Aelfwear

By Katey Hawthorne

Frida Aelfling and her siblings run the family's business in the bustling metropolis of New Galdir. Aelfwear provides not only an overnight couture shoemaking service, but imbue their wares with elf-magic and personalized glamours. They work inexplicably faster than most elves, though, and that makes them a target for unscrupulous corporate types who want to dissect and exploit their work.

One such was Morgan van Regering. To add insult to injury, his bride-to-be, Angelique Constantin is coming to Aelfwear for shoes for their lavish society engagement party. At first, she and Frida clash, but then they find common cause. Frida employs her elf shoe magic in making couture the fastidious Van Regering will hate, all while Angie turns her efforts to annoying him in every other way possible.

It could end up being a lucrative business proposition for Angie and Frida--with some love in the bargain, if Frida can stow the paranoia.

• Language: English
• Publisher: KV Taylor
• Release date: Jul 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463336755

Katey Hawthorne

Katey Hawthorne loves queer romance. Originally from the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, she currently lives in Ohio with her family, two cats, and two huge puppies. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, comic books, B-movies, loud music, video games, Epiphones, and Bushmills. Her favorite causes include animal rescue and bisexual representation in media. She is an unashamed fangirl and collects nerdy tattoos like she’s trying to prove it.

Book preview

Aelfwear

Aelfwear

By Katey Hawthorne

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission of the author, except for the purpose of reviews.

This book is a work of fiction and all names, characters, places, and incidents are fictional or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, places, or events is coincidental.

Aelfwear originally appeared in Enchanted Soles edited by Sasha L. Miller from Less Than Three Press, 2016.

Aelfwear Copyright © 2016, 2019 by Katey Hawthorne

Smashwords Edition

Cover Photo by Mohammad Metri on Unsplash

Like the sign says, ma'am, we only have one size system, I explained. We don't feel that our shoes fit the gender binary. But we can suggest something with a more femme aesthetic—or that looks well with wider or thinner widths, or whatever you like.

She was an older woman, her hair dyed fashionably blue and piled high atop her head, no doubt styled by some overpriced stylist on the Avenue. "You think just because you're in demand, you can do things special?"

That's exactly what we think, yes. I wanted to say it meanly, but forced myself to retain the prim-and-proper Aelfryde persona I liked to present to the public. We'll get you fitted properly, never fear. Have you decided on enchantments, yet?

Her face had gone several shades darker by the time I finished, but she bit down hard and—like they all did—nodded in agreement. Glamour, I think.

Glamour enchantments are part of the basic package. Here's the list. I slid my finger across the countertop and the display lit up with the simplest options. One is—

I need three, she said without looking at the display. She had thought this through, then. They usually did.

Here are the rates. I swiped my finger over the counter again, changing up the display.

She looked, this time, and frowned at it. "A woman I spoke to online said she got three enchantments for far less than—"

Our rates vary based on the means of our clients. I shouldn't have had to say it; everyone knew it before they came in. And yet, some of them still made me. At least one a day—and always the rich ones.

How do you—?

Goblins, I said.

It's an invasion of privacy. She sniffed.

My prim-and-proper Aelfryde persona was getting harder and harder to maintain. It was all in bold print on the waiver form you signed when you made your appointment.

"Well, I didn't know it'd be for that."

I had to bite back a sigh. Here went the speech, again. Our shoes aren't just for the rich and famous or New Galdir elite. Anyone who makes the trip to Aelfwear gets our undivided attention and custom service—and shoes.

That is not equality.

It would be, if the rest of the world behaved the same way.

Communists. She scoffed.

I glanced around the shop, Aelfwear's home for two centuries, in one form or another, on some of the most coveted real estate on the Avenue. Expensive (but tasteful) crystal fixtures, cutting edge display technology for both customers and staff, beautiful leather couches, silver coffee service, and that wasn't even getting into what the new mahogany flooring had run us.

Capitalist as fuck, in short, no matter our semi-socialist pricing policies. So I laughed.

Fine, she snapped.

I flipped back to the enchantments screen, and she began selecting.

Sig will get you measured, I told