Hey everyone! How was your Christmas? I would have posted earlier, but I figured you would be busy with the holidays. Since this is probably the last chapter of the year, I wish you all an amazing 2017!

Also wanted to tell you I posted this fic on AO3 too, so don't worry if you spot the same story there. I'm also planning a playlist for this story, I'll post on my Tumblr (I'm leaving the link after the chapter).

Thanks for reading my story, hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapitre Deux

Petite Taglioni

Jewels, La Sylphide, Don Quixote, Le Corsaire, Manon. That's what the Central City Ballet will dance this season.

Marie danced Jewels during her first year at CCB, but maybe this time she would be in Rubies like she dreamed of instead of Emeralds. Don Quixote is always fun to dance. Le Corsaire was a favorite of hers and Marie was happy to be a part of it. Manon was unexpected, but a pleasant surprise nonetheless. The Nutcracker, the Christmas classic, would be replaced by La Sylphide. Paige was right about this one.

It is a tragic love story, to say the least. A sylph, an air spirit, falls in love with a young man, James, who abandons everything - and everyone - to be with her. And then she dies, the end.

But of course it was much more than that. La Sylphide was probably the first ballet to ever be performed en pointe, by prima ballerina Marie Taglioni. It also introduced the famous ballet blanc, or white ballet, a full act danced by ballerinas in white costumes.

Marie loves white ballets. La Bayadère, Giselle, Swan Lake... she couldn't wait to dress a sylph costume and dance across the stage.

But that didn't happened as she expected...

"This season things will be slightly different," the company's Director, David Moore, announces. "With the retirement of miss Evans, miss Álvarez in Europe and the injury of miss Deville, we lost three of our best dancers. However, this is an opportunity to explore the other talents hidden within this company. Starting with Pierre Lacotte's La Sylphide, this might be your chance to shine. Today I will be taking notes on who I think is ready for this. No pressure, just do what you do everyday."

Sure, no pressure. Easier said than done, Marie thinks, breathing deeply. She shares a look with Paige, who looks abnormally nervous. Paige is the most confident person Marie knows, and she is nervous. This can't go down well.

In a way, it is like any other class, except for the fact that the company's director and his assistant are watching at distance, the assistant writing on his tablet as David Moore talks and talks and talks. Marie does her best to focus on the barre sequence, but she can't stop thinking about what Director Moore might be saying to his assistant.

Marie is trembling inside and out when they move to the center. Adagio goes okay, but allegro is nothing but regular. Jumping is not Marie's thing, but she does her best.

Then it's time for coda, and that's were she feels at home. Pretending there's no one watching, she lands a sequence of fouettés, smiling to her reflection on the mirror. When she finishes, even jumping feels better.

They're done. Now it's time for a break before the beginning of the rehearsals.

Before she can leave, David Moore calls her.

"Marie, can you wait a second, please?" she stops her tracks, sending a look to Paige, that seems excited.

"I'll see you soon," she mouths before exiting the room, grinning wickedly.

"Yes, Mr. Moore?" Marie turns to face the Director.

"You have beautiful arms. This could be very useful for a sylph," he states.

Marie's heart race. She can't remember if there's a soloist part for a sylph in act two, but she hopes it has.

"Thank you," she smiles. "Hopefully it will be."

"I'm sure it will," the Director nods. "Peter, can you check miss Sheperd schedule for today?" he asks his assistant, who immediately starts to tap on the tablet. "Marie, I would like to see you dancing the Sylph's variation this afternoon. Are you up to it?"

A thousand of thoughts race though her mind.

"The sylph, like, THE Sylph?" she asks, hesitant.

Director Moore smiles again, his black eyes twinkling. "Yes, THE Sylph."

"Whoa," Marie is stunned. "I-I don't know this variation, b-but I learn fast," she assures him.

"Of course. Mistress Kane will help you. I'll see you later, miss Sheperd."

He exits the room, Peter the assistant following closely.

Marie has no idea what just happened, but she's definitely happy.

Mistress Kane is a ruthless and brilliant teacher. She is truly amazing, and Marie feels lucky to have the chance to train with her alone. Then director Moore comes in, watches for a while, does some corrections and leaves without saying anything.

Marie disappointed him, she feels. She had her shot, and lost it.

Casting for La Sylphide is up. Paige will dance Effie during four nights, and be a part of the corps during the rest. But that's not what surprises her.

No, the great surprise is that Marie is set to dance the Sylph twice, with Damien Hathaway as her partner.

"I knew it!" Paige screams in her ear as they share a hug. "You're gonna be the Sylph!"

"And you're gonna be Effie!" Marie answers just as excited.

"I know!"

"I'm so proud of you, Paige. I'm sure they'll cast you as Medora or Gulnare in Le Corsaire next."

Paige holds Marie by her shoulders. "And you'll get to be an odalisque like you always wanted!"

They hug again as tears roll down their faces. They did it.

Marie crosses paths with David Moore later that day. She thanks him shyly.

"You earned it, Marie. You'll be a beautiful Sylph," he tells her.

"But it was you, sir, that gave me the opportunity to dance this part. Thank you very much!" her cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but she doesn't care.

"I guess this part belongs to Maries, doesn't it? First Taglioni, now you."

"I hope so!"

"Well, I have to go now," the director says in an apologising way. "I see you in the rehearsals, little Taglioni."

Marie waves at him as she watches him go. She can't wait to tell her mother.

If you're interested in the playlist, take a look on my Tumblr: flameofserendipity dot tumblr dot com

Just don't forget to replace the "dots" for actual dots lol

See you soon, Anna Xx