So it was routine to saddle up her horse and pack her things when he told her about Winterfell’s escort for a merchant caravan.
Riding in the company of a half-dozen other knights and soldiers, Elly watched Wraith’s movements closely, doing her best to respond quickly to every command. He ordered the company into place once the caravan arrived, seated easily atop his horse, his armor polished to perfection and a deadly lance held at the ready. She tried her best to follow suit, keeping her shoulders straight and her senses alert for any danger.
The ride to Vesper was fairly uneventful – no surprise with the guards the caravan had gathered. Once they reached the city, Wraith ordered his group to assist the merchants with their goods before smiling and bidding them to go enjoy a little leisure.
Watching as a lady swept by in a swirl of skirts, Elly looked down at her dusty clothes and well-worn armor. When was the last time she’d worn a dress? King William’s wedding?
A smile lit her face as she excused herself from the company of the other squires. She might as well make the best of the situation – she had a few gold in her coinpurse.
At the tailor shop, she was warmly received by the seamstress on duty. “Why lass! Ye canna be running around dressed like that today!” The woman disappeared into a storeroom and returned with an armful of dresses. Ushering Elly to a screened off area, she considered the stack and then handed her a beautiful silk gown dyed a deep emerald green. “Try that one,” the seamstress said. “Twill bring out the color of yer eyes…”
Grinning, Elly quickly stripped off her armor. She shivered with sheer delight as the soft fabric slipped over her head. A tiny voice in the back of her mind chastised her for indulging herself in such girlish nonsense. But the swirl of the skirts around her ankles and the simple weightlessness of the silk made it easy to ignore that voice. She stepped back into view while pinning her hair back with a clip. The seamstress nodded in approval. “Tis a good color for you, lass.”
Elly picked up her coinpurse. “I’ll take it, milady… I’ve never owned anything like it.” She counted out the asked price and pressed it gratefully into the woman’s hands.
A quiet intake of breath caught her attention. Turning, she blinked in surprise. Wraith stood very still in the doorway, simply staring with equal surprise. Elly felt a faint blush color her cheeks under that stare. Wraith had never looked at her quite like that before… had he?
“Sir Wraith?” she asked when he didn’t speak. She tried hard not to fidget uncomfortably.
He shook his head slightly as if to clear it. Smiling hastily, he brushed back his hair. “I do nay believe I haft ever seen ye in a dress before.”
She smiled shyly. “Do you like it, sir?” She glanced down and smoothed the skirts, suddenly very conscious of how form-fitting the gown had to be. Fighting another blush, she tried not to think about it.
“I think ye look absolutely stunning, Elyriel.”
Her gaze flickered to him in surprise, but he looked away to clear his throat. When he looked back, his expression was sternly controlled again. She dismissed the drop of formality. “Thank you, sir. I was just doing some shopping.” She noted he was still in his armor and hastily added, “Though if you need, I shall fetch my armor right away.” She felt a twinge of shame that she was neglecting her duties.
“No… no,” he replied quickly. He drew himself up. “That wont be necessary, I just came for some provisions.” He gestured toward the shop on the other side of the shared building. “Please, continue your shopping. We will regroup at dusk.”
Nodding, she gathered her things. “Thank you, sir. I will see you about the market then.” She smiled and slipped past him to the door. Once out on the street, she made her way through the crowd quickly, wondering why the weight of those blue eyes made her heart skip a beat.