Page 68 of Tall, Royal Hater
From the outside, Candy’s studio looked like any other building in an isolated industrial estate.
On the inside, though, it was eccentric, very white, and screamed Candy’s name. White walls with mirrors, white-tiled flooring, framed sketches dotted around, and famous outfits in glass cabinets—it was the whole crazy, fashion designer hub package, but oddly still very sleek.
Pierre arrived five minutes after we all got there, and then Candy separated the men and women into two rooms so we could try our outfits on.
The room us women were set up in with one of his assistants, Kyle, was decorated white like the rest of the studio expect for the three black velvet sofas, the black glass coffee table before them, and the matching velvet curtains of the two semi-circle changing spaces angled slightly towards each other. There was a sewing machine in the corner on the same side as the sofas too.
Before Candy left to go help the men, he showed off the five separate railings on wheels with two or three dresses on them for each of us. He suggested which dress Katiya try on first and then left us in Kyle’s trusted hands. Less than a minute after, a brown-haired woman entered, introducing herself as Uma, who assisted Kyle and Gigi while she dressed.
Queen Leila’s chosen dress fitted her perfectly, and the dowager queen’s dress only needed the two pleats taken out from the back. Katiya had in fact chosen the first ivory dress she’d tried on, but it was only loosely stitched, so she spent the most time on the pedestal while Kyle and Uma pinned and played with the fitting.
Queen Leila, Gigi, and I were sitting on a sofa each as they worked on the hem of Katiya’s dress when Esmeralda came out from behind one of the velvet changing room curtains.
“What do you think?” she asked, blushing coyly while running a hand down the fitted bodice of a deep blood-red dress. It had a pleated boat-shaped neckline that sat just above the round globes of her breasts with matching off-the-shoulder sleeves encircling her upper arms, and the bowed knot on her left thigh opened underneath into a slit.
“Oh,” Katiya cooed, pressing one palm to her chest while trying to keep still as Uma worked.
Queen Leila gasped in delight, Gigi let out a low, appreciative whistle, and I grinned in awe. “You look fucking stunning, Ez,” I said, then realised I swore in front of royalty. “Oh—sorry.”
Shehryar’s mum, the queen, and Esmeralda laughed, but Gigi declared, “Say it again with confidence, young lady.”
I couldn’t help a chuckle. “You look fucking stunning, Esmeralda Ayla Jahandar.”
Gigi nodded in approval and laughter scattered around again.
Kyle made his way over to Esmeralda, grinning. “How does it feel, Your Highness?”
“Like it was made for me,” she replied breathlessly. “It fits perfectly.”
“Well, Candydidmake it for you,” Kyle said proudly. Walking to her back, he fiddled with the sleeves. “It was intended to be your birthday present, but he changed his mind. Amongst designing your wedding dress, he’s already started working on three other dresses and two secret projects for Your Highness, so he now has plenty of options for a gift.”
Her lips parted in surprise, but delight warmed her cheeks.
“What are these secret projects?” I asked.
Kyle smirked. “You didn’t hear this from me, okay?” Everyone except Gigi and Uma nodded eagerly. “Honeymoon lingerie.”
I cackled as Esmeralda’s face turned tomato red. Queen Leila and Katiya chuckled, neither being coy but both seemingly trying to be dignified about it for Esmeralda’s sake.
Gigi, on the other hand…damn, the woman had no filter. “If she finds the time to put on lingerie, then Kai would be doing something wrong,” she said.
Uma nearly fell backwards from her crouched position by Katiya’s feet, Esmeralda looked like she wanted the floor to swallow her up, and my stomach hurt, I was laughing so hard.
“Gigi,” Queen Leila said in a laughing scold. “That, I think, is something for the two of them to decide.” Her cheeks pinkened, but she lifted her pointed chin. “And lingerie can make things…exciting.”
“Especially if they’re crotchless,” Katiya sneakily added.
I barely caught a split-second glimpse of Esmeralda’s hanging mouth as tears of hysterical laughter blurred my vision. “Mama Katiya,” she said with a splutter.
Katiya smirked unashamedly. “What, my dear? Am I wrong?”
“Whatever you wear,” Gigi declared firmly, “condoms are not allowed, Esmeralda, is that clear?”
“Gigi!” Queen Leila and Katiya exclaimed at the same time. I wheezed through a silent, open-mouthed laugh.
“Mariyah,” Esmeralda said loudly and desperately. “Try on your dress now.Please.”
It took me a second to stand up, and I swayed like I was high towards Kyle.
