After her time alone with Azriel, Aurora cleaned up and changed back into her gown. She remembered quite late that she agreed to go into town with Mor and Elain. Pressing a quick kiss to Azriel and still trying to shove her feet into her shoes, Aurora raced down the stairs. She could hear voices in the sitting room so she hurried into the room, skidding to a stop when she saw everyone.
Nesta, Emerie, and Gwyn were huddled onto the couch with a book in Emerie's lap, the other two reading from it. Mor, Cassian, and Elain sat in the opposite chairs. Everyone's eyes shot up to her, Mor and Elain rising from their seats to leave with Aurora. Cassian held a wide grin on his lips, fingers rhythmically tapping on the knee of his crossed leg.
"Sounds like you and Az had a wild time up there," Cassian mused, raising a brow at Aurora. She blushed fiercely, smoothing the skirt of her dress. Gwyn quickly faced the book in Emerie's lap and Elain cleared her throat.
"Be quiet," Aurora snapped, sending Cassian a vulgar gesture before turning and following Mor and Elain out of the room.
"I thought we could go shopping for some clothes, maybe other things if we find anything, and then get some food," Mor explained, changing the subject. Elain and Aurora nodded in agreement. As they left the estate, Mor's face twisted with a cocky grin. "It's my treat, we'll, Rhysand's."
Aurora grinned back and Elain did the same. She hoped that their time together would smooth things over between them, if there really was anything to smooth over. The three of them travelled into the busier town streets, fae of all kinds bustling around. Aurora observed everything silently, following the other two as they walked into a store. A bell chimed against the door as they entered, Mor on a mission to some back corner. Aurora and Elain followed quietly, waving hello to the clerk at the counter.
"I've been coming here for years," Mor began, filing through some dresses hung along a rack. Aurora quirked a brow, noting that these gowns were far more elaborate and embellished than she normally wore, but definitely something Mor would wear. She pulled out a long gown in her classic red, as well as a green dress, black dress, and a violet color. She split off and hurried to a closed off area that Aurora guessed was where she'd try them on.
"These seem expensive," Aurora muttered, glancing up at Elain. She was looking at a lavender colored gown with silver embellishments. Elain looked over her shoulder and nodded with pursed lips before turning back to the dress. Aurora sighed and circled a rack, running her hand along the dresses. One caught her eye: A long dress of a cream fabric, similar to the one she had borrowed the night before. It had a corset bodice, the straps of a white lace that trimmed the neckline. Roses and vines were embroidered throughout the entire dress, ones of the brilliant red that Mor dressed in often, and the deep green that was often in the Winter Court.
"That's very pretty," Elain murmured as she approached, the lavender gown laid over her arm. Aurora nodded as she ran her thumb over the threads of one of the roses. "You should get it, Mor said Rhysand is paying for it all."
"I don't know, it seems expensive," Aurora sighed, dropping the dress and turning to Elain, who shrugged.
"You don't have any clothes that are your own. You've got all of our old clothes. Get something that you like," Elain pressed. It was then that Mor came sauntering toward them, all four dresses in tow.
"I love them all," she grinned. Elain held up the lavender dress.
"Can I get this?" Mor nodded, looking over the sparkling fabric.
"Of course! Like I said, Rhys is paying. He's got more money than he'd ever need," Mor responded with a laugh. Elain giggled with her and tucked the dress in her arm, but then grabbed the dress that Aurora was looking at and held it up.
"And Aurora likes this dress," Elain added. Mor 'ooh'ed and nodded quickly.
"Yes, yes. That dress is stunning!" Aurora blushed as Elain shoved the dress into her arms. She muttered a quiet "thank you" as she followed the other two to the counter. Mor paid for all of the dresses and the clerk separated each one and put them into large paper bags. Aurora folded her arms over her bag and followed Elain and Mor onto the street and to the next store.
Soon enough, Mor had too many bags that she had to winnow them back to the estate. Elain had gotten several simple dresses along with the lavish purple one, and Aurora had gotten one simple white dress that was of a light fabric for the summer heat along with her dress from the first store.
"This is my favorite store," Mor mused as she shoved the door open. Elain practically skipped behind her as the three of them entered. Aurora's eyes widened. This store was filled with under clothes, brassieres and underwear of every fabric and color. Some were practically just straps, some sheer, some entirely lace. Aurora swallowed a gasp as she observed the items. Her eyes shifted to Elain, who was beet-red in the face and staring back at her with wide eyes. Mor was already filling her arms with items she wanted, and the debauchery of the styles were shocking.
"Aurora, I bet Azriel would love to see you in this," she gushed, holding up what looked to be a string.
"What is that?" Aurora asked, taking it from her hands. Mor burst out in laughter.
"It's lingerie. This is the top portion, see, these go over your shoulders, this strap goes around your waist, and your breasts are completely bare but are supported by the triangular straps," Mor explained, taking it from Aurora's hands and holding it up to her chest. Aurora choked on air.
"What is the point if it doesn't cover anything?" She asked, taking it from Mor.
"It's lingerie, it's meant to be worn during sex. See, it's not for coverage, it's to look sexy," she explained. Aurora glanced over at Elain, who was wide eyed and holding up a similar strapped item. "It goes with these panties, and these strap to your thighs like your holders for your dagger, these straps go over your ass and panties, and then connect to this strap, which goes around your waist. Look at this, the panties have a hole in the crotch, so you can wear these when you're being fucked."
Aurora was sure she was as red as the dress Mor had bought. It seemed entirely unpractical, and certainly complicated. Mor sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Elain, do you mind if I take Aurora to try this on?" Elain shook her head quickly, snapping her eyes back down to the lingerie. Mor tucked all of the straps into her arm and grabbed Aurora, dragging her toward the back of the shop.
"Mor, I don't think-." Aurora couldn't get her words out before Mor tugged her behind a curtain and began unlacing her dress.
"I promise, you'll feel sexy in this, Azriel won't be able to keep his hands off you," Mor murmured, undoing the final bit of ribbon and then tugging Aurora's dress down. She squeaked in surprise and moved to cover herself. She hadn't replaced her underwear after she and Azriel were finished earlier.
Mor didn't pay her any mind as she began placing the lingerie on Aurora. She just stared in the mirror with wide eyes as Mor worked, watching her body become wrapped in what she now saw was black velvet. The bra, as Mor explained, was a triangular hole where her breasts sat. Next, Mor placed the strap around her waist, then tugged the panties up. Aurora blushed when she didn't feel fabric cupping her core, but rather strips of fabric that laid on either side of it then combined to a very thin strip up her rear. Mor then put the two straps around her thighs and brought the fabric up to clip to the waist of the panties, and then up her hips went a strip that connected the waistband to the fabric around her waist.
"See what I mean? Az would adore this," Mor mused as she straightened and observed her work. Aurora stared at herself in the mirror, gobsmacked. She looked as though her body was tied up, ready to be used by Azriel. She turned and saw the straps going over her ass. Aurora bent slightly, feeling the pressure of the fabric against her plump skin.
"This seems a tad much," Aurora breathed out. Mor shook her head.
"Let's put your dress back on over that, I'll tell the clerk what we put you in and they'll know what to charge us," she said, grabbing Aurora's dress from the floor and helping her back into it. Mor tightened the laced back and then clapped her hands together. "Perfect! Now I want some."
Aurora, still red in the face, followed Mor out from behind the curtain and stood in the center of the racks, fingers twisting in the fabric of her skirt as she waited for Mor to finish. The thought of Elain crossed her mind and Aurora perked up, looking for signs of the female. There was none. Anxiety pressed into her stomach as Aurora began slipping between racks of gauzy materials until her eyes settled on golden brown hair perfectly curled.
Elain was gathering very indecent clothing in her arms. Aurora's brows furrowed as she watched Elain glance to the side before shoving multiple items into her bag. Whoever she planned to wear those for was a secret, and apparently so was the fact that she was getting them. Aurora felt nervous as she looked back to Mor, who was also gathering multiple things. Had Elain planned to steal this lingerie? Was she getting them for herself or a secret lover?
Aurora just moved away from the racks and settled near the door, arms crossed and fingers anxiously scratching at her arms. Elain indeed walked up to Mor and shook her head, indicating that she hadn't found anything she liked. Mor grabbed a few more things before hurrying to the counter and then paying. The clerk put all of the items in a bag, which was nearly overflowing. Mor bid them a goodbye and the two approached Aurora, who opened the door with a nod to the clerk. Aurora adjusted the bag she held and glanced over to Elain, whose eyes were set to her feet as they walked.
"Here, I found a few more things," Mor blurted, snatching Aurora's bag and pulling a couple handfuls of lingerie out and shoving them into Aurora's bag. That same blush coated her cheeks.
"Thank you," Aurora murmured, taking her bag back and tucking it beneath her arm.
"I have a few more places I'd like to go, do you want to join me?" Mor asked as they slowed to a stop at the edge of the road. Aurora felt the weight of her bag, it was plenty to carry back.
"I think I'm going to go back. If you find something I'd enjoy, grab it for me," Aurora spoke as she sent Mor a smile.
"I'd like to come, Mor," Elain answered, inching closer to the female.
"See you later, Aurora," Mor called out before her and Elain turned and continued down the street of shops. Aurora turned in the direction of the estate. Her mind reeled over what Elain had stolen and what she intended to use them for. That thought then brought Aurora to the lingerie she wore beneath her dress and embarrassment flooded her. Would Azriel believe this was too much? Would he like it as much as Mor said? Aurora tucked the bag closer to herself as she marched onward toward the estate.