Match Made in HeVan Read Online Free
Author: Lucy Kelly
thought away for future reference. The previous evening while she waited for the transmission from Grace, she noticed the ship’s computer was fully interfaced with the planetary systems. She downloaded five hundred years of KowLer history to study when she had the time. For now, she brought up historical fashion files. Narrowing her search to wedding clothes, she projected her results as a three dimensional hologram standing on the table in front of her. She took time to scroll through the images provided. She was pleased to see the predominantly red dresses changed to other colors when she went back more than one hundred and forty years. The one thing the garments had in common was the way they covered the body. Almost no skin was visible.
She persevered and went back further and further in time. The garments began to change radically in style. Since her DRD had connected with the KowLer database once before, she had the access route in memory. Even as she watched the clothing of bygone eras float in front of her, she was pulling in even older images. Refining her search, she limited the results to dresses worn in royal marriages beginning three hundred years in the past and going backwards in time.
All of her attention was on the clothing in front of her so she only heard the exclamations made by GemMa and NorMa’s assistants as the various gowns flashed by. As she perused the queens’ gowns from four generations back and beyond, she noticed that all of the women wore a specific piece of jewelry, which none of the more recent brides wore. By the time she’d gone back more than a thousand years, she’d made up her mind. Unfortunately, she would require the services of a superb needlewoman and she didn’t trust NorMa. Shutting down the DRD, she replaced the table and looked over at the women clustered together on the couch. NorMa, she could see, was no longer bothering to hide her anger.
“GemMa, how did NorMa become the royal seamstress?”
“Majesty, she was chosen by the king’s mother when she became queen,” GemMa answered.
“And what does it mean to be the royal seamstress?”
“She has apartments here at the palace. She oversees all the manufacture of fabrics, both in type and pattern. She decides all the fashion for the palace females. Clothing is made available for those who have need four times a year,” she recited.
“Why is clothing only made available four times per year?” Malpha wanted to know.
“The changing of the weather means different garments are required. Worn and threadbare garments may be exchanged for newer ones in the correct size at that time.”
“Well that explains much. Is it the same outside of the palace?”
“Very much so, as women are not allowed professions. Seamstresses are women with no husband but still they are not supposed to be seen to be in business.”
It was a small thing, but Malpha had found her first battle. She wouldn’t start the battle as yet; she still needed to collect information. Cassandra had said she and her daughters would change the KowLer for all time.
“Which of you is the best with a needle?” she asked. All of the women looked to the one sitting at the end of the sofa.
“What is your name?”
“QuenBy, Majesty,” she said in a soft voice looking at her lap.
“GemMa, when was the last clothing distribution?”
“We had it just before your arrival, Majesty.”
“NorMa, you may speak. You are relieved of all duties as the royal seamstress. Do you wish to marry?” she asked the woman.
“I am past the age of marriage, the same as you. Without my work, I have no purpose. I am too old to bear young, like you,” she said. The other women in the room gasped at her audacity.
“If you wish to marry and have young, I can arrange it. There are ten million men and only some fifty thousand women on HeVan. Any who are willing to mate with more than one male are encouraged to come. You would be happy there on HeVan; the females make
She persevered and went back further and further in time. The garments began to change radically in style. Since her DRD had connected with the KowLer database once before, she had the access route in memory. Even as she watched the clothing of bygone eras float in front of her, she was pulling in even older images. Refining her search, she limited the results to dresses worn in royal marriages beginning three hundred years in the past and going backwards in time.
All of her attention was on the clothing in front of her so she only heard the exclamations made by GemMa and NorMa’s assistants as the various gowns flashed by. As she perused the queens’ gowns from four generations back and beyond, she noticed that all of the women wore a specific piece of jewelry, which none of the more recent brides wore. By the time she’d gone back more than a thousand years, she’d made up her mind. Unfortunately, she would require the services of a superb needlewoman and she didn’t trust NorMa. Shutting down the DRD, she replaced the table and looked over at the women clustered together on the couch. NorMa, she could see, was no longer bothering to hide her anger.
“GemMa, how did NorMa become the royal seamstress?”
“Majesty, she was chosen by the king’s mother when she became queen,” GemMa answered.
“And what does it mean to be the royal seamstress?”
“She has apartments here at the palace. She oversees all the manufacture of fabrics, both in type and pattern. She decides all the fashion for the palace females. Clothing is made available for those who have need four times a year,” she recited.
“Why is clothing only made available four times per year?” Malpha wanted to know.
“The changing of the weather means different garments are required. Worn and threadbare garments may be exchanged for newer ones in the correct size at that time.”
“Well that explains much. Is it the same outside of the palace?”
“Very much so, as women are not allowed professions. Seamstresses are women with no husband but still they are not supposed to be seen to be in business.”
It was a small thing, but Malpha had found her first battle. She wouldn’t start the battle as yet; she still needed to collect information. Cassandra had said she and her daughters would change the KowLer for all time.
“Which of you is the best with a needle?” she asked. All of the women looked to the one sitting at the end of the sofa.
“What is your name?”
“QuenBy, Majesty,” she said in a soft voice looking at her lap.
“GemMa, when was the last clothing distribution?”
“We had it just before your arrival, Majesty.”
“NorMa, you may speak. You are relieved of all duties as the royal seamstress. Do you wish to marry?” she asked the woman.
“I am past the age of marriage, the same as you. Without my work, I have no purpose. I am too old to bear young, like you,” she said. The other women in the room gasped at her audacity.
“If you wish to marry and have young, I can arrange it. There are ten million men and only some fifty thousand women on HeVan. Any who are willing to mate with more than one male are encouraged to come. You would be happy there on HeVan; the females make
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