Little Red's Riding

Perfect Bait

"So were you excited to come to court with your brother? It must be quite the change from life in the little town that you came from." Lady Calla smiled warmly at Dahlia before glancing back over the shoulder and making sure that the four guards that had accompanied them were waiting outside. "Two." She said with a frown. "The other two must have gone around to the back. As if I'm going to spirit you away from here. Hmmm. They don't even trust me these days." She leaned close to Dahlia as she said the words with a conspiratorial whisper.

"Aren't they here to protect you as well?" Dahlia stood on her tip toes and looked out the front window at the two hulking brutes that were standing, staring out at the street, glancing occasionally over their shoulders to make sure the two women were still inside looking at dresses.

"Nope." The fair haired beauty popped her P as she made her eyes wide and shook her head. "If they were here for me then my guards would have accompanied me. There would be two and they would be far less-"

Lady Calla's voice trailed off and she frowned as she turned towards the front window and tilted her head, making a slight humming sound. "I like muscles. I do. Even really muscular men. But those two are just," she sighed, blowing the air out of her nose, "too much. And since the King has never sent guards for me, even when I was his favorite lover, I must assume that they are here for you."

Dahlia's forehead wrinkled and she turned away from the window, trying to hide her frown from the beautiful high born lady beside her. For the umpteenth time it struck her how odd it was that not that long ago this was a life that she had longed for and now all she wanted was to run away from it and find her way home, to the tiny village in the woods where she could wake up every morning in the arms of the man that she loved.

"Which leads me back to the question I asked earlier. I'm sorry if I'm prying but my curiosity is killing me. And besides I want to be your very first friend in the Capital and that requires that the two of us get to know one another. Here, what about this." The lady picked up a gorgeous silk red dress with a plunging neckline and held it up to Dahlia's body. "The color suits you."

"The red isn't too bold?" Dahlia's eyes were on the window again, wondering how on earth she'd ever be able to run with brutes like that following her around. Why had the King sent guards for her? It didn't make any sense. The King shouldn't even know her name.

"No. It's perfect." The Lady began accumulating a pile of dresses, proclaiming each one perfect, although none perfect enough to be worn at the ball.

"We'll probably have to go to Redesdale's. They won't have time to make you anything custom, after all it's only two days away, but they have beautiful ballgowns and they can customize it to your figure in time."

"And all of these are?"

"Just your everyday dresses." Dahlia's eyes grew wide and Lady Calla threw back her head and laughed. "You'll get used to it soon enough."

"I don't want to get used to it." The words slipped from between Dahlia's lips, although she hadn't meant to say them outloud. She expected Lady Calla to be upset with her. She realized exactly how spoiled and ungrateful she sounded, especially to someone who had only been kind to her and who had no idea everything that had happened that had led to her being in the castle. But instead the regal Lady only smiled, glancing again at the guards in the front of the store.

"Wait here for just a moment." Dahlia nodded, her heart beating fast as the other woman walked confidently out of the store and over to the two men who were waiting for them outside. She spoke to them for a moment, gesturing down the street and then making several gestures towards the dress shop. Her hands landed on her hip and she frowned rather sternly and shook her head several times before pointing down the street again.