Shadow Lord
Braze paused, then gave a small, conceding inclination of his head.
"Fair point… You introduced yourself, and I neglected to return the courtesy. It seems my manners abandoned me somewhere between taking your measurements and imagining you draped in silk."
A faint flush warmed his cheeks, though the little smile resting upon his lips remained entirely unrepentant.
"My name is Braze."
He accepted Corvo's outstretched hand, offering a firm clasp rather than the delicate touch one might expect from someone of his size. His grip carried the assurance of someone accustomed to martial practice, though he released Corvo after only a courteous moment.
"And now I can properly place a name upon your order…" Braze began, then paused, one pale brow lifting. "Though, do you have a surname, sir?"
Braze turned the sketchpad around and shifted closer, holding it where Corvo could comfortably examine the collection of designs. There was not merely one drawing upon the illuminated surface, but several arranged beside one another, each presenting a slightly different interpretation of what they had discussed.
The first showed a fitted damask jacket cut close through the shoulders and waist, formal without appearing rigid. Its patterning had been worked into the fabric with restraint, visible when the light caught its raised surface rather than shouting across the garment. Beneath it sat a Karlini silk shirt with a softened collar and sleeves generous enough to move freely without becoming cumbersome. The cuffs narrowed near the wrists, keeping the fabric clear of Corvo's hands while preserving the graceful fall of the silk.
One variation paired deep blue with muted gold accents, the warmer metal confined to the fastenings, embroidery, and narrow borders of the jacket. Another exchanged those tones for silver and gunmetal, laid against black so the paler details would complement Corvo's hair without leaving the entire ensemble cold or washed out.
Braze had included a third coloration as well: a rich, dark green paired with silver, apparently unwilling to surrender that particular suggestion despite Corvo's earlier preferences.
"The damask would be understated," Braze explained, tracing one pale finger along the jacket's sketched lapel. "Something seen more clearly at close range, or when you move beneath the light. No red and gold, and nothing that might be mistaken for expensive curtains."
I raised the waist slightly and left more room through the hips and thighs. You said you were not planning to fight in it, but I see no reason formal clothing should punish you for possessing a full range of motion."
A discreet seam followed the side of the jacket, positioned to part around a concealed holster rather than bunch over it. Beneath that, Braze had drawn a fitted harness that would distribute the weapon's weight across Corvo's frame without pulling the jacket unevenly to one side.
"The holster would sit here. The harness itself would be made from something more durable than the outer garments, but I can cover the visible portions in matching fabric. Unless someone knows precisely where to look, it should appear to be part of the tailoring."
He gave him time to review the sketches.
"How is this?" Braze asked gently. "The colors can be changed, the damask made more subtle or more pronounced, and I can alter the length of either. I would rather adjust the design now than hand you something beautiful that does not feel like yours."
He lowered the sketchpad slightly, his pale jade gaze settling upon Corvo with renewed interest.
"As for dinner… I should be free by five....After that, Corvo, I'm all yours for the evening."