Audrey's Otherware (Jyg 32nd, MT)

[Gerrard MacKaree]

It had been a long evening for Gerrard. He had been working on his expenditure prospects for a restaurant and copied them several times so he always had a few left to hand out to interested parties. He had slept in to the second mark of morning tide and, after a good breakfast and a drink at the Dragon, he was venturing out for yet another business call. He had a clean shirt, also Eastern but of blue silk, tucked under his arm. Today's target would be Audrey's Otherware, a tailorshop that could definately use the quality silk he had for sale.

The sign outside is modest, stating the name in plain letters with only the smallest of decorations, yet the window says it all: outrageously coloured feathers are combined with the simplest of cloth into a stunning contraption, the finest of furs are draped over designs that had best be named ‘inventive’. The eyecatcher undoubtedly is a scanty outfit made out of white goosefeathers with matching cloak.

He halted in front of the window, his mind racing over possibilities how Audrey could use his silk in her magnificent creations. The Roquean merchant had gone window shopping before, dreaming of ever wearing one of her designs. Yet now, he was trying to sell her materials to use in them. It was almost a dream come true... almost. He entered the shop cautiously.

The entranceroom of the small store is packed with the strangest of materials, amongst which a humansized fox-skin. Upon further examination it turns out to be made out of a cunning combination of fabrics, creating an illusion of swiftness in an outfit that strangely enough might not be out of place at an important dinner or great ball.

A sign states: “No body be seen or a costume be fitted.”

In the back of the room a small woman is working on what seems to be a gown made of autumnleaves. Her short, brown curls dance around her round, enthusiastic face as she manages to make the skirt flow from the dummy as if it were the rain falling through the leaves. Her inquisitive brown eyes look around the store from time to time to find whatever it is she needs for her latest creation.

He was only two steps in and had just closed the door behind him when he saw the fox skin, which didn't appear to be fox after all. Well, that's a display of skill. I'd have never guessed one would be able to do copy an animal's fur with other materials. Yet she pulls it off to make something that looks like a real fox skin.

As he looked around he saw her in the back room. It would be impolite to walk up to her and tell her what he was coming for, and thus he knocked on the wood of the door twice before calling out "Miss Audrey? Are you there? I have something that needs a professional look-over."

[Scheherazade]

"Oh, this will not do..." Audrey was murmuring to herself when Gerrard walked inside the shop. Deeply focused upon her new creation, the brunette couturier lifted the other end of the fabric she was using and draped it over the wooden mannequin, pouting her mouth in deep rumination, causing gold and brown leaflike laces scattering from the gown and falling all around her like autumn leaves. "Oh, dear!" She had forgotten to applique most of the cut laces on the gown again. I'll have Bryome work on this... With a slight crinkle of her nose, the brunette couturier knelt down and started gathering the laces on the floor and was about to call her nephew when a new customer walked in.

"I'll be out in a flicker, sir!" Audrey replied back. Goodness, where is my nephew? He should be entertaining the clients! Abruptly standing up with her hands full of her gathered laces, the brunette couturier managed to accidentally bumped into the wooden mannequin, causing it to teeter slightly once. It would have ended there, Gerrard could see that, but Audrey gasped out loud and with a loud cry of alarm, she tried to grab on the hem of the gown to save it, the laces scattering from her hand once more and falling around her onto the floor and managed to further tip the wooden form forward, sending it tumbling on the floor with a loud crash.

With golden and brown leaves falling all around her, Audrey turned and managed a sheepish smile at Gerrard. "Welcome to Audreys..." She declared, trying to puff one of the leaves that fell upon the gentle curls of her hair.

Where is that nephew of mine?!

"Did you say a make-over?" She frowned, her eyes clouding for a flicker of a second as she remembered someone who used to say that.

A blond someone...

Memories does not fade.

[Gerrard MacKaree]

Gerrard watched the whole scene smiling inside, more due to the entertaining factor than because of her misery with the mannquin. Of course, it would not help his business if he would be laughing at her. A bit chaotic, haphazard maybe... at least her creations look astounding. Let's see how we can get this to work.

"A make-over? Oh no, I'm sorry. Did I say make-over? I intended to say a look-over" he said, apologising for something he didn't do. "I have a shirt, imported, rather expensive even, and I'd like your opinion on the quality, if that's not too much of a hassle. I perfectly understand you are busy, but I have never seen such fine silk as this and was wondering if it were just too good to be true."

He took the shirt into his hands, holding it out for Audrey to take a look. Of course, it was all eastern styled, so not something she would've seen before probably.

[Scheherazade]

“A look-over!” Audrey beamed a professional smile at Gerrard and ignored the state of mess around her. “Well, why didn’t you say it in the first place?" She tittered a small laughter.

“Would you like to sit down, Sir…?” She paused, fishing for his name as the brunette couturier walked absent-mindedly back to the common area and delicately started peeling the leaf-like laces that clung to her robe and without looking at the couch, she gestured to the sofa laden with piles upon piles of different fabrics. “Oh, why are they still here?” The brunette woman exclaimed when she saw the couch, moving forward to push the fabric to the far end of the sofa to make room for Gerrard.

“I’m sorry for the general mess, Sir,” Audrey excused, looking around the shop as if for the first time and finding everything not to her liking. There were scattered papers filled with sketches on the desk, strips of tattered fabrics scattered around the floor and the display dresses and accessories needed a little organizing. “I remember telling my nephew to arrange the shop yesterday. I wonder where he is? He’s my apprentice…” The couturier continued and was distracted by a paper in the coffee table before the couch. It was a design sketch of a gown covered with swirling puffy layers of laces that seemed to convey the natural force of a whirlwind.

“Hmn… Not bad…” The couturier commented, taking the paper and scrutinizing it with a shrewd eye for fashion. “A little change here… Perhaps sprinkle some beads and sequins here, arrange the pattern there… Not bad at all…” Looking up from the design sketch, she looked around the room as if looking for someone. “Where is that nephew of mine?!” Suddenly noticing Gerrard once more, she looked at him, as if surprised by his presence. “I really am sorry, Sir…” Audrey exclaimed once more, gushing in contrite exuberance. “You have caught me unaware and in such general mess…” She bustled around. “Let me fix these first. A client must not see how disorganized Audrey is.” The brunette couturier started arranging the papers on her desk.

“Bryome… Are you there?” She called for someone, worriedly looking towards the backroom and then turned to Gerrard once more with a professional smile pasted on her face. “Would you like some tea, Sir?”

Unbeknownst to her, a folder letter was clearly noticeable on the coffee table with an large, elegant cursive writing bearing:

To Aunt Audrey!
READ ME!

[Gerrard MacKaree]

Gerrard watched in amazement as she went around to clean up, get caught in work, clean up again, forget about him, clean up some more and eventually notice he was there. It did have a certain entertaining value to be in this shop he decided.

He sat down in an open space on the sofa, pushing fabrics out of his way if need be. "Only if you sit down to drink with me for a moment." he said and smiled. "And don't be sorry for this chaotic organisation of your shop. It has a certain... flair to it. You won't lose me as a customer if it looks like this. I'd merely wonder and ask how all of this could be turned in such beautiful creations." he continued, wanting her to stop fussing about her shop. It wasn't as if he was here to buy anything any way. Rather selling though.

[Scheherazade]

Turning a bit slowly towards Gerrard, Audrey arched both eyebrows, giving him an amused look. “In business, flattery can’t get you anywhere, Sir… Not even a discount!” And then she burst out in peals upon peals of silvery laughter. “Tea then, Sir and then I’ll see what you want me to take a look at. Please, make yourself at home, I’ll be back in a burn or so with the tea.” She then moved towards the back of the room, leaving the man behind in the common area surrounded with splendid hanging frocks, wooden mannequin dressed in majestic gowns and accessories arranged in shelves.

From deep within the back room, the black-haired trader could hear faint sound of porcelains clinking together, a sure sign that the brunette couturier was preparing the tea for them. It went on for more than a burn or two when he heard Audrey’s voice coming from the back room once more. “Sir, would you mind clearing the coffee table for me please, I’ll be bringing in the tea in a flicker.” Just in front of the couch where Gerrard was sitting was a low table filled with papers and a few folded fabrics, atop the fabric was the note the couturier had definitely missed.

“Here’s the tea,” the brunette couturier came in, carrying a large tray. A teapot, two porcelain cups with saucers, two small teaspoons, a tiny thong, a small dish filled with cookies and two small jars sat atop it. “I hope you like Jasmine tea, I bought it from Simple Pleasure, they have the best Espresso.” She declared, waiting for the young man to clear the coffee table and then setting the tray carefully down with a loud clinking of the utensils.

“So, you mentioned a look over?” Audrey asked professionally, sitting comfortably on the cushioned chair across from where Gerrard sat and started pouring tea on the cups, tendrils of smoke curling from the cup and the smell of jasmine wafting in the air. “That’s sugar and that's milk, please, help yourself.” She pointed to the two small jars on the tray and then took her own cup and gently sipped on it.

[Gerrard MacKaree]

Gerrard grinned as he heard the sound of porcelain. As if I wouldn't like tea... it seems to be one of the few beverages I have been able to drink the last couple of months. He perked his ears as he heard her voice. "Of course, milady. I will do that right away." he said, as he took a good look at the pile upon the coffee table. A note, still folded close, screaming to be read by Audrey lay on top of it.

Laying that next to him on the sofa, he put the rest on the ground aside it. As the couturier came back with the tea, he offered here the note. "Miss? This lay unopened in between the pile on the coffee table. Maybe you ought to read it before we continue. It looks rather... urgent." he said.

"Simple Pleasures? Why, I have been there yesterday. Most delightful place with good coffee. Although I must admit, their tea is... less refined. Not bad, but of lesser quality than the Eastern tea, if I say so myself. Of course, I might be biased after spending two months in the Empire." he said as he took a sip from his tea.

The Roquian took the silken shirt back in his hands again, handing it to Audrey. "Yes, miss, a look over." he said before explaining, "I had an offer I couldn't refuse, but I would like to get the opinion of an expert, which led me to you. I would like to know as much about the quality of the fabric as you can, and maybe you know of another place I can get it. I'm willing to pay you for the look over if need be, but I just want to make sure I'm not being ripped off by a fence or anything like that. I guess you'll understand, having a succesfull business and all that."

[Scheherazade]

"A letter? For me?" Audrey asked in astonishment, her face completely baffled as she set down her tea with a faint clink and then reached out to take the folded letter from the Roquian trader. The letter was somewhat thick and the black-haired Gerrard could feel that there was at least another paper inside of it. Inadvertently, when he handed the letter to the couturier, the paper that was folded inside the letter slipped off and like a feather, it fell opened upon his lap and the trader could clearly see the familiar handwriting legibly written on the parchment.

The paper was clearly familiar, clearly wrinkled, a sure sign that it was opened and folded a dozen or so times. What was quite astonishing was that he could clearly see that it was his own handwriting. It was definitely his.

“Oh dear heavens! How clumsy of me!” The brunette woman exclaimed with a loud apologetic gush. "Can you be a dear and hand it to me, Sir?" She waited for the other piece of the letter and with a slight, perplexed frown, she opened the first missive and read it for a few flickers, her eyes flickering from right to left as she completely devoured what was written and not satisfied, she opened the other letter and read it as well.

"I definitely need a new assistant now! Dear me, how could I have forgotten sending my nephew to Kings Court yesterday?" She cried out worriedly. "And he insisted I meet this..." The couturier frowned and then lifted the second letter and read it once more. "Master Trader Mackaree... Never mind... I shall reply to him later this trade tide. I pray to Dominicus I won't be able to overlook this." With that decided, the brunette woman folded the two parchment together and slipped them inside the pocket of her skirt.

Sighing, she lifted her tea once more and sipped it very carefully, taking a piece of a biscuit and munched on it thoughtfully for a few flickers. "I have grown accustomed to my nephew taking care of this shop." Audrey explained apologetically to Gerrard. "He'd been my apprentice for more than a yahren now and yesterday, I sent him to Kings Court to manage my other shop there. Oh my, where does the time go?"

"Oh, you've been to the Eastern Empire, Sir? How remarkable!" Audrey exclaimed, her eyes widening, clearly impressed. "You must be a traveled man. I can only imagine the colorful and exotic sights and places you've seen. It must have been very wondrous experience for you, sir." Leaning closer, she settled her cup down to the coffee table once more and asked, "And their tea? You don't say? They're better than the Simple Pleasures? Surely, you must have brought a few leaves with you, Sir, I would be more than willing to buy them just to taste a sip or two."

With a loud gasp of delight that echoed loudly around the shop, the brunette couturier took the shirt and with both her hands, she lifted the silken shirt before her and gawked at it for more than a burn or so. "Eastern Style..." Audrey murmured, her eyes glimmering with delight as if given a very delightful gift. "I've seen one but not like this... How very curious! The pattern is quite simple but..." With tender hands, she rubbed the cloth to her cheeks, feeling the smoothness of it. "I've never seen silk like this before." Audrey exclaimed to herself and frowning with purpose, she crumpled the silken shirt into a ball, applying enough pressure until it fitted both her hands cupped and clasped together.

"Remarkable!" The brunette murmured with awe. "Pure silk, but not any silk I have ever seen. Kislovan and T'aquar produce a different kind of silk..." she continued, still holding the silken shirt between her clasped hands. "So does World's Mouth but their silk isn't pure. Watch this..." Audrey looked at the trader with a mysterious smile and without any hesitation, she unclasped her hands and out came the silken shirt, suddenly spreading and jumping from her hands. With purpose, Audrey shook off the shirt for a few flicker and then raised it with both her hands.

"Pure silk doesn't wrinkle much."

Clearly, Gerrard could see that the silken shirt had a line or two of wrinkle despite the pressure that was given to it a few flickers ago.

"Well..." Audrey's nose crinkled as she offered the shirt back to the trader. "As for someone manufacturing that kind of silk, I can't say that I know anyone... Hmnnn...." She frowned and then smiled as she took the letter from her pocket and handed Gerrard the missive he had written himself. "We received an offer from a fabric manufacturer from Roque. If you want, sir, we can both talk to him about it. The missive says that he knows where to get Eastern Silk and I for one am deeply interested."

[Gerrard MacKaree]

Oh no! She hasn't read it yet? Oh n... or is it good? If she doesn't know why I'm here, I might just be able to get more information out of her. Let's see where this will take us. I'm sure I can use it to my advantage.

"It's alright, miss Audrey. These things happen to me all the time." he said, picking up his letter and handing it to the couturier upon her request. He chuckled as she confessed having forgotten that her apprentice runs her second shop, all the way in King's Court. Then again, it had only been a fresh decision. "Time, miss, is like the wind. It comes and goes, but when you least expect it, it hits you right in the face at the most inopportune moment." he said, talking utter nonsense, or so he thought. Taking a sip of the tea he listened to Audrey rambling on about his ventures. Or at least, the part he had told her.

"I wouldn't call it traveled. It rather happened by accident really, but yes, there was a lot to be seen and tasted. A wonderful experience really." he said. The darkhaired human took another sip of his tea, before setting it down on the table. "I think it's better than that of Simple Pleasures indeed. I have a little of it at home. If you want, I can send you some to taste, or you could come over sometime, might you be looking to open a new shop in Roque d'Ancourt."

The smile on his face came wider with every passing second as she inspected the shirt. He wanted to object when she crumpled it, but thought better of it. After all, she was the expert, not him. Is it... better silk than any you have ever seen, or just different? I mean... I hardly ever wore silk before, and this suits me fine, but I can't guess at the quality." The young aspiring trader was quite flabbergasted that it hardly had any wrinkles after what Audray had done to it.

He faked disappointment as she told him she didn't know anyone who made it that way. Reading the letter he gave her, he tapped it and said "This Mackaree might just be what we need! But what if his silk is of lesser quality? I mean... what would a couturier like you pay for the kind of silk that the shirt is made of? I just like to have an indication as to what I can expect and to see if indeed the person who sold it to me tried to rip me off." He awaited the answer with great anticipation, see if he could haggle here and now.

[Scheherazade]

"Oh, that would be very lovely indeed, sir!" Audrey replied with an enthusiastic clap of her hands, eagerly anticipating what the eastern tea would taste like. "I believe that will do as your payment for this professional service I am giving you. I'll be waiting for that tea then."

"I'll be more than happy to come over, sir! Do you have a house here in the Citadel?" The couturier asked the trader curiously. "I believe I haven't seen you arou--- oh, you've been away, how remiss of me!" She chuckled a throaty laughter at her inattentiveness.

"I have been thinking about opening a shop in Roque." Audrey replied as she pouted her lips as if to ponder on it deeply. "Business has been flourishing, but... I don't have the time, sir. I do have a lot of clients here in the Citadel and in King's Court and opening another one in another place will surely spread me thin. I mean, look at how I can barely manage the shop here." Frowning, she gestured at the chaos surrounding her shop and gave Gerrard a sheepish smile. "I praise Dominicus that my nephew apprenticed himself to me, without him, I wouldn't be able to manage both this shop and designing at the same time. I was able to do it before, but with the clients pouring in, it's taking a lot from me, but I'm not complaining or anything, sir. Dominicus has been very generous with His blessings." She took another sip of her tea and smiled once more at Gerrad.

"It's different all right..." The brunette couturier declared after some musing, her thoughtful gaze turning back to look again with professional eyes at the silken shirt the trader had brought. "I'm not a textile manufacturer, that I can tell you, sir. I simply know how to use the fabric. Silk is silk. The Kislovani makes them differently than the T'aquar, so does World's Mouth but what I can say is that the quality of the silk you brought is probably the highest I have seen so far, although I can't tell you that since I haven't used that kind of silk yet."

"Perhaps," Audrey answered as she watched the trader tapped the missive. "I can't say for sure for I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Master Mackaree. I haven't had the leisure of replying to him yet. I may need to check his swatches first and scrutinize the quality of the silk he may want to offer. But, if that's the same quality of silk he is offering, I'd definitely have an agreement with him as one of my suppliers."

"Oh dear, I don't have any idea how much that kind of fabric costs." The couturier laughed out loud. "Usually, a silk costs a circlet or so per yard, that's an average silk and the price will depend if it's imported from T'aquar, Kislovan or World's Mouth."

"How much did you buy that shirt, sir?"

[Gerrard MacKaree]

Gerrard smiled upon the payment they now had agreed upon. That was as cheap as it could get. "Indeed, I have been travelling. I have lived here for four years though, but I've moved back to Roque in the past few weeks. Piece of nostalgia maybe, I'm not sure. I grew up there, I know it, and I want it to flourish, get kids off the streets." he told her as to why she might not have seen him, apart from his 'travels'.

"Well, if ever you do want to open a shop there, feel free to drop by. I might be able to help you in getting a fitting establishment over there. One that would suit the needs of the shop." he offered her, hoping he wouldn't give his merchant nature away yet.

From that point on it went back to the silk. He just sat there, let it sink in, and nod now and then. "It was more of a gift, to be honest. Anyway, what say you about a coronet per yard, two and a half circlet if you sign a contract making me your sole silk supplier." he said, daringly. He could go down with the price, but not by much. Maybe he didn't ask enough, but he trusted that four times the price of normal silk would be quite... high.

He quickly rose and bowed slightly. "Gerrard Mackaree of the Twin Dragons Trading Company, at your service." He waited for a moment to let the words sink in with the couturier. "I had a few appointments in the Citadel yesterday, so I thought to come by myself. Of course, you don't have to make the decision now. Consider the shirt a gift and think about it if you like. Do remind though, be quick, for a tailor in Dort has expressed his interest in my wares too. It would be too bad though if the silk could not be used for your creations. Being the sole person with a trade agreement with the Eastern Empire, I'm only supplying to one person, and that's the one who decides first." he said, knowing that giving a one time offer, which could be discussed of course, with a deadline would speed up the decision making process.

"Of course, if ever you want to discuss the supplying of your shops, you can usually find me in my office on the Rue d'Eunys in Roque. For exceptionally good offers I make an exception and will visit myself, anywhere in the world. Do remind though, the first with whom I have an agreement on the price will be the only to receive the silk."

[Scheherazade]

ooc: Do you mean, a coronet and two and a half circlet per yard, Gerrard?

She nodded and smiled enthusiastically at Gerrard as he talked about his travels. "I wish I could travel around Tazlure just like you, sir. Maybe I do need to relax and take a few vacations here and there since my nephew can handle things now."

"A very noble thing to do, sir." Audrey exclaimed, warming to the trader. "Keeping the children off the street is a duty of a good Dominican."

The brunette kept on nodding and smiling here and there, slowly sipping her tea and when Gerrard started making his offer, her smile froze and she gave him a quizzical look. It went on downhill when he stood up and introduced himself and offered his demands. The smile that was eager now slowly changed, turning to a thoughtful pout and her face that was friendly slowly changed to an incredulous look. Gerrard could clearly see the transition; how her face flickered from a very friendly welcoming look to sheer dubious disbelief and then to utter annoyance. Her hands shook and she almost spilled tea and with deliberate control of her will, they steadied. With most careful, silent and graceful movement, she set down the tea with a loud clink of the porcelain. It was more than a burn or so of utter silence between them, the faint din of the noise could be clearly heard from the outside and when the brunette looked up to Gerrard, the eager and friendly face was now filled with professional indifference and coldness.

"I shall consider it, Sir Mackaree." The brunette couturier, proprietor of Audrey's Otherwear, the only shop with two branches in Tazlure, the couturier who dressed not ordinary persons around the Western Kingdom and the Empire of Seven Isles but its powerful men and women as well, replied with an edge of iciness in her voice, the way she pronounced his surname was chilling enough. Silently, gracefully, she stood up and carefully smoothed her skirt and leveled an arched eyebrow at the trader, gazing at him with more than an equal look.

"Will there be anything else I can help you with today, sir?"

[Scheherazade]

ooc: Are we done here?

[Scheherazade]

OOC: No reply for almost a month. I now proclaim this thread... Sewn and stitched! Thank you for visiting Audrey's Otherwear!