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Lycira was barley a few steps out the door when she heard her brother's voice calling her name. Lycira turned around in the door frame to face him, whom looked like he'd ran a mile. The fact that their cottage was on a very small block of land told the brunette otherwise.
"Lycira, I was afraid you wouldn't hear me in time." Will puffed, leaning against the frame. For a blacksmith he certainly seemed out of shape if running a couple of meters puffed him out this badly, Lycira thought.
"I'm sure if I was halfway down the street I could still hear you dear brother," Lycira said giving him the smirk that very few people got to see. There was an audible small chuckle from Will as he rubbed the back of his neck, and that caused Lycira to raise her eyebrow at him.
"Yes, well I just wanted to make sure you heard me," Will said as he continued rubbing his neck. Lycira placed her hand on his arm, making him stop, a soft tinge of pink highlighting his cheeks. A chuckle was heard softly from the female, already knowing what he was going to say. Honestly, Lycira found Will's crush on Elizabeth adorable.
"Yes Will, I will tell Elizabeth you bid her a good morning and give her your best wishes. Like I do every other day." Will started to protest, the tinge spreading rapidly. "Will, I'd like to think I know my brother enough to know when he fancies a girl. Besides, you're delivering Norrington's sword today aren't you?" Will nodded, slightly embarrassed that he seemed like an open-book to his sister.
"Yes, but there is no guarantee Elizabeth is going to be there to see me Ly." Oh, Lycira was going to make sure that Elizabeth was there.
"Yes well, as lovely as this chat is, I'm late as it is and I need to get going. I'll see you when I return. Have a good day," Lycira said giving his cheek a chaste peck before she rushed down the street towards the Swann household. Will watched his sister turn the corner before he decided he should get ready if he wanted to at least look presentable when he went to see the Governor later that morning.
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"I have a gift for you Elizabeth, and you as well Lycira." Those words made Lycira look up from the book that was currently resting in her hands. One of Elizabeth's other handmaidens walked over with a box in their hands at the request of the Governor. Lycira and Elizabeth exchanged a look before they approached the box. A delighted gasp was heard from Elizabeth as Lycira took a skeptical approach.
"May I inquire as to what the occasion is?" Lycira asked as she picked up her respective yellow dress. It was a beautiful floor length dress with little lace floral patterns up the side. This wasn't the first dress Lycira had received from the Governor. Having taken on the role of their father Lycira, were apart of his family in his eyes.
"As a father do I really need an occasion to dote upon his daughters?" He asked as Elizabeth gushed about the beauty of the dress. Lycira followed Elizabeth behind the changing screen. "Actually, I uh," there was a slight pause, "I had hoped you two might wear it to the ceremony today."
"Ceremony?" Elizabeth asked as the two women stripped with the help of the hand maidens. Lycira looked as her dress was held up, and questioned whether or not the dress would actually suit her.
"Captain Norrington's Promotion Ceremony."
"I knew it." Elizabeth said, poking only her head out from behind the screen. Lycira currently had her arms up as the other hand-maidens wrapped the corset around her waist and bust area. Lycira shook her head at Elizabeth, secretly agreeing with Elizabeth.
"Commodore Norringtion he's about to become." Elizabeth let out a sharp gasp, Lycira having her hands on the edge of the dresser behind the screen, bracing herself. "He's a fine gentleman. I think he fancies you Elizabeth." Another sharp gasp escaped Elizabeth, the second one louder than the first. The Governor raised his eyebrow, concern lacing his voice as he asked how it was coming along.
"It's difficult to say," the female Swann replied, as the corset was pulled tighter and tighter around her body. Lycira held her gasp in as her own started to get tightened, her nails digging into the expensive wood, leaving fingernail marks.
"I'm told it's the latest fashion in London." The Governor tried to justify, shifting nervously onto his other foot. Lycira made a mental note to curse the British fashion for this torture device the moment she was out of it.
"Well, women in London must have learned not to breathe." Elizabeth's statement made Lycira laugh out loud, before gasping herself at a particularly hard tug of the strings that were used to lace up the corset. Elizabeth was finished and turned to see her best friend grasp at the top of her corset.
"My Lord, William Turner." A servant came into Elizabeth's room addressing the Governor. Lycira's ears picked that up as she smirked to herself. Her smirk was once again lost as the last pull of her corset happened. That was it. Lycira now dubbed the corset she was currently wearing 'The Corset From Hell.'
Lycira tried to have a deep breath but found it a bit difficult. The rest of the yellow dress was pulled onto the two females, giving them limited time for breathing room. "If I had known that this was entitled in the today's activities, I would've politely declined," Lycira spoke as she walked away from the women after her dress was pulled on. Lycira ran a hand through her hair before being given the small matching bonnet.
Elizabeth turned and look at her friend smirking. "You've looked better." she said, causing Lycira to turn towards her. Lycira raised her eyebrow ever so slightly, giving Elizabeth a look as if to say, 'says you'.
"The carriage is outside, we should probably go now." Lycira said instead, choosing the safer option of the two. The two females linked arms and headed towards the staircase leading towards the front door.
Will, who was downstairs, turned from the Governor to look at his sister and Elizabeth, whom took his breath away. "Will," Elizabeth said, continuing down the stairs at a quicker pace than before, slightly dragging Lycira with her. "It's so good to see you!"
Lycira separated from Elizabeth grabbing the glass of water being offered to her. She took a sip right as Elizabeth said "I had a dream about you last night." It took all Lycira had not to spit that water out. In the end, she had three sets of eyes on her wondering if she was okay.
"It was about the day we met. Do you both remember?" Elizabeth asked, turning back to face Will. Lycira came and stood beside her brother and her best friend, wiping the corners of her mouth ever so slightly.
"How can I forget Miss Swann?" Will asked not taking his eyes off Elizabeth. Lycira had a smaller sip of the water in the glass, looking at Elizabeth out of the corner of her eye.
"Will, how many times must I ask you to call me Elizabeth?" The female Swann questioned, causing a pink tinge of the cheeks of the male Turner. Lycira smiled to herself, hiding it behind the glass.
"At least once more Miss Swann," Will answered. "As always." Lycira looked at her brother as Elizabeth's father spoke to her. Lycira saw the sword that Will had been working on for the past few days, bringing a smile to her mouth. She knew how proud Will was of his work and Lycira had opened her mouth to congratulate her brother, but the Governor spoke first, telling the two girls to 'come along.' Lycira sighed, following her friend and her father, again cursing London fashion for creating the torture device that goes by the name of a corset.
