Pursing my lips I turned slowly around on the stage, gazing around me before taking light, tiny steps forwards as I lifted my hands, rising up on point to test the give of the stage. It was well sprung, so I did a little twirl, smiling then dropped a mock curtsey to the empty auditorium. The plush red seats were newly installed, the chandelier bright and beautiful like gleaming gold with every crease and design of the magnificent opera house. I could get used to this.
"Lianne! Lianne, there you are." Meg Giry's voice called out and I turned my head, instantly smoothing out my dancing frock in case Meg's mother was close behind. "I've been searching all over for you, are you alright?"
"Yes Meg, I just wanted to get used to the stage before my first rehearsal tomorrow." I explained to her, smiling with a slight blush before reaching up with my hand and pushed back a loose strand of blonde hair to tuck it behind my ear. "They have done a wonderful job with the remodelling, was it this beautiful before?" I asked and Meg nodded her head.
"Nothing has been changed, our new owners at least know a little about the arts and our patrons are incredibly wealthy, so wealthy in fact that all the chorus girls are now desperately trying to slim down further and pretty themselves up for tomorrow." I chuckled with her as her tone told me that she was ashamed of the young girls who were going to make an attempt in snatching up a wealthy husband, or lover, either one and I do not think they minded.
"How are you, Meg? How are you managing?" Meg paused, her bottom lip trembling slightly so I went to her, taking her in my arms as she began to cry softly.
"I miss her so much, but she is gone." Meg whispered and I knew who she was talking about. Christine Daae. The friend who had abandoned Meg when the opera had been shamed. Meg was many years younger than I, only just eighteen whereas I was twenty two and would be twenty three in a week or two, yet I doted on her despite her being the Prima Ballerina, I thought of her very much like a little sister as she had been kind to me when I had arrived only a week ago, homeless, penniless and alone.
Meg had seen me dancing in the street for coin and instantly brought her mother to me and after a small performance, I had been offered a place here as a chorus girl to replace Christine. I had spent the week working my muscles, improving my technique though Madame Giry had decided that there was very little that needed to be done, simply for me to learn the actual names of the dance moves that always seemed to come so naturally to me.
"There now, I know something that will make you feel better." I said then pulled back, striking a pose with my arms lifted high, pouting heavily as I arched my back, turned my head to the side then pointed my toes. Meg giggled. "Ay ah!" I crowed in a shrill voice. "Why you do this a why?" I mocked the old Prima Donna, La Carlotta as I had heard many stories about her vulgar pride and vanity.
Stalking forwards I wiggled my hips and Meg giggled further, wiping away her tears as I placed my hands on my hips, hunched forwards then blew a kiss to an imaginary audience. "Bellisima! Look at ah me, La Carlotta! I sing like a beautiful angel!" Meg cracked into a wide grin as she laughed at my accented imitation of what I had heard of Carlotta. "But den I croak like ah frog…CROAK!" Meg squealed with laughter as I pretended to flutter a fan in front of my face, sweeping an arm over my brow before I spun a tight pirouette, finding the rhythm of my own dance as I swept my arms out and twisted, arching my back and kicked up a leg before sliding into the splits.
Meg beamed then began to stag leap towards me, turning in the air as she sprung up then spun on the spot as I gracefully rose to my feet, rising onto my toes then lifted my hands up above my head as I moved my feet quickly but in tiny movements, as if teetering.
With bright smiles on our faces we began to dance in unison, linking hands then leaned to the side, kicking up our legs but I then faced her, leaning back and hooked my leg around hers and she copied, frowning before giggling as we used one another as an anchor, arching backwards until my head nearly touched the floor until at the same moment, we rose up then spun away from one another, dancing to our hearts content and I completely let go, absorbing the wonderful sensation of dancing on the stage of the Opera Populaire.
When we collapsed side by side, Meg was brighter and one again her usual cheerful self. "I have never seen some of those moves before, like the one where we used each other as an anchor, who taught you that?" Meg asked as she gasped for breath and I smiled, gazing up at the ceiling.
"No one, I just improvised." I explained, sitting up slowly then groaned. "I think I may have a stitch. Nasty buggers." Meg giggled at my slightly rude language, covering her mouth as she did so then sighed.
"I am glad you are here, Lianne, things will not be so lonely now that I have a friend. Ever since Christine left…there has been no one who I could really talk to. The other girls do not like me much because I am the Prima Ballerina."
"They are just jealous because you are so effortlessly talented." I replied simply, lifting my head. "They cannot accept that they will have to go about things the hard way if they are ever going to be able to reach your standard of dancing." Meg blushed sweetly at my honest words.
"You are very talented too, with some training and proper practice, you may even surpass me. I cannot dance the way you can."
"I do not dance properly, Meg, I simply allow the dancing to express what I am thinking and feeling, the way someone might with music. My movements and actions transcend into a story that I wish to tell everyone who will watch, because quite frankly, I am not very good with words. Dancing gives me such freedom, such happiness that I know I shall never get from anywhere else." Meg's eyes lit up with understanding.
"I know how you feel, sometimes I hear the music and just want to abandon the routine to dance what my feet want to dance, let them lead me but mother would have a fit if I did. I can only do such a thing in my spare time." Smiling at her I shifted closer, wriggling slightly in my practice dress then looked at her closely.
"Meg, I know you love your mother and this opera house, but do you not ever wish to go further? You have such talent, far more than anyone else here. I know I hardly know what I am talking about, but when I see you dance everyone else are simple matchsticks compared to you, I always see something special about you. Do you ever dream of leaving and joining a proper ballet school?" Meg paused, glancing around then swallowed nervously.
"I must not say. If he hears then he may tell my mother and she will be angry, or worse, he will be angry if I try to leave. I am the Prima Ballerina, the best of them and he will want me to stay to make his performances perfect." I frowned slightly, confused as to whom she was speaking of.
"Do you mean Monsieur Dubois? He hardly rules over you, he cannot force you to stay and think how proud your mother would be if you were to perform in Giselle or Swan Lake! You would be a wonderful Odette, with your blonde hair and graceful steps, much like a swan already." She shook her head, eyes darting around her so I laughed nervously. "Meg, my friend, what has you looking so frightened?"
"I mean him, the phantom." She meant the Phantom of the Opera? But surely he was gone from here, ran away when his lair had been discovered, though since renovations no one has been able to find it or open any of the known passageways with secret doors, perhaps that was his doing.
"Is he really so menacing?" I asked, reaching out and taking her cold hands, gasping at their chill and saw how pale Meg was becoming. "Meg! You are so cold! Come, we must get to bed immediately, if not for your benefit then for mine. I refuse to go to rehearsals tomorrow without you, I shall be so terrified to be on my own. Up you get." Meg rose to her feet with me pulling on her hands, gently sliding an arm around her as she shivered, still searching the shadows.
"Is he there?"
"No, my nutmeg, no one is there. They are just shadows." I tapped her head softly with one finger. "Forget these fears. He will not harm you, I shall not allow it. I will protect you from this dreadful Phantom and I shall see how he likes to hang from a noose if he dares threaten you." Meg gripped my hand tightly.
"No! Do not threaten him, he will kill you! He's always listening, always there, he hears and sees everything!" I gave a careless shrug.
"I meant no offence, Meg, I am only trying to make you feel better. However, what I say is true. I will protect you, if there is ever a time you feel frightened, you may come running, leaping or dancing to me and I shall hold you close. They are just shadows and these are just nightmares, they cannot harm you really." Meg still looked frightened so I sighed. "Come now, that's it, very carefully." Shaking like a leaf I led the poor girl back up to our dormitories where the other girls were already preparing for bed.
When they saw us some of them frowned in confusion but one or two of them came running over. "Is she alright? Was it the Phantom? Did someone hurt her?" I brushed them away, pushing past so that I could get Meg to her bed but they pursued. "Will she dance tomorrow? For the show? I do not mind taking her part if she is unwell, I know the steps well enough to…"
"You will do no such thing. As you can see, Meg Giry is perfectly alright." I cut one of the girls off, turning a cold glare on her. "And you will do well to remember your place, away from Meg's roles and focus on yours. Meg has simply taken a sudden chill and is very tired which is understandable, for she works longer and harder than any of you, which is why she is Prima Ballerina and not any of you childish girls who think it prudent to dally your time away in the city or with men who shall bring you no luck nor joy! Now away with you, I need to take care of her." They stared opened mouthed at my reprimand, obviously not expecting such a tongue lashing but I had very little patience for these girls, who relied solely on their pretty faces to get anywhere.
There was a cough at the door and everyone spun around to face Madame Giry who pressed her lips firmly together in displeasure, though I caught the gleam in her eye which told me she was amused by my sharp scolding, which was often her duty to deliver. "Bed." She commanded and all girls hurried to scramble under their covers save for myself and Meg.
I dropped a deep curtsey of respect then helped Meg undress as her hands were shaking too much to undo the ribbons of her dance shoes or the buttons on the back of her dress so I helped her out of it then did up a nightgown for her as her mother came over. "Meg, what is wrong?"
"Nothing Madame." She answered dutifully, dropping a perfect curtsey. "I merely worked myself into a state again, I shall be right as rain after a good night of sleep." As she talked I had quickly seen to myself, undressing and pulling on a scratchy nightgown that had been loaned to me seeing as I had no real possessions of my own save for a thimble which had belonged to my mother. It was cheap, old and rather petty, but it was all I had of her. My prized possession.
Once I was ready I slipped into bed and turned over to face Meg who gave me a small smile of gratitude as Madame Giry went around and blew out the candles, everyone whispering a goodnight to her as she passed their bed.
"Goodnight Madame." She stopped and looked at me with a critical gaze which I met humbly but confidently, not allowing her to intimidate me. She gave a small nod of approval before moving forwards. She picked up the candle she had brought with her, went to the door and turned.
"Goodnight girls." She called out then shut the door, leaving us in complete darkness. There were a few moments of silence until one of the girls began to speak in a soft whisper.
"Meg, what happened?"
"Nothing, I simply frightened myself." Meg answered quietly then turned over.
"What about? Was it the phantom?" Scowling slightly I sat up in bed.
"I'll hear no more of this phantom. He is the past and he is gone now. There has been no word of him since the accident and there is no reason to believe that he has returned, so silence all of you, or I shall box your ears and see how well you dance with a headache." One of the girls sneered.
"Just because you are the eldest does not mean you are better than any of us. You're just a charity case who can barely dance." I seethed slightly at the girl's words, Georgia her name was, but held my temper in check. It was the one thing that I prided myself on, my ability to avoid losing my temper no matter how infuriating the people I was dealing with.
"I am older which makes me wiser, you are all naïve fantasists in my opinion with Meg the exception as she has had to be mature to be a proper Prima Ballerina. There is nothing to be afraid of in this opera house save for my temper, which you would not want to see break I can assure you. Now, stop pestering Meg, stop with your silly questions and go to sleep. We all have work to do tomorrow and Madame will demand only perfection." For a long time there was silence so once I was sure that they had received my stern my stern message, I smirked then settled down to sleep.