Porcelain

26

Fleurette soon reached a door and hesitantly pushed it open. Beyond the doorway the looming dark space of the stage stood in front of her. Erik turned and looked to her, "How was I meant to follow you if you disappeared?" Fleurette said from her shadowed spot in the doorway.

Reaching out, Erik held a hand out in her direction. She shook her head and fidgeted from one foot to another. "Come on," he spoke quietly, Fleurette shook her head again. "There is nothing here which can harm you."

"I know."

"Then why are you so apprehensive?" Erik lowered his arm and turned to her. Slowly he walked over, each step he took was hardly heard. Eventually he stopped in front of her and waited to see if she retorted to his question.

"I don't want to be out there." Fleurette said while wrapping her arms around herself and taking a step backwards, becoming more lost in the shadows of the corridor behind her. "It's too soon." Fleurette went on to say. She gave a small shake of her head and ran a hand through her hair. "All I'll be able to see is him laying there."

"But he isn't." Erik said plainly, he was rather sure Fleurette was well aware that the body of her father was no longer out there in front of the stage. Silence filtered between the two, Erik stood patiently awaiting to see what she was to say or do and Fleurette stood with a contemplating expression.

Eventually though she took a step forward and walked around him. Turning and watching her, Erik crossed his arms loosely. It was incredibly sad to think that the one place in the whole opera house which Fleurette loved dearly, was now also the one place she currently wanted to avoid. She made a point of staying away from the edge of the stage. Turning slowly on her heels, with her arms still wrapped around herself, she looked back at him. Walking forwards, Erik stopped behind the redhead. Putting his hands on her shoulders, he looked down at her. Fleurette seemed to relax slightly from this action and looked over her shoulder at him.

"Can we go?"

"If you wish."

"I do," Fleurette nodded certainly and walked behind him back out of the opera house and back down below.

When the night dwindled away and morning flitted through the opera house with the first rays of light, flitting out from a doorway was Fleurette. She eyed up the suns rays with curiosity before turning and looking back to the doorway. "I will be back later."

"I am not quite sure of that." Erik answered, "You have a busy next few days." He said while looking towards the exit. By looks of things it was still locked up. Frowning lightly he settled his eyes back on Fleurette. "Will you be alright to get home?"

"I will be fine." She smiled lightly and nodded slowly. Erik didn't look bought by her words yet nodded slowly having no choice but to accept them. Stepping forward Fleurette loosely hung her arms around his neck and held onto him. "Goodbye, Erik. Have a good day." She spoke in an almost whispered tone while he loosely wrapped an arm around her. Taking a slow and unwilling step back she smiled up at him and looked towards the locked door.

It seemed like only now she realised she'd have to find an alternate route out. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she looked up at Erik. He nodded back towards the corridor they'd ventured out from. Nodding slowly, she followed him down it. She had only been down this corridor once before, and that was when she had received the letter from her father about meeting Charles for the first time. Soon enough, after walking down two staircases they reached another door. Erik reached out and swiftly opened it for her.

Walking out, Fleurette took an intake of morning air and smiled lightly. She was never usually an early riser, the sun was only just rising and she had to admit she'd only witnessed it rise a few times before today. The early riser routine though got drummed into her thanks to the rehearsals and constant need to practise routines over and over. Even so, Fleurette never had time to just idly stare up at the sky and watch the sun rise.