what was meant to be a quiet afternoon

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Sliding the last pin into place elle stepped back studying the costume on the mannequin with a critical eye, the different layers of the skirt seemed to sit better with the pleating and by putting the shimmery fabric under the silky chiffon it still shimmered but didn't seem as garish. the wings where sitting properly now and she had a good idea how to make sure they stayed attached.

With a yawn she stepped back and sat in the chair closing her eyes a moment it was well late into the afternoon but she'd been working on the costume since early morning, rubbing her eyes she stood there was a lot more to do but now she knew how to piece it together the rest would go by quickly for now she was going to take a well earned break. headings down stairs into the little kitchen the filled the kettle for tea and grabbed her book.

she didn't read it however and nestled her head in the crook of her arm thinking to only close her eyes for a couple minuets till the kettle boiled at least...

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Regina knew that there was a mascarade ball going on in town this week and she desperatly needed a dress for the occasion. She really didn't like anything that was around town, as there wasn't a dress around to purchase for a mascarade ball. So she thought about trying out this woman that she heard about, and see what she could do for her.

Regina drove to her little yellow cottage here in Storybrook to see if she could make her dress for the ball as it was very detailed. Regina had style..just a bit too much sometimes. She pulled into the driveway and it was a nice looking little place.

She looked at it for a second and she stepped out of her car and shut the door. She walked up the pathway and then stepped onto the porch. She peered into one of the windows and couldn't see anyone. She knocked on the door and waited to see if anyone would answer.

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Startled from her dozing at the knock Elle looked up, she wasn't expecting anyone, for a brief moment she wondered if maybe it might be Mr. Gold taking her up on her offer of cake, moving she stood quickly hating the kettle off the heat as it was boiling and making her way to the door opening it with a bright and hopeful smile. her expression becoming one of surprise and... admittedly confusion to see the mayor standing there, after a moment she seemed to come back to herself and gestured the mayor inside moving to grab one of the many note pads she had littered about the house

"Good Afternoon Madam Mayor please do come in, May I interest you in coffee or tea?" she had written neatly and then neatly under that

"How can I help you today?" all of this was written very clearly and neatly though it seemed Elle had tried even harder to make sure it was neat this was after all the mayor... though why the woman had come to her was beyond her, oh gosh she hoped she wasn't in trouble, Regina while a strong woman and probably very admirable in many respects was just so much like her step mother Elle couldn't help fearing the woman a little. She kept herself composed and calm but inside she quaked wondering just why the woman was there.

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Moments after Regina knocked on the door, a woman appeared there as the door opened and she motioned the Mayor inside. Regina followed her and watched as she grabbed a pad pf paper and started writing.

After a few moments, Regina was handed the pad of paper and she looked at the girl and then understood that she couldn't speak. Regina looked at the words written, " "Good Afternoon Madam Mayor please do come in, May I interest you in coffee or tea?"
"How can I help you today?" she read.

Regina took the pen and replied back in written form, "Yes I would love a tea, thank you" she started to write and then continued. "I need a dress made for a mascarade ball that is happening this week..and I want it to be the most beautiful dress there" she asked. Regina then put the pen down and handed the notepad over to her.

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Elle blinked when she took the pen and arched an eye brow, did she think she was deaf to? well she supposed that wasn't uncommen but really how did the woman expect elle herd the door bell? Oh well regardless she took the note pad back reading over it quickly and nodding 'You can speak normally I can hear just fine, I am simply Mute I cannot speak." she explained showing the paper with a smile before gesturing for regina to follow into the small and cozy sitting room, there was a arm chair and a couch both aged and yet with their slightly faded flowery upholstery seemed to fit the cottage perfectly, there were a few little nicnacs on the mantle statues of swans and fairies a couple neat little water colored paintings of flower fields and swans flying all very cosy and neat, and of course very clean, elle had a strict scheduled she adhered to to make sure her home was always clean and welcoming not only because she might receive a guest but for instances like this when a prospective client might come over, though this was the mayor! even with the fear there was a thread of utter thrill, the mayor had selected her to make her costume.

When the woman sat Elle would grab a sketch book and take the opposite seat and write something showing Regina the paper 'Why don't you give me a bit of information about what you like and are hoping for, with your complexion I would say darker colors would be most flattering maybe a black miked with dark hints of blue or maybe purple, or maybe red to give you a very regal look. she had written though the way she studied Regina she could already she a couple gown possibilities in her head each as elegant as the last regal and so fitting for such a proud and powerful woman. Taking pack the page she wrote again

not to much guilt either unlike most who are looking for mindless sparkle yours should be subdued, you can carry off the grace and elegance of the costume with out needing excessive sparkle and shine, though hints of silver would lighten the dark just a bit and provide a lovely contrast to the black. even though she'd written it there where areas her hand writing had become less neat where she'd fallen deep into thought about the gown, it was best to hear what the woman wanted but also to ensure she had the most magnificent dress possible.

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Regina thought that because she had to write things down, that she was deaf but now knows that she can talk to her normally. Regina smiled at her and appologized for the missunderstanding. She watched as she wrote her idea's down and passed the notepad over to her to read.

'Why don't you give me a bit of information about what you like and are hoping for, with your complexion I would say darker colors would be most flattering maybe a black miked with dark hints of blue or maybe purple, or maybe red to give you a very regal look." she read, and looked at her and agreed. "Yes" Regina said, "I would like a long and full back dress with silver and purple throughout", she said to her.

Elle took back the notebad and began writing again, and when she was done she passed it back over to Regina. not to much guilt either unlike most who are looking for mindless sparkle yours should be subdued, you can carry off the grace and elegance of the costume with out needing excessive sparkle and shine, though hints of silver would lighten the dark just a bit and provide a lovely contrast to the black", she wrote. Regina read that and had to agree.

"I am very impressed on your skills...and would be very happy about hiring you to make my dress", she said to her. "When do we start the measuring?", she asked her with a smile.

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Elle lifted a hand when regina appologized it wasn't the first time people had made the mistake and she doubted it would be the last, regina seemed accepting of the ideas even pleased though she wanted purple wich as Elle studied her, would be more fitting, she could already see the waves of black lace elegant and regald draping over a purple, satin? No, silk softer more powerful, but not as fussy or heavy as a proper velvet, comfort was a key factor as well naturally. The lace would drap and spill back aloting for an elegant train that would look lovely but not be to long that it was impracticle and would get stepped on, a higch neck yes, the more she thought about it the more she could envision the gown and an elegant head peice to match a mask attached to a regal silver crown

Elle flushed at the Maoyrs compliments 'I do my best ma'am, I hope you'll be satisfied. I can take your mesurments now if you like and sketch up a couple things here and now for you so that you can get a loose idea of the design or mention anything you'd like to add or change.' elle offered standing and gesturing, she had turned the second bedroom upstairs into her work room she could take reginas mesurments and adjust her other stand before sketching out the idea that was already weaving it's self together in her mind.

'I'm sorry I inturrupted your conversation with Mr. Gold the other day the the grocery store.' she wrote glancing at the woman sheepishly 'I hadn't meant to be intrusive but I like to greet him when I see him, I like to think having somebody glad to see him might help a little, and he is my land lord of course it would be rude not to say hello don't you think?' she wrote with a friendly smile, she had apparently mastered the art of conversing through writing and facial expression.

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Regina stood and watched as she started writing again, and she started to feel terrible for her, that she had to do that everytime that she wanted to say someting. Regina read the passed noteboook again. 'I do my best ma'am, I hope you'll be satisfied. I can take your mesurments now if you like and sketch up a couple things here and now for you so that you can get a loose idea of the design or mention anything you'd like to add or change". Regina liked how this girl worked and knew what she was talking about.

"Yes, now would be fine", she said as she looked down at her watch on her right wrist, while putting her purse down and got ready for her measurments. She went with Elle up the stairs and to the second bedroom. Regina stood there while she watched Elle writing again and wondered if it was a drawing of her dress. Regina took the pad and read.

'I'm sorry I inturrupted your conversation with Mr. Gold the other day the the grocery store..I hadn't meant to be intrusive but I like to greet him when I see him, I like to think having somebody glad to see him might help a little, and he is my land lord of course it would be rude not to say hello don't you think?'. Regina looked at her with a sly grin, as she could feel that this girl had possible feelings for Mr.Gold and knew that she could get involved in this and ruin the girl he locked up years ago and got out on her...Abi.

"Yes...of course that would have been rude, even if he is your landlord", she said with a scuff. "But I have to ask you something?,..ho do you feel when your around him?, she asked her while she awaited her reply as she was waiting to get measured.

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The work room itself was fairly neat though there where scraps of green fabric and the costume she'd been working on before Regina arrived was still on its stand the pretty layers of the little green skirt shimmering Elle smiled gesturing before writing 'A fairy princess dress for a little girls birthday party.' she explained simply with a warm smile before moving to grab her measuring tape at Regina’s question she fumbled looking over her shoulder and blushing writing with one hand as she gestured for Regina to remove her suit jacket neat as it was it would throw off the measurements

I respect him highly, I enjoy his company he's one of the few in town who doesn’t treat me as stupid just because I can't talk.' she admitted blushing as she moved her touches antiseptic as she wrapped the tap around the woman’s waist and chest across her shoulders along her arm and from foot to hip then hip to collar even gently around the woman throat, she didn't want the dress to tight around the neck after all. noting down the measurements she paused 'I know he probably doesn’t think much more of me than anyone else in town but he's patient with me even came with me to feed swans the other day, it may have meant very little to him but, I was very glad I admire his strength.' she admitted shifting moving gently tipping Regina’s face so she could also measure the crown of the woman’s head for the head piece and mask.

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Regina spoke in a very serious tone to her now. "You know Mr.Gold generally likes no one" she said. "But..if he talks with you and is nice to you, and even going to feed some swans..then I think that you should spend more time with him..don't you think?", she said to her with a sweet tone, as if to push her into it.

Regina watched as she continued to measure her up and down, just to make sure that it all was perfect. Regina had to add something else. "You do realize that if Mr.Gold was spending time with you, and is nice to you everytime you meet, then i'm sure that it does mean more than just a little bit to him" she added, while awaiting the next step.

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At her words Elle nodded he certainly wasn't the most approachable man, for some reason that really didn't bother her, She couldn't honestly say way She flushed brightly 'it was very nice of him But maybe he was just humoring me?' she wrote blushing as she made a fe adjustments and started sketching out her idea and sighing looking over

'Do you think so? I don't really know I haven't had much interaction, I mean' this part was scratched out as she started again 'He's fond of Miss Abi, More then fond, I think. It seems very important to me that he's happy. I don't' know why I can't explain it, but something inside me says he did something very important for me once and I want to return that. she wrote blushing brightly as she sketched

'That must sounds silly I really can't explain it it's like I forgot something he did, it must have happened when I was younger.' she wrote out shifting glancing at Regina, now they where talking she didn't seem terribly bad she seemed nicer anyway stern yes but not aweful.

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Regina had to convince this girl and fast, but maybe she would have to ease her way into it. She read what Elle was saying to her opinion. 'He's fond of Miss Abi, More then fond, I think. It seems very important to me that he's happy. I don't' know why I can't explain it, but something inside me says he did something very important for me once and I want to return that".

Regina knew that there was a connection between these two and had to get the ball rolling. She was standing there not knowing where to start, but she knew that she had to get Abi to see that Elle and Mr.Gold are somewhere together. How could Regina pull this off, she would think of something as she always did if someones happiness was involved.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with going for a tea together, however you are friends I would say, and there is nothing wrong with having a tea together and a chat" she said to her. "You should invite him to Vayda's tea and treat shop just down the street, I could take you to Mr.Golds shop so that you two can walk there together", she said to her, as she knew very well that they would be passing the school where Abi works.

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Elle looked over and smiled nodding 'I know actually I've invited him and Miss Abi here when they have time for tea and cake, I do baking in my spar time i love to share.' she wrote with a cheerful smile shifting showing Regina the sketch of the gown, the main gown was a sleeveless sweet heart neck line gown of a deep royal purple silk, it would be cut to fit and flatter her figure but not to tight that moving would be difficult. over this was the real show piece an elaborate wrap around gown of black lace, long sleeves tapering down to pointed ends on her hand and the neck line high hugging her neck, while the lace draped down in elegant folds and would flow behind her in a short train. the lace would be edged with silver detailing and on the point of each cuff there would be a purple gem to match the gems that would be in the crown, that it's self was a small classic three point tiara with open points in which purple gems would hang, draping off this would be more black lace creating the mask which would fold up just behind the ear meeting the edge of the crown like headpiece and then drape down and flow almost cape like to just past her back side. This lace also trimmed in a smaller silver lace.

'How dose this look to you?" elle questioned looking at the woman before down at the sketch blushing she wanted this comission it would do wonders for her buisness but she was also wondering about mr gold... did he really think of her diffrently from others... she kind of liked that idea.