Aquaria: A City of Masks and Wraiths

Sixteen

'Aaron is here to assist you in choosing the designs,' Darius explained.

'Oh, I didn't think, ah, that's something he did...' said Livia.

Aaron smiled sheepishly. 'I have an interesting assortment of jobs.'

Darius put an arm around him. 'We require his artist's hand, you see. To sketch all the designs you want to explore.'

Aaron brought out the sketchbook he carried. 'You can see some of the designs that were used earlier, if you wish.' He extended the book to Livia and only when she took it realised it would have been more proper to give it to the lady in charge: her mother.

Livia flipped through the beautiful images in the sketchbook, sharply drawn and coloured in, the fabrics appearing lifelike. The sketches contained examples of all the necklines and sleeve styles that were popular, from which Livia and her mother could pick. Darius also introduced them to the seamstress who showed Livia to the changing stalls beyond the room for measuring and cutting fabric.

Aaron waited with Darius while Livia went to try on some of the sample dresses. He sat his box on Darius's table and opened it to take out his drawing tools from the wooden slots cut inside it. The slots not only held slender pieces of charcoal sharpened to different points and fine brushes but were also filled with compact powders of colours.

Livia emerged a moment later in a peacock green dress. This was the first time Aaron had seen her in the Aquarian finery. Her golden hair sat glowing against the green silk. He realised he stood frozen when Livia's eyes fell on his. He quickly looked away, getting out a little blade to sharpen one of the charcoal sticks.

Lady Flavius and her daughter made a few comments about the dress then Livia went back to the change room. This time she took slightly longer then appeared before them in a dark blue dress with embroidered purple fabric down the middle of the bodice and skirt of the dress.

Aaron watched the flaring sleeves waft gently as Livia held her arms wide while she and her mother evaluated the dress. He traced her sleeve with his eyes and dared to continue upward to her face, giving in to the thrill at seeing her shine in the dresses.

This wasn't the first time he had found a girl beautiful. But this time it was different because he liked the person inside the girl he found beautiful. He turned his head to the floor. There was no point in entertaining thoughts like that.

Livia went back and returned in her original dress.

'Wasn't there a red gown as well?' Darius asked, referring to a third dress Livia took to try.

'Oh, I didn't bother coming out wearing that one,' said Livia.

Darius looked confused but didn't say anything so she explained.

'It had a rather liberal neckline. Didn't suit my preference, I'm afraid.'

Darius nodded, not bothering to show her the dresses that included the latest trend of showing the shoulders which was started by one of the upper class wives. Even most Aquarians found the off-the-shoulder design a little too frivolous. Though every now and then there would be a lady at a banquet who would wear such a dress to raise an eyebrow.

Livia and her mother sat down with Aaron and the seamstress to finalise their dresses for the festival. Aaron coloured in his sketches partially so that they could experiment with what shade complemented what other. 'Most of these colours are rather bold,' Livia commented. Her mother elaborated that in Vestia young women were expected to wear subdued, pastel shades. The deep hues that popped up everywhere in the shop were expected to be donned by married women.