Stitch in Time

Stitch in Time
Product information
Type Short story
Author Dayle A. Dermatis
Pages 13
Publication information
Publisher BattleCorps
First published 31 August 2005
Content
Era Succession Wars era
Timeline 19—20 August 3028

Stitch in Time is a short story by Dayle A. Dermatis that was published online on BattleCorps on 31 August 2005.

Teaser text[edit]

Dayle Dermatis weaves us a tale of sheer bravery and bravado.

Plot summary[edit]

Like something out of a fairy tale, Melissa Steiner, daughter of Archon Katrina Steiner, had spotted a dress she loved in the window of a dressmakers shop whilst passing in a limousine one day. Stopping to investigate further, Melissa had quickly bundles the seamstress responsible for the dress, Kaylin, into her limousine and hired her for a singular job - to make the wedding dress Melissa would wear during her wedding on Terra to First Prince Hanse Davion of the Federated Suns.

Finishing the work on Terra, having been allowed into the Hilton Head facility as a part of the Lyran Commonwealth delegation, Kaylin is entertaining dreams of what it might be like to actually be allowed to attend the wedding when she's left alone by Melissa's chamberlain with a damaged dress to repair - and in a moment of daring, repairs the dress and uses it to disguise herself as a guest, so that she can see Melissa firsthand as she walks to the altar in the dress Kaylin made.

Kaylin expects to be discovered at any moment, but is instead met by the charming Lawrence Kennersley, who sweeps her off her feet during the wedding and insists on escorting her into the reception - only to then force her to escort him into the presence of Melissa as the infamous wedding toasts are made. Using a concealed knife to control Kaylin, Lawrence is on the verge of getting close enough to Melissa to harm her when Kaylin manages to momentarily distract him, and stabs him in the side with a small pair of sewing scissors, causing enough noise that a guard spots Kennersley and intercepts him.

A subsequent investigation - and a petition from Melissa herself - leads to Kaylin being found innocent of any charges of willingly assisting Kennersley in his assassination attempt, and Kaylin is richly rewarded for her heroics - and required to sign a strict confidentiality agreement, binding her to never disclose what had happened. Offered employment by the Steiner-Davions, Kaylin declines, determined to seek her fortune elsewhere ... based on her newfound reputation as the visionary responsible for Melissa's wedding dress.