(Note: This 'chapter' is told mostly from Madame Giry's Point Of View.)
(The Title-Nouveau Vie- means New Life in French.)
It may have been fate, or maybe just chance, that on that wintry day Madame Giry, dance instructor at the famous Opera House- Opera Populaire, choose to go into town. The errands she was running were not terrible important.
Maybe it was because Madame Giry spent so much time around music which attracted her to the urchin in front of the ally, or it could just have been the pathetic state of the little singer.
Sometimes people passing by would stop and listen; often they threw small change at the girl's feet. Something about the poor girl seemed to just catch the heart and made Madame Giry want to help her. (Although her pupils said otherwise, Madame Giry was a very kind hearted person.)
The young girl's voice was clear through the crisp winter air. Although young and her vocal cords not full developed, it was obvious she had a talent for song.
We tried not to forget,
They live through us.
Slowly they die away at every candle's end.
The final words drifted out and a handful of people clapped, though they quickly stopped. The young girl knelt down and began to gather the coins as quickly as possible.
Walking over, Madame Giry stood in front of the girl and the child looked up. The girl began backing away apprehensively.
"Easy, girl," said Madame Giry, reminded of a high-strung filly by the girls actions, as softly as she could. "I won't hurt you."
The girl stopped backing away, although she still waited ready to run.
"You have a good voice," continued Madame Giry, reaching out her hand but pulling it back when the child flinched away. "Would you like to come live with me?"
Shock filled the girls face, followed by disbelief. For the first time she spoke, quietly asking "What would I need to do?"
"You would simply run errands and such," Madame Giry answered honestly.
The small girl paused thinking about the offer as best as she could. "C...Could my brother come as well?"
"I'm sure it will be fine," Madame Giry replied, not overly sure how the manager of the Opera House would react.
The young girl returned from the ally with a smaller boy holding her hand. Taking the girls hand in her own (Mostly to prevent the frightened girl from running off) she began leading them back to the Opera House. "Do you have names?" Madame Giry asked.
"I...I'm Tempeste Allyriane and Valiant Soren," the girl answered, surprising that she remembered their middle names.
As they walked, Madame Giry studied the young children. The boy couldn't be more than four or five years old. His hair, though dirty, appeared to be a darkened blonde and his emerald green eyes (while, eye. The right side of his face was buried in his sister's side.) were fixed steadily on the ground. Although his clothes were ragged, he wore more than his sister. It seemed she gave more to him than kept for herself. The girl appeared to be seven or eight years of age. Her hair, also a mess, seemed a paler blond than her brothers and hung over her eye's as if to shield from painful sights. Her eyes were an odd mix: one was sky blue while the either was an emerald green like her brothers. Her clothing, as noticed before, was very ragged and she appeared extremely protective of her brother.
Once at the Opera Populiare, Madame Giry sought out the manager, Monsieur Lefray. He seemed skeptical about allowing the two urchins to remain, even if they worked. Madame Giry explained the circumstances of meeting the children and of the girl's voice. At this, Monsieur Lefray relented slightly. Sometimes plays came up which required a child to sing, and it was difficult to find children who could sing well enough, and if they worked for their keep than it may not be too bad to have them around. They called the children in, and for the first time the boy's (Valiant's) face was visible: the right side was horribly disfigured. The child stiffened when he saw the older man and woman staring at his face, and his sister pulled him behind her protectively.
"We can provide something to hide that if you wish," Monsieur Lefray said kindly, though still slightly shocked. "Tempeste?" It was more question than statement and when the girl looked at him he continued with a gentle smile. "I've heard you can sing quite well."
"A...A little bit, Monsieur," the girl answered quietly.
"Would you mind singing a little bit?" he asked gently.
At a nod and an encouraging smile from Madame Giry, the girl began. Her voice trembled with her nervousness at first but cleared into the light crystal sounds of earlier.
Take away,
These hands of darkness.
Reaching for my soul.
Now, the cold wind,
Blows out my candles.
Feeling,
Only fear,
Without any hope.
A thousand dark moons.
A thousand winters long.
A million fallen stars,
The candle burns in the womb.
We tried not to forget,
They live through us.
Slowly they die away at every candle's end
A thousand dark moons.
A thousand winters long.
A million fallen stars,
The candle burns in the womb.
We tried not to forget,
They live through us.
Slowly they die away at every candle's end
"All right than," Monsieur Lefray stated, satisfied. "Get them cleaned up and they can stay."
Madame Giry smiled slightly as the children were hustled off to get cleaned up. She followed, staying near both children.
Neither child fully realized what was happening, but both knew that it was something good and things would begin to get better.