Timestamp: 1st brightening of Imperos, Era XIV, PF
The pale, willowy form that walked through the chilly streets did not look like a creature inured to the cold, but looks could be deceiving. Although this was Varees' first experience with autumn weather in the world above, and hence with the biting winds that blew off the Great Mountains, it was not his first experience with cold temperatures, these actually being fairly common in the more spacious caverns of Har'oloth.
All that being said, the Esh'lahier was quite happy to walk out of the cold streets and into the warmer and cheerier shop. He smiled and nodded at the little Cether woman who greeted him, his pink-tinged gold eyes hovering for just a moment on her bare, hairy feet. It took him a bit by surprise, and he momentarily forgot what he was going to say. He had not seen many Cethers before, and had never paid attention to their feet, though he had read about them enough that he ought not to have been surprised.
The hulking orc, with its menacing axe, also took the elf aback, though he had the self-possession to nod civilly to it.
Smiling sheepishly at his own brief lapse of manners, he looked back at the proprietress' face.
"Vendui," he said, still in the habit of using the slightly archaic dark-elf form of the greeting,
"I am in the process of looking for a job, and I was thinking it might go better for me if I sought out a better wardrobe for myself. Something appropriate for, say, working at the Aedile's office, or the Bank."
The hobbit peered thoughtfully up at the tall, thin elf.
"Cool colors will work best for you personally, and you want it to look professional, so it can't be too dramatic."
"Perhaps a cool green, or a grey of some sort?" suggested Varees.
Amalthea pursed her lips, then shook her head.
"No, that's too bland, I think. You want something with a *little* pop. Hmmm. I assume you're thinking silk?"
The halfling's question was more rhetorical than anything else, for she was already trundling back to the back of her store where the bolts of cloth were before the elf coult formulate an answer. He waited patiently for several moments; when the halfling returned, he looked at the cloth swatches she was carrying somewhat dubiously. The greys were already, but she had many pieces of fabric that were - pink to purple colored, not colors Varees associated with either himself or a formal job environment.
"Oh don't look like that!" Amalthia exclaimed, as if reading his thoughts. And Varees had thought his expressions were inscrutable. He would have to work on that some more.
"Here, trust Amalthia on that," the Cether was continuing, pulling up a stepladder so that she could stand face-to-face with her much taller customer. She held up several of the swatches next to Varees' face.
He cleared his throat diffidently.
"Don't you think pinks and purples..."
"-are a bit loud, hot, exciting?" the halfling completed.
"Shows what you know. Not all pinks are hot pinks. Not all purples are wine. Here." she announced triumphantly, holding up a swatch of a color that, to him, looked like just another purple.
"Well, what do you think."
To be polite, Varees said:
"Well, I'd want to see more of the fabric and a mirror before making a decision."
"Of course! Of course!" the woman exclaimed, clambering down off of her stool and running back into the back of the store. Another moment passed and she came out again, this time with a bolt of...purple cloth. Amalthia handed it to him and pointed to a full-length glass that was just behind the front door. Dubiously, Varees stood before it, draping the cloth over his shoulder like a sash. After a moment, he went from being doubtful to being impressed. The color was something like a fuchsia or a cherise, but cooler and more subdued, a bit more grey in it, perhaps. But it stood out just enough, and caught the color in your eyes.
"Doesn't that set off your eyes perfectly, sir?" the Cether asked, her reflected face appearing at his reflected hip. His reflected face nodded.
"I must say, I am impressed," he conceded, his tone indicating that he was sincere.
With some sort of grey trousers, I suppose?"
"Yes, and a gilded belt." she completed. She turned to look at him face to face, rather than reflection-to-reflection.
"Now what else did you want?"
The Esh'lahier looked down at himself appraisingly. His boots were good, and he did not currently want an exta pair of those. His cloak was also nice, being of well-made wool. A bit drab, but he was not looking to impress people in the street. In Vortex, looking too good in the street could have adverse side-effects.
"Some wool gloves, perhaps, a coat, and a fur cap," he answered.
The halfling thought a moment.
"What fabric do you want the coat to be?" she asked.
The elf shrugged his slender shoulders.
"Basic. Leather? Something that will shed water and keep me warm enough."
Amalthia nodded approvingly. She, too, could appreciate the value of not wanting to show a fancy exterior in the streets, especially when one did not have a physical appearance that was particularly intimidating. She tapped her chin a moment, then went over to a slate, where she wrote down some figures:
She examined her own slate for a moment, then looked up.
"Shall we say an even 180 Crowns, sir?"
Varees arched his eyebrow. It was actually a bit less than he expected; he did not believe he was going to walk out without what he wanted for less than 200 Crowns.
"Yes, that is acceptable," he said, not even bothering to haggle.
"When can I have them?"
"The glovesI can probably give you right now," she responded.
"I have the materials for all the other items in stock, so give me a couple cycles?"
The esh'lahier nodded.
"Done."
"And the name, Sir?"
"Varees Har'ethwyn Llocsir."
"You'll have to spell that for me, sir."
"Of course. First name V-A-R..."
After leaving his name, he waited patiently while the halfling clambered over and around him with her tapemeasure, marking his measurements in pencil on a piece of thin paper. That done, Varees left the store with a polite
"Vedaust" and a nod to both the halfling and the sullen orc.
-----------------------------------------------------
TWo cycles later, he returned to pick up his items.
And he lived happily ever after.
![[Location, Self Mod] Amalthea's Apparel](http://www.playbypost.com/forums/iconimages/vortex/location-self-mod-amaltheas-apparel_ltr.gif)
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