Binding Threads: A Short Story ✔️

II

"Is he allowed to treat young ladies like that!" Idunn demanded as Ragna came into the shop. "He's an animal!"

"Be glad Ragna isn't teaching you. You'd have perished before you ever reached your Binding." Ville poked and prodded his needle into the apron hem.

Ragna stared coldly over Idunn's shoulder at her work. "He's right."

The old woman receded into the bedroom without another word. At Ville's request, she didn't interfere in his tutelage. If she had, Idunn would be sulking most of the day instead of working. Though it seemed like she could do both seeing the chronic pout on her face as she yanked at some thread.

Despite her loud complaints, she'd endured two weeks and came in dutifully every day. Ville was serious about teaching her to make her own dress, and to his surprise, she met him with equal resolve, tumultuous and wavering as it was. It was enough to convince Ville it was worth the trouble, though Idunn tested that conclusion on a daily basis. For his instruction and material, he charged her a fraction of what she originally paid him, but the resulting fee was by no means small.

"Ville, I'm done with the vest trims." Idunn silently appraised her own work but clearly had something to say about it. She'd learned to hold her tongue in the past two weeks.

He glanced it over. "It looks fine to me. You don't like it?"

She spun the needle between her fingers and chewed on her lip. "It's better than what I've made before, but it still won't do. Couldn't you do a better job than me?"

It was a familiar question, one that grated on his ears each time she threw a fit, but this time he engaged it since she seemed to have asked sincerely. "Move on to the next part."

"What? But this is inadequate compared to other bunads."

"Perhaps, but it doesn't matter. We will move onto another part of the bunad and return to the vest again when you are ready." Ville rummaged for more thread for Idunn as he spoke. "Finish the bunad first. Then, return to previous areas and improve as you like. That's how they're made traditionally. Mothers would refashion the embroidery to their liking or add more detailing to what's already there, and their daughters would do the same. Fashion the cloth to suit you." Ville's steady hands, scarred with learning errors and needle mistreatment, manipulated the fabric with gentle, practiced motions. "Stitches can always be undone and cloth remodeled. Once the bunad is done, you could change your mind as much as you please."

"I can?"

"Within reason. You'll be doing most of the work, so it would be wise to be decisive." Ville snorted. "Enough. Go get started on another design."

#

The first time Ville ever fed her peasant food, she had to heave it back up outside. Since then, she had adjusted.

But not only to the food.

"Is this right?" Idunn was radiant as she looked up from her handkerchief for approval.

Sigrid beamed down at her as if she hadn't been accusing her of being fae two months ago. "That's just wonderful. At this rate, you'll be teaching Ville instead!"

The ladies around Idunn twittered in agreement and crowded around to see her work. They found a new shiny bauble with a sophisticated accent and infinite potential for entertainment. They doted on and picked at her for all sorts of stories as she worked on the bunad.

He would normally protest her slowed pace, but he couldn't complain when Idunn absorbed the ladies' probing conversation. Ville was content to assist with Idunn's bunad with one ear out to listen to whatever they were laughing about.