Preparation

[Jessamine Verreuil nó Valerian]

I had a heard a few people at Night's Doorstep speak of obtaining amazing clothing items from this woman named Rasiel. When I asked where I could find her, they pointed me toward East Borough. I managed to make my way through by asking directions to multiple people. However, when I arrived, I wasn't quite sure how to find her. Would she be in her apartment? Or perhaps I could find her outside? Although I knew very little of who I was looking for, I spurned ahead anyway. Besides, life was all about adventure- wasn't it?

Once I made my way to the East Boarding House, I began doing a general visual search.

[Raisa Valois]

I was just returning from an errand to the market; the threads and fabrics available in the Artisan's District were wonderful, I couldn't believe mother and I hadn't gone there more often. As I walked up the stairs to my apartment, I encountered a pretty girl with the most remarkable head of red hair I had ever seen. She seemed a little lost.

"Hello," I said as I approached. "Were you looking for someone?"

[Jessamine Verreuil nó Valerian]

I feel a sense of relief when a dark haired woman comes toward me. I nod nervously, "Yes, I was looking for a woman named Raisa. I heard that she was a seamstress. I'm hoping to have something together for my debut."

[Raisa Valois]

A laugh escaped me. "Well, luckily for you that's me." I gave a small curtsey and grinned. "I'm Raisa Valois. A debut, you said? Which house do you belong to?"

[Jessamine Verreuil nó Valerian]

Jessamine nodded, she offered her hand towards the woman, "Nice to meet you. I'm Jessamine Verreuil no Valerian. I'm from Valerian house. I know that most of the adepts go to Eglantine, but I was hoping to get something more personal and unique. And it seems that some of the Eglantine members want to rush through the process." Jess was happy to learn that she had found the woman by complete luck. It was great when things turned out wonderful on their own.

[Raisa Valois]

"It's nice to meet you," I said. It was a compliment, to be sure that this initiate had chosen my services over an Eglantine's. Ideas were already beginning to flit through my head. Valerian, it would need to be something subtle but provocative.

"You've got great timing. I've just come back from restocking supplies." I told her. "If you've the time now we can go to my apartment and take down your measurements, and if you have any preferences for designs then we'll see what we can do about those."

[Jessamine Verreuil nó Valerian]

I nodded my head excitedly, "Yes, I have plenty of time. I'm not sure exactly what I want to wear. Something....binding. I..I want my patron to tie me up, and maybe if there were ropes...or something.. I'm not sure, maybe you can help me?" I spoke as the ideas came into my head. I saw a image of a strip of cloth crossing over my abdomen, covering one breast and then moving over the shoulder, and another strip, moving across the other side, over the other breast and then over the other shoulder.

[Raisa Valois]

My brow furrowed in concentration. "Hmm. That sounds manageable. Come this way."

I led her up to my apartment and set down the satchel bag that held the fabrics I had purchased. "Take a seat," I invited, then sat down at my desk and pulled out some paper and charcoal.

"I like the idea of a bound sort of look," I chattered as I began to sketch out a preliminary design. "The material would be a little tight fitting around the bust too I suppose, to accent your figure; and I'd go with an amber colour. It'd match your eyes and it'll let you shine without being too overbearing or understated." I smiled, warming to the task. "And maybe wrist ribbons. It's delicate and hints at sharper bed play." In my mind I had Favrielle nó Eglantine's famous Mara design for Lady Phedre nó Delaunay; a creative coup if there ever was one.

In a matter of minutes I had finished off the sketch; a dress with criss crossed cloth over the chest area and straps that were designed to be tied behind the neck. It flowed out into a full skirt and was low in the back to show off a little bit. I blew the paper to rid it of stray charcoal dust and held it up for Jessamine to see.

"What do you think?"

[Jessamine Verreuil nó Valerian]

I followed the woman up the stairs to her apartment, hoping that we would be able to come to some agreement. There were a lot of ideas in my head, but I wasn't sure that I was communicating them well. I looked over her should and watched her sketch as she spoke of the perfect thing.

I smiled brightly as I took in the drawing, "It's beautiful! I love the ribbons on the wrist...and the back is just gorgeous. It won't be offensive either, since I have not begun to start my marque. What about some kind of scarf or jacket, I can do a unveiling at the debut. Oh, won't that look wonderful?" I giggled softly as I touched my teeth to my bottom lip, imagining how the gown would look on my form.

[Raisa Valois]

I nodded in agreement. "Yes, a jacket does sound good. But it'd have to be simple so as not to distract from the dress. I doubt you'll have it on for long anyway," I teased.

I began to sketch the jacket, then abruptly changed my mind and scribbled over it. "Actually, I think a shawl would suit better in a colour that's darker than the dress; with tassels or embroidery. It's also easier to disrobe with."

I sketched the shawl and some idea designs for the embroidery; maybe the minute house emblem in a sheer thread so that it would glimmer in candlelight. My eyes flicked back to the drawing of the dress, trying to think of what would look best with it; and I decided to lengthen the straps so when tied behind the neck it would fall a little longer, slightly reminiscent of a leash.

[Jessamine Verreuil nó Valerian]

I watched over Raisel's shoulder as she sketched out the jacket, and then a small frown came to my face as she scribbled it out. My lips curved back up when she spoke of a shawl, "I love that idea. It won't be as heavy, but I can still do a reveal. You are a tailor master mind, Raisel! How do you come up with such great ideas?"

I found a chair near her desk, and I moved it over, so that I could sit down beside her and watch her work. "What about black...or a dark blood red? Or would that be too dark..?" I cocked my head slightly to the side as tried to think of how to best present myself.

[Raisa Valois]

"Hmm..." I bit my lip as I thought. "The trick with red is that it'd have to be the right shade so it doesn't clash with your hair. Black sounds good, in a rich fabric, something like but not exactly velvet, or maybe something slightly gauzy. Then I could embroider using silver..." I nodded to myself in affirmation. "Yes, black is perfect, it contrasts the dress nicely but doesn't take away from it."

Adding the last line to the shawl sketch, I leaned back a little to observe the drawing. It would work. "Will that do?"

[Jessamine Verreuil nó Valerian]

I nodded in understanding with what she was saying. She was making a lot of sense to me. I didn't have the best knowledge when it came to clothes. I knew what looked good on me, but I couldn't always tell by just looking at it. Sometimes I had to actually put it on and look at myself. I trusted Raisel immediately, it seemed that she knew what she was talking about.

I looked at her sketch and nodded again, "How long do you think it will take to make?" I only had a few weeks before my debut, but I didn't want to tell her that. I didn't want to put unnecessary pressure on her. I understood that the artistic mind worked best without deadlines, or at least that was what I always thought.

[Raisa Valois]

Mulling it over, I calculated the numbers in my head. "I don't have any huge commissions at the moment, just some mending to be done for some clients which wouldn't take more than an hour, so I can focus on this. The dress should take me a few days, maybe a week at most and the shawl should be done within a day."

"When is your debut?" I asked as I stood from my chair and rummaged through my desk drawer for a tape measure.

[Jessamine Verreuil nó Valerian]

I let out a breath of relief when she said that she could complete the outfit in about a week at the latest. I noticed that Raisa was getting her tape measure, so I stood up.

"My debut is in a few weeks. Do you think you could deliver it to me at Valerian House?" I asked tentatively. "Do I need to undress for you to take my measurements?" My dress had several buttons going down the back of the dress. I wore a chemise, corset and lace underwear beneath my dress, but I wasn't shy about removing my clothes. I undressed regularly in front of my peers and bathed with them in the common bathing room.

[Raisa Valois]

I was about to tell her it wasn't necessary to strip, but then reconsidered. My clients weren't always from the Night Court, so they preferred not to. But getting accurate measurements unhindered by clothes would reduce the chance of errors when making the dress and lessen the need for multiple fittings.

"It would probably be best to," I agreed, unwinding my tape measure. "As for delivery, I can come to Valerian. Would there be a private room available for a fitting? There's always a small chance that I'll need to make some minor alterations once you've actually tried it on and it'd be good to keep it a surprise until your debut."

[Random Event]

Random Event: A bird flies into the window.[/i]

[Jessamine Verreuil nó Valerian]

I turned my back to her, showing her the rows of buttons, "I'm going to need some help unchanging." I nodded at her questions, "Yes, we can do a fitting in my bedroom, if that's alright. How long do alterations take?" I didn't think it would take so long as to go past my deadline, but I felt that I should ask anyway.

[Raisa Valois]

She turned her back to me and I obliged her, continuing to talk as I did so.

"It depends on what needs to be altered. I don't think it would take that long, probably just some adjustments to length so I can be in and out of Valerian within the day." When she was down to her undergarments I started taking down her measurements. A small bird flew in as I wrote down the last set of numbers and I kept an eye on it warily in case it decided that fabric would make a nice meal.

"I think we're done for now." I announced, taking a step back so she could gather up her dress again.

[Jessamine Verreuil nó Valerian]

As I listened to Raisa talk, I noticed a bird coming in through the window. I watched it with fascination even as I stepped out of my dress and waited patieintly as Raisa took my measurements. Her fingers tickled my skin a little, but the feeling didn't stay on my skin for very long. When she told me that she was done, I stepped back into my gown and pulled it up and back onto my shoulders.

I kept my back towards her, so that she could button me up, "That is quite a lovely bird..." I said softly. When she had finished, I turned toward her, "What do you charge?" Another reason I had gone to her was simply that Eglantine prices could be quite high. I hoped that she wouldn't charge so much. Thankfully, I had a account put together by my parents some years ago. I hoped the price wouldn't be too outrageous.

[Raisa Valois]

As I buttoned her dress back up I considered it. "About a hundred and fifty ducats," I decided. The material was about sixty ducats a piece for the dress and shawl, and the sewing and time accounted for the rest. In any case, it was well cheaper than what they charged at Eglantine; I heard that the price could be as high as five hundred. I also hoped that I would get more commissions, what with the publicity that would come of having made debut attire. "But I can negotiate with your Dowayne about it when I come to do your fitting."

[Jessamine Verreuil nó Valerian]

"Wonderful! If everything turns out good, I am sure that I will be back for more lovely outfits. Thanks for working with me," I said as I turned toward her. She seemed like a pretty nice person, and I wondered if she might someday become a good friend.

"I look forward to seeing it," I grinned at her. Then I grabbed my things and began heading out of her apartment.

[Raisa Valois]

I returned her grin as she gathered her things. "Farewell then, I shall see you in a week or so."

When she had departed, I began to go through my material, cutting the fabric and setting aside what I'd need. I was looking forward to completing this.