ADA STOOD OUTSIDE their room when they arrived and Sian raced into the shower so the fabricer wouldn't have to wait much longer. The others volunteered her to go first so now she stood in the middle of the room, still damp from the shower and wrapped in a towel, as Ada circled her with a measuring tape, muttering to herself. 'What's the normal dress for a dance?' Sian asked.
'What? Oh, well for the evenings it isn't anything too grand, not like what I'm creating for you all for the Prince's ball,' Ada said with a shy smile. 'Typically it's something which moves well when you dance. So I'm going to create you a dress with a circular skirt and I think a split on one side,' she looked thoughtful. Ada went to one of the armoires and began to rummage through it. The other three had finished their showers and sat watching. After locating several pieces, she turned and tossed them to Sian. 'Put these on and I'll go to work.' Sian looked down at the items Ada had given her. A long skirt, a shirt and a belt. The styles all went together well but the color...Sian inwardly shrugged and put the clothes on.
KASSIE, LOI AND I jammed onto Kassie's bed, watching while Ada circled Sian who stood wearing a long skirt and a slim fitting tunic top with a belt slung low on her hips. All in shades of rose. Loi nudged me and winked and Kassie muffled a giggle at Sian's slightly pained look.
Ada's head snapped up. 'What's wrong?'
'Nothing.' Sian gave the three of us a firm look, so we all assumed straight faces.
'Nope, nothing. Lovely color,' enthused Loi.
Sian narrowed her eyes at Loi. Ada ignored us and focused her energy. That odd noise I'd heard while we trained was audible again, a strange, almost dead tone. I realized it must be the sound of someone using their gift and watched to see what she did next. The skirt began to shimmer then blur and the hem started to rise, fanning out, creating a more circular shape. A split opened over Sian's right leg up to mid thigh and the waist line reshaped so it curved to sit on the hips. It was like watching an artist draw, all the decisions she made were precise and intent, her lips moving as she worked. I had to see this and climbed off the bed for a closer look, taking care to stay out of the way. At this distance I could see the fabric re-weaving and re-melding itself and watched in fascination.
When Ada finished Sian wore a dress with floaty, kimono-like short sleeves and a slim fitted bodice that led into a circular skirt with the split over one thigh. The three of us circled Sian and studied her outfit. All the seams had vanished and if you stared close enough you could see how the weaving of the fabric moved in several directions instead of the usual two. Loi dashed off to one of the armoires and began to search through it for the items Ada could use to create her piece.
SIAN STUDIED HER reflection in the mirror. A perfect fit, a very pretty dress, she frowned at herself, just not quite her. Noticing her frown, Cat touched her shoulder and arched an eyebrow.
'It's beautiful... But not quite me,' Sian said apologetically, with a glance to Ada.
Ada beamed at her, surprising them. 'That's fine. It's much more fun if you have an idea of what you want. What shall we change?'
Frowning at her reflection Sian chewed on her lower lip while she considered some options. 'What about racer-back shoulders?' suggested Cat. 'Or a halter neck?'
Sian smiled. 'Ada, can you make it one shoulder? I want it to taper to a thin strap on the left and then remove the back of the top and have the strap follow over my left shoulder, across my back to my right hip.'
The fabricer's eyes went wide and she hesitated. 'That's rather daring. Can we make the skirt a little longer then?'
'Yes.' Sian said, glad she'd suggested it. 'Bring it down to mid calf and keep the split.'
