Alice sat quietly on a cushioned stool while Dafne carefully sewed up her back. The winged girl winced several times as Dafne's needle pierced her porcelain white flesh, slowly closing up the gaping wound. Alice flinched when Dafne accidentally pulled too hard on the thread.
"Sorry doll," the dryad apologized sheepishly.
Alice forgave her softly, and Dafne resumed stitching. Then after a few moments of silence....
"How did this happen to you?" Dafne asked gently.
Alice bit into her lip with her sharp canines. Again with people asking her questions about the wound, then she'll have to tell this woman where she came from too.
Dafne waited for a response patiently. When she didn't receive one she just shrugged casually.
"It's alright child, you don't have to tell me if you don't feel comfortable sharing."
Alice let out a silent sigh of relief. She never liked sharing her past with others, especially complete strangers no matter how nice they were. She felt a gentle tug at her back as the willowy woman tied the end of the thread in a small knot.
"There you are!" Dafne said cheerfully, whisking a few of her willow branch dreads out of her face.
"T-thank you," Alice stuttered quietly.
Dafne smiled and walked over to a long rack of dresses. Fingers pressed to her bottom lip the dryad examined each dress. After a moment of thinking she reached out and unhooked a short black and white dress, holding it up for Alice to see.
"How's this doll? It'll be your replacement for that ragged, old jumpsuit 'till I can properly patch it."
The chest part of the dress was a solid white with ruffled short sleeves. Further down in the torso area a corset like middle was tied with black silk laces. The skirt part underneath that was like a black and white checker board design that came down to her knees.
Alice blinked in surprise for a moment. She was slightly confused as to why this woman she just met was so kind to her. Maybe she just felt sorry for her, like she was some sort of lost kitten needing to be fixed up. Whatever the reason, Alice still didn't feel too comfortable wearing strange new clothes.
"U-um, no thanks, I'll just stick with my old clothes," Alice said politely.
Dafne had a strange look on her face, "But they're all torn up, why not wear something more suitable?" then she snapped her fingers as if an idea popped into her head, "Wait! I've got just the thing, don't move doll," and she hurries into a walk-in closet on the other side of the room.
A half an hour later, Alice was fitted into a pretty blush pink, wool sweater, grey leggings, and black boots.
"You look absolutely adorable darling!" Dafne cooed, walking in a circle around Alice.
Carefully bending down to tie the boot's laces, Alice looked back up at the dryad and tried to smile. It was very nice of Dafne to give her free clothes, but Alice didn't think she deserved this at all. She barely knew this woman and she was already treating her like an old friend. Alice wanted to ask why she was doing all of this for her when the dryad suddenly clapped her hands, making her flinch at the sharp sound.
"Right! Now that we got you clothed and freshened up, why don't I give you the grand tour of this little town. Or has Ezzie already showed you?" Dafne broke off with a giggle and a wink.
