King of Hearts

24.

This part of Senfira is dedicated to shopping enthusiasts. This would be the right place for Stella. There are not only shops for clothes but anything you can possibly imagine. Some shops sell chocolate figurines, there are perfumeries where you can create your own recipe and bring the ingredients yourself. A shop where you can buy anything but with glitter. This city is amazing, Val will never forget anything about it. 

Dánica and Val come across a tiny white and teal shop called "Wear You Want to Be". Judging by the broad shop windows decorated with rich crystals, the goods must be of high quality and therefore expensive, but the girls decide to have a look anyway. 

They are greeted by a strong scent of old perfume and a short-haired woman approaches them right away. "Welcome to Wear You Want to Be, where you hope to find what you want, but will leave with what you need instead. My name is Milena, it's a pleasure to meet and assist you. If you need anything, please let me know." Milena is a woman of at least 60 years, and aside from a few wrinkles, she looks gorgeous. She has dark grey curls with midnight blue tips. Her silver sparkly dress shimmers in the bright light of the shop. She's standing with her hands folded to the front and her unnaturally silver eyes fixate the girls, smiling politely. She looks like a fallen star. 

"We're just looking," Val explains a little intimidated by her intense stare.

"For now. No one leaves this shop without having purchased something", Milena says smiling foxily. Her deep and raspy voice sounds like an ocean full of mysteries and secrets.

Like in a trance, Dánica walks toward a clothes rail where dresses of all shades of blue hang. With a satisfied look, the shopkeeper follows her. 

It's strange, on that bar must hang at least thirty dresses yet Dánica knows exactly which one to pick. She gently pulls out a gown to inspect it. The dress is a soft stone blue fantasy. The V-shaped top is embroidered in white pearls and grey stones. The slim waist is framed by a white band and the different layers fall to the floor like a misty waterfall into an A-line. It's absolutely stunning. No wonder it caught her attention. Danica'seyes of the same color as the dress sparkle dreamily.

"I see we've already found a match", Milena affirms with a smirk.

Dánica is in her own world, probably imagining herself in that dress. "Would you like to try it on?" Milena suggests. Dánica hesitates but Val can see it in her eyes, that she's having a hard time refusing such an offer, so she answers for her. "I think she would love to", Val giggles as Dánica gives her a hesitant look. Milena carefully picks out the dress. "Only once you've felt the dress on you, you'll know that it is what you need", she adds mysteriously. She hands it to Dánica, who's frozen in place, and with Val's help, she gets pushed inside of the changing room. 

As Dánica is getting changed, Val decides to explore the shop. Milena's intrigued eyes follow her every step. Feeling a little insecure, Val goes a little deeper into the shop, acting interested in the dresses. One dress does in fact stand out. It's a red high-low dress. Val can't take her eyes off it, she's in love. The bottom is covered in blood-red feathers and the top is a slim strapless heart-shaped chaos of glitter, sparkles, and shiny stones. It's fierce and wild yet elegant and romantic. It's something she's never seen before. Sadly, Val gets distracted by the sound of curtains moving aside. 

Dánica timidly steps out of the changing room and even the other customers turn their heads. She looks like a sky princess who has descended from the clouds, she's absolutely beautiful in that dress. It matches her eyes, her skin, even her personality. It fits her perfectly. For some unexplainable reason, this dress seems to be made just for her. As if it has been waiting a long time for her to finally put it on. "Dánica, you're gorgeous!" Val exclaims mesmerized by her beauty. The dress even shimmers a little more now that it's on her. It's just perfect.

Dánica can't believe her sight as she views herself in a mirror. She's speechless. "I love it", is all that comes out of her mouth. Milena nods in agreement. "I think it wouldn't look any better on anyone else. This is the dress you need." Dánica simply nods in awe.

"Very well, then. It'll be 4 200 letins, please." Milena states, catapulting the girls back to the cruel reality. 4 200letins?! This is more than their wage!

All the joy has left Dánica's face as she announces, "I'm afraid I can't afford it." As embarrassing as it sounds, it is true. It is extremely expensive but is stunning. It would be a pity not to buy it. Val has never seen such a look on her face. It saddens her that Dánica can't buy it.

"I can help you pay for it", Val suggests. "I still have 2 100 letins left." She won't need that money anyway once she leaves Senfira. 

Dánica's eyes widen. "No way I'm taking your money, Val. It's alright, I don't think I'd ever get to wear it anyway. Besides, I need to save up money." Val wonders for what, but she doesn't ask, instead she insists, "You never know when you might need a fancy dress. You just have to pay for the other half and you'll still have some money for your savings."
Dánica wordlessly shakes her head. Val can tell how she's lying to herself. Dánica wants this dress and Val wants to make her happy because they're friends. Dánica would've done the same for her.

"Please, take it as a gift", she continues. Milena's head turns from left to right between the girls and is smirking foxily. "This dress is made to be yours, even Milena said it." Val looks to the shopkeeper who nods in agreement.

Dánica shakes her head again. "No, I can't accept your money." Val can't believe her stubbornness. She starts digging into her purse counting the coins, although she has no idea how to count them. It doesn't matter. She pulls out all the silver and gold coins. Dánica immediately grabs her hand. "Val, I'm serious. I won't let you pay for that dress", she gives her a strict look before inspecting her figure in the mirror. 

Why is she refusing to buy it? Everyone who has eyes can tell how much she's in love with that dress. "I'll take it off," Dánicaabruptly returns to her changing room. Fortunately, she left her purse to Val. With that, she approaches the counter where Milena is standing. "Would you please pick out 2 100 letins?", Val asks Milena a little embarrassed. She feels ignorant, not being able to count money but she really has no idea what these symbols mean. "The currency of where I come from is a different one", Val adds laughing nervously. Milena just nods, smiling politely.

"You're a good friend. Although stealing others' money isn't quite right. Usually", she says while picking out some coins. "Your friend looks marvelous in it, she won't regret it, and you won't regret having helped a friend. Besides we both know, she wouldn't even have tried it on, if it weren't for you, Mars."