Chapter 1: Angel of the Night
6 years later
Meg opened her eyes and sat up, she looked around the small room. She got up and slipped he robe on; then walked down to the chapel, of the opera house. She heard a little voice coming from it and she entered it.
" Maria," she whispered
The little girl looked up and stood up, she walked over to Meg.
" Mama, the angel came to me," Maria said
" The angel has come to visit you often hasn't he?" Meg questioned
The little girl nodded and hugged her mother and walked to the candles.
" I see you were lighting a candle again," Meg said
" Yes, for Papa," Maria said
" Has he spoke to you my darling?" Meg asked
" The angel told me he would take my payers to Papa," Maria replied
Meg knelt down to the candles and closed her eyes as she prayed. Maria knelt down next to her and they prayed. Meg stood up and lifted her daughter into her arms.
" Come my little angel, we have much to do tomorrow for the show," Meg said
Maria yawned and wrapped her arms around her young mother. Meg looked at the candles once more.
" Good night my husband," she whispered
Meg's dear husband had died 3 winters ago and she was windowed with two young daughter. Her eldest daughter, Maria, found comfort in talking to an angel; that often came to visit her. Her youngest daughter did not know her father, he had past away two months after her birth. Meg had not taken an interest in seeing any suitors and would not think of marriage. She wanted to raise her children on her with the help of her mother and the other young women of the ballet. The two new mangers offered their support to the young mother, since Meg's husband was the patron of the new Opera Populaire.
" Good night my little Maria," Meg said, " Your angel will watch over you and so will I."
" Good night Mama," Maria replied
Meg walked over and kissed her youngest daughter's head, then went off to bed. She closed her eyes and hoped for a restful sleep. Someone watched her from a distance and came to her when she cried.
" Shh, I am here my dear Meg," a voice whispered
" Bernard, please stay by my side," she whispered
" Rest my darling, lay your tears to rest. I am here," the voice whispered
Meg fell into a deep sleep and her guardian vanished for the night. What was left was a white feather, placed upon her pillow, to show she was being watched over.
The following morning, she got up and started her day; she saw a feather and smiled. The white feather made her feel secure and happy to see. She had started seeing these feathers three months after her husbands death, a note which she kept, read: The angels of heaven weep for your loss Madame, but one will always remain at your side…the Angel of the Night. He will guide you to happiness and light. He will teach your children the ways of happiness. There was no name, nor any sign that this letter had been touched…it was pure as untouched snow. She kept it close her and when she got lonely she read it. Her eldest daughter, Maria prayed for an angel, and came to her several times; but when Meg asked if she saw his face, she replied no. Meg dressed and put her hair up and went to wake the girls for practice. The 18 girls, that studied under her, each lined up for warm, she instructed them with strict rules.
Madame Giry was the over seer of the Opera house and the newly married wife of one of the mangers. She watched her windowed daughter become like her, strong and ample to those around. Madame Giry no longer worried about the past, though it was strange to say that the past worried about her and the future of the opera house.
Meg looked at her mother as she watched and Meg looked at her daughters as they joined the understudies in rehearsal. Maria, was the strong and willing, she believed that nothing would stop her from becoming like her mother. Ange, the youngest, only mocked her sister's motivations, so she could become like her. Meg smiled in pure joy every moment she could, because she couldn't think about all that was wrong in her life.
" Ladies, take a break," Meg said
The ballerinas walked off and Maria walked over to Madame Giry.
" Grandma, my angel spoke to me last night," Maria said
" What does this angel sound like?" Madame Giry asked
" He sounds very heavenly, he sings to me too. I can sense when he's around, I can hear his wings flutter as he descends," Maria said
" He sounds like a beautiful angel, perhaps he will help you with your dreams," Madame Giry said
Madame Giry looked at Meg as she sat on the stage stretching her legs.
" Maria why don't you go see what your grandfather is up to," Madame Giry said
" Ok," Maria said
Madame Giry walked over to Meg and Meg looked up.
" I heard him last night Mama, the Angel of the Night," Meg said, " He leaves me a feather so I know he's there. Though I can't sense him, he has faith in me."
" You must not mourn any longer Meg, let your Angel of the Night guide you," Madame Giry said
Meg hugged her mother and sighed.
" He's become my guardian Mama, for three years he's taken care of me," Meg said, " and a father to my daughter…oh if he were mortal I would gladly become his wife."
Madame Giry looked at her daughter and stroked her head.
" Perhaps someday he will become mortal," Madame Giry said
By Early afternoon, Meg warmed up her understudies and got them back on track. Maria looked at her mother as she instructed one of the youngest understudies. She danced with her and smiled and praised her, when she got it right she joined the others. Meg continued as she helped them more. She smiled seeing the improvements in their rehearsals, she looked at Maria and Ange as they followed close.
By the evening time, Meg made the girls dinner and Maria looked at her mother.
" Mother, can we go visit Papa's grave tomorrow," Maria said
" Yes, I would like to go visit his grave," Meg said
Maria smiled and finished up her dinner then cleaned up. She ran down the halls to the chapel and lit a candle.
" Papa, we're coming to visit you tomorrow," she said, " I can't wait to see you again."
She closed her eyes and began to pray in silence.
" Maria," a whisper came
Maria looked up and looked around.
" Angel of the Night," she whispered
" It is I," the voice replied
" Oh, Angel of the Night, I'm going to visit my father. Please, tell him we're coming," Maria said
" As you wish child," the angel said
Maria smiled and looked at the picture of her father. She kissed the picture then stood up.
" Good night Angel of the Night," she called
" Good night Maria," the angel whispered
Meg tucked the girls in at night and Maria looked at Meg.
" I asked the Angel of the Night to tell Papa that we're coming," Maria said
" What did he say?" Meg asked
" He said he would, Maybe he will bring Papa down from heaven for just that day," Maria said
" We will see, now sleep my darling," Meg said
She kissed Maria's head and then got up and kissed Ange's cheek as she slept. Meg walked down the hall to her room and entered her room. Meg changed into her nightgown and prepared for bed. She looked at the picture of her wedding and she smiled.
" Good night Bernard," she whispered
She blew out her candle and went to bed. She fell asleep and her guardian came to her.
" I shall be there my beloved wife," the voice whispered
A hand stroked Meg's soft skin and she smiled, then her guardian vanished into the shadows.
The next morning, Meg and the girls got into the carriage and they headed to the cemetery. The coachman took off and Meg put her arms around her young girls. She kissed their heads and looked forward. The carriage stopped once it arrived and let them off, then pulled away to wait somewhere else. Meg let the girls go first, then followed them; she looked at the sculpted angels and the many graves. She held flowers in her hands, she headed to the tomb, dedicated to her husband's family. She walked there and Meg saw someone standing at the site. The dark figure stood there dressed in black, he wore a long tailed dress coat, wide brim hat and a black cloak. She walked towards the shadowy figure.
" It's beautiful this time of year isn't it? The virgin snow untouched by humans, it makes the cemetery that much more beautiful," the man said
" Bernard," she whispered
The man turned around and Meg ran towards the man, she wrapped her arms around him with tears.
" Oh, my beautiful Meg, how you've wander in darkness," he whispered
" In my heart I knew you would come," she whispered
" Maria's Angel has come to retrieve me from the heavens above," Bernard said, " Shed no more tears Meg…there is always light at the end of the darkness."
Meg looked up at him and he smiled at her.
" Bernard, I will mourn no more now that I see you stand before me," she whispered
She wrapped her arms around him once more and he placed a kiss on her head.
" I must go my darling, but I will come to you in your dreams," he whispered
He kissed her cheek and then walked towards the tomb and the door opened. He entered it and walked down into. There he vanished and Meg laid the flowers by it.
Maria and Ange came the tomb and they looked up.
" Wandering child, here lies your family," a voice said
" Angel of the Night, thank you," she whispered
Meg walked over to her daughters and they stood in front of the tomb. She looked up at the sky and saw something falling from the sky. She reached up and saw the white feather.
" Angel, Angel, you have blessed us with your presence," Meg whispered
" Mourn no more Meg, he is with you now and so is your angel," the voice touched her ear.
They stayed there for awhile and then returned to the carriage, the coachman took them back to the opera house. They hung their cloaks and went off to change and Madame Giry looked at her daughter.
" She's different," Madame Giry said, " Happy, thank goodness."