"Hasten up the lot of you, we must complete the orders before sundown!"
"Yes, madame," a chorus of female voices resounded through the shop, accompanied by the click-clacking of shoes on the wooden floorboards.
The work area housed about twenty-seven working girls at a time. Its upstairs gallery held only three workstations, as it was used mainly for storing fabrics and displaying mannequins.
The madame stared down at her young workers. Some scurried to and fro, fabrics in their hands, scissors in the other, chalk markers tucked into their hair. A few attended to customers with pleasant smiles and generous lengths of measuring tape.
Others bordered as receptionists at the far front near the entrance.
A couple more ran accounts with abacus-like gadgets, quills tucked behind their ears.
Madame drew a deep breath. She savored the scents of raw calico, candle wax, and rose rouge that permeated the air.
Gathering the folds of her lace-covered skirts, she descended the stairs with controlled, precise steps.
"Madame."
A few girls curtsied in greeting. She nodded in response while scanning the shop, strolling from one corner to the other—occasionally feeling the texture of a fabric, or pausing to observe one of her girls at work.
"Splendid work Yvonne. Now have that delivered to house Noval within the hour" The girl snapped out of her thoughts and quickly curtseyed to her mistress.
"Of course, Madame" She replied, trying to hide happiness by looking down. The pink on her cheeks betrayed her though.
Most of the girls seemed taken aback. Madame rarely compliments any work let alone rate it as "splendid." Although there wasn't much rivalry between the girls, they usually pulled nasty pranks at any prey of their choice. Usually girls from competing shops but recently, Yvonne has been a new interest. Not because of madame's approval or at least the major reason. Yvonne just seemed to suddenly say the strangest of things at the worst moments. Sometimes, the girls even swore seeing her talk to herself. Although that was just gossip meant to slander the poor girl, there was some truth to it.
"Yvonne! " A sweet voice rang out. The hairs on Yvonne's back prickled. She recognized the voice. She could never forget it in a million lifetimes.
"Klaryna, I didn't see you there", She didn't have to. Klaryna's aura seems to arrive to a place before she ever does. It almost felt like a wet cold blanket over a face. At least to Yvonne.
"So you hate me that much."
"No why would you–you're right for once!"
Yvonne clasped her hands over her chest as if she could pull the words back in and shook her head sideways. "Ididn't mean to say that. I don't know what came over me"
Klaryna stared. Speechless.
A thought flitted in her mind and a sweet smile bloomed across her face. She shrugged off her initial shock and clutched her friend's hand with both of hers tenderly.
"It's okay, Yvonne. You must be so 'tired' from working overnight for three days. I forgive you."
"But only if you accompany me to the parade " she chimed in a singsong tone.
"But I need to deliver the..." Klaryna cut her off , "Don't worry, we'll do it on our way there. Come on, don't make me beg!" She 'gently' nudged Yvonne almost knocking her off balance.
She caught herself but she had bruised her palm on a pin cushion on the work desk in bid to steady herself.
The blood quickly emerged and tattooed her palm in an unsightly mini polka dot pattern.
Klaryna pretended not to notice. Or maybe she didn't notice. Yvonne did not care.
She agreed instantly to avoid more "friendly accidents" from Klaryna. That always occurred whenever she said no. Klaryna could never take that for an answer.
She pecked her friend in glee and off she went to design their parade outfits. Yvonne heaved a sign of relief. She and Klaryna were childhood friends since they were five.
Madame bought them from a shady orphanage that was involved in flesh trading.
Both live and dead flesh for that matter.
For that reason alone, Yvonne deeply loved and respected Madame and cherished her best friend too. She was all she had anyway.
Klaryna on the hand, adapted quickly to the change in environment. She made friends quickly and mingled with a few upper ranks. She was always up-to-date on the latest fashion and gossip news. The girls loved her because she always had something new to say, a fresh style for them to design and overall seemed cheerful and bright. She knew all the ins and outs of not only the shop, but Tiny Wilovayde as well.
Wilovayde was anything but tiny. It was vast and populated. Its people boasted of many merchants and skilled hands in various trades. Cobblers, goldsmiths, locksmiths, innkeepers, seamstresses like Madame herself and more talents but a few to mention.
However, it was called tiny because it was of little, or "tiny" as the nobles would say, value to the upper ranks. It managed to survive for so long because servants for noble houses were always in demand and Wilovayde provided just that.
"There, you look so beautiful." Klaryna gushed as she brushed the frills of the Yvonne's blue dress into place. She paused for two heartbeats before adding, "I'm more beautiful however."
Yvonne shook her head for the umpteenth time. She looked at the tiny pocket watch on the desk. She sighed. It was already so late and she felt uneasy about sneaking out by this ungodly hour.
" Madame doesn't like us going there. What if we get in trouble, Klaryna?"
"Oh stop being such a killjoy. Nothing will happen except that we'll have so much fun. "
"We might even get to meet some nobles"
She chimed as she adjusted the sleeves of her friend's dress before slipping matching blue satin gloves on her hands. Yvonne hissed in pain when her fingers pressed over her pincushion wounds.
"What in the world were you doing getting such a nasty bruise?"
"You really must be careful, Yvonne. Scars and ladies are enemies. Good thing we're allowed to wear gloves."
Yvonne fought the urge to roll her eyes. This was going to be a long night. She sighed.
"We should do this often" Yvonne felt her lips move. She heard her own voice. But it—it felt unnatural. As though her lips had a consciousness of its own.
"See, I told you we would have fun" Klaryna playfully flicked Yvonne's face with the pink sash draped over her shoulders.
Yvonne gasped. She looked around unsure of even herself.
She couldn't remember getting here or even taking a carriage. Did she even take a carriage? She wondered.
The parade ground was packed full of people. Their outfits blended with decor making everywhere seem like an otherworldly event. The music was second to none. Personally, Yvonne loved the bard's voice. Although, she couldn't seem to focus on that.
Something felt terribly wrong. It was almost like the atmosphere was pregnant with some morbidity just waiting to happen
"We need to leave now!" Yvonne agreed although she didn't voice the thoughts by her own accord.
"But we only just arrived. Don't worry, Madame won't notice" Yvonne wasn't having any of it. She grabbed her friend and pulled her with a strength she didn't know she had towards the entrance.
But it was too late. In a split second, all the laughter and singing turned into screams and screeches of agony. The music warped and the crowd descended into chaos.
Pure Agony.