Marionette

I groaned, as I ripped a hole in my favorite pair of bloomers. I made a face, as I brought the fabric to my face and poked a finger through the hole, wiggling it childishly, before throwing the bloomers on the bed of the tavern we were staying at.

I dug through my trunk for another pair of bloomers. I quickly slid them on, adjusting them, as I tucked my blouse in. I stood in front of the full body, gilded mirror, examining myself from every side.

I nodded to myself, before grabbing my petticoat and leaving the room. I locked the door, with the key that hung from my neck and knocked on the door across from mine. My father opened the door and smiled.

“Good morning, darling.” I smiled.

“Good morning, Father. Is mother ready yet?” I asked, trying to peek over his shoulder. His face darkened, at the mention of my mother, before shaking his head.

“Your mother has fallen ill, darling. She wanted me to give you her change purse and to tell you to go off and have a grand time. She promises she’ll be better tomorrow,” He said, handing me my mothers red, satin change purse with the silver clasp at the top and the gold lace arm strap.

With that, he shut the door, gently, in my face. I sighed, before walking down the tavern stairs and out the side door. I started walking down the cobblestone path, watching as a few carriages rumbled by me on the dirt road.

In the town square, I saw the makings of a marble statue, which I knew to be of Napoleon. I felt bad for the men who had to put it in place. It looked to be quite heavy.

I turned onto a different cobblestone path, heading towards the commons, where all of the shops were. I peeked into each store’s window, looking for anything eye catching. I couldn’t help but go into a sweets shop and buy a few butterscotch lozenges.

I popped one into my mouth, as I left the store and smiled, savoring the taste. I walked further on, seeing a store with a flashy sign, instantly drawing my attention.

I peeked into the window and saw a number of beautiful swatches of fabrics. I quickly went inside, a certain fabric catching my eye. It was a dark red satin, much like the color of my mother’s change purse.

It had a shiny quality to it, unlike her dull change purse, and it was much softer. I knew I had to have this fabric.

“Can I help you, miss?” I turned from the fabric and faced a man with dark hair and a pale complexion. I nodded.

“I’d like to make a dress of this fabric, here.” He looked at the fabric, placing his hand under it and letting it slide through his fingers.

“It is quite a beautiful piece of fabric, isn’t it?” He said, looking at me, his eyes sparkling. I nodded.

“It is,” I said, looking back to the fabric, as it slid along his fingers.

“Well, how about I find someone who can get this for you, then,” He said, disappearing before I could say anything more.

He came back with a stout, elderly woman, with her hair held tightly in the back of her head by a pair of obsidian chopsticks. She looked me over, before taking her large shears and quickly cutting off a long piece of the fabric.

She folded it, motioning for me to follow her. I followed close behind her, to the front desk. She wrapped the fabric in a different type of fabric, to keep it from being ruined. She wrote something down on a piece of paper, slipping it into my fabric as she wrapped it in paper, before turning to me.

“Ten pounds, miss,” She said, holding her hand out. I nodded, before digging through my mothers change purse for ten pounds.

After I handed her the money, she smiled, showing she only had a few teeth, before bidding me goodbye. As I turned, I saw the man again, looking me over, as I held my parcel of fabric. I smiled at him.

“Thank you for helping me, sir,” I said, digging through my pocket for a lozenge. I handed it to him and bid him goodbye.

I didn’t notice, as he slipped the lozenge into his mouth, that he continued to watch me leave the store, the wheels in his head turning.