The next week on one late noon, Katie accompanied Mrs Hicks with Elliot to the town. Elliot who had been bored and had tagged along with them.
As they sauntered through the town, Elliot rambled to Mrs Hicks about the dish he had eaten at the Boland’s wanting her to recreate it while Katie walked behind them with parchments in her hand that had lists of what was required in the kitchen.
As they passed through the streets, Katie saw a small shop with a beautiful dress on the mannequin. The dress was a gorgeous shade of water and the night sky. She looked at the price which was laid down ‘Six hundred and sixty six’ silver coins.
Even though she had the money she didn’t want to spend it on the dress. It wasn’t like she had places to visit like the elites. For some odd reason looking at the mannequin reminded of an acquaintance she knew long back. She remembered the acquaintance too had beautiful blonde hair with puffed lips.
“Katie!” she heard Elliot call her as they had walked ahead while she was admiring the dress. Walking quickly, she joined them as Elliot looked at the store she had been gawking.
“Isn’t that the infamous dress maker’s shop?” Mrs Hicks asked as they began walking again.
“Infamous?” Elliot asked surprised, “Why, what did he do?”
“Mr. Weaver is the infamous dress maker of the town.”
“What a fitting name,” Elliot murmured.
“The clothes he makes are absolutely gorgeous and exquisite. And his price is affordable,” Mrs Hicks explained, “But rumor is that after his daughter died, he became strange, and the materials and fabrics he’s used is not right, things that goes against the living. Some say he was the one who killed his daughter while others say otherwise.”
“Fascinating. I would very much like to meet the man,” Elliot stated excited, “So have you bought anything from there?” he asked Mrs Hicks.
“Of course not! I must be out of my mind to go there,” Mrs Hicks exclaimed shaking her head, “People of the town avoid him and the only customers he has is people from the other empires. Who knows what curse the dress maker may possess.”
“The town folklore. As interesting and intriguing it sounds you shouldn’t believe rumors that is loosely passed on,” Elliot said as they entered a store to buy things.
The carriage and the cart was left near the center of the town as it would be easier to load in things. Mrs Hicks being the one in charge of kitchen often visited the town to buy new items.
With the help of the parchment and reading it one by one, Katie asked the shop owner for it. Once they were done loading the two carts, Mrs Hicks went in the carriage while Elliot and Katie stayed back in the town.
“Did you have something to buy?” Katie questioned seeing the horses pull the carriage.
“I did. Come with me,” he said and she followed him to make a stop in front of the shop Mrs Hicks didn’t want to. It was the dress maker’s shop.
“Was this the one you were looking at princess?” he asked her.
“No no,” she protested knowing Elliot would buy it for her. She always received little gifts from him. The gifts ranged from edible treats to a hat or a sea shell which was strange in appearance.
“Don’t worry. I just want to see how it looks on you,” he said gently easing her through the open door and the little bell rang to notify the owner of visitors, “And my curiosity has piqued.”
“Curiosity killed the cat,” she said gingerly to which Elliot responded with a broad grin,
“And satisfaction brought it back!”
The store had no windows, except for the ceiling above that had a circular ridge which had a transparent sheet to cover from dust and rain. The other source of light was the lamps on the walls.
The room was filled with dresses standing in line elegantly one following another. Katie was in awe as she bent down to see it a little more closely.
She had seen women were dresses but this, here, was something she hadn’t seen. It made her wonder at Mrs. Hick’s words if the man made the dresses using fabrics against nature.
She went to the mannequin that stood tall with the liquid blue like dress and she went to touch it.
“Welcome to the store.”
Turning behind she was greeted by a short man, his grey greasy hair accompanying the color of his eyes.
