The Preparations

From Gwyneth:

I did not hold a lottery this year. Instead, I offered Ari, who’s been holding the office of Chief Librarian in Lira’s absence, a place with the Shining Throng on our adventure to this year’s Great Faire. I was almost surprised when she said yes. We did have a short conversation about her reasons for saying yes.

‘It’s not as if I think I’m going to somehow find Lira, Your Majesty’, she said.

‘I wouldn’t think that of you’, I replied. ‘You’re much too practical a creature to go off on some harebrained quest trying to find Lira’.

She nodded: in fact, she nearly nodded her glasses off her face. ‘I only started wearing these when Lira disappeared’, she admitted. ‘She read somewhere that librarians should have glasses’.

‘Hm’, I replied. ‘I’ve known librarians both with and without glasses, if I’m honest. You can be however you’d like to be. Keep the glasses if they remind you fondly of Lira; let them go if they bother you’.

She looked up at me as if she thought I was wise. That always surprises me, being thought wise.

‘I have some final preparations to make’, I told her, ‘but pack a light bag and make sure you have at least one nice dress in there. If you can’t find one of your own, Clutie can get you in touch with one of the Demifae dressmakers we have on staff, and they’ll sort you out’.

She nodded again.

Before she could say something like she wouldn’t let me down, or I could count on her, I hurried down to the Town Square to oversee the addition of one beautiful bit of decoration I love to add every year.

Wulfrich laughed out loud. ‘That’s what she said’, he intoned.

‘Thank you, Wulfrich’. It’s best to just thank him and move on. If he thinks he’s got under your skin, he just makes an even worse one a few seconds later.

It must have taken a couple dozen demifae to put the huge emblem, complete with a lovely serpent drawn on, in place.

‘Just a little, mind’, I said. ‘So it balances against the Opera tower nicely’.

Kern scratched his head. ‘You know if you fly back a few stretches and look at it from another angle’…

I scowled. ‘Yes, I know’, I said. ‘But I want it to look good from this angle’.

Kern shrugged. ‘You heard her, boys! Scooch it over Northwise a bit’!

‘Your Majesty’, said Kern, in that voice he uses when he needs above all else to keep me calm, ‘you’ve only let yourself drift with the wind. You’ve turned. Now come back round toward the front, or better yet, why don’t you just perch on the emblem itself? It’s plenty solid; trust me’. He brushed his dark hair back from his face. How can someone barely as long as my hand be that sexy? Demifae men are something else.

‘If you say so’! I called over. He put his hands over his ears. ‘Sorry! I know, I know; I’m loud’.

‘What you are, Your Majesty, is stressed’, Kern said calmly. ‘Now, just have a perch on top of that emblem and let me know if the tower looks all right to you from there’.

‘Looks a lot better with you sitting on top of it, Gwyneth’, said Wulfrich.

I rolled my eyes. Everything looks better when I’m on top of it. (Didn’t say that part out loud). ‘Thank you. Wulfrich, but I won’t be staying long’, I said.

‘We’ve got a week before we need to leave. What could you possibly have to do between now and then’? He was making fun of me.

‘I have dress fittings lined up for the next three days, and then there is the packing, which as you know I must personally oversee’… I stopped when he started laughing.

‘You’re too easy, Your Majesty’, said Kern. ‘I mean—not in that way. His voice gets so throaty when he teases.

‘Right, that’s enough hijinks for now’, I said. ‘Kern, have your crew finish putting up the posters, and mind you get one in the Town Hall window: Nathaniel will be gone as well, of course’.

‘Already started that part’, Kern replied. ‘You go on and get Clutie to fit you for some pretty dresses’.

Ooh. I think I might do just that.

Notes & Credits (a * indicates a sponsored item)

Gwyneth’s perfect skin: Lumae*, Yvaine, in T1 Get it at the Lumae Main Store!
Gwyneth’s amazeballs hair: Analog Dog* (natch!), Simi. Get it at the Analog Dog Main Store!
Gwyneth’s perfectly purple eyeshadow: Hexumbra*, Leila Eye Makeup. Get it at the Hexumbra Main Store!
Gwyneth’s equally perfect purple eyeliner: Hexumbra* Peyton Liner. Get it at the Hexumbra Main Store!
Gwyneth’s well-layered lip gloss: Shiny Stuffs, Whistle Lips (three colours blended together)
Gwyneth’s eyes: Musa, Dian Eyes (a group gift)
Gwyneth, there’s a frog on your head: Quills & Curiosities, Pudgy Potato. Yes, there is a reason Gwyneth has a frog on her head. No, you are not allowed to know what it is. Will you find out eventually? Maybe.
Gwyneth’s adorable Fae-Around-The-Realm Dress: Enfant Terrible, Darlene Dress
Gwyneth’s Super Cute Shoes: Salt & Pepper, Ballet Pointes
Gwyneth’s Nails: Eventyra, Painted Geodes. These are at Planet 29!
Gwyneth’s Jewellery: Yummy, Elven Priestess Circlet, Earrings, Necklaces. These are at Colabor88!
Gwyneth’s Epic Wings: Evolved Creatures, Fae Wings v 2
Gwyneth’s Ring: Rivendale, WooHoo! Bay Quest Ring
Gwyneth’s Bodyshine: Rainnn, Kiari Crystal Body Shimmer, Opal
Gwyneth is styled on a Maitreya PetiteX body and a Lelutka EvoX Billie Mesh Head.