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Only a feeeks of being besieged, and the city was already strained near to breaking Food was terribly expensive, and Elend had been forced to open the city stockpiles The people were on edge Soht the attack had been a victory for Luthadel, taking it as a good sign that the army had been "repelled" Most, however, were simply even ain, Vin was left with a conundru force? Cower, or try to continue with life? Straff had tested the walls, true--but he had er part of his army back and in position, should Cett have tried to make an opportunistic attack at that time He'd wanted information, and he'd wanted to intimidate the city

"I still don't know if this ood idea," OreSeur said "The attack aside, Straff is not a man to be trusted Kelsier had me study all of theto become Lord Renoux Straff is deceitful and harsh, even for a hu her trousers, then pulled on the dress's slip It wasn't as tight as soh and legs Good so far

OreSeur's objection was logical One of the first things she had learned on the street was to avoid situations where it was difficult to flee Her every instinct rebelled at the idea of walking into Straff's camp

Elend had made his decision, however And, Vin understood that she needed to support hiree with the move Straff wanted to inti as he thought Not as long as he had to worry about Cett

Vin had had enough of intimidation in her life In a way, Straff's attack on the walls left her feeling eveninto his camp seeht about it, theto get to Straff He had to see the tactics had worked That was the only way they would win

Thatsurrounded, entering the eneet out of the cae morale boost for the city Beyond that, it would make Ham and the rest of the crew more confident in Elend Nobody would even have questioned the idea of Kelsier entering an eneotiate; in fact, they probably would have expected hi convinced Straff to surrender

I just need toon the dress Straff can display all the muscle he wants--none of it willhis attacks

She nodded to herself, sing screen, studying herself in her h the dressmaker had obviously sewn it to retain a traditional forular bell shape, but instead fell a bit straighter down along her thighs It was cut open near the shoulders--though it had tight sleeves and open cuffs--and the waist bent with her and gave her a good range ofShe was surprised at how light the dress felt, and hoell she moved in it Of course, any skirt would hardly be ideal for fighting--but this one would be an enormous improvement over the bulky creations she had worn to the parties a year before

"Well?" she asked, spinning

OreSeur raised a canine eyebrow "What?"

"What do you think?"

OreSeur cocked his head "Why ask me?"

"Because I care what you think," Vin said

"The dress is very nice, Mistress Though, to be honest, I have always found the garments to be a little ridiculous All of that cloth and color, it doesn't see a pair of sapphire barrettes to pin the sides of her hair back a bit frootten how s could be to wear"

"I fail to see why that would be, Mistress"

"That's because you're a man"

"Actually, I'm a kandra"

"But you're a boy kandra"

"How do you know that?" OreSeur asked "Gender is not easy to tell in my people, since our for an eyebrow "I can tell" Then she turned back to her jewelry cabinet She didn't haveof jewelry during her days as Valette, she had given most of it to Elend to help fund various projects She had, however, kept a few of her favorites--as if she'd known that she'd someday find her way back into a dress

I'ht This still isn't me

She snapped on a sapphire bracelet Like her barrettes, it contained no emstones were set into a thick hardwood that closed with a wooden twist-clasp The only metal on her body, then, would be her coins, her estion, as a bit of ency

"Mistress," OreSeur said, pulling so out from under her bed with his paw A sheet of paper "This fell frorabbed it between two of his surprisingly dexterous paw fingers and held it up for her

Vin accepted the paper Lady Heir, it read

I ive support--and cut the skirts so they would resist flaring--in case you need to jump There are slits for metal vials in each of the cuffs, as well as a ripple in the cloth cut to obscure a dagger strapped around each forearm I hope you find the alterations suitable

Feldeu, Dress the cuffs They were thick and wide, and the way they pointed at the sides ht around the upper arers could be strapped

"It seems that he has made dresses for Mistborn before," OreSeur noted

"Probably," Vin said Shemirror to apply a little makeup, and found that several of her makeup pads had dried out Guess I haven't done this for a while either