Chapter 12:
It felt like she had only been asleep for about five minuets but in reality she had been asleep much longer. When Emma stuck her head out side the wagon the sky was turning a reddish-orange color as the sun went down.
"Glad you're finally up," Othello said who was stirring the horses of the wagon, "You've been sleeping ever since that bug attacked you and Bassanio."
Emma blushed slightly, "Ya, that was one freaky bug."
"If you'll look in the bag closest to the back there is a costume dress for you," Othello said with a slight smirk on his face, "You should put it on, when we get to Verona we will be joining a masquerade."
Emma squealed in excitement and rushed her way back to the bag that Othello mentioned. The dress was beautiful. The most beautiful she had seen yet. It was a frost blue color with white lace trim around the neckline and sleeves. The shirt of it was the same ice blue color, but with white lace all over it. Along with the dress in the bag was a white mask, shoes that matched the dress perfectly and a large selection of underskirts and a new corset.
Emma quickly and excitedly began pulling all of the stuff out of the bag and trying to put it in the right order of what should go on first; it was then that she realized she didn't know how to put on a corset.
Emma stuck her head out of the curtain near where Othello sat, "Uh… Othello,"
"What is it Emma? You need to hurry, we are almost there," He said keeping his eyes on the city ahead.
"Well, the problem is," she blushed, "I'm really not sure how to get this on the right way…"
Every horse stopped and everyone's eyes lay on Emma.
Emma suddenly felt nervous, "Well I can't help it! It's not like we wear all this where I'm from!"
"What makes you think that we know how to get it all on?" Othello said with a worried look on his face.
"Okay," Emma looked around, "which one of you has the most… uh… experience with these?" She held up the unlaced corset.
The all looked around at each other, then Bassanio spoke up, "I used to know someone who made them," He shrugged his shoulders, "Perhaps I can be of service?"
Emma grimaced a little, she was still slightly embarrassed from earlier today, "Fine," she said just wanting to get this over with.
They both climbed into the wagon and pulled the curtain shut.
"Okay," Bassanio said quite nervous, "I think you need to take that off first…"
"Close your eyes first," Emma said like a little girl.
Bassanio rolled his eyes and then closed them, "There, you happy?"
"Yes," Emma said grabbing the corset and wrapping it around herself, then turning so Bassanio could lace it up.
"You can open your eyes now," She said looking over her shoulder. Bassanio did and began to lace up her corset as best he could. When it was laced he pulled tighter. Emma jerked back and fell on top of him.
"What was that for?" she said trying to get in a breath.
"That's sort of what they are made for!" he said pushing her off of him.
She stood up looking at her greatly reduced waste, "Hey! I'm skinny!" she said with a large smile spreading across her face.
"Well, there's the first step then," Bassanio said picking up a white petticoat. He pulled Emma towards him and slip the white skirt over her head and pulled it around her waste. "Oops," he said looking down at a pair of pant like things lying there.
"What?" Emma said feeling a little worried that she would have to take off the corset and retie it.
"I forgot to put those on you," he said pointing to the bloomers, "we're going to have to take everything off now,"
"Screw that!" Emma said repositioning the petticoat, "It's not like anyone but you will know!"
Bassanio picked up the over skirt and pushed it over her head over top of the petticoat, "I guess you're right. I think this is the last skirt before… wait, what is that?" he said pointing to one more skirt lying on the bottom of the wagon.
"What the crap!" Emma said picking it up. It was made completely of wiring and metal strips.
"That was supposed to go under this skirt… I think," Bassanio said reaching around Emma and untying the back of the skirt he had just pulled over her head.
"Wait a second," Emma said while the edge of the skirt being pulled over her head caught on her long hair, "I have to put that on?"
"Yes."
"But how am I supposed to walk in that?" Emma unhooked her hair as Bassanio picked up the rounded cage.
"You act like I'm used to wearing these things," Bassanio said while wrapping the cage around her waste and hooking it onto the petticoat underneath it, "Besides, I don't think it'll get in the way."
From outside the wagon Othello could be heard bickering with Adam over some pointless topic.
When finally they were done Bassanio came from out of the wagon. "Are you finally done?" Othello asked trying to see into the wagon to get a glimpse at Emma. Bassanio turned and helped Emma out of the wagon. He turned and moved out of the way so that Othello and Adam could see Emma.
She looked beautiful, more beautiful than she felt she ever had. From everyone's facial expression she could tell they either thought the same thing or there was an angel flying over her head. She looked up just to make sure.
"Wow," Othello whispered, "Miss. Emma, you look-"
"Like an angel," Adam finished the sentence.
Emma smiled shyly, "Thank you, both of you," she looked down at the edge of her dress.
Adam kept staring at her even after Othello said that they had to keep moving. Emma climbed back into the wagon and Adam got back on his horse. Less than half an hour later they were at the Capulet's mansion for the party.