The day of the festival arrived without any mishaps.
The day was normal enough, people went about their usual business. However there was a feeling in the air, barely contained excitement that put a spring in the step and a half smile on the lips and lent the village a sense of heartiness that it usually lacked.
Marcie stayed in the village all day, helping the children make paper lanterns, the youngest wandered around playing with the cats.
The sun was setting over the lake, casting huge flame coloured reflection across the waters surface, reminding Marcie of the candles the previous day, and the way that had responded to her will.
As the light gradually disappeared the excitement of the villagers reached new heights, the woman began rushing off to get changed and the men hurried to get the last of the decorations in place. Cooking pots filled the air with delicious scents and flavours and as the last of the sun's light disappeared under the horizon the lanterns were slowly lit, the village square was gradually illuminated, the streamers casting flickering colours across the grass.
Marcie helped put up the last lantern and then went to get dressed herself.
She entered Miss Maidens workroom and stopped, her dress, which she had carefully arranged on one of the mannequins, was not there. In fact there was not another dress in sight except the flame coloured wonder she had prepared the other day, the mannequin was placed in the middle of the room like a bonfire, demanding her attention.
"Miss Maiden?" she called, but no one answered.
She sighed and went over to the dress, fingering the collar she cursed Miss Maiden, but the dress was beautiful, she sighed again and stepped out of her shirt and trousers into the dress.
She was lacing up the corset when Miss Maiden returned, she walked in wearing her own passing dress, a simple dress of palest yellow that fell to her mid-calf and laced up at the back, her hair piled up in a bun with blond curls falling around her face, lit up when she saw Marcie in the dress,
"Oh!" she said raising her hands up to her mouth, her eyes filling with tears,
"Oh Marcie darling" she gushed,
Marcie glanced at her,
"Wheres my dress?" she asked,
Miss Maiden brushed away the question with a flick of her hand,
"Where it belongs dear, cut up into ribbons"
"What!?"
"Now now, this is your dress, it is perfect" she walked around her, appraising every angle,
"Perfect" she said again,
"I cannot afford it"
"And I am not selling it"
"Then why-"
"You made it dear, so now it is yours"
"The materials-"
"Cost more than you make in a month" She Maiden said cheerfully, then she sobered, "Why must you argue and deny every nice gesture given to you"
Marcie looked away
"It is yours, keep it" Miss Maiden said ending the conversation, she knocked Marcie's hands away from the corset and began to tie the lace herself, she pulled it so tight Marcie gasped and had to take shorter breaths to get enough air. Then she ran a comb through her hair and produced some ribbon which she plated into her braid that started high on her head and pulled down and to the side over her shoulder.
She spun Marcie around and pulled some short pieces of hair in front of her ears and examined her work.
"Beautiful" she said, raising up on her tiptoes she kissed Marcie's forehead and stroked her cheek fondly,
"Now get out there" she ordered and pushed her towards the door,
Marcie turned before she left,
"Thank you?" she said quietly,
Miss Maiden just smiled.
YOU ARE READING
Dragon Tamer - Book 1
FantasyMarcie is an oddity in her village, the daughter of a widower with both village and outsider blood in her veins. She cares for her drunken father, and struggles to fit in with the rest of the village. Everything changes when she comes across two dr...
