The Feast of Sinners, while being a much anticipated event that her father had waxed poetic about, had to be slightly more taxing on Emilia. Too familiar to the situation in Taengea where she had been in the arcus when the head had appeared on a pike, Emilia had stuck to her father and sister's side like glue the whole time, and for once, did not mingle as she often did. Her smile was there, a practiced one she wore for public view, but anyone who knew Emilia well would see how close she stuck to her family, or how often her eyes darted to her bodyguard to ensure Nicholai was around.

But after a few weeks of that, the young princess found herself quite at ease again, so long as one did not remind her of the crowds and screams. It wasn't long before Emilia was itching to visit the markets again, already the time to find new material - especially necessary since she was to prepare her sister's bridal retinue for the big day. This being the first time she had the chance to plan something to this degree, the young Xanthos princess was understandably excited.

With Helen busy with training and instructing a new slew of slaves brought in to the palace to prepare the place for the wedding, Helen had been busy and as such, Emilia had chosen to bring Dawn with her, the closest she had to a friend and perhaps one of the maids that had stayed the longest with her next to Helen. Eschewing the carriages for simple horses, the girl was astride her gelding as the rest of her retinue walked, the bodyguards keeping a safe distance. Knowing Nicholai was busy, she had picked another set of guards to follow with.

At the edge of the markets, she got off with assistance, handed the reins off to not impede the crowds at the market with a horse. Emilia smiled at how Dawn appeared more finicky then she was, obviously distracted. Did she want something? Curiosity glimmered in her auburn gaze. "Dawn? Is there something you'd like to see?" a teasing light directed at the young slave girl she called her own. "Remember, we're here to get material for my sister's bridal retinue. They have to look as radiant as she as they escort her."

Waving at Dawn, the girl led her retinue down, the peach and white chiton they had helped her dress that morning making her tanned skin stand out, shining under the afternoon sun. The golden circlet on her head distinguished her from everyone else, the soft curls she had falling to frame her heart-shaped face. Eyes flickered here and there, instructing the slaves and servants to pick up whatever she wanted as she passed the gold coins to them. "Dawn, do you think this silk would look good on us?" she murmured, as she picked up an emerald bolt of silk, holding it up to the brunette haired girl. "I think Nicholai would agree with me." A sneaky smile curled Emilia's lips, as she sneaked a glance at her friend and slave.

Emilia laughed, used to her handmaiden's flighty nature. Dawn was easily distracted, but was attuned to her voice and responded quickly when she called. Nodding, she held up the silk again. "Of course, yes us. We have to dress similarly for my sister's wedding, or at the very least, match in some how. Helen would be busy helping my sister prepare, and I would need someone else by my side." she murmured, holding the cloth up to the girl. Emilia had skin more tanned then Dawn, so she pursed her lips as she noticed how the color did not accentuate her tone as it did hers, and immediately rejected the choice in her mind.

Emilia was a perfectionist, if nothing else, and she sought elegance in everything she chose for others.

Letting her gaze flicker back to Dawn as she turned to replace the silk back and pick out another one, this next bolt was a deep ash green, one that changed in tone as the light shone on it. This time, she held it up, and gave a smile. "I'm sure Nicholai would like this one." Again, the cheeky grin on her face. The princess knew, of course. She spent too much time in her bodyguard's presence to be able to see how often Nicholai's eyes flickered to her clumsy but beautiful slave. Yet as Emilia wanted to grant them both happiness, romantic that she was, Dawn's freedom was not hers to grant. She belonged to the Xanthos family, and as such decision was her father's and not hers.

"Then it is my desire, although I would need your input. Which would go with this ash green silk, do you think Dawn? And should I get a new crown to match the new chiton?"

A knowing look crept into Emilia's eyes at her slave's stammering. Her sister's wedding was pretty much anything most people spoke of. Seeing as how it was slated to be one of the most celebrated events in the kingdom, the whole palace and really the whole city was in a flurry of preparation, right after the Feast of Sinners. To know that Dawn had not given that much though, was a telling sign to Emilia that the young slave (even if she was older then Emilia) had more on her mind.

She had seen how Dawn and Nicholai had grown sweet on each other, so many years ago (almost a decade really) ever since she had placed Dawn to care for her would-be bodyguard after his injury from saving her father at almost the cost of his own life. But she only watched from the corner of her eye, not wanting to meddle in the lives of others.

As such, she let the matter drop, and allowed Dawn to flit away and return with the few bolts of cloth she had chosen. With a critical eye, Emilia pulled at the material this way and that, matching purple with a light blue green, and signally for the finest white silk to be handed to her guards as one of the purchase.

Eschewing the browns and blue-green (for she had recently made a few sea-foam green silks), she took the deep purple, an expensive piece of cloth in a hue that Emilia rarely saw and knew would look splendid, the girl's heart danced in delight at beautiful bolt as she signalled for that to be given to her as well, pouring the gold in the happy vendor's palms before signally for Dawn to come along.

Strolling further down with the passel of guards behind her, the girl stopped at the goldsmith she often patronized, or summoned to the palace. He greeted her as per normal, quick to jump to attention. Allowing the maids and slaves to dust off the bench that was in a corner before she took a seat, Emilia was quick to be served with a tray of the most beautiful shipment of gems that would go with her new chiton. "Dawn, what would suit the purple silk you picked out, you think?"