Nothing belongs to me. I'm sure not even the characters I come up with belong to me, somebody somewhere probably already thought of them. All the good ideas got taken a long time ago and its not fair! I wanted to come up with dragons :)
Read, enjoy and welcome to my world, cant promise you leave like you came :)
Twins Chapter 1: Singing to an Angel
As Christine watched her two beloved children slip back upstairs to their bedroom, she was hit again by hard, drunken fists as she half-heartily defended herself. As he rained down fist and spat out unholy words she whispered to herself over and over again. For them I will live. For them I will live.
She had married for love. But it seemed that love just simply had not been enough. She had learned the hard way that one cannot love away someone else's hate, it merely can't be done. Raoul de Chagny's hatred of the Phantom and all that he had stood for in Christine's life had become too great. When the twins were born the pent up anger had just given way and they, innocent children of their mother's sin, had become the nearly sole victims of his anger and rage.
No one spoke of them in Raoul's presence, for he despised they were not his, it was common knowledge among the servants that Christine had the children only several months after their wedding. They were not his children, though some people tried and failed miserably to act as if they were.
As another fist hit her she heard his voice, or rather she smelt it, as he told her he would be going away for a week and she had that time to get rid of those things. He didn't care how she went about it, just that it was done by the time he returned or he would rid the world of them and she would not like how.
With his cruel words and a final slap across the face he stumbled out of the room.
She pulled herself up onto the settee and as she lay there she began to cry tears she believed she no longer had. She cried and cried, until finally, her tears gave way and she lay there gasping for breath as the fear clawed at her belly. She understood now, laying there in the dark, what it was to truly fear something. For no one will fear as mother does when her children, be they bastards or not, when they're lives are put on a very fine line.
But she knew that no matter her fear she would fight for them, for a mother may fear, but she will also fight tooth, nail and life to protect them. Christine took one more shuddering breath as she resolved to defend her children. Any way she must. With a few hisses and a few moments of swaying she made her way to her feet and began the journey up to the attic. As she got closer to the door of her children's domain she could hear faint singing and she could not help the small smile. They, like their father, had voices even the angels would envy. She opened the door with gentle ease and watched her children sitting on the bed they had to share, singing a song Christine knew by heart, though, and she smiled truly at this, they had changed a few lyrics.
Mother once spoke of an angel
We use to dream he'd appear
When we sing we can sense him
But when we look he's never there
Never calling to us softly
Always hidden from us
Yet we know he's always with us
He's our unseen angel
Angel of music, guide and guardian
Grant us your glory
Angel of music, hide no longer,
Secret and strange angel
As Christine leaned further into the room the door gave a miniscule groan from her slight weight and as simple as that the singing ceased. Two pairs of hazel eyes turned to her in surprise. "Mama" the little boy hopped down from the bed and stood resolutely, just like a little solder, while his sister remained on the bed and only peeked over his shoulder with an endearing smile.
Christine just smiled as she moved into the room to sit in the worn old rocking chair. "Please continue," She said, motioning for them to come to her, which they did without hesitation, "it was beautiful, thought how you know this song is beyond me."
The children settled themselves on opposite sides at her feet and rested their heads upon her lap. "We used to hear you humming under your breath and we just made up words to go along with it… "The girl said, then her brother took up her sentence "And it seemed only fitting to sing to the angel you use to tell us about when we were small."
Just like that her son had given her the most wonderful idea. Yes that was it; she would send the children to the new Opera Populaire. The opera house had been rebuilt a few years after the fire and it was just as grand as the old one had been, and it was were the children could start a new life. A safe her fingers deftly ran through her children's hair the plan began to form and take shape and the more it grew the happier she became. Her children would live, by God Almighty they would.
"Children" Soulful eyes turned to look up at her and it hurt her to know she may never see them again, but she felt a twinge of hope that they would live. "Oh my beautiful children, you must listen to your mother carefully. You will not understand it now, but I must send you away to a dear friend of mine. She will train you in the arts and raise you up into good people."
"Mama where will we go?" the little girl asked quietly standing to grasp her poor mama's hand. "Yes Mama where will we go to learn such things? The Vicomte refused to have us tutored" her boy joined his sister at his mama's side. It hurt Christine when not once did they ask why they were to be sent away, children should never know such hatred.
"I have a dear friend, you both remember Meg Giry, yes?" Both children nodded, for they had seen her a handful of times. Christine smiled, "She is Madam now of the corps de ballet at the Opera Populaire, I will write to her this very night."
She looked at her children and took note of their worried expressions. "Oh but do not worry my loves, you will be well looked after and taught so much." "But what of you mama? Who will look after you?" Tears formed at the corners of her eyes as she gathered her children close, realizing that there would be no more moments like this. No more soft eyes and melodies voices, no more simple love, no more hidden moments of giggles and laughter. No more Laurie and Lara.
But they will live, a voice whispered, and that was all she needed to steady her resolve. "I will be so happy knowing that you will have such a wonderful time there as I did that I will not need any looking after. You will write to me very often you know, for I will have to know everything that is happening." It hurt to lie to her children, but she could not tell them, could not fathom telling them that once they were there that she would never again be able to see them, speak with them. As Laurie and Lara moved from her grasp to look at her with such expressive eyes, she gave them a watery smile and said, "With good luck and the help of an Angel within a week's time you should be well and truly settled in the Opera dormitories. But for now it is time for you both to settle into bed and into dreams of such a grand new life."
They both smiled then at her and she set about helping them with their nightly rituals as she committed every act no matter how small to memory. There would be no more moments like this after they left, she had to make sure. "Mama" Christine stopped tidying the 'nursery' to look at her beautiful twins. "Yes Lara?" She sat gently beside her daughter as her son poked his head up from the covers. "Will you sing us a lullaby? You never sing for us anymore." Christine looked at Laurie, the little boy, who only weeks ago had insisted that he and Lara were too old for lullabies and bedtime stories. Lara turned and made a face at her brother for asking her question, but then joined him in the persuading. "Yes please mama, please sing us a lullaby." Christine could not help a smile as she nodded and thought about a song. The perfect one was not far to find as she began to sing softly.
Love's a curious thing
It often comes disguised
Look at love the wrong way
It goes un-recognized
So look with your heart
And not with your eyes
A heart understands
A heart never lies
Believe what it feels
And trust what it shows
Look with your heart
The heart always knows
Love is not always beautiful
Not at the start
So open your arms
And close your eyes tight
Look with your heart
And when it finds love
Your heart will be right
Learn from someone who knows
Make sure you don't forget
Love you misunderstand
Is love that you'll regret
Look with your heart
And not with your eyes
The heart can't be fooled
The heart is too wise
Forget what you think
Ignore what you hear
Look with your heart
It always sees clear
Love is not always beautiful
Not at the start
But open your arms
And close your eyes tight
Look with your heart
And when it finds love
Your heart will be right
Christine smiled as she ended her song and looked at her children. They were fast asleep, curled together like little cubs with contented smiles on their faces. Rising carefully from the bed she leaned over and kissed each child on the forehead before walking to door. She turned and smiled at her little angels praying for the biggest miracles of her life, "Please grant them a safe and good life at the Opera house, let the Angel of Music always guide and guard them for this is last act of love I can give my children."
With that she slipped out of the door and walked downstairs to her room. With quick ease she wrote to Meg, but only what was necessary, for Meg already had guess what had happened and Christine did not need a snoopy soul knowing what happened in her life. With her letter finished, Christine quickly roused a servant and gave him the letter and sent him off with instructions to wait for a reply. As she watched the man and horse disappear she felt weariness tug on her eyes and decide to try to get a few hours of rest, she would need it for tomorrow.