The Guillotine Survivor

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Thankfully, my cousin was late, because it took a whole hour of braiding, fluffing, and prodding before Mimi considered me presentable. Faye worked diligently by her side, while I remained motionless except when obeying Mimi’s direct orders. Before Mimi so much as looked for a dress for me to wear, she had to fix my hair “just right”. She circled me like a hawk, eyeing my hair from all sides. Many different styles were tried, but all of them failed Mimi’s expectations. Her brow wrinkled in concentration while she bit her lip, thoughtfully.

“I’ve got it!” she finally shrieked, her eyes brightening with her burst of enlightenment. “Faye, you need to braid this piece of hair here,” she ordered, gesturing to some hair near the front of my head.

Faye dutifully obliged, and the both of them set right to work in perfecting my hair. Other than the times one of them would ask me to hold a piece of hair, they worked in silence. I let my mind drift away, thinking about activities much more interesting and exciting than this. After a while I realized that my hair was no longer being tugged and Mimi was once again circling me like a predator surveying its prey.

“I’m done!” she finally announced, holding a mirror to my face, while hers swelled with pride.

I tentatively gazed at my reflection, pleased with what I saw. My hair was simple and modest, yet upon a closer look extremely intricate. A braid was wrapped around my head like a snake and finished its coil in the back, ending in a stylish bun. It’s surprising how much hair can add to a look, and I was shocked at my inner beauty shining through.

“It’s beautiful,” I thanked Mimi.

“When have I done any less?” Mimi teased. “Now we just need to find you a suitable dress…”

“Can’t I just wear my favorite green one?” I pleaded.

“Tsk tsk, no you can’t wear that dress! It is much too simple! Oh what would your cousin think if he saw you in that?”

“That’s why I like it,” I muttered under my breath.

“And that’s why you’re not picking out your dress. Not let’s see what you’ve got.”

Mimi began to rummage through all of my dresses. “You might as well dress her in her undergarments and get her into her corset while I’m looking for a dress,” she instructed her daughter, looking back at us over her shoulder.

“But I hate corsets!” I complained.

“Don’t whine to me. I didn’t make them!”

Faye obeyed her mother and brought the corset over to me. “I’m sorry,” she apologized, looking shyly at me.

“Don’t be, it’s not your fault.”

“Do you mind taking off your robe Mar—Miss Lisle.”

I chuckled and slipped out of my robe, folded it, and set it neatly on my chair. Faye then helped me ease my undergarments on over my hair so as not to ruin one strand. She then slipped the dreaded corset on over it and began to tighten the strings. I sucked in my breath, and pulled my stomach in as much as possible. Slowly, it became harder and harder to breath as the corset squeezed closer and closer to my chest.

“I think that should be good,” Faye finally stated, looking uneasy at my obvious discomfort.

“I found the perfect dress!” Mimi squealed, draping it over her shoulder as she strode toward us. She took one look at me in my corset and rolled her eyes. “No, it can’t be so loose!” she scolded Faye.

“Tighten it anymore, and she won’t be able to breathe at all!” Faye objected.

“She will. Watch.” Mimi took hold of the strings and in one swift motion pulled them extremely tight.