Hello, I'm back. I hope you enjoy this one. It's a little longer, but I loved writing it.

I awoke and rolled away from my brother, who had snuggled up next to me, again. I climbed out of bed and got dressed. I walked up to the deck, excited to see land. I leaned over the railing and squinted through the early morning fog. We were definitely close to land, if the black smudge on the horizon was anything to go by.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Berwald walking toward me. "Hello, Berwald."

He smiled and nodded. "Arthur and I have gotten together."

He nodded, patting my head. I grinned. I turned back to the railing. "We are real close to land. Do you know where we are?"

He walked to the railing and looked out over the ocean. He nodded and said, "Ask the Captain."

"Where is he?"

"Cabin."

I nodded. "Thanks."

He nodded. I smiled and turned again, leaving the deck, walking to Arthur's cabin. I knocked and heard his voice say, "Come in."

I opened the door and stepped in. He looked up and smiled. "Amelia! Just the person I wanted to see."

I raised an eyebrow. "Arthur, it is far too early in the morning for your flirting."

He laughed. "It has nothing to do with that, well, not exactly. I would like to take you ashore tonight. There is a very high-class establishment here to which I would like to take you."

"Ah. Is Alfred okay with that?"

"He will be."

"How are you going to convince him to let me go with you?"

"He and the rest of the crew are going to be given free reign at all the bars in the town."

I laughed. "Will that work?"

He smirked and stood up, approaching me. I took a small step back, and found myself against the door that I had closed. He placed a hand on either side of my head and grinned. "Of course it will, love."

He kissed me and I closed my eyes, enjoying the moment. He stepped back and smiled. "Now, there is a small problem. Since it is a very high-class establishment, you need to wear a formal dress."

I made a face. "Small problem? I do not have any dresses."

"I know. So, the moment we make landfall, I want you to take Francis and go get a dress. You are free to use any money you want of mine."

I shook my head. "That will not be necessary. I have quite a lot of money stored in Switzerland. I am not wanting for money. But why do you want me to take Francis?"

Arthur made a face. "The Frog has good taste, despite his country of birth. And, I do not want you going alone."

"I could take one of the other crew-members."

"Francis is the only one I trust to get a good dress."

I sighed. "Alright."

I turned to go and he grabbed my wrist. "Leaving without saying goodbye?"

I turned back to him and pecked him on the lips. As I pulled away, he smirked and wrapped his arms around my waist, trapping me. He kissed me again, and placed one hand behind my head, deepening the kiss. I slid my hands around his neck and tipped onto my toes, making myself level with him. I felt him smirk against my lips and slammed me against the door. I gasped and he slipped his tongue into my mouth. I moaned slightly, then the door flew open, knocking us forward, and we landed in a terribly compromising situation.

Francis walked in, eyed the situation and laughed. "Oops. Am I interrupting something, Captain?"

I blushed and scrambled off of Arthur. He scowled at Francis as he got to his feet. "Actually, you are."

Francis winked at me and I turned scarlet, glaring at Arthur. "It is not like that, Francis," I muttered, as I pushed past him.

"See you tonight, love," called Arthur.

Francis burst into laughter and I broke into a run, face burning. I ran into Alfred, who grabbed me and said, "What happened? What did Arthur do to you?"

"Nothing. It was Francis."

He tightened his grip on my arms. "Promise? Arthur didn't try anything?"

I shook my head. "Francis is just being Francis and insinuating things."

He sighed and released me. "Alright. See ya later, sis."

I nodded and he ran back the way I came, probably going to talk to Arthur. I made my way back onto the deck and was surprised at the flurry of activity. Everyone was getting ready for landfall this afternoon. I glanced up at the mast and was surprised to see a Spanish flag flying high. "Spanish?" I wondered out loud.

Antonio walked up to me, grinning. "Si! Welcome to Mexico! It is owned by the Spanish crown."

"I see. So that is why we are flying the red and gold."

He nodded.

"What about speaking English?"

"Oh! Don't worry about that. Many English speakers live here, trying to escape from the British crown. And, this is still a sort of pirate hideaway, especially for British pirates. So, even if it looks really nice, you should still watch your back."

I nodded. "Thanks, Tonio."

He grinned. "No problem, Amy." He bounded off to do something else and I walked to the railing to watch the approach. We docked, and I joined some of the other crew-members on the shore, lashing the ship to the dock. I was about to re-board, when Francis grabbed my wrist. "Come on, ma cherie. Arthur wants to get you a dress."

"I know."

"Let's go."

"Should we tell someone we are leaving?"

"Arthur knows. Come along." He pulled me along, walking rapidly off the docks, toward the main town. I ran to catch up to him, then pulled my wrist out of his grasp. "I do not need to be dragged along like livestock."

"No," he said, wrapping his arm around my waist. "But, I want you staying close. You could easily disappear here."

"Um, Frenchie, hands off."

"No."

"Francis-" I warned.

"This way, you stay close, and it does not look like you are unwilling."

"You better not try anything," I said, glaring at him.

He made a look of mock injury. "I wouldn't dream of it."

I sighed and said, "Can you not just take my arm, like a normal man?"

He grinned, "I like this way better."

I grimaced and pulled away. "I do not." I slipped my hand around his arm and said, "Lead on."

He huffed and said, "Fine, I suppose this way works."

He led me to a small shop, pushed open the door and said, "Bonjour! Où est ma petite tailleuse?"

A woman came out from behind the counter and exclaimed, "Francis! Vous vilain garçon! Où avez-vous été?"

"Maria! Il a été trop longtemps. Je suis désolé."

She smiled. "Que faut-il faire?"

"Une belle robe pour cette belle dame."

"Oh? Elle est nouvelle."

"Elle n'est pas mienne."

"À qui?"

"Arthur."

The woman gave a knowing smile and gestured with her hand. I glanced at Francis and he nodded. "She speaks almost no English, but she is the best seamstress I know." I nodded. I spoke no French, only the few words Francis had taught me, and none of the words had been familiar, except when Francis apologized for something. Also, Arthur had been mentioned. I sighed and followed the woman deeper into the shop.

She stopped at a door, unlocked it, then opened it, holding it for me. I stepped through, then she followed, shutting and locking the door behind her. "Do not want Francis peeking, no?

"You speak English?"

"Little. I have learned since Francis left."

"I see. I need the dress tonight so,"

"Oui, but we have day."

"Yes."

"Bien! We get started, then."

I nodded and began pulling off my breeches. She hurried to a corner, opened a drawer, and withdrew a case. She opened it and pulled out a measuring tape then turned back to me. I was now solely in my undergarments and raised my arms to allow her easier access. She took my measurements then walked away. She went through another door, then came back with a pile of dresses. She set them on the table, laying them each out separately. I gave a small sigh when I saw them. It had been so long since I had worn a dress, especially of that quality. "You are very good."

She smiled and nodded. "Merci."

She went back into the back and brought out a hoop and petticoats. She was about to help me into them, then frowned. "You have corset?"

I shook my head. She tsked and went back into the back, and came out with a corset. I grimaced slightly. That was one part of modern fashion that I had not missed. She wrapped the corset around me and I took a deep breath, then exhaled as she tightened the corset. We repeated this cycle a couple of more times before she was satisfied. She tied off the corset then helped me into the hoop and petticoats.

She picked up one of the dresses and glanced between it and me, then set it down and grabbed another one. She walked it over to me, held it up to me, then shook her head, returned it to its place and picked up another one. She walked it over to me, and nodded in satisfaction. She lifted it over my head and settled it around me.

She finished doing up the back and came back around the front, smiling. "Turn." I made a slow rotation. Upon facing her again, I noticed she was frowning. She walked away, grabbing a handful of pins, and went around to the back where she began gathering handfuls of fabric.

Familiar with the process, I held very still, preferring to go through the day without being stabbed by a pin. She finished and walked around me, nodding, then undid the back and helped me out of the dress. "I finish this quickly, stay."

I nodded and waited. A couple of hours later, she came back out, smiling. She helped me back into the dress, did up the back, and then said, "Turn."

I made another slow rotation and found her smiling upon its completion. "Parfait! C'est parfait!"

I smiled back at her and she led me to a mirror. I looked in it and smiled softly, turning slowly, examining the dress from different angles. It was gorgeous, made of ivory silk. I was surprised at the style, it had changed slightly since when I had last worn a formal gown, and it was very French. I smiled. It was perfect.

"Merci," I said, turning to her.

She smiled and said, "De rien. Anything for Francis."

I smiled and she led me through the door and out into the shop. Francis turned and smiled broadly. "You look like a woman, ma cherie!"

I glared at him, and he laughed. He turned to Maria. "Vous avez surpassé vous-même."

She smiled. "Merci beaucoup."

He nodded and then turned to me. "Let's get you out of that, then we can return to the Siren."

I nodded and turned to Maria. "I will pay after I get changed."

She nodded and led me back to the back-room. She helped me out of the entire thing, and I redressed in my ship clothes. I helped her carry everything back into the main room where she folded up everything and placed them in boxes, totaling the cost as she did so. I paid her, then handed most of the boxes to Francis, taking the rest myself. "Au revoir!" called Francis as I pushed the door open and walked through with him.

"Why don't you wear dresses more often, Amelia?"

"They get in the way. I could not do anything in that. Even the simpler dresses, are constrictive. I know from experience."

He sighed. "But they look so good on you."

I rolled my eyes. "I am a girl, am I not?"

He nodded. "That is why you should dress like one. Do you need shoes?"

I shook my head in exasperation. "No. I brought a pair, as well as stockings, in case something like this ever happened, though I expected something more along the lines of infiltration, rather than amusement."

He winked at me, and I grimaced, walking faster. "Come on, Francis, we should get back to the ship."

He nodded and easily caught up to me, stretching his longer legs to easily keep pace with me. I sighed, hating my height at the moment, and we returned to the Siren in silence.

If you speak French, please correct any errors. I speak no French, and did my best. And, before any of you complain, The lady is French, so she's going to speak French. Also, if you see any other errors, please tell me.

This is the dress: www . vam . ac . uk / content / articles / i / ivory - silk - gown - and - petticoat - 1780 - 85 /.

Tell me if you want translations. They aren't really important, Maria and Francis are just being friendly.

Also, Review! Tell me what you think of shopping with Francis in the 18th century.