Unmasked || Dreamwastaken (On Hold)

XI • Bottled Up

  T/W: Violence

When I had returned from the riverbank, I found that the clothes that I had hidden under my bed had been taken, just as I expected. I didn't give myself any time to worry about it before I hid my boots away. That's all that mattered, that my boots were safe.

  I had woken up that next morning to an even worse dress than the previous day's. Something told me that this had been Eret's choice and it gave me a real good idea of what it would be like to be married to him. The blue and black dress's neckline was nearly choking me because of how high it was and the corset that was built into the dress was even worse than the last. Instead of the pure cloth material of the day before, this was a full corset, although a bit smaller than those I had to wear under ball gowns, made with the usual rigid material that made it impossible to bend.

It was another day of what I considered to be torture whilst Edmund spoke to both Eret and Schlatt to decide who I'd marry. I didn't know how much more I could take of this and it had only been two days. This would be my whole life. I dealt with both the ideals of Schlatt and Eret combined into one horrible mess. Eret took away my knives and Schlatt limited my food. Eret cared about modesty and Schlatt would never give up in his relentless flirtations.  Eret cared about being a good king to the point of lacking empathy for others and Schlatt craved the power.

  The two of them had their reasons for wanting to marry me. Eret wanted to look good. He wanted his kingdom to see him as charitable and accepting seeing as he took a bride with the curse of Gione. Schlatt just wanted power. He wanted to take the throne in Gione because his brother had already taken the throne in his own kingdom. He was bitter and wanted to feed his need for control.

  I was just a stepping stone to getting what they wanted and I knew that. Schlatt was very honest and made it clear to me that he didn't care while Eret continued to try to get on my good side. He could make all of the attempts he wanted at becoming my friend, but I still knew what he was really after. They looked at me the same way. I was an object that gave them an advantage in the sick game of politics.

  I didn't see them at all that day, but I heard them together with Edmund in the dining hall while I took my portion from the kitchen. I never thought that I'd miss the fear in people's eyes when they looked at me, but watching them look at me as if I was an injured animal past the point of help was so much worse. That was how all of the workers in the palace looked at me as I walked by them in an outfit that they knew that I would never wear willingly. The women who forced me to dress this way gossiped. Fiona wasn't there anymore, but the women could still see me losing hope despite not knowing me all that well.

  I wasted the day away until I could reach my only escape. Dream was sitting there scribbling in his notebook when I arrived. He noticed my presence and looked over his shoulder at me with a raised eyebrow. "Who the hell forced you into that?"

  I sighed and sat down beside him. "Eret."

  He looked at the way that the skirt had puffed out around me and held back a laugh. "Well, hello miss petticoat."

  I rolled my eyes at him. "Oh, shut up. I feel like a show pony again."

  "You look like the headmistress at Drista's school." He laughed at me before gesturing towards my corset. "Besides that. Aren't those supposed to be under the dress?"

  "Apparently it's fashionable to wear it on the outside." I let out a a short sigh with the limited breath in my lungs. "You know what it is? Torture."

  "Just take it off." Dream pulled at the ties in the front.

  I swatted his hand away with a laugh. "Easier said than done, Dream. It's a part of the dress."