The crown molded double doors softly swung open. Inside was a king sized canopy bed with pinkish gold satin drapes that shimmered in the morning sun. The perfect dress for a "perfect" occasion on the perfect day.

"Lucy, I'm so sorry, but you have to put this on." Cana held up a corset and stared at the wired, thick cloth with disgust. "Your father's orders." Cana worked for the Heartfilia family and had so since she was six.

Lucy sat up from her bed and rubbed her eyes

"I wear one everyday. W-what's different about this one?" Lucy

Cana glanced at her lady. "It's two sizes smaller th-"

"Two?!" The seventeen years old shot out of her bed for a closer look at the new undergarment.

"Mhmm. Quite the pain in the ass. Your underwear is on the end of the bed. Dress is by the makeup table. I didn't want to rush you, but hey, I'm not in fucking charge."

Lucy turned around and slipped off her nightgown. "Is... Is today another visit?"

"Yes Miss Lucy. I believe your father is arranging you with Makarov Dreyar's grandson, or some shit like that. It's the guy with the gorgeous face and tight ass."

"You have a dirty mouth for a hand maiden." The blond woman laughed as she pulled up the first layer of her long undergarments.

"Your dad is about to rip up my contact. I'm going to be cursing a lot. There isn't a damn shit I can do to stop it."

"I'll do my best to keep you here. You're my best friend and I can't lose you."

Cana smiled and held up the corset "Thank you Madame Mushy, but I need to get this on you."

"Alright..." Lucy got ready to hang onto her vanity table.

"I'll make it loose, don't worry." Cana put the corset around her lady's torso and sighed "I swear your body is getting disfigured." The handmaid began to lace up the cloth. "I've been here for what, twelve years? All this time I've served for you and I have not been able to come up with a logical explanation for your father's bitching!" Cana tightened the strings, pushing in Lucy's stomach and squeezing her chest in so it would pop out even more.

Lucy gasped for air as she pushed against her vanity "Gahh! It's been twelve years and it still amazes me how strong you are." Lucy tried to do her best to breath.

"It's always funny when some man insists he should lift something for `A delicate flower' and later on he' see me carrying SACKS of potatoes without a problem. The look on their face is priceless."

"They don't see you like my dad does..."

A moment of silence broke between the two.

"I'm not a slave. I keep telling you this. I'm a contract worker. Two more years and I'm out."

"But, doesn't he own you?"

Cana closed her eyes and gritted her teeth "Right now yeah. I never want to think of it as him owning me, but yeah the son of a bitch does."

"What's so bad about him letting you go?"

"I didn't say that... I said he's going to rip up my contract. If he does that, there's no physical proof of the agreement I signed for. I don't get paid for the work that I've done." Cana picked up the pink and blue flowered dress her lady was going to wear. "That doesn't matter right now. You've got a husband to find. You need to look formally presentable for a possible engagement." The brunette pulled out a flask with her free hand.

Lucy was handed the gown, but all the young woman could think about was her best friend being homeless, drunk, and being passed around from man to man like a cheap toy. Cana was a strong and courageous woman, but God, she was a drunk. All it would take for her life to be ruined was a ripped up contact and someone slipping tasteless powder into her drink. After that, she would be nothing more to society than a plastic doll, washed up and muddy on an ocean shore. A filthy yet beautiful doll amongst used condoms, broken bottles, cigarette butts, heroine needles and the rest of the trash that polluted beaches. Cana walked out of the room to give Lucy privacy, but the young lady couldn't help but silently sob, in fear of what would happen to her beloved friend.