eye for fashion, but seeing herself in the finished product, she wondered if Tin had gotten a bit carried away.
"The burgundy will complement your brown hair and skin beautifully, absolutely beautifully,” Tin had said during the fitting, his nimble fingers adjusting the drape of the skirt.
"And this cut will make your legs look longer.
Much longer. We vertically challenged folk need to use all the tricks of the trade, don't we?
" He'd winked at her conspiratorially, his pointed ears twitching as he’d tucked and pinned.
At the time, his enthusiasm had been infectious. Now, staring at herself in the mirror, Sass felt like a child playing dress-up. She’d spent most of her life trying to blend into the background and not look like a princess.
She ran her hands over the fabric. “So much for that plan.”
Her gaze snagged on the silver ring circling her pinky finger, and she spun it with the pad of her thumb, grateful that it remained warm but showed no signs of the prickling sensation Iris had described.
The lack of warning gave her hope that perhaps Florin really was still far away, that maybe she'd have this one perfect evening before her past came crashing back into her carefully constructed new life.
Her plan for her one perfect evening was simple. She was going to find Val and finally tell her how she really felt. No more hiding behind knitting lessons.
The problem was that despite Lira's confidence, Sass still wasn't entirely convinced that Val saw her as anything more than a good friend.
The guard was kind to everyone, charming and amiable with all the tavern's regulars.
What if the smiles and winks that made Sass's knees weak were just Val's way?
She shook her head and scowled at herself in the mirror.
Life was too short and too uncertain to waste time being afraid.
If finding her heart’s home in Wayside had taught her anything, it was that happiness was something you had to work for, something you had to be brave enough to reach for even when you weren't sure you deserved it.
A soft knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, and she expected to see Thrain's bearded face appear. Her dwarf friend had been strangely absent all day, although he had never been one for rousing early .
Instead, Lira peeked around the door, her eyes immediately widening as she took in Sass's appearance. She stepped fully into the room and closed the door behind her. "Sass, you look absolutely stunning."
“Go on with you. You don't think it's too much?" Sass asked, smoothing her hands over the rich fabric and trying to ignore her hot cheeks.
"Are you kidding?" Lira moved to sit on what had once been her own bed, the floral coverlet making it look like she was cocooned inside a giant yellow rose. "You look like a queen. A very sexy, very confident queen who's about to sweep a certain guard off her feet."
If it were possible for Sass’s cheeks to flame hotter, they did. She sat down beside her friend, the skirt pooling around her.
"I sometimes miss sharing a room with you," Lira said softly, reaching over to take Sass's hand. "Even though I absolutely adore Korl and love having our own space, there was something special about those early days when we were just two lost souls trying to figure it all out together."
Sass linked her fingers with Lira's. "I miss it too, but I couldn't be happier that you found your person. Korl adores you, and watching you two together makes me believe that there’s someone perfect for everyone out there."
Lira's eyes glistened. "And Val won't be able to resist you in that dress. Trust me, no one could look at you right now and want to be just friends.”
Sass laughed despite her nerves. “I didn’t get this dress just for Val.”
Lira’s brows lifted. “Didn’t you?”
Sass groaned. “Ugh. How do you know me so well?”
The woman twitched one shoulder. “I’d do the same thing.”
Sass gave her friend a small shove with her shoulder. “Korl wouldn’t think you were any less beautiful if you wore a flour sack. ”
Lira laughed. “Just promise me you won't be so busy with Val that you forget to help at our table. With so many ladies wearing their best dresses, I can't rely on Vaskel not to wander off if he spots a pretty face in the crowd."
The sound of music drifting in through the open window made both women turn. The Harvest Festival was beginning, and somewhere below them, the village was coming alive.
"You can count on me," Sass promised, standing and smoothing down her skirt one final time.
Lira opened the door, and they both stopped, mouths falling open as Thrain stood just outside.
“What…?” Sass started to ask before the words died on her lips.
“That haberdasher,” Thrain grumbled, looking down at the head-to-toe orange outfit that encased his stocky frame. “He insisted I needed a special outfit for the occasion, said my clothes were giving mountain grunge.”
Mountain grunge?Lira mouthed to Sass as she clearly attempted to suppress a laugh.
“You let Tin dress you?” Sass couldn't take her eyes off the dwarf. Or maybe it was the orange ascot she couldn’t stop staring at.
Thrain grunted. “He made it sound like everyone would dress for the occasion, and this outfit would make me look splendid. ”
Lira stepped forward and looped an arm through his. “Well, I think you do look splendid. The haberdasher was right, of course. Folks are dressing for the occasion.” She jerked a thumb at Sass. “Just look at your friend.”
Thrain mumbled something about Sass not looking like a walking pumpkin, but Lira had spun him around and was steering him toward the stairs, giving Sass an amused look over her shoulder.
Sass shook her head and followed, her shoulders shaking. She brushed the ring again. No prickling. Maybe this was going to be her night after all.