After dinner had finished, Shae made her way back to her room as they were told to do. Miss Linnath followed her down the hall and into their shared room.

“Tell me when the tailor gets here…if it isn’t too much trouble for you,” she said over her shoulder before going into her bedroom and shutting the door.

With no idea what else to do, Shae went to her room, retrieved her needlepoint, and sat at the table stitching. Her mother would sit and wait like this as well, if told.

She stared at the sun she was stitching into the fabric, which shone down on a vase of blooming flowers. She wondered what their fragrance would be like if they were in the room. The garden she had come across had smelled beautiful. She would have to go again and enjoy it more. Shae wondered how many gardens like that might be within the castle walls. Surely it was not only the one.

There was a knock on the door. “You may enter,” she called out.

The door opened and an older woman walked in. She nodded. “Edhol Wutharda, I’m here to measure you for your uniforms.”

Shae nodded. “I am Shaewynn Welcen.”

Two young girls followed the chena in, carrying baskets laden with cloth.

“Is your roommate here?”

“Yes.” Shae went to her roommate’s door and knocked politely. “Miss Linnath, Lady Edhol is here for our uniforms.”

“We’ll start with you, Miss Shaewynn,” Lady Edhol said. “Stand here, please.”

Shae went to the place that had been pointed out. One of the girls lifted her arms, dragging piece of string along the inside of her arm, then around her waist and bust. She called out the numbers to Lady Edhol, who wrote them down on a piece of parchment.

Miss Linnath came out of her room after a few moments and the other girl began taking her measurements as well.

The girl finished with the upper half of Shae’s body. “Could you please lift your dress, Miss Shaewynn?” the girl asked.

Shae pulled her dress up, trying to hide her tail behind her leg. The girl went to measure the length of her legs when she let out an undignified squeak and backed away.

“I’m sorry, Miss Shaewynn. I was just a little…nevermind.” The girl took the remaining measurements and stood quickly.

Lady Edhol shifted through the baskets of clothes and pulled out a dress in the king’s rich green. Then she pulled out a tunic and pants in an undyed fabric. She set them aside and when Miss Linnath’s measurements were done, she did the same again but handed over the clothes to Shae’s roommate.

“We’re going to be tailoring uniforms specially for you, but these should do for tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Miss Linnath accepted them, glancing at Shae.

“And you two, go to the next room and get started. I’ll catch up with you.”

“Yes, Miss Edhol.” They gathered the baskets and curtseyed before leaving the room.

The chena pulled a small fabric bag from her belt and opened its contents onto the table. There were all manner of sewing items, needles, thread, scissors, and a few things for which Shae did not know their purpose. “I did warn them.”

“I don’t…” Shae started.

“Lady Gwethenn told me you were half-shisa.”

Shae looked away. She heard the door to her roommate’s room shut. She had heard as well, no doubt.

“Is there something wrong with my measurements?” Shae asked, looking at the uniforms on the table.

“Of course not, but I do need to cut a hole in your things for your tail.”

“There is no need, Lady Edhol.”

“Nonsense. I don’t make clothes that aren’t comfortable; and don’t try to lie to me that you’re fine with your tail squished beneath your clothes.”

Shae was silent for a moment as the chena snipped through the cloth of the dress and took some extra cloth and pinned it into place. Lady Edhol’s skin was a gray like clouds before a storm. The colorless skin of a chena.

“You have…an important position,” Shae said carefully.

“Even though I’m a chena?” the lady looked up, her yellow eyes flashed like lightning as she smiled. “My Lady Queen does not judge based on race. Sit down. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

Shae accepted the offer to sit. It was not proper to speak of one’s problems and worries to a complete stranger, however. All topics of proper conversation seemed to have fled from her mind, however, and she sat in silence for a few minutes.

“Is that your needlepoint?” Lady Edhol nodded toward the yet unfinished project.

“Yes.”

“It looks very good.” Her needle poked through the cloth, followed by the length of thread. “We’ll have to start with something a bit more simplistic in class though. Sketching should be generic enough, I think.”

Classes. Shae had avoided thinking about them as much as possible. There would be no more hiding tomorrow. “I look forward to taking classes from such skilled instructors as the king would employ.”

Lady Edhol set aside the finished dress and picked up the undyed cloth.

“Are those…pants?” Shae asked incredulously.

“Well unless someone made a mistake somewhere, they should be.”

“But a proper lady does not wear pants. They are made for men.”

“Well they’re easier to move around in for your weapon’s training, or so they tell me.” She glanced up. “I assume they won’t allow such fancy headgear either.”

“You are awfully direct in your speech.”

“Well I guess I never really learned to be delicate. I don’t mean any disrespect, but you are going to have to take it off.”

Shae nodded.

“Are you ashamed of showing them?”

Ashamed of her mother!? “No, never!” Shae said quickly. She quickly untied the ribbon holding her bonnet in place, and then pulled it off. Her ears pricked forward.

“Very lovely color.” The master tailor snipped the thread and held up the pants. “All done, it seems.”

“Thank you very much, Lady Edhol.” Shae smiled.

“And Miss Shaewynn, if you ever need to talk, just let Ethyth know and she’ll tell you where to find me.”

Shae smiled. “Thank you, Lady Edhol.” She stood, curtseying for her guest.

“I will see you tomorrow.” The chena let herself out.

Shae picked up the green dress and held it up. There was a knock on the door. She set down the dress and walked over to open the door. Outside was the girl she had met in the castle, Miss Ashcor.

“Can I help you?” She realized the other girl was staring above her face. She didn’t have her bonnet on! Her ears flattened against her head reflexively. It would be like this tomorrow too. “Is there something you needed, Miss Ashcor?”

The girl looked back at Shae’s face. “Oh, I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier. I meant no disrespect to you.”

“It is no problem. You did seem to be worried about something. I hope it has been resolved?”

“I’m afraid not, but thank you for your concern.” Miss Ashcor glanced quickly to the side, and then smiled. “I won’t take up any more of your time.”

“I will see you tomorrow then.” Shae returned the smile.

The other girl nodded and then walked away. Shae shut the door, reaching up to her ears, which had relaxed somewhat during the conversation. So far no one had responded nearly as poorly to her shisa blood as she had assumed. Perhaps people in the capitol really were that much more tolerant of other races. She held onto that hope as she went to bed for the night.