𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐒. empires smp (in progress)

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈. ROYAL FITTING

FORGOTTEN ORCHIDS   |   CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

LADY NIKI ARRIVED IN VULPESTERRA in the early morning for Atticus' fitting; he figured it would be best to get that stress out of the way despite the masquerade not taking place for another month or two—he really needed to memorize the date before it snuck up on him.

Niki was a famed tailor, known for crafting the most beautiful clothes for royals all over the world. She was originally from Rivendell, when Scott's parents were still ruling, but had made quite a name for herself even in the Arctic Empire; Atticus heard that she'd worked on the wedding gown for the recent royal wedding in the snowy lands.

It was a blessing to be able to schedule her, even if Atticus would rather be anywhere else but here, standing up for hours with no end as Niki tried her best to avoid poking him with a needle.

"Sorry!" she yelped, pulling the needle back.

"You didn't poke me," Atticus dismissed. "What were you saying about your brother?"

Niki hummed, getting back to work. "He's working in Mythland, last I heard. We'll be meeting up before I leave again." Atticus nodded, wondering briefly if her brother happened to be Ran. It would be a small world if that were the case, but he decided to leave the topic alone.

"I'm glad you picked the color," he said, motioning to the pant leg she was working on. Niki had chosen a deep maroon for his suit, which perfectly complemented his skin, hair, and eye color. He had no idea how she had such an eye for fashion, but he was thankful; he likely would have picked a simple black suit otherwise, and while he didn't want to stand out at the dance, he didn't want to blend in with the crowd entirely.

Briefly, Atticus thought about what Scott said about wearing a gown. Atticus had never been comfortable in dresses, but he'd tried to be. The image and reputation that came with wearing a dress, though, had ruined Atticus' mental health for years. He hadn't tried wearing one since he became king; Atticus thinks he would like to try it out again, wearing a dress.

But changing his mind now would only saddle Niki with more work. There was no guarantee he would enjoy wearing a dress either, given trying to had made his adolescent years literal hell. He was quite happy to wear the suit anyway, so it was no loss to him, Atticus decided.

Niki hummed. "Penny for your thoughts?" she asked.

Atticus hesitated, thinking it over before shaking his head. "Nothing to worry about," he told her. She raised an eyebrow but said nothing more, continuing to work. "How are things going with the other rulers? I heard Scott has you scheduled."

Niki looked thoughtful for a moment, brows pinching together. "It's been fun," she said, nodding to herself. "I love making clothes for everyone, and I can't wait to see what they look like in the same room. It's nice to help people feel comfortable and look amazing at the same time."

Atticus hummed in agreement. "I've seen your work on fWhip and Gem before. You've done amazing things."

Niki beamed up at him, taking a step back to look over her work with a critical eye. "Would you like a break until tomorrow? Or shall we continue with the shirt and jacket?" she asked.

Atticus thought for a moment. His legs ached, as did his shoulders. "A break," he decided.

Niki nodded in agreement, putting away her needles. She offered her hand to Atticus to help him off the stool. She had him walk around the room to test the feeling of the pants; the movement felt natural, and the fabric of the pants was barely noticeable. After a few minutes, Niki deemed the pants acceptable and had Atticus go behind the changing screen.

As comfortable as the pants were, Atticus was thankful to be back in his regular clothes. "Has anyone been giving you trouble?" he asked after a few seconds of silence, before it became awkward.

Niki laughed softly. "Not at all. Lady Katherine has been interesting to work with, but I wouldn't say I've been treated poorly."

Atticus nodded despite knowing she couldn't see him. Another question boiled over before he could stop himself. "And the Codfather?"

He could almost imagine her expression of confusion at his question; the last time they'd worked together, Atticus had barely known who the Codfather was. He doubted Niki had heard news of the alliance with all her traveling, unless she sat down with Scott for tea, too. "He rarely gets fitted," Niki told him. "I think it's because he's nervous about changing his style, but I have worked for him before. He's been nothing but kind to me."

Atticus nodded to himself, relieved to hear that. It's not that he didn't trust the Codfather, but the way one treated a worker was far more telling than how they treated a royal. Atticus was thankful to hear that the Codfather was as kind to Niki as he was to Atticus.

Atticus reemerged from behind the screen and handed the pants to Niki for her to finalize. "Thank you for coming by today. I assume it'll be the same time tomorrow?"

Niki nodded. "I'll need a small break in between the jacket and shirt. I told my brother we could get lunch together."

Atticus nodded. "I have some work to get done today. Can I trust you to find your way through the castle?" He felt bad leaving her alone, but he had to get work done; he'd been slacking a lot more lately, having been hanging out with the Codfather more often than not. His Council, while happy for the alliance, would not be pleased to hear he had been putting off paperwork to travel to a completely different empire for lunch.

Niki chuckled, nodding. "Of course! I think I'll do some exploring, it's been a while since I've come to Vulpesterra. I'll see you in the morning, Foxling."

Atticus bid her farewell. They went their separate ways at the door, Niki heading down the hallway and Atticus to the library.

It was getting close to lunchtime, now that Niki had mentioned it. Atticus considered a trip to the Cod Empire to have lunch with the Codfather, but reminded himself that this was why he was behind on enough paperwork as it was. He would need to take lunch in his room if he had any hope of finishing everything before the next Council meeting.

Besides, he could visit the Cod Empire tomorrow. He would use the excuse of needing more blue orchids.