Chapter 4: Chapter Two: The Prince’s New Clothes

Little Oden swung their head back and forth, humming as they kicked their feet gleefully bringing a warm smile to their caretaker's face. She watched the young prince as they engrossed themselves in the picture book they were reading, while she worked on tailoring their confirmation gown. From time-to-time Oden would look up and ask with anticipation if she was done making it, and she would chuckle and tell him, “Soon my love,” to which the prince would simply smile and go back to reading. 

The confirmation was only a few days away, and Nioto had been hard at work making the gown exactly how the prince had asked. They showed her a picture from their favorite book, of a beautiful princess in an elegant ball gown. She told them that it would have to be all white for traditional purposes, and that it would have to be less puffy to be more robe like, but otherwise she would make it for them just like it appeared in the book. Finally, after a week's worth of work, she had just about finished. “Alright, my sweet prince,” she called to them, and they perked up.

With bright eyes the prince asked, “Is it done?”

And she responded with a smile, “Yes love, come try it on and tell me if you like it.” Oden sprung from their bed, but made sure to place their book safely on their pillow, and ran over to the young maid.

“I can try it on?” they looked up at her wide starry eyes.

“Of course, silly boy, I need you to tell me how it fits in case I need to make alterations,”

“Okie!” The prince grabbed hold of the garment and struggled a moment, before Nioto helped them put it on. Looking in the mirror their face beamed brightly with excitement and gaiety. It was long and flowy, with a frilly lace sash to tie it back. It was much less like a gown and more of an ornate robe. She had made sure to still embroider a pattern of white roses along the hem of the skirt, and to give the shoulders a slight puffiness to match the gown in the picture book. 

“Tell me, do you like it, does it fit you well?” the caretaker asked, though she could read the answer on the prince's face.

“Yes, I love it!” They twirled around and watched the skirt of the gown spin with them while giggling, bringing a warm smile to Nioto’s face.

“I am glad,” she rustled the prince's hair while patting them on the head, “I was worried though, that perhaps it was too much like a dress.”

“I want it to be a dress though,” the prince replied.

“Well then I hope this is close enough for you,” she sighed, “your father would have a heart attack if I had made you an actual dress for your confirmation.   

“Why though?” the prince asked, genuinely confused.

“Little boys aren’t supposed to wear dresses sweetie,” she said, booping their nose playfully.

“But I like dresses,” they huffed, puffing out their cheeks.

“I know sweetie, I know,” Nioto sighed, “people can be very unreasonable when it comes to clothes. If you like dresses, then there is nothing wrong with you wanting to wear them.”

“And what is this nonsense?” A stern dark voice boomed from behind her.

Turning was unnecessary, she already knew who it was behind her, still she looked and feigned shock, “your highness, what are you doing here?”

The king lurked in the doorway, seemingly blocking the light from the hall, making it look like a doorway into an abyss. He fumed from his nostrils and spoke in a raspy curt voice, berating Nioto, “I am king am I not? I am allowed to come and go as I please. This is my son, my son whom you seem to be feeding disturbing ideas to.”

“Your majesty, my intentions are only to make the prince happy, I would never teach them anything that was dangerous,” she kept her voice cool and calm as she spoke, averting her eyes from his gaze.

He huffed, “you are to keep my son safe, to instruct him according to the guides I have provided, and nothing more.”

“Yes, your majesty, I promise this will not happen again,” she bowed her head low, the king simply snorting in response.

Glaring down at his son like a hungry wolf standing over an injured hare, the king stroke his beard with a sick smile, but remembering the servant watching him, his expression turned cold again. "This is unacceptable," he gestured at the prince, "he is not to be caught wearing a dress before the eyes of God and the church!"

"It is just a gown, your highness, made to his own specifications," Nioto spoke humbly yet firm, "I only gave them what they asked for."

"You try my patience Nioto," the king barked, "my son will not be seen like this by the public, my strength as a king will be questioned should the people think I can not even teach my son to dress like a man." The king shook his head, "take it off, and give it to me," he held out his hand expectantly.

"It's my gown, I want to wear it!" The prince cried, wrapping their arms around their body as they visibly quivered beneath the king.

"You are my son, and as such you will follow my rules," the king demanded, "remove that dress and put on your proper clothes now!"

Tears streamed down Odens pale face as they hid themselves in the corner of their room. Wordless, they nodded, and obeyed their fathers command. 

"Bring the boy to a proper tailor and have his robes made ready by the ceremony," lingering in the room a moment longer, his gaze fixed upon his son, he made his demands and left once the prince had finished changing their clothes.

Heartbroken, Oden continued to whimper in the corner, their caretaker taking pity on them and comforting them with a warm embrace, “I am sorry, sweet prince, I should have foreseen your fathers reaction.”

“No, it is okay Nioto, it isn’t your fault.” they sniffled and Nioto whipped their tears away, “I just wanna be pretty, but he doesn’t like that.”

“Sweetie, you are pretty,” she reassured the child, “and as far as your father goes, he is set in old ways and can’t see just how happy certain things make you.”

The tears continued to flow as Prince Oden buried their face in Nioto, wrapping their arms around her, “why doesn’t he want me to be happy?”

Nioto bit her lip, trying to think of the right answer, then said, “your father wants for you to grow up to be a ruler like him, it isn’t that he wants you to be sad or miserable, he simply sees himself in you and wishes for you to see the same.”

“I will never be like him!” Oden yelled, burying their face deeper into Nioto’s arms. “He is mean, he is ugly, and he.. And he…” they couldn’t finish their words, their sobs overtook them, and soon all they could do was cry as their caretaker held them.

 

Sometime later, Nioto brought the prince into the city to see a tailor as the king had instructed. Oden had to wear wraps over one of their eyes, when they asked why, Nioto simply told them, “Your eyes are too beautiful and many people can only stand to see one beautiful eye at a time, sweetie.” This brought a bright smile to the young prince’s face, and so they eagerly allowed Nioto to cover their eye.

The car ride into the city was long, in the way that all trips can seem long to a child, the little prince fidgeted and kicked their feet, trying to amuse themselves.

“Oden, love, what is wrong?” Nioto asked.

“I’m bored, Nioto. Are we there yet?”

Nioto chuckled and rustled the prince's hair, “silly boy, we shall be there soon.” 

"Can you tell me a story?" They looked up at here, wide eyed with a quivering lip.

"How about we make a story together?" She suggested.

"Okie!" 

"So then, who will be the hero of our story?" Nioto asked, "perhaps a sweet prince?"

"Can they be a princess instead?" Oden asked.

"Very well, a princess it is then, an elegant princess who was as kind as she was beautiful," Nioto patted the prince's head, "what is our princess' name then?"

Finger on their chin, the prince thought hard, then answered with a big grin, "Odette!" 

"Odette is a very pretty name, perfect for our princess," the caretaker smiled and nodded, "so does the princess have any friends, I mean with how kind and pretty she is she must have friends?"

"She has a friend named Nioto," Oden suggested with a big grin.

"Nioto, but that's my name silly boy,"

"Uhuh, you're really pretty and nice, the princess would be your friend," 

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Nioto hugged the prince and kissed their forehead, "you are too precious," she tussled the prince's hair and asked, "so then my love, where does the princess live?"

"She lives in a floating castle, high in the sky!"

"A castle in the sky? That sounds lovely,"

"Mhmm, so she can be far away from all the bad people," Oden added.

Nioto wore a concerned look on her face, "what bad people sweetie?"

Oden leaned their head against Niotos arm, "the monster in my window, and all the other monsters too."

"Well the princess doesn't have to worry about the monsters, she has Nioto to keep her safe."

"Yeah, and she has another friend that protects her too!"

"Oh, tell me about her friend, dear,"

"She is strong and pretty and kind of scary but not scary to the princess," Oden tried to describe the girl.

"So then Nioto and this girl protect the princess?"

"Yeah, but the princess can fight too, because when her friends are with her she isn't afraid!"

"Of course she isn't, because she is a brave princess, a princess knight perhaps?"

"No she's a musky.. a muskot…"

"Musketeer?" Nioto asked.

"Uhuh like the hero in my story book!" Oden cheered, "she fights for the people, to protect them from the monsters and make them happy!"

"She sounds like a truly wonderful princess," she smiled at the prince sweetly, "wonderful just like you."

The car came to a stop and the driver informed them they had arrived. The little prince moaned on a disappointment that their story had to end so soon, but cheered gleefully when Nioto promised she would continue their story on the way home.

 

Together the two entered into a tailors shop, where they were greeted by a stern looking middle-aged man, "Welcome to Jojo's boutique," he said eyeing the pair from head to toe, "I am humbled his Majesty would think of my shop for his needs, howay I assist you?"

Nioto explained the situation to the old man while Oden found themself lost in awe as they took in their surroundings. Beautiful elaborate dresses adorned many mannequins around the room. Each one unique, yet all had a familiar flare to them, as though the tailor who made them crafted a piece of their soul into their work. Scenes of grand balls flashed in the young prince's mind, and in all these they saw themselves wearing each dress as they danced with a shadowy figure. 

Lost in their fantasy they spun around, till they came to a stop In front of a mannequin. Their eye grew wide, a deep desire awoken inside them, suddenly the difference between need and want seemed non-existent as they marveled at the dress on display. The lace, the ribbons, the frilly layers, all of it came together in a way that catered to Odens specific tastes. The skirt billowed out with a fluffy white petticoat, and had black and white lace trim. The shoulders were puffy and sinched on the upper arm ending in a rose pattern black lace. The belly was corrected with black and white ribbons. A sash tied around the back in a big pretty bow. It was perfect.

"That one's my favorite too," Odens daydream ended abruptly as they heard a voice from behind them. They turned to see a young boy smiling at them, "I was really happy with how it turned out. Almost a shame I have to sell it."

"You made this dress?" Oden asked, “is this your dress?”

“Yes I did make it, and no silly, it belongs to my fathers shop,” the boy laughed, “I design all the dresses here, it is kind of my specialty.”

“Oooh, you are so cool!” Oden praised the boy, “the dresses are all so pretty!”

“Thank you, that’s very kind of you,” the boy blushed, “are you here to buy a dress, perhaps I can tailor one for you?”

Head hung low, holding their hands behind their back, the prince shook their head, “no, I’m not allowed to wear dresses.” 

“A pretty girl like you isn’t allowed to wear dresses? How come?”

“Junior, show respect, don’t talk to the prince like that!” the shop owner yelled at their son.

“Prince?” The boy was thrown back by the realization of who had been taking to, then he bowed his head as he apologized profusely, “please forgive me your majesty!” 

“Get away from the prince, boy, and get back to work. The fabrics won’t sort themselves, Junior,” the boy's father reminded Oden of their own, their roughness and lack of emotion in their voice caused Oden to shudder.

“It was nice talking to you,” the prince said in a shy whisper to the boy as he began to walk away.

“You too,” he replied with a faint smile, before retreating through a door in the back of the shop.

The tailor who ran the shop approached the prince, carefully examining him, “I’ll have to take his measurements before I can start on the robes,” he said leaning in, repelling Oden back like two magnets with the same polarity. 

“I have taken his measurements already, I can give them to you myself,” Nioto stepped behind the prince, placing her hand on his shoulder. 

WIth a grunt and a groan and some other strange sound, the tailor shook his head, “I prefer to do my own measuring, it ensures that I can provide a garment of true quality.”

“And I prefer to not make the royal prince uncomfortable, unless you wish to upset his majesty?”

“Fine, then I shall use your measurements,” the man surrendered, “don’t complain to me if the robes are not to your liking.”

Feeling safer as the man hobbled away, Oden relaxed a little, and leaned themselves back into Nioto. She placed her other hand on his head, giving him a gentle patt, then followed the tailor to the shop counter. 

“When did you say the robes were needed by?” he asked her.

“Three days,” she answered him curtly.

“Three days?” he raised his voice, then cleared his throat and corrected his tone, “that is awful short notice, could the king not have sent the request sooner?”

“It is not a tailors place to question the king's request, we will compensate you for an expedient delivery,” Nioto spoke sternly, “will Two thousand Ides be sufficient?”

A greedy grin creeped across the man's face, “two thousand will do just fine,” he nodded, looking as though he found himself clever for negotiating such a high commission.

“You will receive twenty percent now, and the remaining eighty upon delivery,” Nioto said placing a stack of bills on the counter, “I’ll return the morning of the ceremony to fetch the robe.” 

“Then the timetable is even sooner than I expected, perhaps you can pay forty percent now?” 

She shook her head, “Twenty now, eighty later,” she was unbudging and stern with the man.

He sighed, then smiled, “of course, forgive my boldness,” he took the money that he had been paid, and saw the two off.

 

Conflicting feelings of relief and disappointment danced inside Oden’s mind as they left the shop filled with all those pretty dresses, and one creepy old man, behind. Remembering Nioto’s promise, those feelings were replaced with eagerness as they happily got back in the limo that awaited them, ready to continue their story with her. As they got in the car, for just a brief moment, Oden could have sworn they saw a familiar girl entering the tailor's shop. She had silver hair, and wore a dirty torn dress. Though their mind did not linger on the girl, as Nioto asked them, “so shall we continue our story?”

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