....oh.

She wouldn't have thought she was attached to her clothes. These are shitty clothes, even by her standards; she hasn't had a second set since the earthquake, and has only been getting them cleaned by virtue of Zara's particular talents. Zara can't mend them, though, and Korva's mundane attempts are wearing them out.

But she doesn't want to look like someone who's gotten ahead in Cheliax. She wants everyone to live with the fact that they threw her away. Maybe that's idiotic and everyone is only capable of respecting people who are somehow simultaneously wealthy and free of Asmodean taint, but -

"Well, you know much more than me, but - I'm not sure it helps to look like something I'm not. I guess it would probably be better to have another set."

"You're educated and a skilled professional, even if you've not been working in that profession yet; it's not really a lie. And gut impressions reacting to looking lower class are strong. You don't need to look rich - indeed, it's best if you don't - but if we're to get anywhere with elected burghers it's necessary to make you look like someone they're used to taking seriously. Fashion is a weapon, and to many people you've been fighting unarmed."

"Well, it's a weapon in the sense that how you dress indicates to people that you have money, and that if you don't have money, people know that they can ignore you or quite literally attack you, and not face consequences. But the whole point of giving the sortitions a voice is that this is wrong, right? That the people who no one takes seriously do have things to say, and that other orphanage workers and maids in other cities probably had fiery speeches in them, too. Maybe it's dumb, but I'm not sure I want to help everyone ignore the fact that there are women who read four languages and have been living on room, board, and three bits a week. But I guess it used to be a dollar, and I guess I don't mind dressing like that again."

"It would be a greater achievement, if we could force them to remember that. But I think it's a reach we can't grasp, and it's worse to try and fail than not try. Reminding them in words is more likely to be effective. I don't want to overdo it and make you look upper-class; Lebanel and Barrister Oriol will still be better-dressed, by high society standards. But I think it's worth it." 

"Well. I will agree to stop dressing like a homeless beggar."

"Then we can see about getting that started tonight or tomorrow, and there's nothing more to discuss secretly. Oh, but just to be explicit - if you ever want a job, now or after the convention or if you show up in Kintargo in twenty years and ask my successor, you'll have one on the spot."

She's really beginning to worry that she has spontaneously developed some kind of sorcerous enchantment that causes everyone around her to give her offers of employment. She won't cancel on the duchess immediately, but - this is a better one to have in her back pocket than Ardiaca.

She bows politely. "Thank you, Archduchess. I appreciate that, and I'll remember it."

And so they'll emerge and Jilia will get to arranging a trip to a 'dress'maker for measurements and fitting and so forth.