𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝘼𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 | 𝙋𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖

xv. It's Beautiful

"Hello, Elizabeth," Charlotte smiled. "I have news!"

"What sort of news? You look practically giddy," Elizabeth said. "So it must be good."

"Erik proposed!" Charlotte grinned, holding up her left hand.

Elizabeth gasped and gave her a hug. "Charlotte, that's amazing!" she exclaimed, pulling away to look at her friend's hand. "Oh, the ring is gorgeous!"

"I know," Charlotte smiled. "He has really good taste!"

"You're not kidding," Elizabeth said. "Oh, I'm so happy for you!"

"Thank you," Charlotte sighed contently. "I need to find a dress."

"We can certainly manage that. I have just the thing. Come with me."

"Alright." Charlotte followed her friend as she brought her into a back room. "Ah, the old costumes."

Elizabeth nodded. "They're all beautiful, of course. But this is the one that caught my eye," she said as she pulled a white ball gown off of the rack. "It was Christine Daaé's."

"This really was my sister's?" Charlotte smiled. "Do you have a picture?"

"Let me see. You look at the dress while I try and find it." Elizabeth walked across the room to a desk, opening it up to flip through official photographs from the opera. "It was from she was in Hannibal...ah! Here it is," she said as she located the photograph.

Charlotte looked over at the photograph of her older sister. "She looked beautifu," she nodded. 

"Perhaps I could recreate her outfit."

"That would be beautiful!"

"Do you think you could help?"

"I would love to," Elizabeth said with a grin.

"Thank you," Charlotte smiled, glancing at the clock. "Oh, dear. I have to get home. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Of course. Congratulations again," Elizabeth replied as she gave her friend a hug.

"Thank you," Charlotte grinned, hurrying off.

—————

"So you're going to help me pick out the rings, right?" Erik asked Gustave as they walked through the town. "I need your opinion."

"Sure," Gustave smiled. "I thought you already gave her a ring, though."

"I did, yes, but that's an engagement ring. She gets another one when we actually get married, and I'll get one as well," Erik explained.

"Oh, I see," Gustave nodded. "Do you have an idea of what you want to get?"

"No, I haven't thought about it too much, to be honest."

"Well, I guess that's why we're going to the jewelry store."

"Exactly," Erik said as they reached the shop. "After you. Try not to touch anything, alright? It's all very fragile and very expensive."

"I know, I know," Gustave sighed, stepping inside.

"I know you do, I'm only reminding you," Erik said as he walked up to the employee at the front desk. "Good morning. I need to take a look at wedding bands for myself and my fiancée."

"Well, you've come to the right place," the man chuckled. "Follow me. Our wedding bands are this way. Do you know your fiancée's ring size?"

Erik frowned. "Not exactly. I did bring one of her gloves for reference, if that's any help," he said.