Tale As Old As Time

Chapter 2

MALAYA PULLED AT THE DOOR ONCE AGAIN, sighing when it didn't magically open. The woman had locked her in the room after laying out a day dress on the bed. She instructed Malaya to stay in the room, wait for food brought by a servant, and not to leave until it was the evening so no one else will see her. When she left, she locked the door behind her.

Why was there a need to lock the door? Malaya didn't understand it and couldn't think of a reasonable explanation. She gave up trying to open the door and sat on one of the seats in front of the fireplace. Next to it was a full-sized mirror and a table.

Her face itched from the makeup last night and she was cold and stiff. She looked through the room earlier and found a bathroom. There was a bathtub but no faucet or shower. There was a counter with a basin but no water. It didn't make sense to her - this wasn't the olden times. Yes, she was in a stately home built in the 1600s but there was a powder room with a sink and running water last night. Why did the woman bring her here instead of there?

She needed to change so she can get out of here. Malaya managed to undress herself without much twisting and straining. She also discarded her corset, relieved that the layers were off. Although enjoyable to wear during pretend balls, Malaya wasn't much of a fan of corsets and bras. She liked the freedom that she had without those when she moved her body. She only used them when she needed support or when her girls might be easily noticed.

She went over to the canopy bed, leaving her things in the useless bathroom. She rubbed her arms with her hands as goosebumps pricked from her skin. Malaya stood in her cotton pajama dress that she used in place of a chemise, staring at the dress that the woman gave her. The day dress she was given consisted of a blue bodice and skirt with black stripes. Malaya glanced at the corset on the floor, regretting her impulsive decision to take it off. Alice was the one who laced and tied it for her because she couldn't put it on the right way. Now, no one was here to help her.

She looked at herself in the mirror observing her ruffled black hair and smudged makeup. She decided not to bother with the corset. Malaya stepped into the skirt. It had a train with flounces on the back as well as a slight drape trimmed with lace on the front. At the side under the drape was a small clamp. "So far so good," she whispered to herself when it didn't fall off of her.

The bodice had three-quarter sleeves trimmed with a softer lace. It had a high collar around the back of her neck starting from the shoulders, and a low square neckline at the front. It also had lace trimming with the same fabric as the sleeves' laces. The back of it was cinched and blossomed out at the back, falling atop of the flounces. Malaya took her time buttoning up the front of the top, her mind busy coming up with a plan on how to get home.

Looking back at her reflection, Malaya saw that the day dress fell flat on her. Although the top was a little loose, it would have fit her better if she had a corset underneath to keep its shape. She turned a little to see the back of the skirt. It was horrendous. Unlike the volume she had on her skirt last night, her skirt looked like it was hanging on a clothesline. Malaya shook her head. She didn't have to be an expert to know what went wrong: she hadn't put a bustle under the skirt to hold up the flounces.

She couldn't use the material she used for her skirt last night as it was sewn into the skirt. The costume was supposed to be used for cosplaying, not practicality.

She squeezed her eyes shut as her self confidence plummeted, and willed herself to fix the bird's nest atop her head. She wasn't here to be pretty right know after all. She was here to get changed into-- into what exactly? She expected the woman to give her normal clothes but this was what she gave her instead. Perhaps this was the only thing they had available because they don't always get party guests staying the night and leaving in the morning.