Open the door!

Proteus was walking as fast as he could toward Frollo's bedroom, with Cinderella in his arms: the girl had fainted a while ago and now he was carrying her. As soon as he was in front of Frollo's door he knocked vigorously, hoping that the priest was there: he usually wouldn't have knocked that hard, but in that occasion he was sure the priest wouldn't have minded.

Frollo whipped his head around quickly. Many had knocked on his door in the last days, but no one so feverishly. It must have been of great importance and haste. It made Frollo frown in worry as he prepared himself for the very worst.
"The door is open!" he called back quickly, waiting for the site that would enter his room.

Proteus turned to open the door pushing it with his shoulder and, still carry the girl, he entered in the room "Father, she needs your help." he said immediatly as soon as he stepped in the room

His heart caught in his chest when he saw Cinderella in his arms, immidiatly fearing the worst.
He ran over to her as soon as he could and took her from Proteus, craddling her in his own arms, quickly checking for her pulse and for any wounds. It did not seem to be anything wrong with her apart from a rapid pulse he couldn't explain.
Sighing relieved that she was at least physically fine, he finally looked to Proteus.
"What happened?" he asked demanding. He could not afford loosing Cinderella, not her too.

He looked at the priest feeling bad for him: it was clear he really cared for her. He wished to can tell him that it was allright, that it was nothing, but actually... he didn't know. And, isntead, now he needed his comfortation: he needed to know that Cindy would have been fine, cause Frollo was the only person that could tell it. At his question he replied immediatly "A demon forced her to drink her blood, before to faint she had started to ask for more." he replain saying all he had found important to report.

Frollo's facial expressions changed from that of a worried parent to that of a determined, yet conflicted leader.
He carried her in his arms, still cradling her like a child, like he had done all those years of her growing up. The only thing that had changed was her getting heavier, but she was still just the child he remembered. The child he had brought up as his own.
It pained him to have to do this to her, but there was no other choice. This was the only thing he could do.
He carried her past Proteus and into the toilet of the second floor. He needed to keep her safe, but he himself could not muster that. He was an old man, and with her additional powers he would not be able to stop her if it came to the worst.
He laid her down on the bathroom floor, lovingly brushing her forehead with his hand before he got up and out of the bathroom.
He turned one last time to look at her unconcious body before he closed the door. And locked it.
She was not to get out before her thirst had subdued. It would take a while, it would hurt her, but this was what he needed to do.
Then he turned, walking back into his room, back to Proteus, once again.

Proteus looked at Frollo overcoming him and going toward the toilet: he made a few steps behind him, following him, but something told him that the priest didn't want his company. He ramained where he was, waiting for Frollo, and as soon as he came back he couldn't help but ask with a worried voice "Father, she's going to be fine, isn't she?"

He nodded sadly, but sternly. She knew she would be okay, but he still did not want to do this to her.
"But she will be in pain," he said, not looking at Proteus for a while, but forcing himself to do so after a while.
"How did it happen?" he asked, hoping Proteus would give him some answers.

The idea that Cindy would have suffered hurted him: if only there was a way to help her... a way to delete the pain that was going to come... "I don't know" he replied shacking his head "she told me a short while ago, i wasn't there when it happened, i would have tried to stop it..."

"Was she outside?" he asked. If not, there could only be one possible explanation. There had only ever been one demon inside of the rectory, and he knew who it had been. Somehow Frollo wanted Proteus to say no, only because then he would know who was responcible. Then he would know who to hunt down, who to take his revenge out on.
Cinderella would be fine... the demon bitch wouldn't...

"She didn't tell me" he replied once again "But how could have it happened inside? Demons can't enter here, right?" but, on the other side, why Cinderella would have left the rectory, also all alone? The only time they went out they were together, Cindy wasn't going to go alone... something in all that sounded wrong...

"They can, and they did," Frollo said flatly, not bothering to hide the truth from Proteus.
"A blonde female. She saw me earlier," he said as he turned towards his bed, sitting down on it with a tired expression, burrowing his head in his hands. If he had only known he would never have let the demon leave. At that time he had not felt he had much choice, but on second thought he would have done anything to keep the demon long enough to exorcise her.

A blonde female...
That saw him earlier...
Proteus felt a chill down his spine "the... girl that i've brought here?" he asked almost breathless, staring at nothing in front of him "But it... it can't be... she was hurted... she overcame the traps... she saved me from demon's traps..." he shaked his head, still refusing to see the truth, or just unable to understand it. Then a thought it him: if that demon had came in... if that demon had hurted Cindy... then it was his fault... he took his head in his mind... it couldn't be, it had to be a nightmare...

As soon as Proteus spoke Frollo's head snapped in his direction, finally staring straight at him.
He had no more gratitude towards the boy, no more pride, no more hope. He had been too stupid to even test the demon before he brought her. He had put them all in danger without even thinking to sprinkle a drop of holy water on her, or just a few grains of salt.
"Get out," he said, staring him down. It was all he could say to him now, he did no longer even want to look at the man.

The guiltiness... oh the guiltiness was killing him! How could he had been that stupid? How could he had let a demon enter? AT Frollo's words he didn't even bothered himself to reply: the priest was right to be angry and he knew it. He was as well angry with himself in that moment. He nodded to him, withour rasing his glance, and left the room, going downstairs. What had he done? What had he done??? It had been all so perfect only a little while before, and now... He closed his eyes. There was nothing he could do in that moment. Complain now was useless. There was only one thing that a man like him could do in that moment, and only one person that would have listened him and forgive him. He searched for an empty room, he kneeled down, and started to pray.