Chapter 291: The perfect choice
Remus clutched at Arabella’s gown while accompanying Silas towards the front of the property, where the gates lie.
There stood the fairies, ready to unleash their magic in order to uphold the barrier.
The vampire stopped right by the gate and stepped in front of her to look into her eyes.
"Stay with Ada as well as Mr Kallum and take him," he looked at the still sniveling boy, "Wherever you go,"
"Understood," she nodded.
Neither of them broke eye contact, but neither said a thing for a good moment. They held each other’s hands before Silas leaned in and placed a soft kiss at the very center of her forehead.
"We will return before dawn,"
"Yes," she nodded again.
Silas took his sweet time to let go of her hands. It was as though breaking the connection ripped a part of his soul along.
Her eyes, hair and every bit of jewelry she donned glistened under the bright moon that night.
Her smile engraved itself behind his eyelids where no water or wind could wash away.
She waved goodbye as the gate closed behind him, prompting the fairies to fly higher and release their power.
The sight of a thousand descending stars it all resembled. Straight from a beautiful dream.
The barrier only began turning visible within a minute of them casting the enchantment, culminating in a bright flash that sparked before it was seemingly finalized.
"I believe that is our cue to go inside, Rem," she beamed at the boy.
"Mhm!" he hummed and nodded determinedly.
"Woah! So shiny!" Remus exclaimed upon entering the large dressing room. By then Ada and Kallum had dressed tables and chairs full of fabric samples.
"Oh hello, Remus!" Ada chirped, a warm smile on her, "Come! You have to try the designs first! And then you can start picking fabric for your own version!" she rushed her and grabbed her hand.
It took over thirty minutes just to get her into the first design. An open collar and long sleeves one.
It fit her like a glove but did not make her heart flutter.
"So? What do you think?" Ada hovered over her shoulder in front of the mirror.
"I am not so sure about this one," she twirled the skirt of the gown.
"In my experience, such an underwhelming response is a clear sign that you do not wish to proceed with this one," Mr Kallum straightened his glasses, eyes on the dress.
"Let us move on to the next then!" Ada stepped aside, ushering her to follow.
Another half hour went by before they came back out in the second dress. That one hugged her form until the knees, which did not please her. Nor was it comfortable to walk in.
"What are you trying these dresses for?" Remus had held his tongue, but the questions seemed to eat at him.
"Oh! It is for... A very special day that’s coming!" Arabella simpered.
A new voice reached their ears when someone cleared their throat from the ajar door. The only one in the room that was not surprised by it being Remus.
Abigail stood sheepish, twiddling her fingers, looking at the dress instead of the people.
"What is it, Abigail? Is something the matter?" Ada tilted her head.
"Well, I heard you were quite busy here and I thought I should ask if you needed anything," she still refused to look anyone in the eyes, but the shade around her cheeks flushed pink.
"No, we are not in need of anything, thank you," Arabella smiled before taking her words back, "On a second thought, perhaps Mr Kallum will have some tea and maybe Remus can get some cooked meat? Is that alright?"
"Yes," Abigail scurried away without another word.
"I think, I should invite her to stay when she comes back," Arabella’s eyes remained on the door as she uttered those words.
"Why so?"
"Her eyes threatened to stay here with us in the room as she ran off. I believe she wanted to help and look at the dresses,"
"That would make sense," Ada nodded, "We, well, the maids only get to glimpse such luxury dresses from afar. Even with the money we receive, we somehow still live in fear that we won’t have enough to survive which is ridiculous to even entertain under this roof,"
"Alright then," Mr Kallum’s voice brought their attention back on him, "I have the third dress in line ready to be donned,"
The tea and cooked meat came before Arabella and Ada were done with the third one. It was by far the biggest and most cumbersome of all.
"Pardon my impudence, but I believe I can already see this isn’t the one for you," Kallum twirled the little teaspoon he was provided in the cup.
"Abigail!" Ada stopped the maid from leaving, "I think we need an extra pair of hands in the dressing room if you have nothing else on your plate,"
"Oh!" stars shone bright in Abigail’s eyes, "It’ll be my pleasure!"
Remus paid attention to no one and focused on devouring the meat he was given.
By the fifth dress, Eleanor and Gloria had joined Abigail and the three of them chirped and squeaked at the marvelous dresses available before their eyes.
Together, trial time was shrunk by ten minutes, allowing them to move through their choices quicker.
In the end, Arabella’s choice was set on an open shoulder design. Very light, and similar to the gown she’d worn the night Silas had fed upon her for the last time.
Its immaculate white brought her skin tone further to light as its skirt allowed her more freedom of movement.
She pinned the brooch Silas had given her right in the middle of her chest, above the cleavage line.
"Oh! you look so...," Gloria was at a loss of words.
"So beautiful!" Ada finished her sentence for her.
"Quite like royalty," said Eleanor.
"Thank you so much, girls," Arabella twirled around her heels to view the full extent of the dress.