Philliya watched her brother leave through the single crystal window of her shop. That crystal had cost almost half of her budget, but she wanted to stand out. None of the other shops on her street had one and her shop was the street’s crowning jewel, literally glittering in the sun as it lowered itself towards the horizon.

It was her turn to sigh. She had put up a good front to fool Toraf, but inside, disappointment gnawed at her self-confidence. It looked like her first day would pass without a single customer entering her shop. However, she diligently waited until her posted closing hours before leaving to buy food. She lived above her tiny shop and there was no room for a proper kitchen.

The next ten days passed in a similar fashion. No one entered the shop at all. A few curious people looked at the sign and peered at and through the crystal window, but not even one of them inquired after her services. To keep up her spirits, Philliya visited her brother every other day and attempted to advertise her services in the palace. The visits to her brother were successful, the advertising attempts were not, and the guards soon started watching her closely every time she left her brother’s side. With them stalking her as if she was a potential criminal, no palace resident dared talk to her.

At the end of the eleventh day, as she was closing up her shop for the evening, the unusual sound of a carriage echoed down the street. No one who shopped or lived on this street owned carriages, so Philliya turned to watch its progress. The light carriage was small enough for one elegant bay horse to pull it and only two or three passengers could fit inside. Finely woven fabric covered the windows, obscuring any view of the passengers, and the elegant carriage gleamed with small gilded details. She guessed that it must belong to a lady of fairly high rank for some of the designs appeared to form an abstract crest. However, she wasn’t familiar enough with the nobles to know to which family the crest might belong. 

To her great surprise, the carriage drew up in front of her and stopped. 

“Is this shop open? My lady wishes for a consult.” The driver raised his voice and his accent was one of those who copied the mannerisms of the upper class.

“Uh…” Philliya’s mind raced and for a moment she couldn’t quite put words together to form a sentence. 

“Well?” The driver added impatiently.

“Yes, the shop is most definitely open!” She finally found her words and the excitement began building. Her first customer! “Please, come in, your Ladyship.” She addressed the unseen person in the carriage and with a wave of her hand she triggered the part of the door enchantment which would open the door unassisted. 

The driver climbed down and unlatched the door of the carriage. He bowed and a delicate gloved hand reached out from inside the carriage to rest on his hand. The passenger’s face hid from view behind a wide brimmed hat with a veil draped over it. The lady stepped down from the carriage lightly. Her dress bore no adornments and the cut was simple, but glints of gold sparkled from the folds in the expensive fabric due to the precious metal thread woven into it. This was not some mere lady. Philliya mentally slapped her brain into remembering the proper courtesies. 

The lady entered the shop and gestured for her driver to remain outside. The shop would be too crowded for him once both women entered. After Philliya entered, she closed the door with another wave of her hand and another waved adjusted the single chair reserved for customers for the lady who seated herself with a sweep of her skirts. Philliya thanked all her lucky stars that she’d had the foresight to spend the extra money for a well-made chair and provide it with a thick cushion. She put a kettle on to boil, and sat down herself on a less comfortable, but quite sturdy, chair.

“How may I be of assistance, your Ladyship?”