Formicea

 

- Farrah -

 

Still on my way to the tailor.
With an entourage of insects.

I want to go to the good one.
Before our family just went to a shop that only sold worn clothes, if we even could afford that.
Most of the time we could just stitch them.
Yet here with that gold coin there is no real reason to be stingy.
Also, I'll have to order some adjustments regarding my daughter's situation.

Back-free should now be a thing for her regarding those wings.
Also, we have to be considerate of her hip, where that problematic stinger resides.
I don't really want to think about this.
Fortunately, I have her nurse with me who can gladly take over the job to ask about this.
What I'm rather grateful for regarding this escort bubble is that they obstruct the view.
I already hear the mumbling of the people and can only imagine the number of stares we receive.

I would probably totally panic if they would all focus on me.
Nonetheless, we aren't impeded from reaching the location we're heading to in the market district.
Which for one part is because most of the people hurriedly create some distance between us and them and for the other that the soldiers who accompany us make sure that no one stays in our way.
Eventually, we find our destination.
Here goes nothing!

 

"This is the place. We need to enter here." (F)

"Scraac!" (Sk)

 

No idea what Skiras said, but while some of the insects create something like a wall in front of the door with their bodies the others kinda storm the shop.
Not like I will complain about them courteously opening the door for me after that.
However...

 

"Ieeeehhhk!" (shop clerk)

 

Yep, that just gave someone quite the scare.
Who wouldn't panic if suddenly giant insects burst into the room?

 

"Ehm, Skiras. Maybe the soldiers should wait at the door. These people are no fighters and are now terribly scared. That makes interacting with them a little bit more difficult." (F)

"Cruuc!" (Sk)

 

They do so, but I can see that they move just so far away that they're still ready to close the distance in a moment.
Now I first need to get that trembling clerk back ready.
She almost lost it.
Let's just hope she didn't wet herself.

 

"Excuse me. We would like to buy some clothes." (F)

 

I try to show her my friendliest smile, but her face still shows mostly disbelief and denial.
Not the best base for a conversation.

 

"If you are occupied, is there maybe someone else we could converse with?" (F)

 

Still only confused stares.
Then slow and clearly.

 

"We want to buy clothes. Can you help us with this?" (F)

 

Kyska already joined me at the counter, but this doesn't really help the young woman in front of me to calm down.

 

"Sidana! Aren't you properly attending to our customers?" (?)

 

Another woman's voice, coming closer from upstairs.
This might be the owner.
I really hope this will work out better.
I notice her coming down the stairs, yet as expected she freezes in her steps.
She has seen us in her shop and might think now that she has an insect problem.

 

"Good day, miss!" (K)

 

Not that Kyska isn't polite, but considering that clerk in front of me who is still paralyzed in terror, I give that woman an apologetic smile.

 

"Ieeeh... C-c-c-c-can I-I h-help y-y-you?" (tailor)

"We wish to acquire clothes for our princess Erys!" (K)

"C-c-c-clothes?" (tailor)

"Yes! This is a tailor shop, right? So we want to buy some." (F)

 

The poor woman is still completely through and the other one as well.

 

"I, I am not sure if we can..." (tailor)

"There should be no problem. We will just look through the goods for now. Is that fine?" (F)

 

Both of them are equally at a loss.
Even if they have issues with our presence, it's not like they can tell us and a whole troop of soldiers to leave.
I guide us to the displayed wares, but am not directly sure what would fit.
Some undergarments and a nightgown are a given, but for the rest...
She urgently needs a change of clothes.
A dress might be fine.

This would help her to hide the places she certainly wants to hide.
Also, it's no problem if it restricts her movement as she has not to perform tedious tasks.
Yet, I don't know how this applies to... uhh, this thing with the eggs.

Maybe I should especially for that reason buy her something far away from her role.

It's not like I have to mind the money I spend.
One gold is plenty and we should get something for this much.
First, I naturally concentrate on the necessities which I had in mind.
you know, undergarments, clothes for the night, something easy to move in.
I want to gather them together, but directly there is one of these workers and takes them for me, like a good servant.

At next there is a blue gown that takes my attention.
I think the color would fit.
But actually wearing it should be difficult with these wings.
Also, another one in red and some more casual garments.
In the end, the pile stacks quite high and I hope I don't load too much.

These soldiers seem as if they would simply break down, instead of complaining or showing any signs of exhaustion.
Kyska gets visibly impatient and urges for someone to come.
Fortunately, it seems this shop owner can get out of her stupor in time and dares to approach us.
With extreme vigilance and as much distance as possible to the soldiers.

 

"H-how c-can I h-h-help?" (tailor)

"We need some retailoring. I guess Kyska can explain this better than me." (F)

"All of these items have to be adjusted to fit our princess. This is not negotiable." (K)

"Ad-adjusted?" (tailor)

"She has wings from here to there and a... stinger around here. I'm sorry, clothes are a little complicated." (F)

"Ahh, i-is that so?" (tailor)

"With enough time and fabric, her nurses would surely manage such a mundane order." (K)

"Still, we are troubling this person with an unusual request." (F)

"Troubling? It is an honor to have the privilege of serving our princess." (K)

 

The shop owner looks a little overstrained but I guess if she gets no major breakdown we can work with her.
Meanwhile, the poor clerk at the counter might be able to have thoughts again but panics while tears fill her eyes.
Has this place a backdoor?
It might stress her out that the only exit is blocked.

 

"I-if you say princess..." (tailor)

"I speak about the swarm princess Erys! She will have an exceedingly vast amount of subordinates in the future and immense power under and over the earth! So please keep this in mind while performing your task!" (K)

 

Can Kyska please tone it down a bit?
I am really getting embarrassed here.
And that her statement could be understood as a planned invasion of the overworld doesn't help.
Before it gets worse I decide to step in.

 

"We would need to have the back free and something to hide the stinger, without pulling too much attention. I am sure you can do this!" (F)

"I... will see what I can do. Sidana, c-can you help me?" (tailor)

"M-me?" (S)

 

This girl by no means looks as if she wants to stay here any longer.

 

"E-Ehm, how are her measurements?" (tailor)

 

Oh, completely forgot.
I am not used to purchasing specially tailored clothes.
Much less such high-class ones.

 

"Kyska, do you know them?" (F)

 

It's been a while since I measured my own daughter and something tells me that her sizes could be affected as well, with all that happened.
Especially around the waist.

 

"Measurements?" (K)

"She is asking for height and the width of chest, waist, and hip, so she knows how to adjust them in a way that they fit Erys. Also, I guess she should know about the size of the unusual parts." (F)

"I don't know how to convey sizes." (K)

 

Uh, it was stupid to believe they would use the same numbers as we do.

 

"Could you... maybe you could show it with a tape line?" (F)

"Tape line?" (K)

"It's a kind of rope to check the sizes on the body. You would curl it around the particular part of the body. If you give as much as you think it needs to wind one time around they should see." (F)

"This is something I can do. I have perfectly memorized the princess' frame." (K)

 

I am sure she has.
And I didn't want to know this.
We try it like this and the tailor gives her all to note down what Kyska is showing her.
It gets a little weird when it is about the problem zones, but she looks skilled.
As soon she seems to be done with the preparations to begin I have to ask a rather important question.

 

"How much will that be?" (F)

"A-all of these? A-around a gold coin and three silver. Is that right?" (tailor)

 

Don't ask us, we are your customers.

 

"Sorry, we have at the moment just one gold here." (F)

"Oh, th-then just one gold." (tailor)

 

Yes, sure.
This poor woman probably doubts that she will make it out here alive if she says anything else.

 

"No, no, we aren't bandits. Erys wouldn't want us doing this, right Kyska?" (F)

"Certainly not! I cannot allow such a disgrace. Would gold ore be fine to cover the excess? Otherwise we can only reduce the order." (K)

"It, it is alright. As you wish." (tailor)

 

Naturally, she doesn't decline in this situation.

No matter how friendly we act she is utterly intimidated.
Yet it's not like we wouldn't compensate her appropriately.
I didn't want to take something from Liseti's stocks, but it seems like Kyska already made this decision.
Maybe we can gift her one dress.

It might amuse her and she looked interested.
Yet her size could be peculiar.
Kyska goes to Skyras.

 

"Please send one messenger to request some vessels of gold ore. Also, inform all the human guards outside about our actions. We don't want to trouble them." (K)

 

I believe they already are very troubled.
Maybe as much as this poor tailor who now uneasy looks at us.

 

"I, I would start to work now." (tailor)

"Good. Then begin!" (K)

 

Kyska's gaze has always somewhat piercing and that surely doesn't help her.

 

"I-it might take a while." (tailor)

 

This was a not-so-hidden plea to us to leave.

 

"No problem. I distributed my responsibilities for this occasion. So I have no different engagements, we can wait." (K)

 

Which got mercilessly shot down by Kyska.
The two begin to work, severely impeded by their trembling fingers.
Kyska looks unwavering at their work, possibly set to learn their art at this chance.
Meanwhile, I wander around and look out of the window.

Honestly, I hope it won't take too long, given the commotion out there.
The guards try their best to hinder any people from coming too close.
While this wall of interceptors is shielding us, at the same time just it attracts more people.
The human soldiers seem to be a little at a loss, regarding how to treat that situation but I think they want for now to retain the status quo.

However, while most people are just curious, some look quite hostile in my direction.
Fortunately, the tailor becomes more secure the more she works and like this faster.
Meanwhile, Kyska scrutinizing inspects the readymade clothes.

 

"Are they alright?" (F)

"We haven't used them in praxis, but they should be suitable for our princess." (K)

 

Our princess...
Never thought about that, but if I will live close to her I am basically part of her royal household.
This totally throws the family balance into chaos.
I think I did a good job raising her, but she always had some problematic features, like her chronic fatigue and indecisiveness.
This might worsen now and berating her could prove to be difficult.

Yet for now, we just buy her clothes.
But I really don't like how the crowd out there stirs.
While watching them I notice some who shout disturbing things.
The guard tries to catch them but they fast hide in the crowd.

God! Was that a stone?

It hit one of the interceptors, who didn't even budge.
Some of the guards have seen it and panic a bit, frantic looking for the source.
This was basically an attack and could be the spark to ignite this tense situation.

Yet they don't move, but dedicated to their task they maintain their position.
Maybe some of these guards are thankful for this lenience and some individuals out there even look apologetic.

 

After a while, it becomes even more problematic.

The reason?
A whole bunch of new insects, accompanied by even more guards approaches.
It seems like most of them are workers, bringing the gold ore.
The street starts to get a little cramped with this.
And that the workers look like they look does not calm the crowd.
I can a little bit understand that people want to watch this commotion, but here at the center, I feel far more anxious.

The groups of human guards exchange information other about the situation among themselves, while the workers take position, somehow directed by Skiras, who barely makes any commands.
It's always just one screech and they move in a specific way.
Two workers bring the gold ore inside.
Far too much I need to say, as this vessel truly had to be carried by two of them.

 

"Criic!" (worker)

"What did he say?" (F)

"Princess Liseti sends her greetings but worries about our bold actions. So she prepared troops to swarm out in case of an emergency." (K)

 

Sigh. I just wanted to buy some clothes!

It doesn't take too long after this and the clothes are finished by a heavily sweating tailor.
After handing the clothes to a worker, she gives the gold coin to the tailor, who is a little afraid to touch her claw.

 

"Your work was satisfactory. For the rest of the payment, please accept this." (K)

 

She lets the worker place the vessel before the counter, which surely has enough ore inside for hundreds of coins.
I am not sure if I should intervene here, as this is obviously too much.
The tailor thinks the same.

 

"I, I couldn't possibly accept this much." (tailor)

"You are rewarded for your contribution to the sake of our princess. This much is acceptable." (K)

 

I better stay quiet, as I really want to leave now.
It's helpful that Kyska is no person to waste any time and so we are soon out.
The uproar out there is already as bad as it could be and only the calmness on the insect's side might have been deescalating the situation.
Honestly, I want to get away from here as fast as possible.

It's good that our exit is already in the market district, so we don't need to walk very far.
The already considerably large group around me can force its way there, assisted by the guards who are rather keen on having us out of the area as soon as possible.
Eventually, we get there and after this head back to the base, ending this extremely thrilling venture.
If shopping now always turns out like this then maybe I should let others do it for me.