On the top half, the bodice, Azrael had called it, it was a corset design, with red lace and red ribbons threaded this way and that way. It didn’t have real sleeves, just off-the-shoulder ones made with white lace.
On the hanger there were also long red lace gloves, and a red top-hat with a single black feather sticking out of the white ribbon around the base.
I gasped, picking it up and putting it on until it felt right. It fitperfectly!
I couldn’t wait to get it all on.
I set the hat on the chair gently and pulled off all of my clothes. Panties and bra included. I didn’t wantanythingtaking away from the beauty of what he had gotten me. Especially anything given to me by Thomas.
I pulled on the dress first, which was a little difficult to get on. Luckily, he was smart enough to know that if he requested me to dress myself, I would need to be able to do it myself.
I ran my fingers over the front of the corset before reaching for the ribbons. It was soft, not as stiff as the leather ones. Still, I felt nervous as I reached for the ribbons and gently tugged them tighter. I only tightened it until it felt like what I imagined a hug might feel like before tying it off behind me the best I could.
I immediately reached for the red lace gloves next and pulled them on carefully before admiring them. They were beautiful. I wondered if I would be allowed to keep anything from today. I never got to find out what happened after the marriage ceremony. Even if they did come back to church, we weren’t allowed to talk, and I wasn’t allowed to look up enough to see what they were wearing.
I hoped I could wear these again.
Next were the black combat boots that had been placed just under the beautiful dress.
I used the brush he had left me, simpler in design than the one he had gifted me before, and ran it through my hair gently before pulling my hair back in a low, half-up hairstyle, wrapping the hair in the black ribbon he had placed next to the brush.
I finally finished it off with the hat, putting it back on at a slight angle.
I stepped in front of the mirror, twisting and turning, in awe of how the bottom of the dress flowed with me. It was the most beautiful dress I had ever worn in my entire life. I never wanted to take it off. Not even for a second.
I smoothed my hands over the front of it, gripping into the soft fabric. I could feel that smile on my lips again, feel the way it stretched and pulled. It was still unfamiliar, still uncomfortable, but it was growing more comfortable the longer I spent with Azrael.
My entire life I had dreaded this day. Dreaded the day Thomas would make me marry him, share me with the others, let them put their cocks inside of me, but now?
I was marrying the sea. My ghost. The man who threatened to flood the world with his tsunami, protecting me from the waves. Arranged marriage or not, marrying him was better than marrying anyone else in this church, I was sure of it.
A knock sounded at the door. “You will be needed as soon as the music starts,” Mrs. Bastrom said from behind the door. “Once you hear it, you’re to walk down the hall straight into the sanctuary.”
My heart was racing. I hoped this was the last time I would ever walk through the Back Hall.
“Did she hear you?” I heard another voice say.
“If she didn’t, she’ll face her punishment,” she muttered, her footsteps disappearing.
Of course, I heard. I heard everything.
I looked down, inspecting the way the dress fell, making sure everything was straight and as beautiful as it could be. A few seconds passed before a song drifted through the door. It was muffled, but still eerily beautiful in a haunted kind of way.
The notes were slow, dark, a humming sounding just under the music notes, adding another layer of beauty to it.
It caused my skin to warm and my legs to tighten. It was perfect.
I walked up to the door, breathing slowly, feeling the way my heart pounded against my ribs. This was it. I was to be married, and after marriage came everything else.
I swallowed, my tongue dry. I smeared my lips together, making sure the light red, glittery lip gloss was spread evenly before I finally opened the door, the music surrounding me from all sides. I was never allowed to wear anything on my lips, and just by feel alone? I hoped it looked good.
The walk to the doors at the end of the hall felt like an eternity, but I made sure my steps were slow and deliberate. I made sure my eyes were trained on the carpet just in front of my toes. I felt almost…empty walking alone. Maybe empty wasn’t the right word for it. I didn’t miss having someone leading me around, it was just that…well, the world just felt so much emptier all of a sudden.
I carefully pushed open the Back Hall door. It was the first time I had ever touched that doorknob. Cold and lifeless. It seemed far too normal for the horrors that rested beyond it.
I stepped into the sanctuary, and I could feel a world of eyes on me, but I was used to it. Used to everyone staring. Staring at my hair, at what I wore, pulling their cocks while staring. That’s not what caused me to hesitate.
The thing that caused my steps to slow were the eyes I couldn’t feel.
