A/N: In none of my stories do I own the original document. But the characters in which are not found in the originals are created by me, as well as some of the plots.
Claire woke and yawned; she stretched and looked about her. She knew she must get up, but the coziness of the small attic room was comforting.
Before her aunt swung open her bedroom door she knew she was there.
"Claire, its past five thirty. You know you must make breakfast before your uncle gets up." By this time Claire had sat up. "Up, up, up, now!" Claire was now already out of the bed.
"I'll be right down, ma'am." She took a dress out of her closet that looked warm. It was green with a flared skirt. She hurriedly pulled it over her head. She got her bag and slipped out the door and downstairs.
She went through her daily routine; she made breakfast, ate and cleaned her aunt's large kitchen spotless. After all she remembered her mother constantly reminding her to take pride in her work no matter what it was.
As se said goodbye to her aunt and uncle, her aunt called to her.
"Claire after you get out of school please meet us at the Opera Garnier."
"Alright."
Her aunt and uncle financed shows there, they were among many, but they did put upon themselves certain responsibilities. Whether these tasks they took upon themselves really helped the members of the opera house it did not matter. They were getting money in and although they had many other patrons Claire's aunt and uncle were both from rich heritage families that were well-known in Paris.
Claire's story may seem very similar to that of Cinderella but let me assure you here are many differences.
After her parents did she was taken to Europe to stay with her aunt and uncle. Although they clothed and fed her, she had to make it her own way in other expenses. She also had large responsibilities at the mansion. There were maids to make the beds and a cook to cook the food but on Fridays it was the cook's day off which led to Claire cooking on that fine spring morning.
She was well provided for and well taken care of but something was missing. Something that Claire wished she had rather than all the comforts and riches in the world. One four lettered word. Love. Her family, before it was lost, had always been very loving. Her parents had surrounded their home in it. Her aunt and uncle barely acknowledged her whenever she came home from school.
But this was her life now and she tried to make the best of it. To her classmates she was different. She was much more mature than most of the student body put together. She was intelligent and she spent most of her time in the library researching histories and stories of certain personages. She knew three languages; English, French and Spanish. She had even taught herself a bit of Latin.
The last two years in Paris had changed her.
After school she took a bus to the Opera Garnier. She looked up at the grand building, it was breathtaking. She walked up the large staircase in the foyer; she opened the door to her left and proceeded down some stairs. She walked to the manager's office where she knew she'd find her relatives. When got there the door was closed, so she knocked politely. "Come in." came the answer from within.
She opened the door and it creaked on its hinges.
"There you are Claire were wondering when you would show up." Her took her by the arm and led her into the office. Her uncle barely looked up from the papers that were on the desk before him, both he and the manager were scouring them diligently. Her uncle had tried to give her a smile but it had come out more like a smirk. Her aunt looked around uncomfortably and then she saw the manager and pushed Claire forward.
"You've met our niece; I'm sure, Monsieur Debierne."
"Yes it's a pleasure to see you again, mademoiselle." He had gotten up roughly from the table getting a glare from Claire's uncle. He then came over and kissed Claire's hand, out of respect of her connection with his largest patrons. He seemed like he was rehearsed and was nervous for the play that would be his debut. Claire seeing this thought it best to leave the room as quickly as was possible, without offending anyone's feelings.
"I'll step outside, if you wish to speak in private."
"Yes, Claire I believe that would be for the best." Her uncle had risen, Claire nodded and quietly but quickly walked out. She hurriedly turned the corner and let out a sigh of relief. Now I can be myself…
She wondered down endless halls just admiring the beauty around her and also letting her imagination soar. No matter how many times she came here she would always be amazed at the magnificent architecture. You could almost imagine yourself into a castle, if you had an imagination at all. Or that you were back in the time when it was in full swing after just being opened. In the back of her mind was a little voice telling her she was going to get lost in all the interworking of corridors; but it was so small that she simply ignored it and pursued on. She walked down sets of halls hoping not to meet anyone who would disrupt the thoughts swimming inside her mind.
She came to a dark hallway she looked around but no one was there. Should I go in…?
She decided to have some adventure so she ventured in. There was no electric lighting only a few candles here and there along the walls. She could see the hallway hadn't been used for awhile, and obviously not cleaned she thought as she saw cobwebs clinging to the corners. She continued on. The corridor suddenly ended at a door. An old door that she could see that in its day had been quite a beauty. It had deep burgundy faded paint with thin golden borders, but it was all faded now. Curiously she peered at it, she knew it would probably be locked, but she turned the handle just in case and to her surprise it was unlocked. She gently but firmly pushed it open and then all of the sudden she was standing in a dark room. She couldn't see much so she hurried back to the hallway and got one of the candles. She re-entered the room, a dressing room actually. The light from the candle was little but she was able to make out a fainting couch on the far left wall and a vanity, a small single bed, changing curtains and then on the back wall was the most curious thing. Slowly Claire walked over to it. It spread across the whole wall from floor to ceiling, a mirror. Her reflection looked back at her. Curious, she thought. She looked at the mirror and ran her hand along it, I wonder. She stood on her tippy toes and reached for the top of the mirror. It should be anywhere here if its here. When she was about to give up she gave one last try running here hand along the top, her fingers suddenly found a dent. Or what felt like a dent, she held her breath and gently pushed. Nothing.
"Oh well." She turned around and started heading for the door when something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. It was a face, she looked closer, her face, but it can't be there was no mirror there before. Suddenly she felt a gust of wind behind her; she turned to find all of her reflections staring back at her. They swirled around her, faster and faster and then she was in darkness, here candle had blown out.
"Wonderful!" She was exasperated and yet a bit of her was curious and told her to go on ahead. She knew where she was well at least the proximity of where she was. That was Christine's dressing room…and this is the passageway that will lead to the spring. He was real, the story was true. How else could that have been there? A whole bunch of reasonable reasons floated into her head but she threw them aside. No, this is proof that he did exist at one time….That poor man.
She walked forwards towards a faded green light. Just like in the story…
As she was walking forwards the thoughts that should have been running through her head, like she was going to get lost in a bunch of catacombs or she was going to get killed by booby traps, didn't even come to her mind. Her thoughts were in a different time a long time ago. Perhaps that's why what happened, happened, who knows. She began singing a song her mother used to sing.
Off in a far off place
Where princes and dragons still roam
Lives a young maiden fair
She will not be distressed for those who care
to save this lass fair
She sees the boys' everyday
But none strike her fancy
She longs for man not a boy who won't go off
somewhere
Someone to hold her safe and warm
Someone to love her no matter what
Someone who cares for her
Someone special
She softly sings of the man she wants
Every day the sun falls down
She looks over the sheep and smiles at her subjects
They lift their ears and listen to the sweet sad melody
And sigh and baa at the song that fills every creatures ears
A bird perches upon a tree and flies down and whistles softly to the maiden and thus she begins her song,
"I want a man who will keep me warm on a cold lonely night
I want a man to love me no matter what
To love not for money
To love not for beauty
To love for me, that's what
I want a man
He could be a count or prince
Or even a shepherd
But he must love me
But he must love me…"
When she was just in sight of the fountain, she lost her footing and fell. A scream rose into her throat. Images flashed past her, voices called and screamed. There was a toad somewhere croaking its song and then the swell of voices combined to make a roar beyond hearing, just a deafening roar. She felt a sharp pain through her body, it shot through her. It felt as if she'd been run through with a sword. She gasped, tears running down her face. Then the pain faded and there was just complete darkness she wasn't even falling anymore just floating. She stayed like that in the nothingness for at least five minutes, she was gasping for breaths trying to calm down her racing heart. Then there was light all around her again and she was freefalling again.