Fantasyland: Midnight Soul Part 47

They were indescribable. I didn't even know what they were made of. There was a sole that looked squishy and two straps that led from the juncture of her first and second toe along her foot, exposing the rest of it.

And that was all.

"They're called flip-flops," Valentine drawled, strolling in after Josette. "They seemed very...her."

Josette stopped a foot away and sprung up and down on them, saying, "They're very comfortable. But odd. I was walking and one came right off, flying halfway down the corridor. I have to scrunch my toes to keep them on."

I could see this.

However, as strange as her shoes were, in fact her whole outfit (for a woman), she had it much better than I.

Before leaving to see to Josette, Valentine had painstakingly instructed me as I painted my face with a variety of brushes and wands, decreeing through it, "You'll need to experiment in future, and when we're in my world I'll take you to an artist to share further techniques."

I did this utilizing what Valentine said was "makeup or cosmetics, cherie."

Although this took some time, and I wasn't a complete novice (many in my world painted their faces with rouge or lip tint, powder on their eyes, kohl to line their lids, pencils to fill in brows-this happening everywhere, though it was worn especially heavy in Fleuridia), I was enchanted not only by the results but by the quality of the elements Valentine had provided. In my world, they were far more rudimentary.

But after that, Valentine had given me some other-world undergarments (which I liked very much), as well as a swatch of material and a curious metal band. She'd then glided out of the room to see to Josette and give me time to change, stating with a wave of her hand toward a box on a chair, "Those are your shoes, ma pet.i.te sorciere."

Examining the garment she'd given me, I realized I simply had to shrug it on like a coat. It wrapped around the front and closed not with frogs or b.u.t.tons, but with a belt, the belt being the metal band.

The material was quite soft and I could tell it was excellent quality. It was also a sumptuous cream, a color I'd never worn, but it seemed to highlight the natural olive tone of my skin, not to mention deepen the color of my hair and bring out the same in my eyes.

All this was fine.

What was slightly concerning was the fact that the hem was uneven. One edge of the coat-like dress hung longer than the other, which aesthetically was quite pleasing, but it still seemed to be a mistake in construction.

This I could live with because everyone knew, if something was aesthetically pleasing, that was all that mattered.

What was most concerning was the location of the hem, this being at my upper thigh.

Yes.

My upper thigh.

Everything beyond was exposed.

Bare.

I could be risque. I could even take that to extremes. In fact, there was a time I enjoyed taking it to extremes and reveling in the reactions that would get. And I had not been out in society for some months but I had a feeling that was a part of me that had not changed.

But this was outlandish.

Indeed, there was a good possibility that when I walked, the flaps of the short coatdress would fan out and show everything.

A woman had to have some mystery, most a.s.suredly. That mystery particularly.

And this could not be so different in the other world. If that was the case, surely Valentine or Noc would have told me.

Even generally, I was not a woman to hide her charms. Because of this, the plunging neckline of the long-sleeved dress did not concern me. And I was not a woman who had a problem with adding flair. Therefore, the peculiar belt that seemed made of s.h.i.+ny gold I liked quite a lot.

But I had never in my life exposed my legs as such to anyone but a lover.

And this did not get into the shoes.

They were like Josette's in the sense that they, too, were constructed of a very small number of straps (precisely, three). One across the toes that was somewhat wide. Two that came up from the sides of the heel and wrapped around my ankle, those being exceptionally dainty.

They were also s.h.i.+ny gold, which was lovely.

But the heel included a golden spike at the bottom back that was elegant to gaze upon, but it had to be at least four inches tall, therefore standing upon them forced me to my toes.

Needless to say, walking was nigh on impossible.

However, it explained Noc's statement about "spiked heels" from many months before.

Indeed it explained it literally.

One could not deny (and I myself had admired just this in the full-length mirror) that the dress did wonderful things for my figure and the shoes did miraculous things to my legs (and b.u.m).

But what would Noc think of me, seeing me in such attire?

And what would he think when I took one step toward him and fell flat on my face?

"How are you going to walk on those shoes?" Josette cried my thoughts out loud, injecting a goodly dose of the concern I myself felt in each word.

"Carefully," I answered.

"I can imagine," Josette muttered, still staring at the shoes. "Though, they're very pretty. But I can't imagine other-world women walk about on them much. Instead, they must sit and have them gazed upon admiringly, don't you think?"

What I thought was, to get to any seat one had to walk on them. So although I very much wanted off my feet at that moment, I, and any woman wearing such footwear, was out of luck when the necessity arose to ambulate.

"Do tell me you've practiced walking, Franka," Valentine said. "We're set to leave soon. Noc is already at your appointed meeting place, waiting."

My body jolted because my heart leaped so at her words I feared it had torn right out of my chest.

"I've practiced," I replied and took a step, then another to show her.

I'd gotten quite good at balancing while standing. And I was becoming adept at slow steps.

A natural gait would take some doing. Much longer than the time I had.

It might take days.

Or weeks.

Though I would prefer to wear what I was used to, superb quality slippers, and not wear those kind of shoes at all.

Suffice it to say, for myself and for Josette, we should have requested other-world garments and footwear some time ago so we could become accustomed to them.

It was too late for that now.

"Well, practice some more," Valentine ordered. "I'm taking Josette and I'll come back for you."

"What?" Josette asked on a whirl from facing me to doing the same with Valentine.

"I beg your pardon?" I queried on narrowed eyes.

"I'm taking Josette to my home. She can settle in. I'll come back for you as you'll be going somewhere else and at that somewhere else, Noc wants only you," Valentine replied.

Noc wanted only me.

My belly clenched.

"No offense, cherie," she said to Josette. "But you're not invited to their reunion."

"That's quite all right!" Josette chirped, no longer showing concern we'd be separated upon entry to this parallel universe and turning bright eyes to me.

"Circe is coming around to take Josette out to dinner," Valentine carried on. "This while I finish up some of my own business here and make my final return home. Then, of course, I'll be around should she need anything."

I wanted to see Noc. I wanted to see a Noc that didn't invite Josette to our "reunion." I missed him and had been waiting for months to see him again and now that wait was over.

But I needed to see to Josette.

"I think it's best if Josette and I travel together and stay together, at least for a time," I informed Valentine. "When we both become accustomed to getting around in our new world, then we can go off and do things alone."

"Nonononono," Josette said swiftly, shaking her head in a negative to strengthen her words. "I'll be just fine."

"See," Valentine lazily swung her hand Josette's way. "She'll be fine."

I looked to Josette. "My dear, this is our adventure, and I'll emphasize the our in that statement. It's my responsibility to look out for you. I can't leave you to your own devices the instant you get there."

"Mistress Valentine is taking care of me," Josette replied.

"Indeed I am, and it's all sorted," Valentine added, quite definite about that, and I knew she was as she lifted her hands, and without delay, the room started to turn green.

I knew what that meant.

I took a step toward her. "Sister, this needs to be discussed. Josette is my charge and-"

"Practice on those heels, Franka," Valentine cut me off to advise. "You have fifteen minutes to make certain you don't take an embarra.s.sing tumble the first time you see Noctorno."

The very thought of that arrested me and the workings of my mind for a moment before I realized the room was becoming greener and I needed to act with haste.

I lifted my own hands, certain there was no way to beat Valentine's magic, but I had to try...for Josette.

"Valentine, listen to me..." I began as clouds of blue started swirling through the green.

"I'll be fine," Josette promised.

Valentine stepped closer to her.

I ignored her. "Valentine-"

She smiled her smile that I had perfected (back in the day).

And then she and Josette disappeared, the green drifted away and there was nothing but the floating clouds of blue that had no purpose for I'd called them up to beat back the green and that magic, as well as Valentine and Josette, were gone.

I dropped my hands and the clouds vanished.

"Blast!" I snapped, too loudly. "Blast," I whispered, my eyes darting to the door in hopes it didn't open.

I'd already said my farewells to my brother, sister and nephews. These were not moments I relished, at the same time I knew I would never forget them and the warmth and love they communicated.

But during them, Kristian and Brikitta shared they were worried about my upcoming adventure. Previously they both were all for this it, but now that the time had come, they were getting cold feet. Especially when they learned communication between worlds could be difficult.

If Kristian heard aught amiss-say me shouting, "Blast!"-he'd come running, even more concerned, and I didn't want to have to say farewell to him all over again.

Once was enough.

Noc had been right.

Goodbyes sucked.

It would be worse if my brother saw me in this dress.

He might not allow me to go at all (though he'd have a time of it stopping Valentine from doing anything-the woman, I'd found, was a force of nature, literally).

Annoyed at Valentine, but knowing she was correct, I did not want to take a tumble in front of Noc, I started walking tentatively again in those beautiful but b.l.o.o.d.y uncomfortable (and dangerous) shoes.

I found to my distress (and some shame) that as the minutes pa.s.sed and I moved around in those shoes, not only did my feet hurt more and more, but I thought less and less of Josette, what she was now experiencing and the fact I was not experiencing it with her as we both had thought we would.

No, I thought more and more of seeing Noc again.

With me in this dress.

And these shoes.

And just seeing...him.

I shook my hands feeling my palms perspiring as I tried a faster pace, finding my footing.

Damp palms due to fretfulness.

Unthinkable.

Ah, but what had happened to the Franka Drakkar I once knew?

You do know the answer to that, Antoine noted in my head.