Demon King's Gardener

With the Golden Sun Feast only a week away, Braelin and Jurao were soon in Exmarre's studio to try on their outfits for the event - along with their jewelry, which arrived a few days before.

"I wish I had thought to ask about the jewelry motifs," Exmarre said, adjusting the way the back of the tunic lay on Jurao. He tutted and said, "Perhaps a chain to hold it down - I could include mud eel heads on ends."

"I would be fine with that," Jurao said, focused on keeping his tail still so it did not bump into the Royal Tailor as he made his adjustments. He was sure it would not cause damage, but he didn't want to trip the man.

"Does it need held down?" Braelin asked, looking at his own outfit in a large, polished bronze mirror.

Jurao's outfit closely matched Exmarre's drawn design - though he had not expected the material to be so sheer, it did not bother him, either. It was also rather common for Feast outfits and other events dedicated to Maenscul. The line of tassels at the height of his upper set of pectorals moved with Jurao for larger movements, and those at the hem around his mid thighs did help weigh down the end. The band of rainbow colors helped as well - all being plates of metal.

"Strictly, no, but it can flip up and over his shoulders during the dancing - a little weight will stop that," Exmarre replied, coming around to consider Jurao's outfit from the front.

Braelin's outfit was also a short tunic, though the material was thicker. It was off-the-shoulder but high enough to cover his chest scar, as he had requested when Exmarre gave them the designs for approval. The end of the tunic was draped over his back like a cape, a metal chain holding it in place on his shoulder and connecting to the other side. He, too, had the rainbow band of metal plates at the hem, with tassels beneath.

Emessi, the inspired demon seamstress, was adjusting the fit for him in the same manner that Exmarre was helping Jurao, and three more tailors were working in the room and ready to help. She smiled as she tapped the clasp on Braelin's tunic and said, "You could make them both match if there's time."

"Yes! An excellent idea, Emessi!" Exmarre grinned, "I shall have someone make them straight away - I'm still interviewing for a regular jeweler, your highness. Now, do either of you have any concerns about your outfits?"

"It's a bit shorter than what I'm used to," Braelin said, twisting to get a better look of his own, "I think it might be better if the hem was a bit heavier. I'll be moving a bit more than Jurao during the dance."

"We could add stays instead," Exmarre said, "Band of cloth around the leg with a chain attached to the hem - long enough to let it sway but short enough to keep from revealing more than you're comfortable with?"

"That would work for me," Braelin nodded, running a hand through his hair.

"Did you have plans for how you were going to wear your hair?" Exmarre asked, looking between them both.

"That would be why I am here," Feyl said, "I usually do their hair for events, though I'm sure my fellow valets will be pleased to assist," he turned to a gold box he'd brought with him, pulling out the sun-disc crown, "Jurao?"

Jurao stepped over and knelt down so Feyl could reach his horns, sliding the crown's two clasps up from the back to rest in the middle of the King's horns.

"Hold a moment more," Feyl said. He stepped around to pull Jurao's hair out of its low horsetail, and then pulled part of it up, securing it with some ornament. Feyl patted the King's shoulder and said, "There."

Jurao rose and looked in another mirror, though he couldn't see the ornament holding his hair back from the front. The crown he had not worn in some time - the sun disc of it sitting over his head between his horns.

"And I thought we might put yours up entirely this time, Braelin," Feyl said, gathering the human's hair in a bun and tying it with ribbon. As he stepped back, he added, "And flowers for both of you, of course. Since you have the rainbow band there, a mix of colors would look quite nice, I think."

"That will show off the design here better," Braelin said, turning to look at the beaded depiction of the sun on the draped back of his tunic.

"I thought so as well," Feyl agreed.

"I have heard that human flowers have multiple meanings; is that true?" Exmarre asked, bringing over a measuring string and leaning down to use it around Braelin's thighs a little under the hem.

"They do," Braelin replied, "Wearing or gifting the wrong flowers could be socially disastrous. Malson or Aya would know them if you want to ask."

"I would!" Exmarre said, finished rather quickly. He rose and added, "I would wonder if they have similar meanings as flowers in the Beastkin Realm do - I imagine they also vary by region?"

"Very much so," Braelin agreed.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

Jurao considered and asked, "Cloth would not be mistaken as a roughplay preference indicator, would it."

Feyl snorted and said, "No - only metal is used."

"Only metal is used here," Exmarre replied, arching his brows with a grin, "We use wooden and beaded rope jewelry in Noskanar. Though I believe metal is more common everywhere else - I have not heard of anyone using cloth, and I would not suggest something likely to cause a misunderstanding."

"Roughplay preference indicator?" Braelin asked.

"Bands of specific styles in specific placements indicate a preference for partaking in roughplay acts and positions," Feyl clarified.

"Ah," Braelin said, "Though I suppose it would make little difference either way, as I do not plan on having sex with anyone besides Jurao."

"Just at the Feast, or in general?" Exmarre asked, "If you don't mind my asking."

"If it would not bother Jurao and I met someone else who wanted to have sex with me that I liked, I would be open to considering it in general," Braelin replied, "but not at the Feast. I will be too focused on getting through the event for that."

"It would not bother me," Jurao said, leaning down to kiss his partner's temple.

Exmarre hummed and said, "I should thank Petty Prince Malson at some point. Kylse has decided to participate in the Feast - attending the Royal Orgy with Invaokka and Deyk. It appears your sister suggested he ask Malson for… advice."

"He is rather experienced," Braelin said with a snort. He asked, "So, was Aya right that his guards are interested in him?"

"Oh, yes, though Deyk will admit it more readily than Invaokka," Exmarre confirmed, "He's a bit proud and stubborn, but he's more bark than bite - as Kylse has put it before. It's why they were chosen to join him here."

"So if they fuck at the Feast, he'll have politics as an excuse?" Feyl mused.

Exmarre ran a hand down the valet's arm in passing back to his drafting table and said, "No, I think he's actually too proud not to be honest if Kylse were to ask him."

Jurao knew Feyl and Kloy had slept with the Royal Tailor already, so saw no reason to remark on the gesture.

"While I have you both here," Exmarre said, "I worked on some designs for the Hundred Years Ball as well - I did rather rely on your siblings for Jostian fashion, Lord Braelin, though I suppose it is not very different from Gresmean, either."

"No, the Reaches all wear similar styles," Braelin agreed.

Exmarre hung his designs up as before and stepped back for the King and his partner to view them. The tailor asked, "Anything catch your eye?"

Braelin seemed amused as he looked at the various designs and said, "Did my siblings mention that it's typically only women that wear dresses in Jost?"

"They did, but I thought I would leave it for you to decide," Exmarre shrugged, "I still don't really understand separating clothing by gender, even if it's also a practice in the Beastkin Realm, but I would never try to make someone wear something that makes them uncomfortable."

"Why not," Jurao asked out of curiosity.

"I love fashion, your highness," Exmarre chuckled, "I want everyone else to love it, too. I don't see how I can accomplish that by making them uncomfortable."

"Yes, I see your point," Jurao agreed, looking over the designs himself. There was a mix of styles present, as Exmarre had discussed with them when they approved designs for the Feast. After a moment, he asked, "Which ones are dresses."

Braelin chuckled and pointed them out as he said, "I've never worn a dress before, but I wouldn't be opposed to trying some. Malson doesn't like them, but Aya loves them. I suppose there's no reason not to draw my own conclusions."

"Excellent! Any in particular?" Exmarre asked.

Braelin considered and said, "These two seem alright. I like how the skirt is like rose petals - maybe you could ask the cradle roses for some?"

"How very appropriate for the Royal Gardener," Feyl mused. He added, "I think you could probably get Braelin to comfortably wear anything made with garden plant materials."

"Probably," Braelin agreed.

"I am familiar working with plants directly, so I'd be pleased to work them into new shapes," Exmarre said, taking down the designs Braelin had pointed to. He set them on his drafting desk before adding, "We often use leaves in Noskanar without working them into something woven - the Petal Elves that migrated to the city brought a recipe with them that keeps them supple and colorful. I can make it here, so that won't be an issue, either."

"How do you make it?" Emessi asked, holding open the drape to a small changing room for Braelin. He'd picked a few other designs he liked and handed them to Exmarre, but Jurao was still deciding.

"Oh, first you need lye, which you can get from wood ash," Exmarre replied, "Then you need to add it and water to heated oil and later add salt. Making the lye will be the difficult part - we'll need a lot of ash. Do you think the kitchens could be convinced to use wood fires for a few weeks?"

"I'll ask Yheor," Braelin said, handing his Feast outfit out to Emessi, "I know she'd be happy to smoke some meat if she can't convince Voga to use it more widely."

"I don't think she'd have much trouble convincing him," Feyl snorted, "He'll be in his usual foul mood, then Yheor will walk through the door, and suddenly all is right in the realm."

"Festi has asked to borrow Yheor on occasion for department meetings," Braelin said, coming back out in his usual attire. Walking over to Jurao, he asked, "Having trouble deciding?"

"Yes," Jurao said, "They are all fine designs, but nothing stands out to me."

"Maybe Feyl could pick?" Braelin suggested.

"Yes," Jurao agreed, looking to his best friend.

Feyl snorted and joined them at the designs, considering them before he said, "You'd rip that one if you needed to move quickly. You'll never remember you have a train on a skirt, so not that… he'll get too distracted with feathers on the side of his face, but otherwise, this one is fine - and I think these would suit him the best."

"Very insightful, thank you," Exmarre said, accepting Feyl's choices with a grin.

"I might have only been officially in charge of Jurao's wardrobe for nearly a century," Feyl said, "but I've been helping him with noble clothing for much longer. Please feel free to ask me any questions in the future - in an official or unofficial capacity."

Exmarre's grin turned sharper as he said, "Oh, I certainly will."

Choices made, Jurao went to change himself.

"Your highness?" Emessi asked.

"Yes," Jurao asked.

Emessi flinched, then cleared her throat and said, "I… wanted to thank you. For recommending me to Petty Prince Exmarre."

"I did not," Jurao replied, "He asked after you specifically after seeing your work on Braelin's cloak."

"Oh, I see," Emessi said, short, plain tail swaying as she smiled and bowed, "Then, thank you for remembering me."

"Of course," Jurao replied, nodding back before pressing through the cloth cover of the changing room.