Ribbons and Ruffles [Arddra]

Casa knew that is was time to go start what she had finished. Arddra had been gracious and offered to help Casa learn how to wear the blouse, skirt, and dresses they had picked out when Casa had melted down over new clothing. Even now, she glanced uncomfortably at the tunic and trousers she was wearing. They were pristine - the color was bright and vibrant, the hems just so. No patches, no loose thread. She was terrified of scuffing it all up and making it messy. It also wasn't broken in like she was used to. What a disaster.

Still, she had made a promise to try to understand this stuff. She had had to start wearing the breast support...things. Because breasts were a thing now. She wrinkled her face. She had been content to just ignore the inconvenient things, but she had to admit that they were helping. Her chest and back ached a little less. The downside was, they were now lifted and noticeable. Which meant her tunics now swelled out to show them. Blech.

She gathered up the dresses, blouse, and skirt suspiciously, thrusting them into her bag unceremoniously. Wicked things. Another part of her mind reminded her that they could be used for good too - imagine the shock on Quenym's face! It would be the best prank ever. That didn't really console her much. Her thoughts drifted to Z'ia, and she bit her lip. He'd probably see her as more of an adult if she wore a dress. Ugh. Well, she said she'd did it anyway.

Sighing, she pulled her boots on, clumping dejectedly down the hall towards Arddra's room, trying to draw her expression from dull and irritated to cheerful. At least she'd get time with Arddra...she was pretty fond on the woman. Yay for another positive...

Arddra had made another trip to the clothing stores earlier as she recalled a few things she would need when Casa came over to learn how to wear dresses and get used to looking pretty. Despite her boyish manner Arddra felt Casa was very feminine in her own way. Weyr life was so much more different than Holdlife, Casa's natural self wasn't all that unusual. But she was growing up and her body was maturing into that of a very pretty young woman. Arddra was looking forward to helping her reveal her beauty.

When she heard a knock on the door, Arddra stood up and walked across her small room and opened the door. Smiling at Casa she stepped back to let her in.

"Come on in Casa," gestured to a chair. "Have a seat. I am sure we will have some fun trying out women clothing together. Did you want something to drink first?"

Arddra closed the door once Casa had entered and walked over to where she had a chilled pitcher of juice. The temperatures were horribly hot still and she couldn't even think about drinking something warm. "I have some chilled juice, or some water for us to drink."

Casa nodded gratefully, making sure she gently set her bag down. She had a surprise for Arddra she'd brought along as well, as she wanted to make sure it wasn't damaged from her carelessness. Stepping forward into the room, she sat on the edge of one of the beds, glancing around. She still wasn't sure how this was going to go, but Arddra seemed pretty excited. So it couldn't be that bad.

She bent over, pulling the clothing from the top of the bag and tossing it beside her, carefully closing her bag again. She winced when she realized how...wrinkly it was. She stood, wiping her forehead and proceeding to spread the dresses and such out to relax the lines from them being in a chest.

Glancing guiltily at Arddra, she took a small sip from the juice she was handed, letting out a breath and yawning. The heat made her so tired. Blech. At least the firelizards seemed to be enjoying it; they had been out sunning every day since it started. She'd had to oil them more, as their skin was cracking due to how hot it got. She was lucky she'd noticed when it first started...she couldn't imagine what it would be like if they had been seriously injured.

"So, um...where do we get started?" She glanced up at Arddra, having no idea where you started with something like this. Probably with taking off her clothes, but she'd wait to see if there was something more...complicated to it.

Arddra nearly winced when she saw how carelessly Casa had packed the dresses she brought. To pack them so roughly would leave them wrinkled and without an iron it would be difficult to smooth them out. But no help for it now. Given the heat and humidity of the day it wasn't too much a worry as Arddra knew they wouldn't be parading around in the sun.

"I bet your legs are hot in those trousers," Arddra said, walking over and going through the pile of clothing Arddra brought. She found a nice light skirt, free flowing and made out of a light material. It was heavy enough not to be translucent but light enough to be comfortable, especially in this heat. "As uncomfortable as it may seem to you to wear a skirt Casa, a day like this you may find it very useful."

"You can change behind the screen there, if you are shy." Arddra indicated the small privacy screen in a corner. As the Candidate rooms were shared the screen was about the only way to be private to change when both girls were around. Arddra typically used it more to shield her from people looking in the windows more than her roommate. It was a simple structure, just a frame with broad leaves pulped together, stretched and dried in place. Easy to make and perfect for this purpose.

Casa glanced at the screen in the corner, wondering if this is what people really used to change. It seemed like such a waste - why take the extra time to change behind a screen? Were people in the Weyr unused to naked bodies? What an odd notion. She then thought about what Mizeath would say - how the dragon would probably have a stroke if she knew that Casa was still changing in front of others. She wrinkled her nose in irritation, sighing softly as she took the skirt and moved to the screen.

"For the record, I would normally strip in front of you! I don't care, and have no modesty..." She paused, sliding her trousers off. The relief was almost immediate. Hmm, maybe Arddra was right! "But I think Mizeath would kill me if she heard I did that..best to not push that line." The thought of an angry gold on her hands was something she'd rather avoid.

Slowly sliding the skirt up, she blinked in surprise. It was so floaty! It was like wearing clouds. Staring down at herself, she managed a loud "Huh," before bending to fold her trousers over her arm. After a moment, she slipped back out, going to actually sit on the bed instead of flopping down like she was used to. Already this was exhausting.

"How's it look?" She had a feeling it was sitting crooked on her hips, and it was uneven...but she didn't know the first thing about these things! She looked down, glancing between the flowing skirt and Arddra skeptically.

"I am not too surprised you are more comfortable changing infront of others," Arddra said, smiling to make sure Casa didn't take it as a criticism. "Remember I am Holdbred and raised and it would be considered quite improper for a woman to change in front of others but between sisters or mother and daughter it's not as frowned upon. Things in the Weyr are more lax, I have learned that over the last several turns."

Arddra didn't know Mizeath too well and she wasn't really close to any of the current goldriders. It wasn't through any fault of theirs but more her habit of keeping people at a distance. She really was starting to relax around certain people over the last half turn. Letting go of the past was a big part of it. She really should make an effort however, to get to know the other goldriders. Soon she may be one of them.

"Don't worry I won't be telling Mizeath anything. She sounds like a real Lady, like a Lord Holder's daughter. I am far from a Lady of that caliber. I will leave it up to her to teach you how to be that kind of Lady and focus on helping you feel comfortable and beautiful in feminine clothing." Arddra smiled at Casa as she appeared from behind the screen. She was quite pleased the did get the size right for Casa's slimmer hips and the length was perfect.

"It looks quite good on you and it looks like you put it on perfectly too. However, when you sit there's a little trick. Let me demonstrate." Arddra stood up then just before sitting down again she ran both hands from about mid thigh to her knees to smooth out the skirt before sitting down. "The idea is to keep the skirt from bunching up and being uncomfortable. Ladies also sit with their knees together. Feet should be flat on the floor and next to each other but I enjoy stretching my legs out but I cross my feet at the ankle." Arddra demonstrated as she talked.

"How does the skirt feel to you?" Arddra asked. "I hemmed it a little shorter than typical, should make it easier to wear in your more active times. It still isn't the best suited for climbing trees or the like but good for standard chores. For more dirty chores I would recommend the dark brown skirt I picked out for you the other day. Less likely to show the dirt than this one here. The light colors are cooler in the sun however."

Casa made a small face, nodding in agreement when Arddra noted the similarities between Mizeath and a proper Lady. It wasn't like she knew what to expect from a proper lady; she'd never been to a Hold, nor would she ever unless they somehow ended up with enough spare folk to create such a thing here in the South. But that was doubtful, seeing as there really just weren't enough people to spare for Hatchings and chores around the Weyr, let alone moving on to another place and setting up a Hold.

Still, if anyone was likely to be like a proper lady, it was Mizeath. She would have known the trick to sitting on skirts. Casa refocused as Arddra showed her what to do, and the girl sprang up immediately, glad to know it wasn't just her imagination that sitting while in a skirt was no fun. Trying the trick, she managed to gather enough of the skirt that when she next sat down, it didn't feel like the bed was falling away from beneath her. She perked up a bit - maybe there wasn't so much to it.

When she heard that the skirt was being worn correctly and seemed to suit her, a soft blush crept into her cheeks out of nowhere. It looked good on her? What an odd thought. She supposed being a female meant that girl clothing would look good on her after a fashion, but she'd never considered it to be anything other than something she dreaded. Good to know it looked okay, she guessed.

When Arddra mentioned having done the hemming, Casa cocked her head to the side. Now she felt justified in bringing her gift - the poor woman had done more work for her than she had needed to! Offering a lopsided smile, she nodded. "I like it, surprisingly...I didn't think about doing chores in it, but that makes sense, if this weather is going to keep up...Thank you Arddra." She glanced at the brown skirt and back to this one, noting that the point Arddra had made was an excellent one.

Arddra looked Casa over, seeing she still had a fair bit of the boyish look about her. As her body matured further Arddra was convinced Casa will develop more pronounced hips and breasts even if most girls her age were already showing clear signs of womanhood. Some girls were just late bloomers.

"Next lets get a nice loose blouse on you, something cool and comfortable but not too frilly or fancy to start. I found a blouse that is very much like a tunic but with an added feminine touch. The laces on the sleeves allow you to wear it tied up just below the shoulder or elbow. This way you can wear them down loose if it's a bit chilly or tied up and out of the way for chores or mucking about." Arddra handed over the blouse then pulled out a pair of soft sandals. "And these soft sandals are comfortable and light on the feet. Great for indoors instead of just going barefoot. The soles are tough enough for running about outside but soft enough you don't sound like you are wearing tough wherhide boots dragonriders wear for Between"

"Wearing clothing isn't too tricky, moving in it can take getting used to. Fortunately I aimed for outfits that are practical and more typical for the common holder lady to wear. The Lady Holder of Ruatha or Benden probably can get away with wearing the fanciest outfits all the time as she has others to do the dirty work. Most of us ladies settle for practical outfits that don't hide we are women but ensure we can do what we are meant to do without tripping over our hems. Then again we are rather limited on fancy clothing down here. I have seen some very nice cloth during Gather days at Fort Hold most of which I couldn't afford but it was nice to look and touch the bolts."

Arddra wondered how long they will be forced to struggle in the heat, cut off from the other resources of the North the south just doesn't have. If it wasn't for material it was skilled craftsmen who's only job was to do their crafts, not stand for dragons. She was no weaver so for all she knew there were plenty of material to make fine cloth here. Without qualified weavers to find and make fancy cloth, it just wasn't going to be seen here. Arddra pushed the thought aside, in truth even if they did have the fine cloth, she wouldn't have the money or trade to acquire it anyway.

Casa looked over the blouse Arddra picked up next, curious at the design despite the repulsion she was inclined to feel. It was SMART clothing - the ability to change the sleeves? That would make so many chores more easily managed! Baking pies? No problem, pull to the shoulder! Washing something? Just tie off at the elbow. She hadn't realized how...creative you could get with something like this. And it didn't look awful, even when the sleeves were pulled up! Arddra was really quite a genius at this.

Skipping the modest step of going behind the screen to change, she shrugged out of her tunic and slid the other one over her head, pulling it down somewhat carefully in case it was tight or something. She didn't want to think about tearing new clothing - the punishment for something like that would not be nice. They had few enough weavers in the Weyr that new clothing was a special privilege.

Once it was over her head, she stood up, smoothing it down over her torso. She noted with a frown it did cause her chest to almost swell out, but it luckily looked like it wasn't showing off anything, and it seemed to go very well with the skirt. There was a science to all this clothing, she was coming to discover, and it wasn't a science she knew just yet, but she was already figuring it out. It was like a puzzle...with clothes. Shaking the idea away, she turned to the sandals.

They certainly didn't look awful, but they were no boots, that was for sure. She sat down on the bed again, remembering the trick for tucking the skirt up so she didn't feel like she was sliding off the bed to fall in a puddle of skirt of dust. Carefully unlacing the boots, she pushed them to the side and picked up one of the sandals, surprised at how delicate it felt. Everything was delicate! Still, she pulled them on, cheerfully surprised to find that they didn't make her feel too dumb. These were kinda comfy! Another win-win in the battle against girl's clothing.

"That outfit does suit you Casa, it's simple, feminine and practical and I am sure anybody who's used to your usual outfits wouldn't find it too shocking. That shirt will even look good with trousers too but in this heat I think you see the skirt is more practical. Not to mention you can lift it up and walk in the cold water without worrying about it getting wet."

"I have some other outfits for you to try out but we can wait on those. What else about looking like a woman were you wanting to learn from me today, Casa?" Arddra asked, not sure how much detail she should throw on the girl in one session. "There are other things women can do to make themselves more beautiful, like using make up or styling one's hair which I can show you. I don't use much in the way of make-up due to it's just too costly to buy and I am no expert on making my own. At best I use a little berry juice to stain my lips but I haven't done that for turns. I only style my hair for special occasions like Gather Days."

Casa waved off the notion of make up, her eyes growing wide in a mixture of distaste and uncertainty. "I think we are fine for today!" She murmured, gathering the heavier brown skirt, the dresses, and her utilitarian clothing and folding them down compactly. As she went to put them into the pack, she paused, remembering her gift.

"Oh! But I do have a surprise for you. As a thank you!" Beaming brilliantly, she carefully lifted two ceramic jars from her bag, even almost unbearably hot to the touch. Setting them down carefully, she took a couple moments to load her boots and the rest of the clothing she'd brought into the bag, closing it securely. She liked the skirt and tunic enough to wear them for now. She even had some ideas on how to modify the skirt, but those could wait.

Once her things were packed up, she called Arddra over to where she had set down the two little containers, carefully opening the tops to reveal what was inside. At first it was just the steaming sand; after a moment or two, Casa let her fingers brush it away to reveal two very hardened egg shells, each nestled tightly into the hot sand around it.

"Tada!" She said, her eyes bright. This was an area SHE knew well, and one she could easily share with her friend. "These two are for you. They aren't far from hatching; probably the next day or two. Me and O'wain went and found 'em, and I claimed these two for you. I know you said you were interested in some." She glanced from the eggs to Arddra, excited to see how the woman would react.

"It's just as well, I am no expert on make-up anyway." Arddra took a drink of chilled juice as she watched Casa start gathering things up to pack.

"Oh there wasn't any need to get me a surprise," Arddra replied when Casa recalled she had brought a surprise for her. Despite her words Arddra was curious on what the younger girl brought her. When she saw the ceramic jars she was quite puzzled.

"Firelizard eggs?" Arddra exclaimed, eyes widening in surprise and joy. "Oh Casa thank you!" Without another word she hugged the younger girl, careful not to dislodge the jars.

"I have always wanted a firelizard and you have two eggs for me? This is wonderful." Arddra turned and looked at the tiny egg hardening in the hot sands. "You say they will hatch in a day or two? How will I know they are about to hatch? I don't think the dragons will hum like they do for dragon hatchings. Once they are hatching what should I do?"

Suddenly she felt worried and apprehensive. What if she was away when the eggs hatch and the flits die alone in her room? OR will they just go between and return to the wild? Should she keep both eggs or give one to V'riy? So many other questions ran through her head and for a moment she felt panicked but Arddra quickly collected her wits. Taking a deep breath she focused on Casa and smiled.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to shower you with questions. I never seen a firelizard hatching before so I am at a loss."

Casa listened intently, ready for the barrage of questions. She'd kind of figured it out on her own, figuring it a lot like dragon hatchings. It had - and hadn't - been. So she took a deep breath before launching into what she liked to call "the speech". It was a lot like what the candidate and weyrling teachers offered, but less boring. Or so she liked to think.

"Dragons don't really hum for flitts much; they might take an interest, but its not the same like a Hatching. The eggs will rock, like a normal Hatching, and then crack open. If you have a rider friend you can spend time with, they might notice the signs. If not, I'll make Kaylee an' Edge follow you around, they know the deal."

She paused, taking another sip of the juice and continuing with a grin. "When the firelizards hatch outta their eggs, you gotta get their attention with food - I used raw meat scrap and meatrolls - and make them focus on you, not each other. Otherwise, they might fight. Just stuff food in their faces as fast as you can, and they will eat until they fall over, all full and sleepy."

She pursed her lips, trying to describe the next part. "You'll know they've connected with you because your head feels all...funny. When they bond, you kinda get their emotions. So, you'll feel all hugely ravenous, and kind of irritated, and then you'll feel sleepy. That's how you know they are all bonded. In turn, you gotta project all the love and welcome you can at them, and they'll pick up on it, and that seals the deal." She shrugged, hoping the description - and the use of Edge and Kaylee - would be enough to walk her friend through the process.

Arddra listened as Casa explained the signs. It sounded simple enough and she certainly could check the eggs frequently and spend more time in her room when she didn't have to be elsewhere. The weather was so horribly hot she probably could get away with saying she felt sick and needed to stay cool.

"Stuffing faces and projecting feelings of love and welcome I don't think I will have any trouble with. It's having fresh meat scraps around at the right time that could be tricky. It's been so hot, meat spoils too fast to want to leave it around. But if meatrolls are alright or precooked meat, I can keep that easier."

Arddra wasn't sure if having Edge and Kaylee following her around would be helpful or not. Either way she would rather have their presence then risk not having them around and missing her eggs hatching. "It is very generous of you to have your firelizards keeping me alerted to when they hatch."

"If they are really only a few days from hatching I will definitely keep a close eye out for any indicating they are about to hatch. I can't wait to see what color they are, not that it matters, I will love any color that hatches. Thank you so much Casa, this is a gift I will never forget."

Casa blushed, offering a shy grin before shrugging it off. "It's no big deal - it was nice of O'wain to let me take them when we found them. I just knew you had to have one...you really deserve it, after all the stuff you've done for me." She shifted restlessly for a minute, glancing between Arddra and the eggs before deciding the woman would be fine from this point forward.

"I'm sure cooked meat will do the trick - and besides, its not like they care! They are just the most adorable little gluttons when they are born, you'll see." Snapping her fingers and calling mentally for Edge and Kaylee, she waited until the two burst into the air above her, settling down to sit on Arddra's bed and glancing from her to the other woman patiently.

"You two will be spending your time watching the eggs," she crooned to them, backing up the words with images to help set it in their minds. She got reassurance the image of them brooding over the eggs in return, and she nodded, satisfied. "You two know how to feed - take turns, so you are always with the eggs!"

Turning back to Arddra, she flashed one more smile before stepping out the door in her new clothing with a new, if unsure, attitude. "Let me know once they hatch - I can't wait to find out what comes of it! I'm sure it'll be loads of fun, and you'll be absolutely content with them, I promise." She waved and vanished out the door, heading back to her room to rest.