Kingdoms In Ruling <Jamilton>

Chapter TwentySix...Observations/

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\Lafayette POV/

The girl Eliza had brought unnerved me. Her eyes were too quick, her stance too protective, shoulders too broad. It looked as if she was both trying to hide and stand tall without a show of fear at the same time.

It was interesting to observe.

The red girl must've noticed my gaze because she tensed, not looking my way. She followed quickly after Eliza, unsure of her footing and where she might trespass, looking at her surroundings without moving her head.

"So," I heard Hercules start to speak from the other room. "Are you sure you're okay with me taking measurements?"

Red tensed slightly, a pained look in her eye. Eliza must have noticed it too, quickly butting in.

"I could do it!" Red turned to gaze at her and she flushed quite madly. "I-I mean- if you're not comfortable with Herc doing it, um, you see. Yes." Loss for words.

"I'd like that." Red soothed, expression soft despite the tremors visible in her hands. Eliza smiled brightly as Red's lips quirked in a way that made it seem she wasn't used to such an expression.

"Alright, 'Liz," Hercules went back into a different room as Red gazed around. "Do you want me to guide you through it?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay, Maria," That was her name? Oddly fitting. "Do you want to get the awkward fits done first?" Hercules asked, gentleman as always.

"Might as well." Maria responded uneasily.

Hercules handed Eliza a long string of thin rope with tags tied in various places evenly. "Maria, stand straight, and lift your arms. Eliza is going to wrap this around your, um, chest. To measure your bust. Yes."

Maria stared at Hercules for a long moment, face unreadable but her eyes just a bit unhinged, before making a weird face and slowly lifting her arms up.

Eliza wasn't doing any better; she was blushing madly, unmoving for a second before practically snapping back into action, reaching around and looping the rope across her chest.

"Now, make sure it's snug, not too tight. Read out the number that crosses." Hercules was busily messing with something behind a counter.

"Um. 33?"

He stopped for a moment to write it down with a brown quill Alexander had gifted him. "Okay. Now go under the bust. Read the number."

I watched with faint amusement as Eliza, embarrassingly, slowly dropped the measuring rope to its appropriate position. "31, but halfway."

"Okay, now measure the smallest part of her waist." He looked over. "No, bit higher. There. Don't hold your breath, Maria. Number?"

"25."

"Damn. Okay." Hercules proceeded to write down a 27.5. "Hips. Widest part."

Eliza went to stand beside Maria so she didn't have to touch her behind. "36, half."

"Legs?"

Eliza fumbled. I tuned out her answer as I stared at Maria. She was looking down at Eliza, face expressionless and otherwise motionless, save for her eyes flickering and holding something soft.

Then Maria tensed suddenly and hazel eyes met mine, expression flickering. I held her gaze before I was startled out of it by Hercules soft touch on my shoulder.

If he saw our little standoff, he didn't show it. "Could you get the fabric from the top shelf, please?"

I rolled my eyes, suppressing a small smile, going over to the wrong shelf. "Why'd you make everything so high up?"