With a cup of tea in her hand, Selene sighed, pensive. She was thinking about the last "days" spent in the company of her beloved Maestro: Lance.
Since their very first contact which had not left the dear one indifferent, they had continued the exercise so that Lance was at ease.
As time went by, they had fun dancing to classical music, sometimes jazz, swing, salsa and ballroom dance.
They were discovering a new kind of dance together each time and it was more than fun. It brought them closer without using words: looks and gestures were enough.
The ballerina continued to smile, in her bubble having completely forgotten that Balan was in front of her. The latter looked at her smiling, he did not wish to pull her out of her reveries.
When she came back to reality and noticed Balan, she apologized, red with shame. Balan laughed.
"Just seeing you daydreaming makes me happy. I feel that your heart is more and more balanced, it is advantageous!
-But still, I haven't started my dance training at all...I mean, that's one of the main reasons I came here."
The Maestro crossed his legs and took a sip of tea:
"-Sometimes it is useless to go straight to the point. Take advantage of the unforeseen events of your journey and they will be the key to everything."
Selene frowned perplexed.
"Think about everything that has happened to you so far, Selene. Also I don't know what was said between you and Lance, but I'm sure our two points of view are the same."
He wasn't wrong. In the end, the conclusion was similar.
She fiddled with her teacup nervously:
"-On the contrary I feel like I got lost on the way...
-What do you mean by that?"
The words could not come out of her mouth. Something was blocking her. Nevertheless, she managed to mumble something incomprehensible:
"-Let's say that there is something that I did not expect...
-What is it?"
With a sigh she came out with something inaudible to Balan's ears
"-That Prince with the tortured face..."
*
**
"It's so cold"
"Why is it so dark?"
" I can't move "
"Is this a dream?"
He looked above him: the Void.
He didn't understand where he was and why he was lying on this cold ground.
Yet he was sweating but shaking at the same time.
He was anxious, afraid, lost.
He waited. An eternity? Or a few seconds?
He tried to close his eyes, to move, impossible.
He finally felt something slimy and unpleasant tightening on his whole body. He was paralyzed and could not see what it was.
But by the sound and the texture he guessed.
Tentacles.
The atmosphere became more and more suffocating. He began to scream at the top of his lungs.
He shouted for help, he begged.
But no sound came out of his mouth.
The tentacles swallowed him whole, despite his torments now choked by this hideous and harmful mass.
Lance woke up with a start and burst into tears, terrorized by what he had just experienced. He got out of bed, ran to his mirror and collapsed even more when he saw that nothing abnormal had appeared in his house.
Balan was still not in bed and could hear the heartbreaking cries of his comrade from the corridor. He did not dare to enter, preferring to wait for the next morning.
The next day, Lance did not come out of his room.
*
**
While the costumes were raving about the music box Selene had shown them, the latter was content to take inventory of her scene while chatting in the void under Cotton's strained ear.
"-Do you think I should be more distant towards the Maestros? I mean, I'm just a guest and they...well, they're kind of the big lords here...?
-Timmu!
-I don't know I always thought hierarchically. The orphanage and Leonidova must rub off on my point of view probably.
-Timmu...
-Don't try to understand. I'm a little confused lately..."
She sighed as she closed one of the doors to the many dressing rooms.
"-I wonder how Lance is doing...
-Selene...?"
The ballerina turned and saw Milky Way:
"-Oh Milky what's going on?
-It's Balan...He wants to see you..."
She frowned, her five senses alarmed, and moved as quickly as possible to the entrance of her stage.
When she saw Balan, anxiety took hold of her. She felt as if all the misery in the world had fallen on her.
"-Selene I rely on you ... " He said in a small voice.
The young woman was taken by surprise, she had never seen Balan in this state.
"-Balan what's going on?
-It's Lance."
The ballerina's heart stopped.
"I think he's sick. He refuses to tell me anything, he doesn't want my help. So maybe if it's you..."
Selene was embarrassed. She didn't know if it was her place to do this, but after everything Lance had done for her. Cotton seemed to want to push her to go as he was pecking at her friend's ankles.
"-I'll follow you Balan."
When they arrived in front of Lance's room, Selene glanced at Balan in panic.
"Are you sure I can? I doubt it's open house for all visitors to the Wonderworld.
-Oh dear it's been some time now that we no longer consider you a mere soul in need."
She was touched by these words. She put her hand on the Maestro's heart:
"-Balan...Thank you."
Selene took a deep breath and knocked lightly on the door and then entered with the greatest of delicacy.
Lance's room was...Luxurious. Worthy of a Maestro after all. The atmosphere was clear and bright. A French window opened onto a balcony while another opened onto the bathroom.
Her gaze quickly went to the large canopied bed.
Lance was lying under the covers, pain plastered on his face. Selene walked slowly towards him. She did not take her eyes off him.
The sick man opened his eyes and met those of the young woman, which startled him and made her step back, making excuses.
"-Selene?"
His voice was so weak it was heartbreaking. He turned his head, ashamed:
"-Balan brought you, I suppose.
-Yes." She replied, also ashamed.
And as if he had foreseen what she would say, he added:
"-Even though I didn't want you to see me in this state...Seeing you here calms my torments.
-Lance..."
She sighed.
" -What happened? "
The Maestro looked at the ceiling.
"-A nightmare that shook me. I couldn't find Morpheus afterwards and horrible migraines came back."
Without asking for anything else, the Ballerina's reflex was to delicately put her hand on the patient's forehead. It was burning.
" -What was this nightmare to make it so devastating? " She asked him as she headed to the bathroom to soak a towel.
Lance grimaced.
"One day I will tell you..."
Selene took a tone bordering on annoyance.
"-When I'm gone from the Wonderworld, right?"
She returned with a wet towel. Lance looked at her, distraught, as she placed the towel on his forehead.
"You're going to leave?
-Shh, calm down, I'm not leaving, at least not yet."
Lance relaxed a little more, his eyes filled with beads of sadness.
"Thank you for taking the time to take care of me," he whispered.
She answered him with a smile.
"It is only a nasty headache, I knew tons of it believe me! It will get better very quickly I'm sure Lance. "
He nodded his head.
"Take care of yourself, that's all I ask. And if need be Balan is there. "
She paused.
"-And so am I."
As Lance peacefully joined the arms of Morpheus, Selene whispered:
"I wish I knew what was wrong with you and could help you...My Prince."
She placed a soft and light kiss on his cheek and left.