Just Trust Me

5

"How long do we have to stay here again?" I ask Regina, as I wrinkle my nose at the dust and mothballs that encased the summer castle. It hadn't been occupied in quite some time, that much was an easy guess.

"Just tonight and tomorrow night; Rumpelstiltskin is hosting his ball tomorrow night, so we'll be able to leave the morning after" Regina explained as the maids and servants all piled in to start cleaning.

"He's not going to try to take me away from you, is he?" I ask, my voice small. I was worried, I wasn't going to lie. I didn't want to leave Regina and I sure as hell didn't want to live with the dark one.

"Oh dear" Regina placed a hand on my cheek affectionately and ran her thumb lightly over my cheek bone "I wouldn't let him take you two feet away from my sight"

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in, and nodded. I liked Regina being affectionate towards me; she usually didn't have any physical contact with me whatsoever, so even a small touch meant for comfort made me feel butterflies. All I could think about was how much I wanted to touch her; all the things I could do to her.

Being locked in a castle didn't mean pretty girls didn't occasionally visit. I'd had my fair share of experience.

"Are you taking me to the ball with you?" I ask her, as we head up to our bedroom. I figured I'd be undoubtedly staying in the same room as her considering how close of an eye she kept on me.

"Of course; I'll have the maids fit you with a dress tonight, find some shoes for you, and you'll be all set to accompany me. I wouldn't leave you here alone, Emm-ah" my heart fluttered, and I smiled at her gratefully.

We got ready for bed after a long day of travelling, and the second my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light.

~

"Ouch! It's too tight!"

"It's supposed to lace up all the way!"

"At the expense of all my organs pressed together?"

"By the time this is on, you won't be able to breathe

"It's too fucking tight!"

"It's a fucking corset, what do you expect?"

The next morning, the maids were fitting me with a dress while Regina stayed in the other room, undoubtedly being fitted with her own dress for the night or still asleep (my guess was the latter; Even though it was nearing one in the afternoon, Regina could easily sleep until it was time to get ready for the ball). My parents had hosted plenty of balls, parties and gatherings, so I had worn dresses, plenty of them, but I'd never worn a corset. I didn't see a need for one, but these maids apparently did.

My favourite maid, Caroline, was currently behind me, pulling the strings tighter and tighter until I felt like my boobs would explode and my stomach would implode. The dress I'd be wearing was apparently very form fitting, and the corset was required.

"I didn't expect to have my ribs broken" I huff (as much as I could with my lungs constricted the way they were). Caroline and I had somewhat of a friendship formed; she was a chamber maid, one of the better ones at that, she was around my age, and she was fun to talk to when Regina was busy.

"We can try a different dress if you can't stomach the corset" Caroline let go of the strings and draped a robe over my topless body. I gratefully let out a breath I definitely knew I was holding in, and pulled the robe tightly around me before draping myself across a chair with a dramatic sigh.

"Please" I all but begged "it's not just my stomach that can't handle it, my everything else is pretty fed up too" I add in, right as the doors open and Regina shows her face for the first time all day. A part of me wonders if she just got up, while another part of me wonders if she got her dress figured out.