S a l e t é I V

XLVI - Lunette - Quinze

"Got anything?"

Marin was waiting when Alex and returned, appearing by the light of his torch at the bottom of the ladder as he tried not to shine the beam in the younger lad's eyes.

"Tunnels, a lot of them. They've got to link up with the sewers at some point, the water runs the whole way through."

"What do you think? We heading down?"

"I wanna know what Monet thinks. Is she alright? I'll be down here waiting for her, she won't fall."

Aimée had already escorted Monet into the room where the cold metal of the ladder was located, the other Jouets close by as the rest of the children began to follow. 

The larger room that they'd been waiting in up until then was immediately swallowed by darkness as they left it behind them, the candles in their possession barely functioning as wards. 

Getting Monet down the ladder was only one matter, however, with many other things still left to consider.

"How are we supposed to climb down with the candles?" Marin asked, gently waving his back and forth in a few, short motions.

"See if you can get down with one hand. If you can't, I'll go back and forth until we've got them all down." Aimée replied, ready the meet such a challenge.

"Félicie, could you hold mine, whilst I see to Monet?"

Félicie stepped up to assist without hesitation, a candle now in each hand as the two older girls still up top prepared to move.

"Easy. Sit here."

Aimée helped Monet down until she was sitting on the edge of the hole, her feet able to touch the ladder's bars. If the girl in red had any reservations about the maneuver she was about to try and pull off, then she wasn't letting them show.

"I'll b-be fine, once I can hold on." Monet said as Aimée got into position, ready to continue assisting.

"Take my hands. Alex?"

"Ready when you are." He said from below, another small echo carrying his voice up with ease. 

Knowing that he was down there was a source of great relief for Cassia, as well as her fellow warehouse girls. Their pain was her pain. She wouldn't be free until they were free.

They'd all done so well. They really had. 

With Aimée's help, Monet was able to get into the shaft, her feet coming to rest on one of the bars further down, whether she could feel them well or not. She took a hold of the ladder itself, Aimée's hands remaining close in the event that she slipped or lost her balance. 

Thankfully, it looked as if Monet had been right. Now that she had a grip on the metal with both hands, she was able to begin slowly descending, without further care from her companions.

"Be careful. Go slowly." Zisel said, feeling slightly better after giving such a warning.

"It's okay, dear. I'm steady." The girl in red replied.

Whilst it took a minute longer than it would have taken an unharmed Monet, she was able to reach the bottom without any accidents occurring. As she neared the ground, Alex moved to take a hold of her waist.

"I gotcha."

She allowed herself to fall carefully into his hold, the young man lowering her to the floor, holding her steady once she was there, the Jouet staying at his side as she savoured that support. That hold became a careful hug. 

"Are you guys gonna be alright? I wanna take Monet ahead, so that she can get a look at things." He called up.

"We're fine! I'll get everyone down." Aimée assured him, the confidence that found its way into her tone the encouragement that he'd needed to be able to go about his business below.