Misery had fallen upon her, lost in the darkness of her mind she wandered through her sorrow as she found herself walking. “Everything will be fine,” her father had said, it was the same thing he always said as he gambled away everything they had. His meaningless platitudes weighed heavier on her every day. Her life once filled with the joys and intrigue of the courts steadily became one of sadness, as the glamour she had once known began to fade to drudgery and embarrassment. No longer able to even afford the most basic of gowns or the means to make them, she had resigned herself to leaving.
So she found herself walking mindlessly, wearing her last faded and torn gown into the wilderness, not caring what would happen to her, because anything was better than her current life, she thought. Lost in her own world and lost in the wood, passing tree after tree, her tears falling to water them as she walked never noticing them noticing her. Exhausted with sadness she finally came upon a clearing in the wood, a small mound covered in grass surrounded by trees. Collapsing in exhaustion and sadness, she wept. ‘How could this happen to me?’ she thought.
“Come now, surely one as lovely as you has no need for tears.”
“Who’s there?” the lady gasped in astonishment hastily gathering the folds of her faded gown about her.
Stepping out from the shadows of the trees, emerged what would appear to be a man aside from the horns on his head and his lower half covered in fur and ending in hooves.
“I’ve been known by many names over the years,” he said suavely as he sauntered slowly towards her, “but I hope you can call me friend.”
When she met his eyes, she felt a warmth spreading within her, her breath caught as her cheeks began to flush, a light perspiration coating her forehead. She found herself mesmerized by him, his every movement hypnotic in its sensuality.
“So what can I do for you my lady? You’ve watered the forest with your tears, and they have felt your sorrow. They have told me as such and sent me to ease your pain,” he said melodically kneeling to take her hand. She trembled at his touch, her words caught in her throat as she stared into his eyes, the scent of flowers and spices assaulting her senses, enfolding her in a heady warm aroma as he helped her to stand.
“I..,” she began not knowing where to begin her long days of sadness tumbling back into her mind, glancing down at her shabby gown, embarrassed at her state as she stood in the presence of someone so handsome.
“Ah, I see. Your beauty is not defined by what you wear to me, but I see that it is for you,” he said sighing, “If that is your wish, we can help you.”
A branch slowly descends as he reaches his hand up to greet it, dropping a single seed into his palm. “With this you shall have a gown unlike any other,” he whispers into her ear as he presses the seed into her palm.
“How?” she began, bewildered at such a notion, when tendrils erupted from the seed as it sprouted from the warmth in her hand, spiraling vines completely encompassing her in a green cocoon. A lilting laugh echoes in the clearing, “We are going to be the best of friends,” the plant whispers into the lady’s ear.
The vines extend towards the sun sensing the spring season, twitching they quickly retreat, unfurling the cocoon leaving the lady standing in a strapless flowing white gown edged with branches laden with profusions of cherry blossoms.
Standing, shocked and amazed at the wondrous gown she was now wearing, she could scarcely speak, her breath caught in her throat. As she moved, the gown moved with her, the fit so perfect it seemed as if it were a second skin.
Spinning around, the gown twirls up causing a row of delicate petals to swirl about the lady perfuming the air as they gently cascade to the ground before miraculously regrowing again.
“I cannot thank you enough! It is the most beautiful thing I have ever worn!” she exclaimed in joyous wonder, tears of joy welling up in her eyes.
“Now those tears,” the faun began, “the forest will find much more agreeable,” and as if in response a light wind blew through the forest and the leaves rustled through the canopy as if in joyous approval.
Gazing first at the gown and then at the faun, the lady became lost in thought as she began to pluck petals from one of the flowers one at a time, a coy smile playing across her face, lost in a girlhood memory as she quietly whispers to herself unnoticeable to anyone, ‘he loves me, he loves me not.’
The faun, with a knowing smile, stared deeply into her eyes, “There is no need for that, and there is nothing but love for you here. You will find that this gown will suit you throughout the year, growing with you and changing each season, so you will always be the bell of the ball. Even in winter when it needs to rest, its splendor will still complement your beauty. Remember us, for we shall always remember you,” and with that he faded into the shadows of the forest.
Why have four gowns for each season when you could have ONE gown that changes each season?
Introducing the living gown! Each seed here will be a gown that dazzles and beguiles with each season.
Lady A grips the seed firmly in her hands, as the warmth of her hand warms the seed, sprouts begin to shoot out from her fingertips as vines begin to encompass her form completely cocooning her in vines. The leaves turn as if surveying the surroundings, noticing it is <whichever season it is> the vines slowly descend into <the gown form of that season>
Each season some changes would begin to occur culminating in complete changes on particular days of the year, which each changing of season, which would be a time for a special ball to celebrate the changing of the dresses.
In spring the buds would break on the vines, revealing flowers to slowly drop petals revealing leaves that would dominate in summer, only to change color and fall in fall, revealing a sleek slimmed down gown in winter.
Gown design would have customizations for leaf color for summer and fall, blossom color, as well as the color of the bark or vine itself. Each season would have its own ambients that change during the season, for example buds breaking in spring to reveal flowers with occasional petals falling every so often until they finally all fall revealing the leaves beneath, that would rustle occasionally and turn color to fall off singularly one at a time in fall. Winter would display the bark or stems having the light in the rooms to reflect off it.
That’s the gist of the idea, I need help from you all for the other seasons, this was just spring. summer would be all leaves that would have rustling ambients, fall as well but have color changing ambients along with leaves falling occasionally, winter is a more stripped down gown, but the idea is you get one gown that would work the whole year, helping to minimize wardrobe space but also giving you something awesome for the whole year. There is also room for this to be used for men as well, but ladies first of course. any input would be appreciated.
