Vera's POV
Before they had closed the door all the way, Estel was already asking "What offer?"
"To go to a ball…" she said uneasily but her friend's eyes widened and she was suddenly excitedly asking all sorts of questions really fast. "Of course, I'll tell you everything."
"It's getting late" her father stated.
"Can she sleep over?"
He sighed, "Fine, but don't be loud and don't stay up all night, I won't let you sleep in."
"Thanks!" they both said excitedly running out the door and down the street to her friend's house above the tailor shop. Estel's father eyed her with distaste while her mother welcomed her back. With some begging and promises of good behavior, Estel's father finally relented. Estel startled her father with a big hug and ran upstairs to pack a small bag while her parents Questioned Estel about her trip and plans for her future.
"I don't know why you'd want to travel when everything a woman needs is in the home, I'd have thought anyone would get sick of travel after all you've had to do each year," Mr. Taylor exclaimed.
"I love to travel, it makes me feel free. I feel like I'd go stir-crazy if I was confined within the same four walls every day. I mean no offense, but if I liked sewing like you all do maybe I'd enjoy it, however, I do not."
"It's a shame you're so wild, with your book smarts you could actually make a decent wife for a merchant, but you'd rather throw it all away, to live on the road like a common vagrant," he said shaking his head in shame at her. She'd heard this before from him and others. But the thought of being trapped, was one of her deepest fears, the other being fire.
"What about that tall lad with the orangy hair that you're always getting into mischief with?" Mrs. Taylor asked to try and change the tone of the conversation. "He's not yet married, is he? He might be a fine match for you, wildness and all."
"Dan's just-"
"That boy is trouble too, nothing good happens when you put two troublemakers together. They both need someone who will help keep them in line. The fact she spends so much time with men is highly inappropriate." he told his wife.
"He is right about that… still if that boy were to marry you, it would at least help improve your reputation some."
"I don't see how that would change my reputation…" she was saved by Estel's prompt return, bag in hand.
They said their goodbyes and Estel hugged her mother goodbye before they ran back to Vera's house and up into her room.
They talked as they unpacked. Vera told Estel everything she knew regarding the ball offer, though she had no answer for more than half of her questions.
Estell caught her up on what she missed at school, mostly the drama and gossip as she didn't exactly have to worry about falling behind the other kids, she had surpassed them years ago and now she was mostly allowed to self-study whatever she wanted, and it wasn't like her father would ever let her go months without dedicated learning like the Centrisians did each summer. She had been going to Northlandic school every winter and her father always gave her extra on top of that. And Dan never let her leave without at least a few new books.
Vera told Estel all about her time in the northern lands, glossing over the violence her friend didn't like. She showed her the different things she had brought back with her. She gave Estel a few small crafting tools she knew she would use and a necklace of teeth and bones that she knew she would hate.
Estel grimaced but accepted the gift anyway, trying to be polite but struggling to hide her horror and disgust. Vera laughed and pulled out another box. "Sorry I couldn't resist, this is the necklace I actually got you," Vera said handing her a small box.
Estel instantly discarded the teeth whipping her hands on her skirts. Then she carefully opened the lid of the small box as if there might be something even more horrifying inside.
"Wow, it's beautiful" she gasped examining the matching necklace and bracelet. "These stones are huge. How did you afford this?"
Amethyst isn't considered rare up north. They are everywhere! I actually found that one and had one of the best northern craftsmen make it into something special for you.
"I love it," she said holding it up to the candlelight.
"You're going to love this even more," she said holding out a pouch. "It's the money made from selling all your jewelry," Vera said.
"You actually sold them? Did people like them?" she asked not quite believing it.
"Yes, they loved them and wished I had more to sell. You are going to be a famous Jeweler one day." Vera praised.
Estel smiled so brightly that she seemed to outshine the candles. Then her smile fell, and she muttered despondently "As long as my father doesn't marry me off to someone who won't allow me to work." she said sadly. Her father made it clear what he thought of a woman working and owning her own shop as Estel dreamed of doing.
"We'll just have to convince him this year". Vera assured her friend.
"I think Jason would be fine with me having my own shop," Estel said dreamily. Then she told Vera all about her crush on one of the apprentice forgers, despite the fact, and maybe because, she knew her father would never approve.
Later that night they snuck downstairs for a midnight snack and giggled as Estel told her all about her crush on Jason the apprentice forger, despite the fact and maybe because she knew her father would never approve. Jason like most of the apprentices that they took on, was homeless with no family or family name. The stuck-up Mr. Taylor would never see him as worthy of his daughter.
They talked into the early morning, only getting an hour or so of sleep before her father woke them up early just as he'd threatened. As tired as she was, she was still too excited to be back to complain as they rushed to get ready for school.