Porcelain

29

The shock of it all caused Fleurette to spend a whole day in near silence. Not long after the show the other evening Felix had called Eleanor to the side, he had intercepted all the dancers paths while they were returning to get changed. Meg and Fleurette couldn't hear the words that they spoke, but the sudden happy sound Eleanor let out as she flung her arms around Felix's neck, did catch their attention, and they also heard it very clearly.

The information which Fleurette got confronted with alongside Meg was that Felix had finalised their engagement. Whatever that meant, Fleurette had absolutely no idea. She also didn't know that Felix and Eleanor were sorting out their apparent wedding. This annoyed her ever so slightly, why were they being so hushed about it around her, it was a mystery. Fleurette didn't agree with mysteries, especially if they involved her only family.

She had truthfully not spoken for a whole day, even Erik stood confused next to her and actually tried to coax her out of her mute state. Fleurette was in a state of shock, "Why?" She broke her silence eventually, Erik jumped startled by her abrupt tone. That and the two of them had been in silence for about an hour and a half and he honestly wasn't expecting her to make a sound, let alone talk.

"Well," Erik started, Fleurette rolled her eyes up at him. "That is a very good question."

"Erik!" She exclaimed and playfully hit him on the arm.

Reaching down when she went to lightly hit him again he held onto her hand. "Please stop that."

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "I thought you were going to actually give me a solid answer."

"I don't have an answer for your sister's actions. Only she does, and I already know you well enough to know that you aren't going to ask her." Erik lightly patted her hand and let it go. Fleurette stood with a sulky expression on her face before letting out an annoyed sound and slouching more in the chair. At the moment the two of them were sitting in Erik's private box, he was sitting thinking before Fleurette had broken her vow of silence.

"I hate dress shopping!" She exclaimed randomly, against his better judgement Erik let out a laugh. "Oh be quiet, you! It isn't funny!" Fleurette flicked him on the arm, shaking his head slowly Erik tried to still his laughter. But as soon as he caught sight of Fleurette's almost serious expression he started laughing again. "You are being rather mean at the moment, Erik. I just thought I'd let you know." Fleurette nodded surely and crossed her arms. With a defiant look in her eyes, she looked down at the dark stage. In fact the stage was still littered with the many coloured feathers of the dancer's costumes from the previous evening.

——

"White always makes me look so pale and sickly."

"What other colour are you suggesting in wearing? White is usually the traditional, last time I checked you were not up for breaking traditions." Fleurette said dully while sitting down in a chair. Eleanor flitted around her looking at dresses. In fact it was the same shop they had previously come to when they were looking for dresses for the masquerade ball.

The old woman was more than delighted knowing about Eleanor's happy news. Fleurette stood in the background with her arms crossed as the two older women conversed about wedding things. Where's it going to happen, what time, who is going to attend, what hymns will be sung? The list went on and the worst part which Fleurette soon discovered was that Eleanor more or less had an answer for each question. She was still trying to figure out why Eleanor hadn't told her about her secretive wedding planning. Looking up at the ceiling, Fleurette already knew that their father knew of this information. Of course he did, it would make even more sense as to why he was trying to pair her off with Charles.