Not very long after breakfast, servants come and inform Ballad, Ariadne, Lance and Jon that Jade is going shopping in town.

(Those who make a point of inquiring will learn:
--Odile is going, too (although Odile will not be going to Bloody Mary's later on)
--There will be a few bodyguards coming too, considering what happened the last time that Jade went shopping in the city
--The bodyguards will be on horses of their own, so there'll be plenty of room in the carriage
--The bodyguards will not be coming into the actual shops-- just standing guard outside and so on)

Fetches Odile and anyone else and boards the carriage.

Still dressed in her leather jacket and denim jeans, Ariadne joined the others waiting for the carriage.   She still looked around like she wasn't entirely sure that this wasn't all just some elaborate practical joke, but she waited patiently by the others.
Seeing Amber city for the first time, she couldn't help but stare in wonder at the even this small slice of thr immense medieval style metropolis.
She tried to be subtle about her gawking, as most people who grew up in the Boston area had a bit of a love/ hate relationship with tourists, and absolutely loathed to be seen acting like one.
Still, it was difficult to not feel like she was in some kind of Renaissance style Disney World, with elaborately dressed servants and soldiers roaming about on various duties.   None of it seemed quite real.

Jade was happy to be in the carriage and smiled the whole time as they rode into the city. She took on a certain air about herself like she should act a certain way.
Back straight, face serene, a wave out of the window to the people as they rode. Her attempts to be regal coming from her youth in Rebma.

She kept alert though as she scanned the people.  She was still well aware the enemy was out there.

Seeing her cousins interest in things she spoke to Ariadne like a tour guide might.  As her eyes found a little Victorian shop.
"Oh we simply must stop here !" she signaled the coachman,  "Please stop coachman. "

Her eyes returned to Ariadne, "Are you enjoying yourself cousin ?"

Ari looked around, smiling with a shrug.
"I'm still not sure what to expect, to be honest.  I spent some time with costume designers back on Earth, but I've never been a person obsessed by clothes.
What kind of things are we looking for?"

Jade gave her cousin a bright smile.
"Well I am in love with clothes.  So stick with me."

She opened the carriage door and let them both out. "This shop I fell in love with. I plan on replacing my destroyed parasol here."

The shop held Victorian style clothing and accessories and Jade seemed in love with the styling.

"What were these Star Wars about ?"



"Ahhh, much better."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:07, Tue 01 Dec 2020.

Ariadne nodded to Jade, actually feeling more comfortable talking about Star Wars as they perused fancy costumes
"Essentially, it's about a young man, a simple farm boy, discovering
his true destiny and his family, and all this is set against a backdrop of a rebellion against a tyrannical Empire.

"So a little bit like ourselves sans a tyrannical empire."
She leans in, "So what happened to this farm boy ?"

Ariadne smiled and nodded
"He ends up discovering his own magic, for lack of  a better word, and saves everyone, while finding a long lost sister and father, with the sister being a leader in the rebellion and the father being a leader in the Empire.  "

"Oh family drama ! is this based on real wars ?" Jade was in rapt attention as she listened to her cousin.

Ariadne grinned
"No, no...it's completely fictional, although the author was said to be inspired by a few other historical and fictional stories of families at war."

Jade nods.

"No shortage of that, even in our family here there were members on either side of the black road war. So it isn't so far of a stretch for a nonfictional work as well."

She then poses before a mirror, "Does this look good on me ?"

Ariadne nodded soberly, still dealing with suddenly having such a melodramatic family
She looked at Jade and rolled her eyes, though with affection
"I suspect that everything looks good on you.  Though in this case you might want to add some gold or green trim or accessories.
Your hair is a bit bold in color and makes the dress seem almostdrab in comparison. "

"Oh, yes a splash of color, and accessories."
Jade picked out some other things until she feels just the right look is done.

"Thank you, though I see my hair everyday so Im more used to it." she smiled.

Turning this way and that she nods, "Yes, I think this will do, thank you cousin."

Ariadne nodded
"You're very welcome.    I'm not a big clothing person personally, but I've helped lots of women choose outfits

Jade nodded to Ariadne.

"So what did you do on the Shadow Earth ? I have noticed the clothing you wear is very different from what we have here."

Ariadne smiled with a shrug
"Well, to be honest, most clothing on Earth is fairly different from your fashions here.  I'm not an expert, but I'd estimate that mpst of this stuff, or clothes like it, hasn't been worn on Earth for over a century, or in some cases several centuries.   Earth is very fast paced, and constantly changing "

Jade looked shocked, "Im several centuries out of fashion." She pouted prettily.

She looked in the mirror again, "Im glad they are still in fashion here."

"You and Lance have the same kind of pantaloons, do men and women wear the same clothing on Shadow Earth."

Ariadne smiled ruefully.    This had definitely been a topic of concern among the nuns in her school when she was younger.
"Well....yes and no.  Most women's fashions, at least in the mainstream, are a bit closer to what you're wearing, dresses and skirts.   Women have only really been wearing 'pantaloons', we just call.them pants, for about a hundred years or so.  I'm not adverse to dresses, per se.  I mean, if i were i probably wouldn't do joined you today shopping.  But i usually have a very active lifestyle, like riding my motorcycle, and that works better with pants.  Dresses can be fun, and sexy, but they also leave you a bitm..well, vulnerable, for the most part "

Jade listened.

"Vulnerable ? I feel more protected." She tilts her head curiously.
"Especially with my parasol."

She then turns to Ariadne, "Do you have problems on your world that women need to be able to run often ?"