"Are you alright, Arabella? Can you hear me?"
Katherine's voice broke through the stupor Arabella had fallen into for the young woman to become aware of the little flask being rocked right beneath her nose.
Upon coming to her senses, she looked left and right around herself only to realize they were standing in one of the alleys of KasselMoon already.
"Wh…," Arabella trailed off, remembering the reason for her enrapturement, "Yes, I am alright," she nodded meekly.
The moon shone right down on them, casting a bluish hue upon every surface, sparing but the darkened corners shielded from its blessing.
The town square bustled with life, its rumbling carried through every stone, every brick, glass and metal lining the streets.
It was such a shame Arabella had no way of experiencing the true bundle of perfumes, good or bad, riding the air due to the vapors of concoctions blighting her sense and leading it astray.
"Katherine," she turned back towards the vampire, "I meant to ask, what lies in this flask?" her eyes followed the little bottle as Katherine set it back inside a velvet pouch before sweeping it under her cloak, out of Arabella's sight, "You've used it on me twice now,"
"It is concentrated Yuniper extract," Katherine smiled, "Tis the only thing strong enough to break through unintended illusions such as the one you've experienced,"
Arabella's eyes widened at the mere mention of Yuniper, "Is it safe for you to carry? What if the flask were to crack against your body?"
"You worry too much, my dear," Katherine chuckled, "Worry less for me, alright?" though before receiving any answer from the stunned looking human in front of her, Katherine put a gentle hand behind Arabella's back and guided her forward, deeper into the alley, "Now, let us go. Mr Kallum must be awaiting us,"
Arabella followed up the little stairs as Katherine opened the door to Mr Kallum's shop. Unlike the previous time, the owner was not busy in the back of the store, but right at the front where he appeared to scribble something down a small ledger upon the counter.
"Oh! My dear Katherine! Right on time!"
Quill still in hand, Mr Kallum opened his arms wide in a welcoming gesture, a big and hearty smile on his face.
"Of course!" Katherine simpered, "We'd never make you wait,"
"You are simply too sweet, my dear," the man's eyes then darted towards Arabella, who seemed preoccupied as she kept glaring back at the door, "And how is little Arabella doing? How do you find life in Umbraria?"
"It's been treating me quite well, thank you, sir," Arabella offered a slight nod, her attention snapping onto him, grimacing a smile to the best of her ability.
"Is something the matter?" Katherine chimed in, brows slightly furrowed, "Your heart's rattling its cage,"
"Oh… Everything is fine. I am just a bit nervous, it seems," she shook her head trying to force a more convincing smile out, "Please, don't mind me,"
Arabella glanced one more time at the door behind her before crossing the counter and trailing behind Mr Kallum towards the back of the store for the fitting session.
"So, I've been doing some thinking," Mr Kallum started as he picked a white box from one of the many shelves plastered on the walls of the room that extended in length, "As I was working on the separate pieces, about the color of the dress, I mean," he walked along the hallway born between one of the walls and a shelf that stood at the center of the room, stretching from the entrance towards the tail of it, "I understand that you, Arabella, have picked cherry pink, but honestly, as beautifully as any color would suit you, I believe it'd be a waste not to go for one that'd emphasize your beauty instead,"
The man minced his words, even sounding reluctant to express his opinion, but Arabella understood he's worked in the field for decades potentially and was thus more likely to offer valuable advice to a customer.
"In that case, which color would you suggest?" Arabella muttered the question, hoping it'd reach his ears.
"Well, I've prepared some…," he finally reached the end of the long shelve and moved past it as he spoke, "Samples here for you to see,"
Mr Kallum approached a large table upon which lay various pieces of fabric, all of different shades to the same color; green.
He placed the box on an empty part of its surface and picked one of the pieces of fabric between his fingers.
"To be frank, I've been hesitating between jade green and gemstone green, like your eyes," Mr Kallum held the piece up near Arabella's face for the sake of comparison.
"Oh! That is a wonderful idea, Mr Kallum! I'd say go for it, Arabella. It'll suit you perfectly," Katherine clasped her hands together almost leaping in her spot.
It took an entire hour for Arabella to try the under pieces of her dress to see if they fit.
Once done, both women, again, followed Mr Kallum back to the front of the store.
"Alright then, the dress is coming together well. I should be done with it in about three or four days," the tailor smiled.
"That is just perfect," Katherine did most of the talking for the two of them while Arabella stood in the background, "Thank you very much for accommodating us at such a short notice,"
"Please!" he chuckled, "How could I ever say no to Lady Persephone?"
The sound of the door clicking open wrenched a jolt out of Arabella as she turned around, praying to whatever deity would listen, it'd be anyone or anything but that witch Elphaba again.