"Winter's the theme, but real mountain winter, the clear blue sky, the, you know, the bushes all green and red peeking out from beneath the snow, the kind of cold that makes you [i]shiver[/i] but smile?"

Dolly is not wearing her (beautiful, exquisite, oh-my-stars-Jade) outfit, the one that only she's seen. Well, her and [i]Mayze Szerpaws[/i]. And Smokeless Jade Fires. Just the three of them. Their little secret. It's the memory of that dress (how Smokeless Jade Fires draped it over her, pulled the cloak snug, kissed her cheek) that puts the bounce in her step.

[i]This[/i] time, she's not shopping alone. That's not the only difference-- she's not shopping for herself, either-- but it's the really important one. With Ksharta [i]and[/i] Ada [i]and[/i] Sixes around her, she's safe from Valynia. Almost certainly safe. Probably safe. Because, goshies, if Valynia showed up with enough firepower for all [i]four[/i] of them, and decided that they were all coming with, kittenish Ksharta and maternal Ada and teasing Sixes, and their safety depended on Dolly's willingness to do [i]whatever[/i] she said, no matter how degrading, and--

"Hmm?! Ooh! That's some really, the lace does set it off well, do you think we can find something with pearls in the lace, though?"

[i]"Platinum beading," Jade adds. She's trying "fashion" herself. Layers of white silk edged in her fires, burning without consuming, flowering in gold down her front, cuffed in cobalt. It's a powerful outfit for a powerful goddess. "That would fit better than pearls."

Doesn't she even see it? Not the beading. They're all looking to her, and not just because she's the mouth of the goddess. She's the rope that binds them all together. That damned pirate had good taste, stealing the most valuable treasure in the entire tournament. Each victory represents glory, and not just for Jade herself (who deserves every accolade, demonstrating that her peerless skill allows her to overcome any challenge, to confound every mortal who had the bad luck to be matched against them). No, when they win the tournament, it's going to be all for the glory of Dolly.

They will lift her on a pedestal! They will put her face on their iconography! She will look so sensual in her bodysuit, and no one will ever know how they will be broadcasting her hidden submission and restraint when they reproduce her victors' portraits! The three great civilizations of the stars will learn the name of her bride, and they will pay homage to her, and Jade will curl her tails around her priceless captive on her victor's throne and whisper: "I did all of this for you."

And then, oh, and then? She'll discover, waiting for her in Jade's idol, the two gifts that she'll be taking with her from the tournament: Ksharta Talonna and Angela Victoria Miera Antonius~! They will, of course, both be honored that they are being added to the goddess's harem on a permanent basis. Who wouldn't be? Now, the only question remaining was whether to risk using her own cult to arrange Dolly's victory present, or to contract out those uncouth Red Banders for the most effective (and arousing) abduction the cult could afford...[/i] 

"Excuse me, do you have anything with platinum beading?" Dolly asks, Ksharta doing a good job of looking like she isn't hiding behind her. The tip of Dolly's tail wraps around Ksharta's ankle with a squeeze as she dives into negotiations with the sales-Terenian on how they can, together, fulfill the will of the goddess. (Ada is stalking back into the shelves, trying to find a possible third option, something to gruffly offer the "perky little thing.")

Someone might come to entirely the wrong (or entirely the right?) conclusion if they were to notice the hand held behind Dolly's back, fingers intertwined with Ksharta's own. How else was Ksharta supposed to be able to see their goddess? How else was Ksharta supposed to feel the comforting embrace of their collars, and hear the calming tinkle of their bells? And how else was Ksharta supposed to know that, victory or no victory, Dolly still wanted to be around her?

(And how could she hope to hint to Jade that, victory or no victory, Dolly still loves her?)