Be Not Afraid.
The summary is: It takes place in almost present day. I haven't worked out the exact year yet. Esmeralda de Changy is the some odd number great niece to Christine and Raoul. She has heard stories of the immortal Opera Ghost and is fascinated with him. She begins to see what her aunt has seen of the Opera Ghost and the events of that fateful night.
Disclaimer: I do not own Phantom of the Opera or any of it's characters except Esmeralda and all the characters that don't involve PotO.
I wish I did. Or the lyrics to Beauty and the Beast, I don't own them either. Disney does (rip Alan Menkin who gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul.)
1- Stories.
"Tale as old as time/ True as it can be./ Barely even friends/then somebody bends unexpectedly./ Just a little change,/ small to say the least/ both a little scared,/ neither one prepared./ Beauty and the Beast./ Ever just the same/Ever a surprise/ Ever as before/ Ever just as sure/ As the sun will rise." Twenty year old Esmeralda de Changy sang to a group or orphans who lost their parents to cancer.
"Sing more,Madame Esmeralda." a little girl, Janelle, cried.
"Sorry Nelle, I have to go see my Maman." she said, smoothing Janelle's blond hair.
"OK." the girl said sadly. "Will you tell us the story of the Opera Ghost next time?"
With a warm smile,Esmeralda nodded and left/
For years her family told stories of the the infamous Opera Ghost. She even went to the Opera house, which was rebuilt countless times (chandeliers kept falling). She assumed that the spirit of the Opera Ghost still remained there. How she wished it did.
When she arrived at the de Changy manor she was led to her mother by Marius, a handsome servant and Esmerald's very best friend.
"Enter." a gentle voice said. "Ah,Es, I hoped that you would see me today." her mother said.
"Bonjour, Maman."
"Now, darling, you know I don't speak a word of Latin." her mother said fondly.
"That was French, Maman. You speak French." Esmeralda said with a smile, despite the sadness in her voice. Her mother's mind was going again.
"I do?" her mother asked.
"Oui."
"No, I don't." her mother remarked. "Not stop that."
"Yes,Maman." Esmeralda said. "Maman. Tell me again of Raoul and Christine." The one story she knew her mother remembered.
"You can't get enough of that wretched Opera Ghost, can you?" her mother spat.
"Wretched?" she gasped. "Maman, he's simply misunderstood."
"Indeed."
"Please, Maman, the story."
"Well, your great aunt, I can't recall how many greats," Her mother began. "Christine Daae, was a beautiful dancer as the Opera Populaire. When she was just a little girl her father, Gustave, died and she was brought to live in the Opera house.
She was diligent in her studies all day and when she went to bed at night she would hear a male voice, singing to her. She believed it was the angel her father had sent to her, like he promised."
"The Angel of Music." Esmeralda said in a soft voice, entranced.
Nodding, her mother continued.
"Christine was delighted with the fact that her father kept his promise. One day, the Opera Populaire's owner, Monsieur Lafarve announced that he was retiring to Australia and that the new owners were Messuirs Richard Firman and Gilles Andre. With that Monsieur Andre said that they had a new patron..."
"Raoul, the Vicomte de Changy." Esmeralda said.
"I think you know this story better then I do." her mother laughed. "Shall I go on?"
Esmeralda nodded.
"No one but Christine knew who the young Vicomte was. She told her best friend, Meg, that she and Raoul were childhood sweethearts. Raoul, who didn't see her, left and said that he would be back that night for the opening of the show, Hannibal."
"The prima donna at that time was Carlotta Gudichelli and she was singing one of her songs when the backdrop fell on her."
Esmeralda laughed. "Served her right, she was a horrible singer."
"How would you know?" her mother asked, curiously.
"Um. Wild er-guess." Esmeralda said. Where had that come from?
Her mother raised her eyebrows and shrugged,continuing.
"Now Meg and Christine knew in was the Opera Ghost but the new owners didn't want to believe it, or pay 20,000 francs a month. Now Carlotta was really annoyed that she no one would feel too sorry for her and she stormed out, thinking that the show would be a flop without her. But Madame Giry said that Christine could do it. They thought that a mere chorus girl singing the lead role was ridiculous. Madame Giry said that Christine was taking lessons from a great teacher.
They, reluctantly, let her sing. She had an amazing voice, much like your own." her mother said,fondly.
"The show was a major success and Raoul, who had finally recognized Christine, couldn't believe that it was her. Later that night, Christine's Angel of Music came to her, taking her to his home."
Esmeralda nodded,in a dream-like state. "That long tunnel, the horse, the boat. Oh, his home was lovely, despite the fact that it was a sewer."
"Es?" her mother said.
Realizing what she said, she said she had to go and ran like something was after her. Little did she know, her troubles were just beginning.
A.N: Well that's part one and part two is being worked on. Thanks to my amazing cousin for posting it for me because I'm challenged. Review please.