Heavenly Shae

Chapter 11: "Sangrias and Shopping."

Master Long arrived on the fourth day. The caravan was on its final leg to Flame Well City. Shae let her curiosity stew, as Bai said, it's not really important I ask why he's here. Many of the other cultivators and members of the caravan had business with him.

Her own duties kept her at a distance anyway. She spent the day running ahead with the regular scouts. Before noon she returned to the group and caught sight of the man, but her new responsibilities then had her leaving to run messages ahead to Flame Well.

She was in no rush to talk with him, though I should check-in about the impersonator while it's still fresh. He may have questions, maybe tonight is fine. The main reason she didn't go out of her way to talk to him was because they would be traveling together for another six days.

She was given four messages to deliver to locations in the large town. Two were missives aimed at booking inns for the cultivators, and one to have feed prepped for the animals.

"Don't underestimate the logistics of properly feeding the livestock," Mistress Ping had lectured.

"Just the livestock? Not the people?"

"People are much better at handling their own meals." She smirked. "And there is much less bargaining involved in livestock feed. We're not running a catering service."

Shae chose to shrug and let her confusion pass. She wasn't planning on learning how to operate a caravan, so the finer details went ignored.

The deliveries went smoothly until she was at the fourth. It was a sealed letter to be delivered to a high end restaurant. She would have double checked the address a few times, but the name of the building and a title were the only things on the envelope.

She entered to find a cozy reception area with a well dressed older man standing behind a podium desk. A more stylized version of the restaurant's name was carved into the front panel: The Gilded Aurochs.

"Hmmm, may I help you, Miss Cultivator?" The formally dressed man said.

"Yes, I have a letter for a... House? Sorry, I can't quite read this title." Shae handed over the ornate letter. Like the one from Elder Ngoc, it had a ring tael looped onto a ribbon, meaning she should wait to receive a delivery bonus.

"Ah, thank you. Hmm, can't quite read it, you say? Were you not told by whoever sent it?" He asked with a friendly smile while unsealing it and checking the contents.

"No, I don't normally do deliveries, so it slipped my mind. I'd take a guess, but it's hard without more context." She shrugged and smiled back.

"Well, you have more context now. The letter is for me, or whoever is working this position. Try it again?" He handed her back the empty envelope.

She looked at it with confusion. When she had seen it the first time she had mistaken it for Head of House, but some of the lines were definitely different. The symbol for House was still clear. "Is it supposed to be a variant of Head of House?"

He nodded in response without taking his eyes off the letter he was reading.

She mumbled to herself, "but it's your job title instead... I would call you the host, or head host if there are others working the front. Oh!" She looked closer at the other lines making up the word. "Is it just Front of House?"

"Heh, I wouldn't say just. You are correct, though." He folded the letter into a pocket then gestured to the side of the room where a low bench was tucked against the wall. "Please wait here, or would tea in the side room be more comfortable?"

"Uhm. I've just been on the road, something cool or refreshing? If it's no bother. Even just cold water would be excellent."

"No trouble at all, and we can offer much better than just water, please take a seat." He directed her to the side room and vanished as soon as she turned away.

A younger woman in stylish formal robes quickly brought out a serving tray with an iced beverage. Shae was a little surprised to see the ice cubes floating in the pitcher, but neither of them chose to draw more attention to it.

"This is one of our favorites." She offered half a glass of a deep red juice.

Shae sipped the drink and found herself almost draining the glass. "Ah! That's very nice." She tilted her head at the aftertaste. "Is that... a sangria?" She used the English word for the drink.

"So the young Miss has had something similar before? I don't recognize the name, but you are correct that it is not a local blend. In short, it's an ice wine blended with citrus fruit juice. Would you like the full provenance of the wine?"

"Ah, no thank you. I'm not much of a connoisseur. The juice is oranges? Or did you find some... Hmm... I don't know the word, I'd say grapefruit, but it is a larger somewhat bitter citrus." She sipped the drink again and had to struggle to only sip.

"Mostly oranges, yes. The other citrus is a blood-orange, though ours are not particularly bitter or large."

Shae looked into the glass again. "And how strong is the alcohol? I've really not had much before."

"As a cultivator you shouldn't have a problem with it, but you are young. I'll find something else for you after this." The woman gracefully tipped another few sips into the glass, then looked at Shae and added another splash with a smirk.

"Thank you. Really just water is fine, I could use the hydration."

She bowed and backed away from the table with a single step then was gone. She took the pitcher as well, which Shae was thankful for.

"Wouldn't be the first time I've gotten sloshed on sangrias," the girl mumbled to herself.

A few dozen breaths later she had emptied the glass, taking most of her willpower to make it last that long.

The woman appeared again, right as the glass was set down. She carried another pitcher and a clean glass on a tray. The new pitcher could have held water, but a few sprigs of green and yellow made Shae curious.

"Apologies for not introducing myself earlier," the woman said while deftly pouring Shae a glass of the new beverage. "I am cultivator Yun Linnuan. As I am serving you, feel free to call me Miss Yun."

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Yun. I am Miss Zhi Shae. As I am new to cultivation, I still prefer Miss, but if you need to, I've taken a liking to the monk's title of Wise Shae."

"Well met, Wise Shae. I think you will find this quite refreshing. It is a very diluted spiritual water, with cucumber and lemon for freshness."

"Spirit water!" The girl's eyes went wide and she carefully sipped the drink. A huge sigh escaped her after she swallowed. It was the single most refreshing drink Shae had had in... "At least two decades." She mumbled. Probably ever.

"I didn't catch that?" Yun leaned in with a smile.

"Ah sorry. This is incredible, Miss Yun. I've never had anything like it."

The woman's smile spread wide, taking up most of her face and revealing pearly white teeth. "I'm glad." Then as she leaned in more, she whispered, "The spirit water should slow down the alcohol, and anything else you've regretted eating lately."

"Uh, thanks? Um, isn't that a bit expensive to serve to a courier?"

She snapped back upright. "Ah-ha, not at all. Not for our cultivator couriers, at least. Also, Chef Van is quite excited about your letter, he gave me clearance for the good stuff." She winked.

"Ah, I'm not sure I follow. It's not my letter, I was just running the delivery."

"Yet, you are Wise Zhi Shae?"

She nodded.

"And you came from the caravan, with the Honorable Dragon's Entreaty sect members, including their leader."

"Yes, though the leader is just Master Long."

The girl chuckled, "Just Master Long she says. You also go by other titles, Heavenly and in a few years Fairy-"

"No, not fairy, please. And Heavenly is just embarrassing." Shae blushed while frowning.

"Aha, well, there's no denying it now, so you can't squirm out of this."

"Huh? Out of what?"

"You're not the first bashful dinner guest that was too humble to dine with a Master."

"Eeh? I didn't agree to anything."

Her wide smile grew slightly predatory. "Don't worry. Nothing untoward is expected of you." She leaned in a bit.

"So, why do I feel like you are about to expect something of me?"

"I'm afraid that if you are to dine here, there is a certain level of dress and decorum expected."

She froze momentarily. "Oh." Her mind quickly cycled over the possibilities and she scanned the state of her own clothes. "On whose tab is this all going?" She asked with a raised eyebrow and a grin.

"Master Long's of course, I shouldn't spoil the fun, but you might know already. The letter mentioned he owed you an apology."

"So... Will we have to go shopping?" Shae's expression slowly changed to a wide eyed smile.

The woman shook her head. "No. First a makeover, then shopping!"

Shae couldn't resist giggling at the situation and the other woman quickly joined in until they were both laughing.

The makeover was mainly an exercise in proper hygiene with high quality soap and shampoo. Shae wasn't a slob, but running all day for the past four days since her thorough bath at the geyser left her with a rather particular road funk. This was shared by all the scouts, and to a lesser extent, the rest of the caravan.

The next step was a haircut, cleaning up her short style to look more intentional. It had been some months since she had the opportunity for a proper cut, and even then, it was at a very cheap rate. Shae was worried she would get pushback about the style, since nearly everyone wore theirs long. Yet, the stylist was professional and followed her request perfectly.

Yun did suggest hair extensions and then makeup, but Shae shot both ideas down as she had no intention to present herself as something she wasn't. She was also fairly sure that the current style of pale makeup wouldn't work at all with her tanned skin.

Clothing was a different story. Shae had hoped for fabulously glamorous silks, complex embroidery, and rich dyes. However, Yun's first clothing stop was simple under clothes and a new set of travel robes.

"I appreciate the practical clothing, Fairy Yun, but I assumed something a bit more intricate when you said formal dress code."

"Did I say that?" Yun teased. "I'm following the instructions in Master Long's letter. You will be getting proper sect robes later, so this is mainly to get the sizing right. Did you think you could bankrupt the man today?"

Shae frowned. "The way you kept offering makeup and hair treatments, I assumed money was no barrier."

"Money is always a barrier. The fact is clothing is much more expensive than makeup or salon visits. Especially good clothing."

The girl looked down at her new robes. "Are these.. special? Somehow?"

"Ha ha! Not at all, well, they are good quality as travel robes go. But nothing beyond natural."

"Uh, not that I was expecting anything like that. I just... I'm not sure I understand the purpose of replacing my travel robes if dinner clothes were the issue?"

Yun shrugged. "I believe the purpose of Master Long's request was as an apology. But you will have to ask him for the details. And now that your travel clothes are replaced..."

"Uh, replaced? Or this where I need to thrash and complain so that you don't throw out my previous clothes?"

"Not at all, they have already been destroyed!" She said with a smirk.

"What!? Why would you destroy perfectly good clothes?"

The woman's smirk broadened into a toothy smile as Shae gawked at her.

The girl took in the grinning woman and had to take a few breaths to catch up. "Oh. You're teasing me."

"Hehe-he, yes, I couldn't resist. I've already asked the seamstress to repair them, and resize them for you."

"Oh. Thanks." She felt a bit odd at the whiplash. "Hmm, actually, if I am getting sect clothing as well, I might not need them for a while. Can she leave them loose so I can still grow into them?"

"Hmm? Are you still growing?" Yun leaned close to the girl.

"Yes!" Shae insisted and pushed the nosy woman back.

"I'll let the seamstress know you expect to be three paces tall with a bust to shame every mother!"

"Yun!"

"Haha-hehe-he! You are so fun to tease, Miss Shae!" She gave the girl a slight bow. "I'll be right back. Our next stop is the fancy formal gowns shop, so prepare yourself!"

"Fairy Yun!" The girl repeated her outrage as the woman left the room.

She slowly controlled her breathing. Maybe that wasn't a joke?

Within the hour she had her answer. They stood in front of an expensive looking dress shop. Well, robe-shop is what they'd call it, but that's a dress shop if I've ever seen one.

"We're really going in? Getting me a dress robe? You're not teasing me again, Fairy Yun?"

"I would not jest about formal dresses, Wise Shae."

Shae smiled wide and turned to face the entrance to the shop.

"But!" Yun blocked her with an arm. "We need to go over ground rules before going in."

"Ground rules? Do I look like a child, Fairy Yun?" Shae crossed her arms and looked back at the woman.

Yun only raised an eyebrow.

"Don't answer that!" The girl blushed.

"Firstly, we are not buying you a dress, we are renting one."

The girl swallowed her half formed complaint.

"Renting is much more affordable and you yourself just mentioned you are still growing."

Shae inhaled and exhaled slowly, clearly trying to keep herself calm.

"Second, be very careful what you touch in there, some fabrics are very delicate and can be easily damaged."

"Uhm?" The girl raised a finger. "Why would someone wear tissue paper clothing?"

Yun smirked. "Cultivator fashion is always a bit strange. The short version is: it is a display of finesse. To hold a soap bubble in the midst of a hurricane. Compare it to fighting with a heavily weighted sword."

"So... Just wearing it is a display of skill?"

"Yes, you understand. Third rule. Their selection will likely be limited, moreso by the nature of the formal occasion, so you can't just pick anything. Try not to whine or complain if you don't like the color or something."

Shae's eyes snapped wide, "Why would you think I would whine?"

Yun raised both hands in placation. "It is not you, this business is very important and your behavior will reflect on my employer and Master Long so in turn his sect."

"Oh." The girl slowly closed her open mouth. "So, my best behavior, or do I need to put on an air of high class and higher privilege?" She lifted her chin and straightened her back.

Yun stared at her for a breath. Then shook her head, "Please don't embarrass me. And relax, you look like you're going to pull a muscle."