From "The Legends of the Hollowed Lands (edited edition)." Chapter 8, page 116.
Eria's Enchantments had ever enchanted Princess Allaria. It was her refuge outside the palace, and not least because what felt like her only friend in the world resided here. The rich fabrics, the endless colors...the possibilities seemed endless. Perhaps, somewhere within, lay the outfit that would finally make Allaria beautiful. Make Allaria like the other elves... All this, and more, were the reasons the young blonde elf's huge sapphire eyes still became even huger whenever she crossed the threshold. Shopping was the life raft to which she clung caught in the long slow doldrums of her life.
Jon had swiftly learned that 'shopping' was simply the wrong term. Shopping as Jon understood it was, it seemed, beneath the royal house of...wherever Seraphina and Allaria came from. It was not for an elven princess to hunt between stalls and windows for just the right slutty outfit to grace her bounteous beauty. No, all that they owned was to be, literally, tailor made. But, he supposed, Allaria would not understand that distinction. Which was how he found himself herded into a private room for every inch of Allaria's flesh to be groped by this gossipy, flighty, annoying little brat of a seamstress. Or whatever she was. He'd thought that maybe, just maybe, this wouldn't be the most embarassing incident in his life. When Karyn and himself had first sashayed into the shop they'd been greeted by no more than a formal bow from the proprietress and her daughter (who, to his dismay, already appeared to be stifling giggles). But a a scant few pleasantries later, and assured that she knew 'just the thing', off he was being shepherded into another room by his new BFF while Karyn enjoyed a calm, adult conversation with the owner.
"You've grown another cup size my lady!" The girl, Holléna, chirped at him while lifting said cup-fillers about a long string of tape.
Wonderful. It was confirmed. Allaria was getting bigger. Good thing this was only going to last a week.
"Wonderful..." Allaria lamented in echo to Jon's thoughts. Holy shit, they agreed on something for once.
The mournful sigh passing through Allaria's lips shot through Holléna's otherwise indomitable perkiness like a silver bullet through an excessively fashion conscious werewolf.
"Oh...my lady...Allaria" She determined, bending over slightly (of course, she was taller) to look Jon directly in the eyes in a manner that he was sure was well above her station. "Please don't be sad! You're more beautiful than ever!"
Yeah yeah, I'm super hot. Let's move on.
"If you say so...May we please discuss something else?"
"You bear the gift of the goddess. You'll be even more beautiful than your mother, I just know it!" Holléna's green eyes shone with cheery determination. "You can't listen to what those useless florper-brained highborn girls say!"
Jon snorted. So did Allaria, albeit more daintily. This was getting disturbing. Holléna's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, like the kind a thirteen year old Jon imagined Sarah McMillan used at slumber parties between pillow fights. "Besides, we both know they're just jealous. Tell me about him! Pleeeeeaaaase?"
Jon shot ramrod straight. He felt like he'd been tasered. Allaria did too. Not one of these scenes please...
"A-about whom?"
"Shh!" The taller girl dragged Allaria through drapes of transluscent, color shifting fabric. "The human knight, silly! Everyone is talking about it!"
"I do not know what you mean." That's it lady, stonewall her. We don't have to take this shipping nonsense.
Holléna looked at her askance, knowing. "So...you didn't meet with a dashing human knight all alone in the gardens? You didn't kiss a dashing human knight? You swear on the Goddess?"
"I did! I mean. I do. I did not. Kiss him!"
"Ohhh but you did meet him?!"
Jon couldn't tell if the blush was his or Allaria's. "Yes..."
"And?" she coached, eyes bright and predatory. If Holléna hadn't been an adorable elven waif he'd have sworn she was about to eat him.
"We did not kiss. I just..." Allaria paused, entirely on her own. Jon no longer had the will or the patience to try to stop her himself. "...I wanted to. I wanted to ever so much!"
Holléna squealed, bouncing up and down on her little pointed boots. "Oh I just knew it! It's so romantic. It's perfect. It's just like in the songs. It's-"
"Impossible!" Allaria finished, tears welling in her eyes. "A human and an elf? My mother would never allow it. Besides...I...I don't even know him. Not truly." Shit Jon, think of something in character. No one cares about a healthy relationship here. " What if he is truly some devious foe come to hurt us?" There you go! "Mother says the humans are all savages. And what if...what if..." Oh for God's sake just get it over with you useless piece of T&A.
"He thinks you're ugly?" Holléna finished. "Then he's blind! But he will not think so. Humans prefer their women be-" And with this she made a curvy figure eight with her index fingers "-rounder." She wrapped Allaria' in a pillowy hug. Chick's a bimbo princess and she's still getting more action than me. "You are blessed by the Goddess of Love herself! Your heart cannot but lead you true!"
Jon sighed. Allaria sighed as well, dreamily. "Perhaps...perhaps you are right."
"I know I am. Now, let's make you beautiful! No mortal in the Hollowed Lands will be able to resist you tonight, I promise!~"
