Chapter 24 - TWENTY FOUR: Madame Mae's

The dress shop selected by the emperor was housed in a quaint little brick building. A simple yet well-kept sign above the door read 'Madame Mae's'.

Kel scanned the shop's exterior as she allowed herself to be escorted out of the carriage. Back in Mevani, the maids who knew her identity had always taken her measurements and chosen dresses. It was the same for Adriell.

In order to prevent anyone from getting suspicious, the girls had both been kept away from things like dress shops. Kel could have visited one on her own, but it never seemed like the sort of place she'd enjoy.

"It may look plain," the emperor explained, misunderstanding Kel's scrutinizing gaze, "but this place was recommended to suit the princess's.. tastes."

"Ah, um, thank you, Your Majesty," Kel dipped her head, feeling the tips of her ears begin to burn.. She was generally unbothered, or even amused, by the talk of 'the risque princess of Mevani', but the emperor's words left her feeling embarrassed.

Ring-a-ling!!

A sweet-sounding bell chimed as the emperor pushed the door in.

"Just a moment!" came a muffled call.

Soon after, a short, voluptuous woman appeared. The neckline of her otherwise traditional dress was cut alarmingly low, revealing the pale flesh of her sizable bust.

"Don't tell me," Kel murmured under her breath. Had the emperor brought her here because he thought she'd want a dress like that? She quickly glanced down at her own lacking bosom, feeling even more unnerved at the realization that she didn't have the proper equipment to hold such a dress in place.

If the emperor chose such a deep cut dress, the ball could quickly become an unwholesome event, mainly due to Kel's inevitable flashing.

"Oh my! What an honor!" the woman exclaimed, grasping her billowing rose-red skirt with her thin, lace-covered arms and dipping into a curtsey.

"Mmm," the emperor acknowledged her politely in return, though his eyes seemed to be intensely focused just above her head.

"Now…" the woman smiled, turning toward Kel. "Is this little darling here for one of my dresses?"

"I-I am, Ma'am," Kel responded timidly, somehow feeling that this large-breasted woman was more intimidating than any enemy she'd clashed swords with before.

"No need to be so formal," the woman giggled. "My name is Kara Mae. Please call me Mae!"

"Nice to meet you, Mae," Kel replied, tugging her lips into her best attempt at a smile. "I am-"

"Now, now! We've no time for these trifling details; let's get you measured!" Mae interrupted. She paused to wink at the emperor before pushing Kel into a nearby dressing room, concealed only by a small curtain.

"Ah what a thin waist you have," Mae chirped as she began wrapping her measuring tape around various parts of Kel's body.

"And this hair!" she added, tangling a few fingers in Kel's golden waves. "I wish I could just snip it all off and have it for myself!"

"Uh.. eh??" Kel grunted.

"Just teasing, dear. My, this child is so cute!" Mae squealed, opening the curtain for Kel to exit.

Kel shot the emperor an uneasy glance as she stumbled out of the small alcove, but the man seemed entirely lost in his own thoughts.

"Now you just wait here, darling, and I'll go get some samples for you to look at," Mae beamed, directing Kel to a nearby couch.

After half-forcing Kel down into a sitting position, the woman scurried out of the room, echoes of her melodic voice trailing along behind her.

Dazed, Kel sat silently, twirling a small piece of hair.

"What's the matter?"

She glanced up to see the emperor had taken a seat on the other end of the couch and was looking at her expectantly.

"I was just thinking," Kel began, "that she's the second person I've met in Serin that has two names."

"That's right," the emperor nodded.

Of course, he wasn't going to ask her about the first one. Thane and Lucy must have reported everything to him already.

"Why is that?" Kel asked. "That some people have two names, I mean."

"It's just an old trend," the emperor answered, stretching his legs out in front of him.

"Oh. So it was a trend," Kel repeated, nodding. "How strange."

"I believe it to be strange as well," the emperor continued, his voice deepening. "The previous emperor started it himself."

"Why would he want to do that?" Kel queried, taking little notice of the man's sudden change in expression.

"He wanted to continue his legacy," the emperor explained. "He gave all of his sons his name, followed by their own."

"So all of the previous princes had two names?"

"That's right."

"Then do y-" Kel clasped her hand over her mouth before she could finish her question. She'd been so carried away by her curiosity, she'd forgotten that this man was the same one who killed every single one of those two-named princes.

"I mean," she corrected, dropping her hand, "so Kara must be..?"

"Kara is probably some variation of that woman's father's name," the emperor sighed. "Only those blessed with a noble father were lucky enough to receive two names."

"A noble?" Kel jumped in.

"This trend wasn't something commoners were able to participate in," the emperor scoffed. "Who'd want to continue such a hungry, dirty legacy anyway?"

"I see," Kel said softly. It was clear the man was unhappy with the discussion, as he appeared to currently be simmering in unpleasantness. Perhaps he'd been the only prince left out, and that's what drove him to his craze for power.

"Tsk," Kel shook her head. Even after leading such a bloody revolution and the largest war in centuries, the poor guy was still haunted by his name. It just goes to show, money and power aren't everything.

Her thoughts had drifted to wondering what the emperor's name was anyway, when Mae came sauntering back into the room, mostly buried by an armful of fabric.

"I brought several options," she huffed, setting the pile on a nearby table, "but I think this is the one for you!"

Mae grinned from ear to ear as she proudly held up her selection. Kel , on the other hand, swallowed deeply at the dress shimmering under the candle lights, feeling a familiar sensation of embarrassment creep into her cheeks.

"Perfect," the emperor replied, as Kel sat agape. "Let's go with this one."