A Court of Darkness and Melodies

Chapter 6

Gwyn's gown for the mating ceremony ⬆

 Gwyn's POV

Gwyn found herself the most perfect gown. She, with Emerie and Nesta, had walked into four shops but it wasn't till the fifth that Gwyn found herself the most ideal dress.

They had roamed around for a while, gone into dress shops, tried on the funniest looking gowns as well as the decent ones and stopped for some coffee in a tiny little cafe, and put everything on Rhys's tab, giggling all the while like they were three year olds.

Gwyn had realized that Velaris wasn't anything like Sangravah. No one stopped to stare and not a single man even gazed at her for a moment too long. Those who did had smiled at her and dipped their heads in a polite greeting. When the first man had done that, Gwyn had gone pale and clutched onto Nesta's arm. Nesta had glared him threateningly and the man had practically run away.

Then Emerie had started to laugh at the look on Nesta's face and then Nesta had sniggered and Gwyn had started shaking with laughter as she remembered the look of fear the man had had.

It had been easier after that and she had even smiled in return to a few of them. When Emerie had seen her doing that, she had started wiggling her eyebrows and she had looked so funny that they all had burst into laughter again. Her robe's hood had come off eventually and her red hair had flowed down her shoulders after that.

After finishing up at the cafe and eating the expensive sandwiches they had ordered just to annoy their High Lord, they had walked into another dress shop called Violet's Dresser where Gwyn had set her eyes on a beautiful teal dress and she knew immediately it was hers.

She had just changed into the decent, plain, but beautiful teal gown and was looking at herself in the mirror.

She walked out of the dressing room and Nesta gaped at her. "That dress looks brilliant with your eyes! Oh my god you are so buying that gown! It contrasts so well with your hair!" Gwyn opened her mouth to thank her but just then Emerie came out in a midnight purple gown that was tight around the waist and her curves and flowed down till beneath her knees.

Gwyn clapped her hands and squealed, "I love it!" Emerie looked at herself in the mirror, turning around and looking at the dress that had flaps in the back to let her wings pass through. It was one of the few dresses they had found that was made for Illyrian women with wings. They usually lived in the Illyrian training camps and had no use for gowns like these. 

They spent a while exchanging compliments and Nesta staring at them mournfully. "It's my mating ceremony. I want a gown!" She complained. 

Gwyn gave her a sympathetic look. "We'll find one in due time." She promised her, and then added, "The slit through the leg is too much isn't it?"

Nesta and Emerie glanced at each other and observed her modest gown. Gwyn could see they were trying not to laugh.

She narrowed her eyes at them.

"It's too indecent." Emerie said.

"Scandalous." Nesta added, and they both started laughing helplessly after that.

She glared and turned her back on them, and trying her best not to laugh, she went to the dressing room and changed out of the dress. 

They paid for the outrageously expensive gowns, again putting them on Rhys's tab, thanked the beautiful owner Violet, and made their way outside with shopping bags in their hands.

"Today was one of the best days I have ever had." Gwyn murmured to her friends and Emerie nodded back.

"I'd say the same," Nesta said, "but I didn't get the gown you promised me." Gwyn stopped walking and pointed to another shop at the corner of the street.