Diamond Heart

The Once Great Empire of Brinja - Present Day

"Arms up, Aya, I need to check the movement." Jesa barked, poised over the white silk, needle presented like a sword.

I did as bid, raising my arms to shoulder height and holding there. It wasn't a hard job, to wear something so beautiful while Jesa pinned and stitched and marked, I just wasn't comfortable wearing someone else's wedding dress. I was thirsty too, but Jesa had banned all liquids from the room, she knew what I was like and couldn't risk the dress.

"Turn."

I turned then winced as she jabbed me in the calf with an overzealous pin. There was a pause as she assessed her handiwork.

"Okay, I think you're done. You can take it off now."

I loosed a relieved breath and disrobed as carefully as I could. Jesa would kill me if i moved a pin or burst a stitch. As the finest seamstress in Brinja, her work was always in demand and she wouldn't have me ruin her stellar reputation.

This was not the first time I had been called in because all her mannequins were full or because she needed to see how a skirt would hang on an actual person. At least it got me away from Magra for an hour. He owned The Briar Rose, a tavern on the main shopping street of Capital District, where I worked most evenings. Serving didn't pay well, but it also didn't require any skills which made it perfect for me.

I handed the dress back, having refastened myself into my grey and brown, mud-splattered work dress. Jesa looked me up and down. "You know, if you had some new boning put in the corset, the whole dress would look almost new."

Jesa set about hanging the white work of art so it would be crease free for her customer. I looked down at the sagging, and always slightly damp, fabric. "I think, with the best will in the world, that this dress is beyond help. Even you can't save it, Jes."

"I'll see what excess I have on the old bolts, I might be able to make you a new one."

Saying no to Jesa was impossible. She was worse than a bull and I'd learned the hard way that butting heads with her got me nowhere other than hurt. "You know you don't have to, Jes. But, thank you." I added before she could snap at me.

"It's the least I can do. Call it payment." She faced me, this time scritinizing me through squinted eyes. "Are you working tonight?"

"I work every night, Jes." She placed her delicate hands on her hips. "Please don't start."

"I don't like the way he watches you. I don't trust him not to try something. Have you looked for another job?"

Every time. We always went round in the same damn circles. "Yes. No one will take me. I'm not skilled like you, or educated. Magra is the only one and i have to work if I want to eat or pay board. So, Magra will get to leet for as long as he pays my wage. He knows not to touch." I wasn't as helpless as Jesa assumed and I'd reminded Magra of that more than once.

"Well, just be careful." she called as I headed for the door to her little shop.l

"Always am!" I called before dashing into the darkening street.