One Picture Led to Another
"Excuse me ladies! Care to be immortalized in a photograph?"
"A what now?" Chryssa spun around. A few feet from her was was a thin man in a white suit and a short top hat. He was carrying a small wooden box. This box had an accordion shaped cloth extending out from it. At the end of this bellows was a large glass lens.
"No." Saya rolled her eyes, not bothering to turn around. Her gaze stayed fixed on the bay.
"Hold on! I want to know about this... photograph thing!" Chryssa reached out to halt the man's departure, eyeing the black box. "Is that what you're carrying?"
The man laughed, "Oh no, not at all, my dear! This is a camera that takes photos! It's what'll make your pretty faces last an eternity!"
"Really!? How does it work?" Chryssa was interested. Saya remained irritated, her attention was elsewhere.
"Imagine if you will," the man began, "the power to capture moments and freeze them in time! Well, with elven craftsmanship and of course a little human ingenuity, I've crafted a contraption capable of just that! It operates with this lens here," he tapped the glass. "At the press of a button, light filters through, bounces off a silver mirror, zips through a mana-charged ruby, then burns itself onto a piece of treated paper, colors and all!"
"wow!" Chryssa looked directly in the lens trying to see what it was like inside the device, "I never knew mana could pull that off!"
The man chuckled, "Oh it's quite remarkable! Gone are the days of copper plates and hazardous mercury vapor! Aethercite is the way of the future! So, ladies, may I capture your essence? Strike a pose! Anything goes!"
"Oh yes, this will be fun!" Chryssa enthused. She grabbed Saya and turned her around.
Saya was not amused. She remembered the tedious sessions at the palace years ago, sitting still for endless photographs while her mother grew increasingly exasperated with her fidgeting. Still, it beat enduring a painter's sitting, which felt like an eternity longer! Saya's thoughts were interrupted as Chryssa draped an arm around her, pulling her close. Sighing, Saya glanced towards the camera-wielding man.
"Will this work?" Chryssa asked.
"That will be perfect!" The man affirmed, "Now hold still, keep your eyes open, and...." The man pressed a small black button, which caused a flash of crimson light to come from the lens, likely the magic-fueled ruby in action. "Done!"
He plucked a paper from a slot in the camera's side and handed it to Chryssa, asking, "How does it look?"
"Wow, incredible!" Chryssa exclaimed, holding the paper in the air. The paper was rather small, no larger than her palms, but it had a nearly perfect image of Chryssa and Saya on it, "Look at this! A perfect color photograph!"
Saya remained unmoved and turned back around. She was finished with the whole encounter and showed no interest in the photo.
"So, how much do these cost?" Chryssa queried. "We're a bit short on money at the moment..."
"The picture's free, my dear! But if money's an issue, perhaps we can find a mutually beneficial arrangement? I can help you to help me help you!" Immatius suggested, producing a small business card and passing it to Chryssa. "I'm Immatius Alexander, proprietor of the Ruby Camera Company and inventor of its signature device!"
"Not interested," Saya interjected. "We don't need any mon--"
"Delighted to meet you!" Chryssa cut in, extending her arm. "I'm Chryssa, and this grumpy girl beside me is Saya."
"The pleasure is mine!" Immatius responded, clasping Chryssa's hand in a firm handshake.
"So... what do you want us to do?" Chryssa inquired.
"Well, Chryssa, I'd like to capture a few more images of you two lovely ladies tonight amidst the festival ball. I want a shot that'll really make folks do a double take and say, 'Wow, that's a good photo!' It'll be the showpiece of my camera shop in town, should draw me plenty of business for years to come! Naturally, I'll compensate you for your time. How does... 1,000 beryls each sound?" Immatius proposed.
"That doesn't sound that bad at all..." Chryssa mused, thinking for a moment, "I think we can do that! What about you Saya?"
Saya exhaled deeply, turning to face them. "...Fine."
"Marvelous!" Immatius exclaimed. "But just one more thing. We can't have you two in such plain, boring attire for the occasion! This is a ball after all! So, what do we do now....?" Immatiuas paced back and forth for several seconds muttering to himself.
Ah, I've got it!" He produced another card, offering it to Saya. "Here's the address to Anna Charlotte's Dress Shop. I'll handle the arrangements. Just swing by when you're ready!" With that, he confidently strode away, leaving the two to decide whether to accept his offer.
"I'm not wearing a dress." Saya said, tossing the card, only for Chryssa to snatch it mid-air.
"Oh, come on! We could really use the money!" Chryssa pleaded, "Can't you just... try to act like a girl for one night?"
"We're not that short on coin. Besides, Myles and Raini are in Ziberon doing that job. It's their turn to earn the group money anyways."
"Oh please!" Chryssa put her hands on her hips and scowled, "You know the moment they get paid they're gonna spend that money on something dumb! Then we'll run out of money and be doing odd jobs again regardless!"
"You do have a point, but... Do I have to?"
"So... how about this: Remember when you promised to wear a dress for me? If you do it this time, I'll count that promise fulfilled!"
Saya sighed, accepting defeat, "...Fine. I'll do it."
A little later, Chryssa and Saya stepped into Anna Charlotte's dress shop. The moment they did their senses were engulfed in a sea of silk, satin, and vibrant hues. Having spent most of her life in the elven countryside, Chryssa had never seen so many opulent garments before! Saya was slightly less impressed considering she used to be royalty, but she wasn't sure she's seen so many expensive dresses in one place.
Seconds after they stepped in, an older woman with graying hair emerged from behind a pile of fabric. She was well dressed, wearing silks as fine as any noble of Iamond. She waved her hands at Chryssa and Saya.
"Good evening! I'm Charlotte" the woman greeted sarcastically. "First: Don't touch anything! You two don't look like you could afford even the cheapest dress in my shop anyways! Second: Why are you here?"
Saya could tell the woman was judging them for not looking particularly well off. "Uhm.. Immatius Alexander sent us." Saya explained. "He said he was going to make arrangements and--"
"Marvelous... And you two look a little worse off than he described, maybe more than a little... Well let's get started right away! You, Follow me!" Charlotte seized Chryssa's hands and whisked her behind a set of curtains into the back of the shop. Saya was left there by herself. She leaned against the wall and waited.
An hour later, Chryssa emerged, wearing an exquisite emerald ball gown with intricate golden floral motifs. Her ears sparkled with gold earrings, and a matching gold amulet encircled her neck. Saya stood astonished, struck speechless by Chryssa's stunning beauty, her eyes scanning her from head to toe multiple times.
"Now, off you go next door! the hairdresser will put the finishing touches on you. You! It's your turn. Follow me," Charlotte instructed briskly. Chryssa exited the dress shop without a word. Saya followed Charlotte to the back of the shop.
Saya was taken aback as the woman swiftly began disrobing her. Her protests were silenced by Charlotte's insistence on time constraints. Before she knew it, Saya found herself completely naked and pushed into the adjacent room, instructed to cleanse herself in the bath already prepared with warm water.
Quickly scrubbing herself, Saya barely spent a few minutes there before Anna's impatience surfaced, urging her to hasten her efforts. Exiting the bath and wrapping herself in a towel, Saya emerged, only to have the towel swiftly removed by Anna, who then handed her a set of undergarments. After slipping them on, Saya couldn't even straighten up before she was suddenly covered in a cascade of petticoats and other supporting garments. Anna then deftly pulled a dress around her, and in an instant, Saya found herself in a rich, dark sapphire ball gown with the same shimmering floral patterns as Chryssa's attire.
Charlotte then placed a cloth choker around Saya's neck. It featured a prominent gold centerpiece. Moving on to her ears, she attempted to place earrings, only to grow frustrated upon realizing Saya's lack of any piercing. Without hesitation, she decided to rectify the situation then and there. Charlotte heated a needle and quickly pierced Saya's ears, causing her to yelp in pain. However, the discomfort quickly dissipated, replaced by a soothing sensation as Saya noticed the woman's hands emitting a soft white glow, indicative of healing magic. It seemed the woman had a past as a mage.
"All set!" Charlotte declared, granting Saya just a brief moment to admire her reflection before briskly ushering her towards the front of the store. "Same thing as I said to the other one; off to the hairdresser next door. We're running out of time before Immatius needs you two!"
Saya immediately walked towards the entrance of the store, then stopped. She didn't want to go out in this, and she definitely didn't want Chryssa to see her in this! She also didn't want to stay there for too long and give Charlotte any time to yell at her again. She took a deep breath, and stepped out on the street. After scanning her surroundings, she saw the sign that said 'Mary Anne's Hair Dresser' and made her way inside.
"Please tell me you treat your hair better than this one!" a woman yelled. Saya saw Chryssa seated in front of the woman, gritting her teeth as the woman vigorously brushed out numerous knots. With one final tug, the woman seemed satisfied that she had tackled all the tangles, proceeding to switch to a gentler brush and applying oil as she worked through Chryssa's hair.
"Immatius sure knows how to pick street girls for his photos!" the woman remarked.
"Hey, we're travelers, not street girls! whatever that means..." Chryssa retorted.
"Travelers or street girls..." The woman laughed, "Makes no difference to me! None of you take care of your hair properly!" With Chryssa's hair now untangled and brushed out, the woman pulled it back and placed a clip featuring two large feathers.
"Finished!" The woman declared, "Getting those knots out took far too much time! Even as travelers, you should take better care of yourselves! Run a brush through your hair from time to time, it isn't a difficult task!" Chryssa stood up from the chair. The woman then pointed at Saya. "Now, it's your turn!"
Saya gulped and took her place in the chair, fully aware that her hair wasn't much better than Chryssa's. This was bound to be painful.
"Ugh... well, at least it's not as much of a mess, but it's too greasy!" the woman grumbled, pulling a lever that reclined the chair, causing Saya to fall back and her head to partially submerge in a sink. Warm water flowed over her hair as the woman applied shampoo, working up a lather before rinsing it clean and drying it off. With a flick of the lever, Saya was returned to an upright position.
"Fortunately, your hair isn't as knotted as Chryssa's! I think I can manage this," the woman said, proceeding to detangle Saya's hair. Despite her efforts, each knot proved painful to unravel. After a few minutes, Saya's hair appeared straighter and cleaner than it had been in months. The woman then gathered Saya's hair and secured it behind her head with a small black leather cord.
Saya still didn't look complete though. The woman looked at her face for a moment. there was nothing wrong with Saya's pretty face, other than the seemingly permanent scowl. That needed to be hidden. The woman then had an idea. She grabbed a carnival mask and placed it on Saya's face, which covered the top half of her face, with the exception of her blue eyes. The woman stood back, happy at her work, "Now I'm finished!"
"And not a moment too soon!" Immatius said, standing at the door. "Thank you for your services, Mary!"
As Saya and Chryssa stepped outside, they were greeted by the unexpected sight of half a dozen well-dressed men, towering over them in their well fitting black suits. Several of then wore silk top hats. They seemed to be around Saya nd Chryssa's age, but others were obviously a little older.
"Who are these guys?" Saya questioned, her annoyance rising again.
"Oh, they're just colleagues of mine. Well, sons of colleagues of mine," Immatius explained with a grin. Saya recoiled in disgust. "Now, now, It is nothing like that, I'm not setting you up with them! I just need to pair you with a male counterpart for the perfect photo!"
Chryssa's eyes sparkled with excitement. Back in Lyonne where she grew up, there were plenty of festivals and gatherings, but none of the elven boys would dance with her because she was a human. A few of her girl friends would, but for her it wasn't the same. This made the prospect of dancing with all these men rather exciting!
Saya on the opposite end of things, couldn't help but roll her eyes. This was turning into quite the ordeal for her and she wanted this to end as quickly as possible.
With Immatius leading, the group made their way through the bustling streets until they reached the town square. Numerous vendor stalls lined the square. In the center of the square was a rounded platform. The air was alive with the sounds of an orchestra, and couples on the platform swayed gracefully to the rhythm of the melodies. Throughout the festival, various events are held at various levels of society. The working people had the platform during the day, but at night only the well dressed could have the platform, where an outdoor ball would be held each night of the festival.
At the center of the square stood a large wooden dragon constructed during the festival. Its wings spread out over the platform, casting a shadow from the full Hunter's Moon. This structure was a makeshift effigy of Xiralgus the Nova, an ancient dragon lord, and the reason the festival is even held. Every year, people celebrate Xiralgus's ultimate defeat, and at the end of the festival, they set fire to the statue and mock him as he turns to ash.
Immatius turned towards Chryssa and Saya, his excitement was obvious. "At 8:00pm, after the bell tower rings, a Galleskan Waltz will play. It's Drachenbildnis, Opus number forty by Louis Dominique Klein. Do either of you know that one?"
Chryssa and Saya exchanged uncertain glances before shaking their heads. "I have no idea what that is," Chryssa admitted, a little disappointed. "Dancing isn't something I do very often..."
Immatius laughed, "Not surprising in the least, my dear! Luckily, Drachenbildnis is quite a simple one. Just let your partner lead, and you'll get a feel for the dance in no time! What about you, Saya?"
"I've seen my parents dance to that one before," Saya said. She had actually been taught the steps to Drachenbildnis by her parents, but she didn't want to admit that, instead playing herself off as being as inexperienced as Chryssa was, "I'm pretty sure I can manage, maybe."
"If you think you can manage, that is excellent! My camera might just have its focus on you then, waiting for that perfect moment! Benjamin, you're the first to dance with her," Immatius gestured to one of the men in the group. A tall man with blonde hair stepped forward. He bowed before Saya. Saya let out a nervous chuckle and curtsied.
As Ben took Saya's hand and led her into the circle of waiting couples, Saya couldn't help but release a sigh of resignation. Ben saw the annoyance in her expression and offered her a reassuring smile, promising that the dance would go smoothly as long as she followed his lead. Saya returned the smile, but only because she didn't have anything to say.
The melody began with a gentle tempo, prompting Ben to bow to Saya, who responded with a curtsey like before. They then extended their hands, exchanging another bow and curtsey before each other. As the music quickened, they moved around each other nearly in perfect sync, following the elegant steps of the waltz. Around them, the other couples mirrored their movements, gradually moving in a clockwise motion around the dragon effigy at the center of the square.
Throughout the dance, Ben's smiled, his gaze locked on Saya's eyes. Despite her efforts to maintain composure, Saya couldn't help but feel a tinge of irritation as Ben's hands occasionally wandered too low, prompting her to readjust his position multiple times.
Halfway through the sequence, the dragon effigy began to come to life, infused with mana-charged crystals embedded within it. It is said the dragon's souls still resides in these peridot crystals, and it gets enraged that people are dancing around it in defiance from a previous time.
Saya figured the dragon effigy would play some part in this, considering the song's name, so she remained unsurprised by the spectacle. Ben however was caught off guard, which caused him to step on Saya's feet and stumble, nearly tripping over. Acting quickly, Saya steadied him, her movements becoming more assertive as she took the lead, guiding Ben back into sync with the music.
As the final notes of the waltz began to fade, Ben pressed himself into Saya and leaned her back. Saya was barely supported by Ben's arm, and she had no choice but to grip Ben's other hand tight or risk falling over. It was a departure from the traditional ending of the dance. Ben stared deeply into Sayas eyes but she merely smiled, relieved that it was over. If there was any connection between the two, that moment would have been it, but dancing with Ben had left Saya feeling empty. She hoped that Chryssa had found more enjoyment with her partner.
In fact, completely opposite to Saya, Chryssa's dance with Thomas had been a joyous experience. Despite initially stumbling over her steps, she quickly found her rhythm under Thomas's lead. The two were smiling and laughing the whole time! By the end Chryssa seemed like a natural.
Over the next hour, Saya and Chryssa were paired with several different partners, with Chryssa reveling in each moment while Saya just stayed annoyed. Immatius snapped hundreds of photos, capturing every twirl and dip.
When it was finally over, Immatius approached the girls, looking quite pleased. "I have several excellent photos of you two beauties! Amazing work!"
"I feel like I just stumbled all over the place," Chryssa said, her spirits somewhat dampened. "Some of those men have to be pretty mad at me, as many times as I stepped on their toes!"
"Nonsense!" Immatius exclaimed. "You both performed exactly as I expected. Chryssa, you danced with grace and spirit, and Saya, you were like a delicate princess out there, executing each step flawlessly! It was perfect! With your distinct blue eyes and regal appearance, it was like a member of the Vernador royal family was out there this evening!"
"I'm not a..." Saya began to protest before trailing off. She put her frustrations at the back of her thoughts and just smiled again.
"There's no need to explain anything to me," Immatius assured them. "You're both free to go! Swing by my shop tomorrow for your payment." With that, he wandered off, reviewing the many photos he had taken.
"So... Had fun?" Chryssa asked. Saya shook her head, still frustrated despite Chryssa's attempt to cheer her up. Chryssa sighed softly, placing her hands on her hips. "Oh, come on! It wasn't that bad! We are getting paid, you got to embrace your feminine side for once, and we danced with half a dozen men! some of them were actually quite wonderful!"
Saya remained annoyed, crossing her arms. "It wasn't that bad I guess, but I don't want to dance with men I don't know. I'd rather dance with--" Saya cut herself off. She looked into Chryssa eyes, then looked away. "Anyways, come on, let's return these dresses."
"Hold on, I have a wonderful idea!" Chryssa's put her hands on Saya's shoulders, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Want to have the final dance of the evening with me?"
Saya's heart skipped a beat at the suggestion. Chryssa dropped her hands to Saya's waist and looked into her eyes. The music that began to play was a slow, melodic elven tune. With a tender hug, Saya and Chryssa pulled each other close until their bodies were pressed together. Then one of their hands clasped together while the other rested gently on each other's waist. The two slowly swayed to the music.
As the song continued to play, the minutes seems to stand still as Saya looked into Chryssa's eyes. As the clock struck an hour unknown to them, the bell tower chimed overhead, overpowering the quiet song as loud fireworks illuminating the night sky. Saya and Chryssa both were oblivious to the world around them in that moment.
Unknown to the two girls, Immatius happened to still be there, still pouring over his photos unable to decide which one was best. There were hundreds of them, and none of them seemed quite right. Then the sight of Saya and Chryssa caught his eye. He saw two people lost in a moment of love, more intimate and powerful than any picture he has taken this evening.
This was it! This was the moment he waited for! He steadied his camera and put the two into focus. The scene was so perfect that Immatius feared he might mess up the picture. He took a few deep breaths and steadied his hands, then took his shot.
Notes for Context
Since my worldbuilding isn't as fleshed out as I would like it to be, since this story is technically a middle chapter so there's no context, and since the story itself is also probably not written as well as it should due to how rarely I write this sort of thing, here's some notes for future revisions, and related articles::
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