Chapter 2: The web

Every Saturday, Duchess would come to the Rare Bird and listen to Lucille and Francoeur's performance. During the week she would discreetly follow them around Paris, observing them and their three friends; Raoul, Lucille's fiancé, Emile, the operator from the cinema, and Maud, Emile's wife. From time to time, they would hang out together, doing altogether mundane things like visiting the park, going to the cinema, or going out for lunch. From what Duchess could tell, they were nice, and cheerful group of friends. And she couldn't help but feel a slight envy for their happiness.

Roger, her previous slave, was now too fragile to get out. Or to do anything, for that matter. The brunette huffed with irritation, every time she came across the withered man. In the end, she forbade him from exiting his room. And as for Anton… He was already showing the symptoms of withering. She had figured that he must have been previously of a weak health. This meant she will be forced to look for another victim sooner than she had anticipated. And that made her mood even sourer.

Duchess looked at her hands and carefully watched her neck and face in the mirror, looking for any sign of ageing. Nothing for now, but the more she prolonged the search for a new servant, the bigger her chances for the clock to start ticking again. The black haired woman shivered at the thought of wrinkles, back pains, and general feelings of being tired, old and helpless… alone.

She would never allow such thing to happen!

Keeping her slaves alive and around had its perks. They were doing the necessary work around the estates and kept her high society image, and the longer they lived and could be shown around, the more the rest of human population were kept calm and fooled. But it also drained her powers quickly. That was why the day after her first visit to the Rare Bird, she believed that there might be some more efficient solution.

Francoeur.

He was no human, and she wouldn't be able to suck his soul out, that much was obvious. But if she could play it smart, some hypnosis and perhaps a little potion now and again would be perfect to keep the monster's loyalty to her. He was strong and had a beautiful voice, accompanied by wonderful dancing skills, which would keep her entertained. If she had him, Duchess would no longer be forced to keep her victims alive for years, and waste her valuable powers. A few months would be just enough, just until she would relocate to another place. But just how could she get him? And that was why she had begun to follow him around in the first place, to get more and more adjusted to the way his flea mind worked, and how his emotions flowed. And she had discovered that he was more sentient than she anticipated.

She thought of him as more of a trained pet at first. But there were such emotions…! How deeply he loved Lucille, how much he cared for his friends happiness and how much it hurt him to simply let his love to walk away with another. Brave, kind, innocent and smart. With even greater talent. She admired that. And slowly started to spin the web.

First, of course, was to gain Francoeur's trust. She asked them to her lodge after the concerts, 'accidentally' ran into them on the streets, played at being nice and supportive, like a dedicated fan. She talked with him or Lucille, or sometimes their friends, even. Slowly, ever so slowly, she worked her way through them. Lulled their consciousness to sleep. They still had not revealed to her the real identity of Francoeur, but she was fine with that. Rushed jobs were flawed jobs, and she had waited longer than this for something she wanted. No rushing, baby steps. Patience always pays.

Her next step was to get closer to him. So far she had approached him only in the presence of Lucille or the others. Now, she would have to try to get him alone.

After the performance she went backstage, before the duo could return to their dressing room. They were, of course, used to this by now. Although Lucille always seemed to be a bit annoyed with her fanfare.

"Brava!" Duchess clapped her hands. "Wonderful as always!"

"Thank you, Duchess." Lucille bowed slightly with a fake smile. "It's a great pleasure to know we still carry your interest."

"Oh, you will never stop, believe me." The black haired woman chuckled slightly. "Now!" she clasped Francoeur's hands. "I suppose you two must be very tired, no? But, Lucille, could I borrow Monsieur Francoeur for a second?"

The female singer was about to disagree, but Carlotta cut in with her excited jumping, allowing Duchess to walk away with the giant 'man'.

"Aunt!" Lucille hissed to the older woman, as she watched Francoeur and Duchess slip away.

"Oh, my dear, don't be so jealous!" the blond woman hugged her niece. "You have Raoul, let Monsieur Francoeur have someone in this world."

Lucille sighed. If Carlotta only knew... but the damage was already done, and the only thing she could do was to watch Francoeur walk away with Duchess, glancing back at her in anxiety.

The auburn haired singer stomped into her changing room, not really certain as to why she was so furious. Jealous? Oh, she wasn't jealous! Not one a bit! After all, what should she be jealous of! That good for nothing Duchess? If only she was a Duchess! About that woman stealing away her fiancé and her best friend!

"UGH! The nerve!" Lucille angrily cast her comb over the vanity; the thing nearly flew back at her, but landed on the floor before it could reach her.

She walked around her room, still furious. She could feel something was wrong with that brunette. Even Maud could tell so, and Emile was cautious about her, while Raoul…

"Argh! That idiot!" Lucille huffed and puffed, clenching her hands into fists. Raoul, of course, swooned over the Duchess, who had shown a considerable interest in his so called inventions.

"Okay, okay, calm down." The singer ran a hand up from her forehead through her hair, breathing in and out in slow, deep breaths. "Francoeur is smarter than that half-brained genius."

In fact, Lucille didn't think Raul was dumb, some of his inventions were brilliant, but in all honesty, they rarely worked the way he wanted (that caused by the fact they were build from the parts from the junk yard), thus making him look like an idiot in front of everyone else. It irritated her, that people saw him like this. Sure she called him dumb and stupid, but he was hers, so obviously that was allowed.

Her career. Oh, that was a completely different topic in the Raul/Lucille relationship. There was no way she would give up singing, after they got married. She loved her job. It was everything to her. After her parents death, singing was the only thing that kept her alive. Giving that up would mean giving up a big part of herself. But Raoul saw it differently. He saw it partially as a potential threat to their relationship. Oh, he loved her singing, but she could do it without other men looking at her, couldn't she? … Seriously? What the heck was he thinking?

But Lucille loved Raul, and he loved her back. So they would obviously work things through and… as a… couple of grown up people, of course… they would work this thing through. Yes. That's what they are going to do…

Hopefully.

She plopped down on the sofa, her entire breath escaping from her lips with a quiet whistle, and she threw her head back over the headrest. "Francoeur… come back quickly…" she begged her best friend with a hushed voice.

Meanwhile…

The cabaret was empty now, so Duchess led Francoeur to her lodge, knowing no one from other spectators would overhear them.

"Monsieur, please, sit down". She showed him the armchair, and sat herself in an opposing one.

For a long, very uncomfortable moment they were more or less silent. The flea tried touching the strings in his guitar from time to time, wondering just what this woman could want from him. He was still wary of her, but she seemed nice enough, during the times he met her on the streets. But there was still something very strange about her. And now she just watched him curiously with that lazy smile…

"Francoeur… may I call you Francoeur?" she suddenly asked.

The singer blinked, surprised, and nodded awkwardly. He felt exposed, without Lucille to speak for him.

"I was wondering… you see, I know it's not my business, but… why aren't you and mademoiselle Lucille together?"

His head immediately darted up with a shock in his eyes. If fleas could have a cold sweat, then that was what he felt now. Just how was he supposed to answer that?

"Oh, please don't worry. It's just that... I couldn't help but to notice how unmatched Lucille and monsieur Raoul are, together. They argue most of the time, and don't really seem to consider each others feelings… while you and the mademoiselle seem to have a… connection, of sorts. A chemistry between you, perhaps?"

Francoeur hung his head, plunking the string of his guitar. What was she getting at? How was he supposed to explain to Duchess that he was not human, and therefore could not be in a relationship with his lovely Lucille? It was just as Maud had told him, one day. "Love is something humans, woman and a man, feel toward each other." And a flea did not fit in this description.

He suddenly felt Duchess' hand on his shoulder, and looked up again. "Francoeur, if I have upset you somehow, I'm sorry. But if there's anything, anything, you would like to ask or tell be about, I would be more than happy to help you."

He nodded politely and stood, announcing the end of this meeting. She would never understand, and could never help him. After all, who could help a flea?

The first moment he had realized his feelings for Lucille he had asked Professor if it was possible for him to become human. But the old man shook his head.

"I'm sorry Francoeur… I'm a botanist… I could try, but… it's not so easy, to change your species. If it was Charles… who knows, maybe it would work… but with you? I'm sorry."

But Francoeur had pled and begged, and the Professor had agreed to at least try. But to no avail. During one of the experiments, the giant flea had been hurt so badly that he hadn't been able to walk or sing for nearly two weeks. The worst part had been lying to Lucille. His angel.

There was no hope for him, and there never would be.

An update! I'm so happy! You are happy too right? Right! Hit the magic button below to make me even happier. Give your thankies to my Beta: defyingphysix on dA for this xD Now review! Pretty please?