The young girl sat idly on the window seat of the empty hospital room. A cold hand clutched her shoulder. She ignored the interruption and continued to watch as the sun set behind the Pyrenees. The rose colored sky glistened reflecting on the snow of the mountains in the distance.
Three months ago nine-year old Christine Daae had moved into the small University town of Pau, in the central Pyrenees of France. For a short time her father had been a music instructor at the Pau University, until he was struck ill.
Hushed voices in the hall alerted Christine as she noticed the hand on her shoulder was now gone.
" No other family?" An elderly mans voice echoed quietly.
"None. There is one option, but I must speak with Miss Daae about it. My late brother's wife lives in Paris. She is the dance mistress for the Opera Populaire. She could take the girl in there. She would have a home, and people to watch over her. There is nothing left for her here. Nothing."
The arrangements were made and within a week Christine was on a train to Paris. She had been told that her father would be buried in a cemetery right outside of Paris next to her mother, Isabelle Des Champs Daae's, grave.
Mother. Christine thought. She had only known her mother for a year. The young woman had left for a voyage to Paris in 1854 to assist a dying cousin. Her death had always been kept a secret from Christine, she never knew how or why her mother had died, and she never asked.
She always imagined her mother and dreamt of her. Her long auburn hair, thick with ringlet curls. Her skin fair and freckled, her eyes icy blue, her voice quiet, like an angel. The young girl clung to her black bag as she fought back tears. She was alone.
Her nursemaid had not even accompanied her on the train to Paris. As though she was happy to be rid of the responsibility.
In the past week Christine had learned how to keep herself company, how to be her one and only companion.
The French countryside passed in a blur, as Christine watched the hills turn to dirt roads, and the dirt roads turn to cobble stone.
She awoke the next morning in Paris and was meant at the station by a young woman with long red hair tied into a neat bun. She wore a long blue dress and a black overcoat and hat.
"Christine Daae. My name is Claire Giry, I will be your new keeper." Claire frowned at the word "keeper," wondering instead if she could have said something less cold. She knew she was in no way her new "mother," but…her thoughts were interrupted as the small girl reached up and took her hand.
"Thank you Madame Giry. I am ready to go now."
Hand in hand Claire led Christine to the carriage, which waited for them. As they arrived at the opera house Claire noticed Christine's small hand had never left hers.
A room full of small girls watched eagerly as their instructor Madame Giry introduced a small, pale girl, with long brown curls. She was quiet and shy as she clung to Madame Giry's hand.
That evening Christine sat with the girls to supper in their dormitories located in the upper levels of the Opera House.
"This is your bed." Madame Giry said, helping Christine place her things in the small chest at the foot of the bed.
That night Christine wept into her white pillow. She was once again, alone. She felt helpless. Climbing from her bed she slipped out of the large room past the rows of sleeping girls. As she emerged from the room she climbed down a flight of wooden stairs and passed a large row of costumes and wigs next to the dressing rooms. She ran blindly down a cold hallway until she collapsed. After an hour of tears Christine had fallen asleep, her small body curled up into a small ball.
Arching his neck in curiosity he realized that the figure he saw was a small girl, sleeping on the floor. Odd, he thought to himself. He lowered his body down quietly using the pipes on the walls for leverage. Like a gargoyle he sat perched on a box of wigs watching the small angel-like creature sleep. He noticed she was shivering, and without hesitation scooped her small body into his arms. Without thinking he crept quietly to the dormitories searching for the empty bed. Upon finding it he realized how foolish he had been to enter the room, and dropped her lightly into the bed and disappeared.