Whispers From Below

Passion, Chapter 33

After cleaning up, I packed on the numbing salve, then pressed on Cotton before bandaging myself tightly.

Wrapped in a towel, going into the closet to put on an underdress before Em could help me get dressed in whatever ridiculousness she has.

I'd rather be suffocating underwater than ever have a corset tied on me ever again. Weirdly enough it did press perfectly to the gash on my hip helping with the pain.

"This is fucking torture Em!"

She pulled again on the laces hard "Lily you're fine I literally do this every morning, just breathe. I don't understand how you've lived this long without undergarments."

Turning my head back at her, "You must have learned how to not breathe! I lived with nuns Em, this stuff was a sin and Ryland is too awkward to tell me this shit, you should have been there for the period and sex talk."

She cackled, pulling again, "well I am sure you'll learn a ton more in the castle."

Grunting then choking as she pulled the last time then tying it off. "There, Damn girl you got curves!"

My face flushed, "shut it."

She turned me to the mirror forcing me to look at my body, breasts perked up and all the curves of my body being shown off. "You don't even have the dress on and you look gorgeous. It is so not fair."

Distracted looking at myself, she had also braided my hair out of my face, curls water falling down my neck to my collarbones. Even powdered on rouge and a small amount of mascara.

The scars on my left eye were not covered, she instead kept them as they were. Never seeing myself as pretty, I felt like I was now.

The sound of ruffling fabric came behind me, she took out an ice blue dress from the box.

"Turn around and put your arms up." Doing as she said she threw the dress over my head pulling down, beads and fabric scratching at my face a bit.

Putting my arms through itchy straps that stopped and dropped at my biceps. She pulled on ribbons on the back like the corset again before turning me to the mirror.

The top of the dress was tight to my body, beaded and embroidered in a pattern like wisteria between the boning of the top. A ruffle of translucent fabric ran across my breast line in a heart like shape and was also wrapped around my arms accentuating my brutal scar like birthmark. At my waistline it cascaded out to a wispy fabric which I'm guessing is what tulle is, the beading had followed it down just slightly. The length hit the floor at my toes, I could not look away neither could she.

"I think I am now completely and utterly gay for you Lily, sorry not sorry." Bursting out laughing, walking forward to the mirror looking at what felt like a ghost.

My bracelet Ryland got me was perfectly accenting it all, "this isn't me, this is weird."

Giggling wrapping her arms around me kissing my cheek, "yup it is, you just never wear girly stuff. Now the shoes!" Jumping over to another box she lifted out heals, the gods were testing me how the fuck am I going to walk in those when I can barely walk as is. They were ice blue and lace, a few inches tall too. Having me sit down she helped me put them on.

"I feel like a mother seeing her daughter all grown up my goodness,"

She started crying, "don't cry! I should be crying, I can't move in this stuff."

Laughing "you can move Lil just not running around in grass and mud like you do." Rolling my eyes, though I felt pretty I also felt defenseless.

When she left the room I had quietly fished out one of my leg straps that held a few knives. Strapping it around my thigh then even put one down the front of my corset. I never really had weapons on me on a normal basis, but that's because running and moving around was an option.

Binx wagging his tail following me hulking myself down the stairs, "holy fuck I'm going to die just walking damned down stairs."

The country's scariest killer can't even walk down stairs in heels. Sure I was hurt, still felt like I should be getting around easier then this.

"Hey, that is not ladylike Lily!" Em was yelling at me from the bottom, coming out Jace and Ryland were there.

Ry was in a suit, his blond hair slicked back off his face. He looked beyond handsome and quite silly in a bowtie. I wanted to laugh. They both were gawking at me. Em jumped beside me wiggling her hands around like she was doing essentia "TADAAA! I made Lily an actual girl!"

Shoving her "hey I've been a girl this whole time."

She giggled at me, Ryland cleared his throat, "you look stunning Little Dove."

Jace looked at me like I had 8 heads and spikes, I swore his eyes flashed blue. Ry punched Jace's stomach forcing him to bend over coughing, my face was hot and bright red.

"Can we leave and get it over with already?" Ryland nodded, "say bye to Jace first, Em and I will be down stairs."

He was letting us have space, Jace wouldn't be able to come to the castle when I'm there. A lump grew in my throat, feeling sick to my stomach, my sight being blurry.

They both left and we stood in silence, "well? Are you just gonna look at me?"

His lips pressed together, "I'm sorry, it's just hard to process when I left you were barely a teenager and now you're this." Moving his hands around him, "what grown up?"

He bobbed his head "yes, s'weird."

Giving him a dirty look, "you're one to talk."

He laughed, "this sucks, I am just getting back and we already have to say goodbye again."

Shrugging "technically this is our first goodbye, I didn't tell you goodbye before."

His smirk made him just so much more attractive, "maybe I won't say goodbye then."

I smacked his arm hard, "owe!" Rubbing his hurt. "Don't tease me like that Jace!"

He laughed stepping closer to me, he smelt like freshly fallen leaves. His hand slowly came up to my cheek cupping it softly, the roughness of his callouses against my skin. Making my heart fluttering quicker than a hummingbird flying.

He was so close I could feel his warm breath, "goodbye Lily, I will see you soon. Just don't fall in love with any princes on me, or I am gonna have to make my body count higher."

Rolling my eyes, smiling at him "you're ridiculous." Just realizing now we were both whispering. His hand moved from my cheek to the back of my head and neck, tilting it up to him. "If we cross this line Jace, there's no going back."

Getting closer to my face, just barely touching my lips with his "That's a gamble and risk I am willing to take."

Pressing his lips against mine, the kiss felt like wine, something I could get drunk on in seconds. Making my stomach even feel warm, he pulled away slowly both of us flushed with blush.

"The only mistake I've ever made is I should have done that sooner." He then pressed his lips against my forehead before pulling me into a hug. I was really trying to hold back tears.

Em would be pissed if I messed up her makeup, "I'm not gonna let them have me for long, I'll convince them to lower the towers."

He rubbed my back, "I have no doubt in my mind that you could change this all Snowflake."