[Over his cold, dead corpse. Those five words echoed in her mind since the moment she'd broken Christian's heart. It had become a new anthem for her life. Everything was no longer about love, but back to survival. And here was that same man who'd uttered those words, seated and holding her hand in some show of comfort she can only guess. It was confusing to her already confused senses, attempting to acclimate to the new surroundings. A quick glance out the window answers a question she didn't need to ask.
Whatever fate awaited her at the behest of the Duke, she would face it with dignity. This was the path in life she'd chosen, she could only hope Christian would find his own to a happier ending.
Taking a steadying breath, she keeps her hand in his and adjusts to a sitting position. It takes a little more effort than she'd expected, but now wasn't the moment to look weak. Licking her dry lips, she finally looks at her benefactor and now sole source of anything above life on the streets. ]
/waves hands about timeline things
She was no longer in Paris.
That was for the best, truly. The temptation to check on the family she'd built... To check on Christian-- it would be too much. Satine was dead. The sooner she came to terms with that loss and began her own mourning period, the sooner she could figure out how she fit into André's life now. Would she be a plaything he kept around locked away in the countryside to amuse himself when the mood struck? Would he leave her locked up here when he tired of her? Would she be allowed out without an escort? Would she be allowed out at all? Would he honor what he'd proposed before he'd found out about Christian?
Whatever fate awaited her at the behest of the Duke, she would face it with dignity. This was the path in life she'd chosen, she could only hope Christian would find his own to a happier ending.
Taking a steadying breath, she keeps her hand in his and adjusts to a sitting position. It takes a little more effort than she'd expected, but now wasn't the moment to look weak. Licking her dry lips, she finally looks at her benefactor and now sole source of anything above life on the streets. ]
It was far stronger than I was expecting. [ Really, she shouldn't have had any expectations given she'd never done something so dramatic. It takes another moment for the fog to clear, finding the right words more difficult than usual. ] Thank you... Thank you for everything. [ It's hard to say knowing how much pain she left in her wake, but André had done more than he really needed to. He'd indulged her and gave her a clean break in one fell swoop. Perhaps one day she'd find a way to apologize to Zidler for taking advantage of something he'd confided in her, a way to set her death to look like a quick onset of consumption. He'd already lost one person he'd cared deeply about to the disease and she'd only added to his eternal grief. ]