"Come on, My Lady!" Lucy grunted, arms wound tightly around Kel's waist.
"No!" Kel called back, clinging desperately to one of the thick poles surrounding her bed.
"We'll be late at this rate!" the maid argued, continuing to tug.
"Then find me something else to wear!!" Kel shot back obstinately.
"Phew," Lucy stepped back to wipe the beads of sweat off her brow as she shook her head at Kel. "Why didn't you just choose a different dress in the first place?"
"I-I…" Kel thought back to the evening at Madame Mae's. Both Mae and the emperor seemed to think this dress was perfect; although, she suspected the emperor was just in a hurry to leave. Before she even knew what was happening, Mae had put her in the dress and was avidly pinning.
"Were you forced into picking this one?" Lucy grilled, raising an eyebrow.
"Not really.." Kel muttered.
"Were you bribed then?"
"Certainly not!"
"Then wh-"
"I don't know!" Kel finally shouted, tightening her grip on the pole.
