Fearless

XIIX

Arielette sat on the lap of her fiance in Christine's dressing room as the couple across from them chatted about their previous evening.

It was reassuring to see Raoul's attention finally diverted fully to the woman who actually loved him. He was a fine man, handsome in all aspects, and Christine just fit perfectly to him like Erik did with music.

What Arielette loved the most was the tentative friendship Erik was forming with Raoul now that he no longer posed a threat to life as they all knew it. He smiled at his jokes, and there were times where Erik might even ask Raoul on advice that only he could handle... such as hair.

And Anton had visited sometime in the prior few days as well, having learned far too much for the time span of a couple of months. He'd been disappointed in Erik for taking his sister back, yet also proud to see her get what she wanted finally. That, and he was going to be best-man at the wedding despite the fact Philippe de Chagny and Marc Terfat had been his friends more consistently... Anton was Erik's first.

Philippe, Marc, Raoul, and Christine would represent his family at the wedding, while Arielette had her own family to truly rely on. And all of it was surreal to the couple. They hadn't ever dreamed of having such a life, one filled with people who loved them and got along so well.

One sad thing that came of it all was that Philippe had declared he would be passing on the title of Comte to Raoul one day when he ceased to have breath, considering he was nowhere near ready to have a family of his own, or even inclined to do so. Raoul was least excited because he had not ever wanted the title. Being the youngest, his reputation had been so frivolous, especially now considering the smoothed-over scandal with the Lestat family. Regardless, it was what it was, and no one seemed to be worried else wise.

The wedding was a small affair, if one considered half the opera to be small. Erik had been shocked that anyone wanted to attend, let alone every person they'd invited. No one seemed mad at him for leaving Christine any longer, especially after seeing her with Raoul. The two were a blissful type of happy that was pure and continued to be so.

And just after the wedding came the strangest occurrence of them all.

Arielette had snuck away from Erik on suspicion that she might be pregnant. It wasn't a sure thing, but they had been at one-another quite frequently since their nuptials, and to be frank, Arielette almost never threw up.

She had a couple of times when she'd turned to the drink after leaving Erik, and a few more as an over-exerted child, but otherwise she had never found herself so sick. That, and she had started to notice things... these odd feelings of- Arielette couldn't quite describe it.

So, twirling the ring on her finger, she went to visit Christine who was blissfully happy with her suitor. They had yet to be engaged, but Raoul said that he never wanted to rush anything again. And, it had only been six months since everything happened.

"Christine," she knocked on the girl's room and heard the excited beckoning to enter.

Arielette embraced her friend and that sat down with a glass of wine.

"What ever is the matter! You look- well, that would be impossible, wouldn't it?"

"Well, I might have a theory... Do I look pregnant to you?"

Christine's blue eyes widened as though she'd just told her something completely scandalous. Except... it was anything but. Arielette and Erik were married, they were allowed to participate in all of those activities and more. And did they both very much enjoy the more.

"Pregnant? Are you sure? I'm not a midwife, you know?"

"I know," Arielette said with her lips pursed, "That's irrelevant, Christine! I just want to compare the signs with you! You've got to know something, yes?"