Disclamer: I do not own Phantom of the Opera
Chapter 1
Magic use to be a common thing. Practically everyone knew how to use some form of it. The farmers and gardeners would use magic to make their crop and plants grow, the hunters used it to trap animals, and others used it to win wars. Soon, however, technology started to develope more and more and people found fewer and fewer reasons to use magic. Magic took too much energy and time while technology made everything move faster. I was always upset how I never got to grow up in the era of magic. My papa would always tell stories of how he encountered many witches and wizards through his travels. He was a merchant, selling a variety of items that he happened to find or obtain. It wasn't the most high paying job, but it got us by. He always wanted more for our family. He always said he wished he knew magic so he could fix our luck. The magic gene just never seemed to run in our family.
My papa, Gustave Daae, was a man full of compassion and love. He and my mother, Alva, were blissfully happy. I was never lucky enough to see them together because my mother died two years after I was born because of a flu. But the stories of their love will always be inside of me.
My papa was heartbroken after her death. He told us many times that it was the three of us,his three daughters, that kept him going. At first it was hard for him to even get out of bed. Me, Adrian, and Brigetta would have to force him out of bed and give him food. I was usually in charge of making the food even though I was the youngest. In fact, I did most of the chores. I'm not bitter over it, it's actually the contrary. I loved it. It made me feel needed.
Adrian and Brigetta were both too busy taking care of themselves, so me and papa got very close. While I prepared food or tended to my garden he would play his violin. Oh how I loved to hear him play! It was as if I was listening to an angel. I would sometimes sing along with him. My sisters would always complain about all the noise we made so we had to limit our music sessions to once a week. Those moments had to be the best of my life.
While papa went off to sell his goods, we had to find something to do so we wouldn't go completely mad with boredom. We lived in a small village in France with small-minded people. Most of the town was poor so none of them could be educated. It was never a thrill talking to any of them. Papa said I was cursed with a brilliant mind. I have to disagree on that. I just was a curious person. I always wanted to learn how things work so I would usually try to find books about science, history, and even magic. Trust me, I didn't understand half of it. I just wanted to try to know things about the word outside of our small village. Sadly, no one else in the town felt that way. They were content with just living their lives without even thinking about the world outside of their home. I wish I felt that way. At least I would have fit in than.
One day, when I was only ten, I met a boy. My sisters and I were trying to buy some food with the little money we had when I saw him. I could tell he wasn't from here. He had expensive looking clothes on made from a soft looking silk. The colors he was wearing were so vibrant, you could tell he was wealthy just by that. His blonde hair was combed back so that a hair was not out-of-place and his deep blue eyes were full of excitement. I pulled Adrian away from the baker's stand and asked her if she knew him.
"I have no clue who he is." she said when she spotted him. "Brigetta. Do you know him?" Brigetta was talking to Monsieur Alexandre, the baker, and by the way she was flipping her hair and batting her eyes, I could tell she was trying to get a lower price on the bread. Brigetta was fourteen at the time and was already very pretty. She had straight blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes. She knew that she was attractive because of the attention she got from all the boys in the village. Adrian rolled her eyes when she saw Brigetta flirting. "She's always like that." she mumbled and walked over to her. Brigetta was very pretty too. Her hair was much darker, practically brown, and had the same chocolate eyes. She didn't get as much attention because she was only twelve, but i knew in time she would be another girl all the boys in town would fight over.
"I don't know who he is." I heard Brigetta say. "He looks kind of young. Maybe he has an older brother!" Her and Adrian giggled to themselves and I looked back at the boy. He was really cute looking. I couldn't keep my eyes from him as he looked through the windows of the different shops. He must be from out-of-town. He knows what it's like in the outside world. I remember just wanting to go over and talk to him, but I was far to shy back then. Luckily I didn't have to make the first move. He must have felt my eyes on him because he eventually looked over in my direction. We locked eyes for a moment before I averted my gaze. I felt my face heat up with embarrassment and prayed he didn't realize I was staring at him the whole time. I took the chance to look at him again and was surprised. He was walking over in my direction.
"Bonjour Mademoiselle" he said with a smile on his face. I imagined I looked like a fish out of water they way my mouth was hanging open.
"B-Bonjour..." I said timidly. "Um...you're not from around here, are you?" I asked and he laughed.
"No. How could you tell? Did I look lost?" he questioned. I smiled and nodded.
"That and how you dress." I said and he looked down at what he was wearing.
"Do I look strange?" he asked with a distressed look on his face. I immediately felt horrible and quickly trued to fix what I just said.
"No! No, of course not! You just look really rich and nice! No one around here looks that nice!" I exclaimed while blushing the whole time. His smiled returned and I got to admire his white teeth.
"I think you look nice." he said and somehow my blush grew as I looked down at my plain wool dress.
"Thank you um...I don't know your name." I said, nervous to ask him.
He bowed. "I am Raoul De Chagny." I curtsied and told him my name.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Christine." he said with a huge smile. That's how our unlikely friendship came to be.
