Nestled in the valley of the Eastern Kingdom is the capital city of Stellatus. It is known for its green spaces, arts, and the powerful mountain range that framed the magnificent palace. Though, our story starts a three days travel from the beautiful city, in a little village on the edge of the Eastern territory.
The village wasn’t something a tourist would stop in. It was just big enough for a bakery, a small market street, and a tailor. The tailor was a young man, only nineteen, named Orion.
Orion had taken over his parent’s business after they had retired, the elders gracious to relax in their old age. Orion had happily accepted the role and had grown a very small, local reputation as an excellent tailor. Besides his amazing stitching skills, he was also known for his creative and unique designs. Orion took inspiration from all around him, and when he was engaged to the local politician’s daughter, he gave her a beautiful silk robe the colour of the sunset.
The young woman, a girl of undoubted beauty and uncertain intelligence named Eve, was the daughter in question. She was very grateful for Orion’s gift, and even for a while, believed she loved him. But, as the Summer came to an end, many other faces caught her eye. She did not hide this as well as she had thought she did.
When Orion confronted her about the storm of rumours, she became angry, more hostile, more distant. Their relationship turned into one of abuse, with Orion taking the emotional toll and Eve believing she was doing everything right.
It was the end of Summer when Orion finally snapped. He had come home one night from visiting his parents to find Eve in their bed, but not alone. Orion was in shock, watching the man and woman sleep as if the world fit in the palm of their hand. After coming out of his consternation, he turned around and went back to his parent’s house.
There, for the first time, someone actually listened to his story. He sobbed and fumed and told them what had happened over the past few months. His parents were in shock, they could have never believed that the rumours had been true. After Orion was done, he sat back in his chair, gazing disorientedly at his teacup.
“What can I do?” He asked, tears in his eyes and stuck in his throat. “I cannot continue to live like this.”
His mother, ever the kind one, held his hand and dried his tears as Orion’s father left the table. He came back with a large bag, filled with a map and a sack of coins.
“Go to Stellatus.” He had said. “I have an old friend there, been looking for a tailor. Find him, and start again.”
After much deliberation and heartfelt arguments, Orion had accepted the gift.
“Will you both be okay?” He had demanded solemnly.
“Don’t worry about us, son.” His father had responded. “You have given us plenty.”
“Pish.” His mother had replied. “Go find your happiness. We will be fine.”
With many more hugs and promises of letters, Orion finally left the village. With nothing but a pack full of the essentials he needed and his heart full of hope, none of which he gave to Eve, he set out for Stellatus.
It took three days on the back of a trader’s cart to reach Stellatus. Orion had gazed in wonder at the dazzling buildings, decorated with colour from every angle. He had sobered once being dropped off at the market square and had found his way up the winding streets to 323 High Street, an aristocratic shop full of expensive-looking objects and designs.
Once he had introduced himself to the older man running the shop, Orion had been welcomed with open arms.
“Finally!” The old man had exclaimed. “I have been waiting for a fresh face and mind!”
He had been quirky at first, a little strange, but as Autumn’s chill grabbed the air, he became used to it. They worked together almost seamlessly, even as the near-endless orders for warm, stylish clothes came pouring in from Stellatus nobility. Orion gained a reputation in the city, as well. Nobles loved to talk about the handsome young man with magic stitching and designing skills on High Street.
One day, the old man had come hobbling in, faster than ever before, clutching a letter in his knobby fingers.
“Orion! Oh, Orion! This is wonderful! Absolutely stupendous!”
Once Orion had calmed him down and given him something to drink, the old man handed the boy the letter. It was on official royal stationary, addressed to Orion by Queen Aurora and King Halo themselves.
The letter stated that he and his skills were requested to fix an elegant outfit of a famous designer that had recently passed away. The cuff had been torn, and since the creator was dead, it was up to a well-respected and renowned tailor to mend it and bring it back to life for the Autumn Festival. Orion had quickly agreed, penning a very grateful letter back with an agreed-upon time.
The next week had come, and Orion set off for the palace, dressed as well as he could be without showing off. The sparkling palace with colourful banners and lush gardens amazed him, having to almost stop for a moment as he observed his surroundings. Once he had reached the throne room, he had been greeted by the King and Queen.
After the formalities were over, Orion was directed by a court servant to a large room off to one wing of the palace. The room he was placed in had a lavish sitting area with a balcony that looked over the main garden. The robe he had been called in to fix had been put on a metal model near the center of the room, placed next to a host of tools and expensive fabric. He quickly got lost in his work.
It had been an hour and a half of pure work when a voice interrupted Orion.
“Well, well, well. You must be the new tailor I’ve heard people raving about.”
Orion whipped around, letting some golden fabric fall to the floor as he bowed.
“Your Highness! I didn’t hear you come in, forgive me!” He stuttered out quickly.
Prince Sirius, the second son of the King and Queen, waved it off as he moved to observe the robe in awe.
“It looks brand new!” He tentatively dragged his fingers on the soft fabric.
“It’s nothing, your Highness. I was repairing the rip here when I noticed the golden fabric looked worn out. There was just enough the fabric in the chest to replace it all.”
The Prince complimented his work more before sitting back on the couch.
“Ignore me, little tailor.”
After a moment of hesitation, Orion got back to work. He finished replacing the second cuff and the large, flat belt of fabric that was meant to go around the Prince’s waist. Once he was done, he asked the Prince to try it on. The Prince cracked a joke about ‘Orion wishing to see his skin’ as he took off his fine shirt and donned the robe.
“Fits like a glove and looks brand new.” The Prince complimented.
“It was nothing, your highness,” Orion said humbly, his chest filling up with pride.
“You can call me Sirius, little tailor.” He responded casually. “I heard your designing skills are something to be admired as well.”
Orion shrugged. He thought he was good but not as good as his client’s ravings.
Sirius then propositioned the boy. “I would like to employ you during events and festivals. To advise my outfits and keep me looking as good as I need to be. Could you do that?”
Orion agreed quickly, detailing that he would need time to take care of his regular clients.
“Of course.”
And so started months of work that became more than just that. Orion went to the Palace for different festivals and meeting with different important people. When Orion wasn’t at the prince’s side, he was working back in his shop. After the Autumn Festival, he started to receive gifts, and even the Prince himself on several occasions. They had formed a bond that was quite noticeable, and by the time Winter stayed in the Eastern Valleys, Orion looked forward to seeing the Prince.
One day, two weeks before the first Winter Festival, Orion was at the Palace, watching the Prince try on different outfits for the party. His eye caught on a robe that he found beautiful, but didn’t really compliment the Prince. Sirius noticed.
“You can wear it, if you’d like. But under one condition.”
Orion blushed at the Prince’s unreadable expression, nodding hesitantly.
“You can only wear that if you agree to accompany me.”
Orion’s face was warmer than embers as he stuttered out an agreement. Sirius smiled, before going to try on another outfit. At the end of their day together, Sirius kissed Orion on the cheek. His heart pounding in his ears kept him occupied the entire way home.
Orion and Sirius spent the first Winter Festival totally distracted with one another. The Prince fed Orion from his plate and draped him in fine furs. Orion caught eyes with the old man who housed him in Stellatus, who raised his cup in congratulations.
Their relationship bloomed that Winter, Orion and Sirius becoming absolutely infatuated with each other. As the Winter melted and Spring came into being, Orion opened up about his past to the Prince, who comforted him. At the beginning of Autumn, just more than one whole year since Orion had arrived in Stellatus, the Prince presented a golden crown to the tailor while they sat in the garden.
“Little tailor, the person who has supported me through this entire year without fail or fault, I ask you to accept this as my engagement present to you.”
Orion almost cried right then and there, speechless as he accepted the crown.
And so they were engaged, which came of no surprise to anyone involved. Orion’s parents, who had kept up a long string of letters since he had left, we extremely happy. Orion was truly happy with the Prince, and that was all they had ever wanted. They proposed that the couple come back to Orion’s village, and Sirius agreed happily.
The next week, an official royal carriage rolled into the village, flanked by two guards and pulled by a beautifully groomed horse. People came out from their houses and their shops to watch as it found its temporary placement outside Orion’s parents home. People gasped in wonder as the two men stepped out of the carriage. Prince Sirius, in expensive clothing with a large smile on his face, hugged Orion’s parents. And Orion, dressed in a light robe with a small, glittering crown balanced on his head, breathed out a shaky sigh. Most people dispersed once large suitcases were unpacked and the carriage drove out of the village.
Two days later, a feast was held in the new Princes’ honour. Everyone from the village turned out to see and congratulate the two. Someone who no one had expected to see was Orion’s ex-fiancée.
Eve had changed much in the year and a half that Orion had been away. With no one to turn to, and no verifiable skills of her own, she had to marry quickly. She married the butcher’s son, who was a man who matched Eve in many ways. While Eve was at home, taking care of two unruly boys, her husband used his downtime to visit the local bar, speaking to younger and prettier women. The toll of taking care of children and watching her husband give her what she had given Orion took a terrible effect on her. She looked tired, regretful when she finally saw Orion, happy in his Prince’s arms.
Orion saw her too, and felt nothing but pity. When Sirius whispered in his ear if he wanted her to leave, or to talk with her, Orion shook his head.
“I did, once upon a time. But I’ve learned that the best revenge is simply living better than the people who wronged you. They will get their due by watching you thrive.”
Sirius hugged him tighter, and put the joyless woman out of his mind.
Orion and Sirius were married at the beginning at the summer, when the heat hadn’t settled in but the flowers still bloomed sweetly. They were married happily, even with people from Orion’s village in attendance.
Now, when children are wronged, and they go crying to their parents, they tell the story of the Prince’s Tailor. He was a man who was abused and hurt so much, but took all his heartache and put it into his work, gaining a husband and wisdom in the process.
Comments (0)
See all