"Why the clocking hell wouldn't Vandela tell me he was retiring?" Rina asked Estella as she angrily ripped up the note that she had gotten. She threw the scraps into the fire and hobbled back to her desk, taking out her writing supplies.
"I don't know, ma'am. Perhaps it wasn't an expected retirement? I know that sometimes family emergencies come up," Estella said as she refreshed Rina's tea.
"Well, it doesn't matter now. The chroveshit has no idea how much money he's going to be missing out, not just from me. Good luck affording Mulugeta pez Jotaku fabrics without the godsdamned discount that I arranged for Vandela. I've seen the new owner's work. It's nothing without Ja's fabrics," Rina said with a spiteful chuckle as she wrote a letter to her ja to explain the situation.
"Have you heard about any new tailors in town, Barclay?" she asked the butler as he entered the room to see what the ruckus was about. Confusion crossed Barclay's face, so Rina explained the situation.
"Ah, yes," Barclay said. "I have heard there's a new up-and-coming tailor, some man named Feldspar? Anastasia's servant Minnie was going on about him when I went over to deliver your dinner invitation the other night."
"Good. I'll go to him. Anastasia has good taste and, if Minnie's raving about his clothing, it's good enough for me," Rina said as she set the letter to her ja aside to dry and began a new letter.
Hello, Mr. Feldspar,
I will be quick and cut to the point. I have found that my favorite tailor has retired. His former apprentice chooses to not continue working with me, as he doesn’t like to collaborate and finds it too much of a “hassle” to modify designs to suit someone in a wheelchair. I have heard good things about your clothing and would like to collaborate with you to make a fabulous dress for my upcoming birthday. I have enclosed one of my designs to show you an example of my work though, obviously, whatever we design for the birthday party will involve input from both of us.
Cost is no object here, but I will happily help keep your costs down to compensate for the hassle of dressing a cripple. Perhaps you have heard of Mulugeta pez Jotaku fabrics? One of my fathers is an owner of that company. If you would be interested in working with me, I would be happy to talk to my ja about setting up a discount for fabric for you to use at your store.
If you are up to the challenge, I have enclosed my calling card with my address. I shall be expecting you at 23 o’clock on the 10th. If that time is not convenient to you or you choose not to work with me, please be so kind as to let me know.
Sincerely,
Aeinsa Zahaarina Salifa
"See that this is delivered tonight, Barclay," Rina said as she put the letter to the side and wheeled herself out of the room.
Barclay sighed as Estella turned to follow Rina. "I don't suppose you know where this Feldspar's shop is, Estella?"
Estella laughed. "I don't. But I'm sure you'll find it."