Aristia listened to the sounds of rustling trees swaying with the wind and colourful birds chirping and flying about happily as she stuck her head out of the carriage.
One may wonder why she was sticking her head out of the carriage. No, it wasn't only for fun. She was currently having motion sickness and it wasn't fun at all.
[Can we get there any faster?] She laid her elbow on the carriage and rested her head on her arm.
She watched the scenery change from that of the trees and a few large gates of noble households, to a busy street filled with houses, stalls and stores but the carriage didn't come to a stop. From their clothes and dressing, Aristia could tell that they were commoners.
They bowed in greeting when their carriage passed by. They recognized the emblem of the only Grand Ducal family in the kingdom.
The carriage continued to move until they reached a less busy street. This time the people walking along the street were dressed extravagantly. At first glance, Aristia could tell that they were aristocrats.
The carriage stopped in front of a store and the Coachman helped them to get down from the carriage.
On getting down from the carriage, Catherine held Aristia and Alaric by their hands as they walked into a clothes store. The store looked well organised as different dresses where lined up in rows in different sections and areas of the store.
A middle-aged woman came out of a room in the store with a smile on her face, some girls tailing behind her. They bowed in greeting to the Grand Duchess, as the woman welcomed them into the store.
The Grand Duchess nodded her head in acknowledgement.
"Would you want tailor-made dresses according to your measurements?" The woman asked.
"That will not be necessary, Madam Grace. Get me the best dresses you have in the store." Catherine said to Madam Grace.
Nodding, Madam Grace gestured to her sales girls as they hurried off to get the dresses.
"These are the best gowns in the store, made with exquisite material and the finest silk." Madam Grace said, pointing to the dresses brought in by her sales girls.
Catherine surveyed the dresses until she stopped at a beautiful long sleeved lilac dress with lace sewn on the chest and diamonds embedded in the top and skirt of the gown.
It looked like the type Aristia would see in Disney princess cartoons as a child. In fact, most of the dresses did– some were just less wider and less puffy, others were more.
Catherine nodded her head in satisfaction as she spoke to Madam Grace.
"I'll take this. Bring me a gown for the princess." Catherine said as Madam Grace nodded, her smile spreading even wider.
"Right away, Your Highness."
Aristia shook her head for the seventh time as she observed the gowns brought in by the sales girls. None of the dresses brought in by the sales girls were up to her tastes.
She turned to Madam Grace, "I need a dress made according to my measurement."
Catherine shook her head. "We're getting the dresses for the tea party next week. A tailor-made dress couldn't possibly be ready before then."
"I see. I want a dress made according to my measurement, but I will make do with a ready-made dress for the tea party next week." Aristia replied Catherine. She had a plan in mind. For now though, she would have to settle with the dresses here.
"These are the best in the store." Madam Grace said.
Aristia picked up a beautiful lavender gown with frills at the bottom, a long sleeve, and little diamonds on the chest. It complemented her purple eyes.
It was many levels better than the rest, in her opinion, because it wasn't very wide but it was just as long as the others— almost touching her ankle. It was actually a very beautiful dress.
"I'll take this mama," she told Catherine who nodded.
"The gown will be stunning, I assure you, your highness. I shall show you the designs when they're ready to choose from." Madam Grace said to Catherine, referring to the tailor-made clothes Aristia had requested.
"I will draft out the design for the gown myself." Aristia announced.
She wanted to use this opportunity to make a dress according to her preferences, just like the dresses in her world. If she was going to stay here against her will, then she was going to live comfortably, according to her wishes.
"That would be splend—pardon?" Madam Grace asked in stunned confusion, thinking she had misheard.
Turning to Catherine, Aristia repeated her words. To her surprise, Catherine nodded in support.
[Good, because even if she didn't agree, I'd have done it anyway.]
Catherine, on the other hand, decided to let her daughter have her way, as usual. They could just leave it to Madam Grace if Aristia ended up drawing a circle.
Madam Grace only nodded her head as she handed the clothes over to the sales girls.
She was surprised. This was the first time anyone had ever made such an absurd request of drawing the design of the clothes they wanted her to make.
"We shall have the dresses delivered to the Mansion, Your Highness. In three days, we shall take the measurements." Madam Grace said.
She shook her head as she watched their backs as they left the store, "What a strange child." She muttered in a low voice so as to avoid being overheard and facing the wrath of the scary Grand Duke.
By strange, she meant difficult and demanding. She turned around and walked further into the store. She had to start on the designs now. She hadn't taken the little princess's words seriously.
Meanwhile, the Grand Duchess and her children went into a jewelry store to purchase jewelry.
Aristia and Catherine picked out some jewelry. Aristia felt like Alaric would feel left out just walking around with them, so she picked up a brooch for him.
On their way out of the jewelry store, they met with another noble woman. She had ginger hair and brown eyes.
Based on the information Aristia got from the novel plot and her history class, she already knew that Catherine was the highest in the hierarchy, only below the Queen. This meant that whoever this noblewoman was, was lower than her mother in the hierarchy.
Aristia didn't know who this woman was as she hadn't reached that part in her history class with Viscountess Vasily.
The woman gave a respectful bow as she greeted, "Greetings, Your Highness."
"Countess Prescott." Catherine nodded.
After exchanging a few greetings and pleasantries with the other noble lady, Catherine, Aristia and Alaric left the store. They went into a shoe shop. After purchasing the shoes, they went straight into the carriage where the coachman was waiting and headed home. All that they had bought today would be sent to the mansion later.
They had lunch together as a family and not long after, a middle-aged woman met Aristia with a sheet of paper in her hand.
"Here is a copy of your itinerary, Princess Aristia." Mrs. Jacqueline, the head maid, handed Aristia her schedule. She smiled lovingly like a grandma to her granddaughter.
"Thank you, Mrs. Cedmond." Aristia smiled sweetly at the kind looking lady.
"Oh, you don't have to thank me, princess." Mrs. Cedmond responded, as Aristia waved at her and left.
Mrs. Cedmond stared at her back for a moment before she turned with a sorrowful sigh, her eyes revealing sadness and longing.