Erik
That one was certainly feisty. There was a bold spirit in her that rather intrigued me as I watched the two girls dance. The older, newer woman was obviously leading, Meg's quick eye and experience easily keeping up but some of the moves and steps that this new addition made surprised even me. Some would call a few of the rather seductively wanton steps scandalous, I saw them as progressive. This girl had grown up dancing to impress for coin, though there was no use for it here, she would need to learn her place and quickly.
However, as she and the younger girl, Meg Griy, began to talk, I leaned forwards over the walkway to listen with keen interest. She had a humorous streak in her, which was not all that amusing to me but it made the other girl laugh and she was obviously upset as she spoke about…Christine.
I had stopped when I heard her name whispered, as if her ghost was haunting my thoughts and refusing to allow her to leave me. I had seen them on the stage together and instantly stopped to watch them, preparing to drop a sandbag upon them as punishment for even speaking that woman's name but then the woman, Lianne her name was, had done something extraordinary.
She had mimicked La Carlotta in a rather amusing way, though it did not appeal to my sense of humour seeing as I had none. It had been interesting to watch, however, as the woman's interpretation of the old diva was quirky and rather precise, hitting the nail on the head, as it were.
I realised what she was doing. She had been trying to make Meg laugh and succeeded, which was when the dance had then began. So she was caring, compassionate and considerate to those around her. Such qualities were rather useless, if you ask me.
Still, I had been further interested in her dancing. She danced with such…passion. Yes, passion, something that I could understand. There was a freedom and energy that burned into every move she made whether it was fast and accented or slow and lyrical, everything seemed to simply work splendidly together and I knew then that there was true talent within that woman.
Listening to them speak softly, I had had to move down to the shadows of the stage to be able to hear them properly. Meg had just spoken, though I had missed the beginning I now listened to the other woman as she spoke with passion.
"They are just jealous because you are so effortless talented." This was true, Meg was the most talented dancer in the opera house, however there was no need for such words to be spoken, the girl knew this and if they were said too often then they would go to her 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."
This also was true. If Madame Giry was not so hard on them, they would have a very lazy chorus troupe and I could never have such idleness in my opera house. I demand only perfection. I noted how wisely the woman spoke, as if she knew people and the world well. It made me wonder about her background.
"You are very talented too, with some training and proper practice, you may even surpass me. I cannot dance the way you can." Frowning slightly I wondered at Meg's words. Could this new addition surpass a girl who had been training to dance since she could walk? I doubt it, she was too green to have the deep, formalised technique needed for dancing and by the time this woman would be able to learn it, she would be too old to be considered desirable for the chorus.
"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." A burning ember in my chest alighted at her words. Yes, I understood what she meant. To be able to dance was easy, to be able to dance with meaning was another thing entirely, it linked incredibly well with how music was supposed to be played, herd and made.
Their next conversation began to bore me as they were talking about Meg's future, however my attention did quickly snap back to them when Meg began to look fearfully around to the shadows and I smirked. She knew well to fear me, I was a dangerous man.
"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." And she was correct. That girl was not permitted to leave, I need her talent here where it is useful, not in some pomp fop production of some mundane ballet about romance and endless loathsome dancing with no real music to appreciate. There was rarely singing in ballet, in fact, I cannot think of one song at all.
When the woman, Lianne, seemed confused about to whom Meg was referring to, I smirked deeply. So, she did not believe in the Opera Ghost, how fortunate, now I shall be able to have something to do that shall amuse me for a time.
"Is he really so menacing?" She drawled and my smirk disappeared from my face in a flash. She will regret that tone, I swear, I shall let her feel just how menacing I can be and before I am done, she will be shaking in fear every night before she goes to sleep. How dare she mock me?
Her worried tone dragged me from my thoughts as she fussed over Meg's clammy hands. Well, they were on an empty stage at night time wearing only slips of a dress to cover themselves. I must admit, I did enjoy looking over their legs as they rose to their feet, specifically the older woman's as she was less defined with muscle as Meg was. They looked soft and tender, long compared to her short torso though it was the perfect build for a dancer.
"Is he there?" Meg's tight whisper was full of fear and her eyes wandered through the shadows but what she did not know was that her eyes actually did rest successfully on mine for a very brief second before passing over.
"No, my nutmeg, no one is there. They are just shadows." The woman murmured gently to her, tapping Meg's brow to make her blink and look at her directly. "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." Rage blew up like an inferno within me at her words. So she wishes to tangle with me, does she? Very well, I shall grant her wish. I shall make her regret those words, those proud, vain words that dare think they could outsmart and outmatch me.
"No! Do not threaten him, he will kill you! He's always listening, always there, he hears and sees everything!" How blissfully ignorant they both were, of course I was listening. I have an uncanny knack for listening in all the right conversations. My rage was still in flight, however, as I glared at the woman as she shrugged. It took all of my self control not to storm over there and simply snap her neck. It would be so easy, too easy.
"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. Come now, that's it, very carefully." Hearing these softer, kinder words my anger dispersed slightly. Had she only said these overly confident threats just to appease a friend's fears? I hope so, for if not then she shall suffer the consequences for them.
As they left I made no bid to follow, turning and disappearing further into shadow as I slid a panel across at the back of the stage then slipped down into darkness where I was most comfortable, out of sight. All these people were so unaware of their owner's knowledge of me. I had secretly left messages and notes for my dear new partner who had the good sense to take me more seriously. He was painfully dull and not overly experienced in the arts save for being a violinist himself who had risen to fortune, however he obeyed any demand I made of him without question including my pay, which remained at twenty thousand francs a month but he had bargained that for this money I be completely silent and inactive without causing any damage to the stage, backdrops or any of the crew.
I had agreed to these terms, on the condition that unless there was a specific need for me to get his attention immediately. Though I hardly intended to commit to these terms, it was better to keep the peace now and besides, I had no reason of late to cause a stir, everything was running smoothly.
Though I would probably be making some sort of statement to welcome our dear new patron tomorrow, after all, it was about time they all knew that the Phantom of the Opera was not gone, that he was still very much alive.
However thinking about it, to allow everyone to know that he was still alive and here would probably be unwise, seeing as the authorities wanted his neck decorated with a noose. Damn them, now I cannot even wreck a little havoc in my own opera house. Still, it did not mean that a little fun could not be passed over to include that new wretch that had so readily rebuked him. She will regret not fearing me like everyone else so sensibly did, she would learn her place in my opera house, which was beneath my boot.
