The Arrangement

Chapter 2

"You can't be serious. There is no way I am wearing that." The boy looked in distaste as his mother gushed over the gown that was presented to her by the seamstress. He exchanged a glance with his elder brother and they both sighed at the women's enthusiasm.

"What do you mean? It is a beautiful gown." His mother said with hardly a glance in his direction.

"You are correct. It is a gown. A woman's wedding gown to be more precise. Even if I decided it would be alright to wear such a thing, which I have never done before in my life... thanks to my father if no one else... I think it is the gaudiest excuse for a garment I have ever seen." He ranted with a hard done by voice.

"He's not wrong mother. It is rather hideous." His elder brother agreed when the women gave them a wounded look and whined.

"I told you I would wear wedding robes. I agreed to let you help me choose those robes. I did not under any circumstances say that I would wear a gown. I want to look sophisticated. Maybe even rich or handsome. I do not want to look like a woman." The youth said as though he had repeated the words a million times before.

"Not that women are not beautiful and wonderful people. He is not a woman though and does not feel the need to wear such lovely garments as you prefer." The elder son stumbled to reason with their mother.

"He is a Ger. He might as well be a woman to most people. Why won't he just wear what I want this one time? Nobody would judge him for it because he is Ger." She argued back. The elder brother sighed and watched as the dark look passed over the younger brother's face at the words. It was the common argument their mother used every time, and did not seem to realise how much it hurt the youth to hear it.

"I don't care what others think. I am not wearing it and that is final. Just because I have a womb it does not make me a woman! Stop pushing me to look like one. I won't do it. I won't. Do you hear me?" The boy stamped his foot in frustration and stormed out of the seamstress' shop in a huff. The elder brother followed him and slowed his progress before he got far from the door.

"Easy brother. You know she isn't thinking right now. She is just excited about the wedding." He tried to placate the boy.

"She is never thinking when it comes to me! Always on about wearing those frilly gowns and acting like a girl. I hate it! Everybody knows I hate it. Why does she do this to me?" He groused as he paced in front of the shop.

"You know why she does it. She always wanted a girl. She doesn't do it to hurt you, you should know that she wouldn't do that on purpose. She just forgets about how you feel when she is caught up in her own hopes and dreams." He tried to say it gently, but it was an age old hurt between the two and not likely fixed with a few words.

"Forget it. I am done explaining to her. Help me find something smart looking and masculine. Please?" He waved off the conversation with a huff and looked at his older brother with beseeching eyes.

"Of course. You know I will. Come on and let's look through the wares on our own without those meddlesome women." He joked a bit and swung an arm around the shorter youth and they went back into the store. The two women were looking rather guiltily at the two boys and they were ignored as the brothers went to the back of the shop.

There were racks with very nicely laid out men's robes of varying shades and richness. The youth felt his excitement perk a little bit when his brother pointed out a rather handsome dress robe made of dark blue silk embroidered with silver threads. An old man came out from the back of the shop as he fingered the smooth material and gazed upon it with a bit of longing.

"Not quite your colour lad. You would look far better in warm tones. Come in the back and let me show you something special." The old man grinned at the two interested youths and they followed his ungainly steps to a back shop that was covered in fabrics, threads, and various tools of the trade.

"Wow! Is that what you are working on now?" The youth's eyes lit up with wonder at the amazing robes that hung up on the rack half finished. The cloth was like a waterfall of reds and accented with gold stitching on the sleeves. The bottom edge was a sweep of fabric that would drag the ground and the belt was made of stiff black embroidered silk with red and gold feathers along it.

"It is indeed. My wife thinks it will be too fine a garment to sell in our shop, but I was considering gifting it to the Emperor on his wedding day since we have little else to offer him." The old man mused with a sly look. The elder brother grinned.

"Aye, it does look fit for such a man as he." He allowed, "Although with such a fine garment, it is a shame it might never be worn if given to the Emperor."

"Do you think... do you think I could wear it?" The youth asked hesitantly of his elder brother. The brother pretended to look pensive as he looked the boy over. He almost chuckled as the boy stood up a little straighter and smoothed the dark green robes he was wearing.

"I don't see why not. After all it is a special occasion and those are the best wedding colours to wear. I think it is a splendid choice." The elder brother smiled then and patted his brother on the shoulder.

"It is a little expensive though, and not quite finished yet." The old man warned the two. The elder brother scoffed a little. He knew their father would not hesitate to make his youngest son happy with this choice.

"No matter on the price." He said firmly. The old man nodded.

"Do you... think it will be ready in time for the event?" The youth asked in a quiet voice, his eyes never leaving the handsome robes. The old man smiled.

"Of course, young master. I will have it all ready in plenty of time. Let me take your measure just to make sure I can adjust it appropriately." He took out his length of tape and marked down a few sizes from the boy on his workshop table. The boy was giddy with excitement now, and he had troubles standing still for the man.

"I will go inform mother that you have made your choice then?" The elder brother asked with a grin.

"Yes! Yes, have her come and see it. She cannot be upset with this one. It will be the most handsome wedding robes you ever saw, aside from the emperor's maybe." The boy announced. The old man chuckled and patted the youth's head.

"Thank you, lad. I will take the compliment well." His eyes twinkled as the two boys rushed out to tell their mother the news. Neither of them noticed the large filigreed box by the back door that held the Emperor's own wedding robes.

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