Yearning for the Moon

Chapter Ten

I had taken to wearing simple dresses because I hadn't cared much when I had finally left my family, the ability to choose whatever I wanted to wear and not care was appealing, I hadn't bought rags, but they had been simple plain colored gowns with no sort of delicate stitching or designs, not ugly by any means but not the beautiful gowns the women of nobility usually wore. I had thought I would be annoyed, that the beautiful dresses Andreas had sent over would only remind me of my past, of the days spent trying to make cheaper fabrics look high grade, but instead all I am is in awe of the beauty of them.

They were mesmerizing, in truth with them in front of me I wasn't sure what to choose, I had been so obsessed with herbalism and increasing my cultivation that my looks hadn't mattered all that much, but as I stare at these dresses and love the sight of them, I realize it isn't a bad thing to like the pretty dresses, I was a woman but most of all a person, and liking pretty objects was not a trait reserved to just women, so as I stare at the dresses I now had the money to afford, I decide it is time to add dresses with a little bit more color and splendor to my wardrobe.

I look through all the dresses presented to me, and some were too ostentatious, while I did like pretty things, drowning in gold didn't mean it was pretty, the dress I am drawn to the most is perhaps actually the most subtle of the bunch, but I find it beautiful. It had a soft pink base skirt with a sparkly black gauze fabric on top of it, adding just enough dimension to a plain skirt to make it pretty, but the top of the dress with its wonderful sleeves is what seals my choice, a sheer silver fabric with delicate pink and silver flower stitching on it. It was both pretty but also alluding to my herbalism skills, I thought it was wonderful, and the delicate silver headpiece with flowers only adds to it.

I put it on and stare at myself in the mirror for a moment, unable to recognize myself, I looked like a proper noble lady, like my sister and mother had always looked like, but I had always come short of with my cheaper fabrics, but unlike my sister and mother, I didn't use the pretty clothing and jewelry to hide my ugly insides, to me this outfit only accentuated how I was on the inside as well as outside.

Soon there is a knock at my door, and I know before he even speaks, that it is Andreas come to escort me to the party, as he knew I definitely didn't want to go alone. They had offered a maid to help me originally but I had refused, having long been used to getting myself dressed and presentable before in the Dagon family, this was no hardship for me, in fact it almost felt uncomfortable now for someone to help. "Elianna? Are you dressed yet? The guests have begun arriving." I head over to the door and open it, Andreas stares at me in shock, just kind of blinking there.

"How do I look?" I smile and twirl around for him, Orpheus was following me to the party, and to avoid rumors I had taken Maeve into my spirit core, where spirit beasts can go with their contracted master, so she was still with me, but no one else would be aware of her.

"Wonderful, truly you were always pretty, but I didn't expect such a change when you dressed in something expensive for once. You clean up very well, Elianna, hardly look anything like the messy herbalist I've come to know." He teases and I glare at him, but still feel proud of how I look. I take his offered arm and allow him to lead me towards the party. "I would escort you straight into the party, but I suspect you don't want rumors that you are courting me to get around, so I will leave you at the entrance and go in first, so that you can come in alone and stun all the people here with your beauty and talents." I give him a soft smile, it is too bad Andreas and I both only felt friendship towards one another, I suspect we wouldn't make a terrible couple, but there was nothing but friendship between us.

"Presenting Andreas Silvstron." Andreas leaves me standing all alone at the entrance to the courtyard where the party was being held, I take a deep breath after hearing him be announce and slowly walk my way into the courtyard. "Presenting Elianna Dagonus Master Herbalist." It certainly felt good to hear that tacked onto the end of my name, a title I had certainly deserved for winning that competition.