My Fairy Queen Anne

this love left a permanent mark

He swallowed, throat dry as the Sahara as soon as the words were uttered. "I... suppose I could, yes." She hesitantly stepped out so that he could see the gnarly mess at the back of her corset. He walked over to her, one step at a time, slowly reaching out to the knot at the back, using his shaking fingers to undo it. God, he had dissected animals piece by piece with a steady hand, but as soon as Anne was in the picture, he turned into a nervous wreck. The things she did to him!

She swept her hair to the front of her body so that he had easy access to the part that was the most knotted. Steadily and silently, he dug his fingers into the string and unraveled it. After a moment or two of much tension, it was finally laced properly.

She turned to face him, a curious smile on her face. "How do you know how to lace a corset? Have you been sneaking around with the simply ravishing ladies of Toronto behind my back?" she teased, smiling kindly at him.

He shook his head, avoiding her curious gaze. "If you recall, the Blythe family used to be quite a large family. I had an aunt. Right before fever took her, I had to learn how to help her when my mother was dead, and my father was away at work."

Her gaze softened. "Oh Gilbert darling, I didn't know. I'm sorry for-"

"No, don't worry about it." He gave her a strained smile, appreciative of her compassionate character. "You didn't know."

"Well, I'm still sorry," she said softly, brushing his cheek with a soft kiss. She sighed, "I should go change before Rollings walks in and gives the town a scandal."

 Only then did he notice that she was still only in a corset and a skirt. Unapologetically, he let his eyes wander downwards, memorizing each freckle on her smooth shoulders, the dip of her collarbone, the curve of her hips, the very beginnings of her stomach. She noticed and her face flushed crimson, the color extending all the way down to the ends of her neck. He'd always wondered how far down the blush of her cheeks went.

"Are you sure you have to?" he asked reluctantly, eyes still focused on her bare shoulders with a zealous hunger she'd never seen in his eyes before.

"Gilbert!" she chastised, but laughing nevertheless, hand held up to her mouth to try and stifle her amusement.

"Perhaps it's for the best. I'd never be able to concentrate knowing that you were walking around somewhere looking like that."

"My eyes are on my face."

"And?" She simply rolled her eyes and stepped behind the folding screen. After a slow and excruciating couple of minutes for Gilbert, she stepped out in the lacy white full sleeved top and the rippling blue skirt. She had done her hair in a simple fashion, putting half of it up in a loose knot and the rest to hang freely around her face. She slipped on the dark blue jacket. He proffered his hand to her and she gladly accepted as he pulled her close.

"I'm still not used to you in long dresses," he murmured. "You look... amazing, very dignified, Queen Anne."

"Is that so?" she asked, continuing their little act. "Perhaps you will be pleased to know that it is 6:25 and that we have a full five minutes to do whatever we very well please." She grinned mischievously and Gilbert knew exactly what she was getting at. He leaned closer to her, backing her against the wall, taking her face in his hands as she closed the distance when someone burst through the door.

"Gross!" the girl exclaimed, wrinkling her nose. Anne and her beau pulled apart bashfully, both stealing a glance at each other.

"We'll finish this later," Gilbert mouthed when Josie wasn't looking.

"Hello, Josie!" Anne greeted, flustered and smoothing out her skirt and patting her hair nervously. "What are you here for?"

"Diana wants to know how much toast you want. Or should I tell her that you're eating each other's faces for breakfast instead?" The blonde girl made a face and snickered.