The world not on the mountain was very green. Rolling hills with tall trees dotted the landscape. There were clusters of homes, but not enough for a whole nation of people. Then I noticed the mouth of a tunnel. Over the arched circle-shaped entrance was a sign that read, “Blessed are those who enter the deep. Cursed are those who enter with ill intentions.”
Yikes. All this talk of curses was worrisome, since curses actually meant something here. Poor Jamie up and attacks people when he sleepwalks all because of a curse.
I looked back at the hut that Jens still occupied and ruled it as a no-go zone for the time being. I continued on, looking for familiar faces amongst the dozens of ruddy ones scattered about, when I saw Britta running toward me from another hut. She was wearing a sort of kilt with knee socks and a flannel sash across her torso, brown braids flapping as she ran. “Lucy! Are you well?”
Good for her, holding back her real question of “How is Jamie”.
“I’m fine, Britt. Jamie’s still sleeping. Where is everyone? Where’s Henry Mancini?”
“Foss gave your… your dog to Nik, who took him underground with the rest of them. They’re practicing drinking for the feast tonight. It’s being held to honor you, so I’m glad you’re awake.” She put her arm around my shoulders and corralled me toward her hut, which was closest. “I’m sure you don’t know this, but your gown is completely transparent in the sunlight. It’s an undergarment not meant for wearing by itself.”
I cringed, covering my breasts. “Oh, great. I didn’t realize. I just ran out of the hut as fast as I could. Your brother’s in rare form today.”
Britta led me to the hut she emerged from, introducing me to a Nightdwarf family who looked shocked to see me apparently in my underwear. “Don’t mind us,” Britta said to the woman of the house and her two red-faced, pudgy children that were about two feet tall apiece. The woman bowed to me, which stopped me short. I didn’t know what to say to her, so I gave her a forced smile and let Britta lead me away.
This hut had a bedroom that Britta had been granted use of. She shut the door behind us and pulled a cherry and gold flannel-patterned gown off the hat rack while I stripped down behind the partition and washed myself in the steel basin.
“This is for you to wear,” Britta informed me. “I’m sorry. I only just finished making it, and I didn’t have time to put it in your hut yet. Do you need me to help you?”
“I think I can figure it out. And, wow. Thanks for making me a dress. I’ve never had one made just for me before.” I looked at the complicated stitching and elaborate ball gown-style strapless dress. “You have my regular clothes, though, right?”
Britta nodded, straightening her hair in its two usual braids on either side of her head. “Your clothes are in your green pack.” She paused, her tone coming out strained. “You and Jens had a fight already?”
“I know. He’s being a real pain today. Picking on Charles isn’t cool, and I told him exactly that. Why can’t he just get along with him?”
Britta smiled with her gentle grace when I came out from behind the partition. “Oh, that’s exquisite on you. Just how I pictured it. And Jens isn’t prone to making friends easily. I do know he cares about you a great deal.”
I tried to fasten the dress, but doing a corset from behind is confusing. I fumbled with the lacing. “Lucky me. That means I get yelled at five minutes after I wake up from the worst flu of my life. Do you know if there’s anything to eat? I’m starving.”
“May I?” Britta began lacing up the dress in the back for me. “Jens doesn’t know how to be vulnerable. That’s what makes him such a reliable guardian gnome. I’m sorry he’s been coarse with you.” She jerked me with surprising strength to get the corset tighter. “Hold on to the door,” she suggested.
I grabbed the knob to steady myself against her tugs, holding my breath while she finished lacing up my dress and pinning up the bustle. When she was done, I looked down at myself in awe. “Whoa. I’ve never worn anything this sexy before.” I stretched my arms over my head to make sure my breasts didn’t pop out spontaneously. I never had reason to wear strapless floor-length gowns back home. I’d never been asked to a school dance, and generally covered myself up pretty appropriately. Plus, you know how I feel about dresses. This one, though… This one I liked. I actually felt like a woman in it. Beautiful, even. I’d never seen a flannel ball gown, and wouldn’t have thought one could be so flattering, but there I stood, Lucy Kincaid in a pretty dress. And I wasn’t cringing.
“Lucy, you look lovely,” Britta marveled, her eyes wide at my display of visible cleavage.
“Do you think so?” I asked, my insecurity poking through. “I kinda like the dress. You really made this? You’re incredible.”
“It’s absolutely breathtaking on you. Would you like me to do your hair?”
I nodded and sat on the bed while she twisted and fastened my blonde waves into a complicated updo with many braids and knots to make the hair match the dress in its elegance. “How did you do that?” I wondered aloud when she finished. “I could try to do your hair like this if you can talk me through it.”
Britta blushed as if I’d asked her what her bra size was. “Oh, that’s okay. I don’t need to look impressive to the Nightdwarves. I’m not representing an entire kingdom.”
I shrugged, my bare shoulders moving through the warm noontime air. I patted a spot on the bed in front of me. “Then look impressive for yourself. We can be matching. C’mon. I miss having a girlfriend.” Britta complied with a gleeful grin, and I set to work.
There was no mirror, so I couldn’t tell if our hair matched exactly, but she talked me through enough of it. When I finished, she looked more youthful and feminine than she usually did with her tightly wound braids and white Amish bonnet.
“Man, you’re pretty. You should do your hair like this more often. Wait till Jamie gets a load of you.”
Britta looked down at her hands in her lap. “Jamie’s path is set for him.”
My heart lurched in my chest for the poor girl doomed to love a man she could not have. I wrapped my arms around her from behind. “He hates his path, though. He’s madly in love with you.”
She leaned into me and spoke with great sadness. “I only hope the king doesn’t find out. His father… King Johannes doesn’t always have the best intentions for Jamie. It doesn’t matter that he loves. His fate is sealed.”
I kissed Britta’s cheek. “Try not to think about all that right now. Today you’re a woman with fancy hair and a new dress. Prince Jamie’s in love with you, so enjoy making him work for it tonight.”
She pressed her cheek to mine and giggled softly. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”
“Oh, you’re a minx, and you know it.” We laughed together, sharing in the breath of fresh air the levity brought us.
“And what about you?” she asked as I pulled away.
“What about me?” I stood and straightened my dress, still enthralled with the gold thread and the dainty stitching. The bold pattern of the dress clashed with the elegance of the fit, making it my new favorite thing.
“Jens is going to have to work very hard to cause problems with you tonight.”
I frowned. “Oh, I’m sure he’ll find a way.”