Warning: You may want a French-English dictionary out if you don't speak French and want to understand the impromptu song I made up. It's fairly simple, but I've also tossed in a few French phrases and stuff too, so it's just a little warning so you aren't totally caught off guard.
I have never been to a cabaret or whorehouse, so I don't really know what it looks like or how it all works out, but I gave it my best shot and I hope its okay. Moulin Rouge helped a lot!
Don't forget to review because everyone loves reviews! Plus, I need critiquing, I need responsiveness!!
"Hello, my beautiful girls! This is a new member to our clan. You will teach her all she needs to know about the Black Snake, yes?" I declared to my whores who all sat around "backstage" as the new girl and I walked into my cathouse. Their show wasn't until six, and they insisted on resting beforehand.
"Charlie, she's just a little kiddie!" Alice declared. Her squeaky voice was like falling nails to my ears.
"Ah, Alice - I love the new outfit, where did you find it?" I looked her up-and-down. A black corset with lace running up it, with a tiny, gauzy skirt that hugged her petite waist with tight fishnets that wrapped around her thin legs. Her black hair was done up in a smooth bun, and her face looked as if it had been slapped with a makeup drawer. She looked perfect for the show tonight.
"Jasper, the one who slept with me last night, gave me dis, some roses, and a bottle a champagne. I'm considerin' him cheap. But yo changin' the subject; a little girl can't join the Glass Swans! She's way too young!" That's what everyone called my infamous girls: the Glass Swans - because my last name was Swan at they were always bright and shiny in the right places.
"Ever hear of child prostitution, ma chérie?" I raised my eyebrows. Alice scowled.
"Alice is right, Charlie. Also, we have no room here for her!" Rosalie, my most beautiful cocotte, cried out. I knew she was really only worried about sharing her room with the silent child I was still gripping with my right hand.
I waved her off. "Ah, Rosalie, I am going to make this child the star of the Black Snake!"
Rosalie gasped. "What?! I thought I, Rosalie, was the star of the Black Snake! You can't kick me out!"
"Rosalie, my arrogant darling, you will simply be moving in with Alice and Esme, not kicked to the streets; what kind of pimp would I be if I did such a thing to you, gosling? Besides, this newborn star deserves a bit of room."
"What?!" Esme and Alice cried in unison.
"Not another word, girls."
"But, Charlie, come on! Can't you just leave da child? She's only causin' more problems than fixin' any! We don't need 'nother prostitute in this overly stuffed whorehouse, okay?! Just leave her be! And how in the world can we train her for tonight's show anyways? Will she even be premierin' tonight?" Alice babbled on, dismayed.
"Alice, my darling, silence. You are the most compassionate in the group after Esme, who has a very rich and powerful suitor coming for her tonight, so you are to teach the child everything she needs to know to be part of the Black Snake during the show tonight."
"Charlie! I'm in da damn show!"
"Enough, before I beat you! You will do as I say, Alice, I own you! Now, take the child to Rosalie's room, and give her Rosalie's things. Rosalie will have to sleep on your floor until we can get another bed. Understood?"
"My things -" Rosalie began, but I slapped her cleanly across the face, and she was silent.
"Yes, ma chérie, your things. We will get you new things, but the child keeps the old. She is going to be a magnificent, sensual, erotic star, I can feel it! We'll start her off with the basics as a child, and she will be primed for the best by eighteen. How wonderful this is all turning out."
The group of whores was silent. They stared, disbelieving, up at me. I narrowed my eyes, and yelled, "Make yourselves useful and do as I ask, lest I beat you harder than just a slap! Afterwards, you can rest up for the sure-to-be-erotic show tonight."
The girls scattered, and Alice took Bella upstairs.
And that was part of the story of how I came to be part of the Black Snake that Charlie loved to tell me as I grew up.
I told that story to myself every night before a show. And tonight was no different; when I heard Alice's end her song, the curtains would open up, and thousands of men were out there, just waiting for me.
I sat down on the trapeze. The coldness of wood sent shivers up my spine. I fluffed up my hair once more before Esme swatted my hand away. "You'll ruin it, Bella! I made it perfect this time!"
I nodded; I had to be perfect. I analyzed my clothing one more time: sequined sapphire blue corset, fishnet tights, and black high heels, and my hair was done up in perfect curls. I was so suppose to look gaudy yet elegant, and I thought the outfit was just that; enough to make the boys hunger, but still covered up enough to know that it was highly unattainable.
I heard Alice's high-pitch voice come to a close on the last note, and I took a deep breath. It was my time to shine, my spotlight. I'd been one for the limelight since Charlie had picked me up when I was ten and I started out as a rare child whore. But now I was older and better at my job, and the spotlight was even more important nowadays.
"Ready, Bella?" Esme asked seriously. She was, in a sort, my mother because she had taken care of me since I arrived at the Black Snake. Alice had been my sister, Charlie my father, and Esme my mother.
"I'm ready," I replied steadily.
Esme began to lower the trapeze at an unfaltering pace. I gripped the tight string that ran up and attached itself to the crank. I crossed my legs daintily, and I heard the crowd below became silent. Dark blue confetti fell down before me, and the last note of Alice's number wavered in the air as I was lowered. I closed my eyes until I felt the trapeze come to a stop. I opened them.
On the bar of the trapeze, I sat, overlooking the whole club; the old-fashioned stage that Alice, Rosalie, Angela, and Reneé waited on the stage silently. Rosalie looked angered, as she always did when I entered - she use to be the star until she got older, and I was the replacement. Alice scowled, but she had always disapproved of me being a woman of pleasure - she thought of me as her little sister, and her little sister following her footsteps into prostitution made her furious at times. Angela and Reneé were usually the quiet ones, and were never interested in the spotlight; so, they stood by and watched me float down.
The room was completely silent. My soft, sweet voice slowly murmured the words: "Soyez bienvenus au Serpent Noir
Maison des Cygnes de Verre
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?"
The whorehouse burst into a cabaret; the whole room seemed to explode with colors and voices. The crowd screamed as I did laps on the trapeze, dangling my arm just above the eager crowd temptingly. The live band blasted, and the four courtesans on stage started singing a soft harmony. I began my song as soon as I was lowered, and could step down onto the floor . . .
"Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?
Mais seulement si vous pouvez me payer
Je suis une femme chère
Vous voulez une nuit de plaisir?
J'exige des bijoux et un argent
Ainsi si vous croyez que vous avez été faits pour m'aimer, le bébé
La seule façon de m'aimer, le bébé, est vous paient des jolis frais
Ainsi provoquez les prétendants, provoquez les hommes
Je suis prêt pendant une nuit d'amour et de diamants."
I ran around the cabaret, singing my heart out. I reached the stage, where I began to sing the chorus. The crowd went wild for the performance, and, though they were resentful, my four whores behind me sang harmony . . .
"Ainsi si vous espérez m'aimer,
Oui, si vous espérez m'aimer, le bébé
La seule voie est avec des jolis frais
Je veux des bijoux, je veux de l'or
Donnez-moi des diamants en abondance!
Je ne veux pas roses, je ne veux pas d'argent
J'exige le meilleur!"
Swish, swish on your left foot. Turn, booty shake - the crowd went nuts. Hands, up the body, turn, shake the hips. Hands in the air, hands down tight at your side. Push the air, left. Push the air, right. Kick up, stomp down. Turn to the side; hands on your knees, bounce, booty shake. Spin, spin, spin, squat, jump up, turn, hands on the knees, turn head, blow a kiss. Now for the second stanza . . .
"Ainsi si vous espérez m'aimer,
Je veux des diamants, je veux de l'or!
Donnez-moi tout dans votre portefeuille
Videz-le jusqu'à ce que rien ne se querelle
Et ensuite vous pouvez m'avoir
Je serai le vôtre jusqu'à l'aube
Alors je m'attends à un joli cadeau se séparant
Juste dire au revoir
Je m'attends à encore un baiser et à une autre apparence plus tard cette nuit
Ainsi si vous pouvez payer,
Vous pouvez m'avoir
Je vous avez des diamants sur vous,
Vous pouvez m'avoir
Mais je suis une femme chère,
même pour vous."
I had the very last chorus of the song to go, but first I needed to change into my beautiful finale outfit. Ten other courtesans came up stage, and made a dressing room by lifting up their skirts around me, and dancing around, so I could not be seen. Alice, Rosalie, Angela, and Reneé entertained by singing the second stanza again, and doing an impromptu cancan dance. The crowd roared for more me.
Esme scuttled behind the extemporary dressing room with my finale outfit: a black, sequined top hat, a black and purple corset that looked rather elegant on me, and new purple stilettos. Esme reapplied my red lipstick, and then scampered offstage with my old clothing undetected. The other girls were almost done, so I got in a crouching position, so I could jump out of the spur-of-the-moment dressing room when they sang their last note.
Finally, Rosalie ended, the skirts came down, and I popped up, already saying a couple new verses and the chorus . . .
"Nous allons perdre sont des charmes à la fin
Mais je resterai jeune aussi longtemps que vous pouvez me payer
Apportez donc un peu d'argent et portefeuilles
Apportez les diamants et l'or
Oubliez tout le roses et de l'argent
Donnez tout et plus!
Ainsi si vous espérez m'aimer,
Oui, si vous espérez m'aimer, le bébé
La seule voie est avec des jolis frais
Je veux des bijoux, je veux de l'or
Donnez-moi des diamants en abondance!
Je ne veux pas roses, je ne veux pas d'argent
J'exige le meilleur!"
I raised my voice and arms at the very end, and kept staring upward, taking in all of the applause and screams. Money was thrown at me, and the bodyguards did everything they could do from keeping all types of people off of the stage. I turned to my audience, smiling, waving, and blowing kisses. I did booty shakes and bent down so the men could see my half-concealed breasts. If they'd been going nuts before, now they were going ballistic. I blushed, and blew more kisses to my loyal fans. My little backup dancers behind me rolled their eyes as they shook their hips and sang a soft concord.
Esme and Charlie came to get me, and led me off the stage by carrying me horizontally. I looked like an Egyptian princess being carried off by her slaves. I waved once more and blew as many kisses as I could. The other four girls stomped behind me.
"C'était un spectacle spectaculaire, le chérubin!" Charlie cried joyfully. "You were magnificent out there!"
"Yeah, talk about driving 'em boys crazy, Bella - you driven 'em mad with desire! You are a pro at dis," Alice remarked at her dressing room table, as she touched up on her heavy blush.
I blushed. "Dites merci à chacun! You know, Alice, you, Rosalie, Angela, and Reneé were great out there too," I said innocently.
Alice rolled her eyes. "Oh, you were the real star of the show. You win best prostitute of 1899 in Paris. Is a given, love."
"So, ma petite étoile, I have a wooer for you tonight!" Charlie announced with excitement. Everyone in the dressing room leaned in, and held a breath. Charlie rolled his eyes. "It's no one too important; the boy is seventeen, and his father is a wealthy man of high status. It's the boy's first time anywhere near a place like the Black Snake, so you must go easy on him. And you must be good as well, because his father is a powerful man. He visited Esme many a time when she was young, but never bought her; he never married though either. He lost his wife in a fire or something, and he only has his son, so treat him well! Do anything to please the boy tonight, all right, cherub?"
Everyone turned to face me, still holding their breath.
I laughed confidently. "What's the boy's name, Charlie? I've got to at least know his and his father's names."
"Ah, yes, his name is Edward Cullen, and his father is Carlisle Cullen. They expect you in your quarters promptly at ten. You have one hour to prepare. Now, Esme, let's go see if we can find him, and sell you, hm . . . ?"
Charlie and guided Esme out of the dressing room, and into the pulsing cabaret.
"So, a night with Edward Cullen, huh, Bella?" Rosalie asked casually. Her casualness was clearly overdone.
"Yeah, what of it, Rosalie? Don't be an arrogant thing, and start yellin'. The girl deserves to be where she is, and you was too old to keep bein' the star of this damned place."
Rosalie narrowed her eyes. "I won't forgive her for stealing my spotlight, if that's what you're implying."
"Yeah, that's what I'm implyin'. She was ten-years-old, she didn't know nothing, it was Charlie's fault! He brought her here off the street! If anyone, be angry with Charlie. Besides, I think Bella is a fine star here."
Rosalie slapped down her lipstick, and glared at Alice. "Fine, cochon, have it your way. At least I don't talk like un crétin ignorant."
As Rosalie stormed out of the dressing room, I ran over to comfort Alice; everyone knew she was particularly sensitive when it came down to her speech. Though Charlie had tried to give her speaking lessons, it was to no avail. Alice could never learn how to talk properly, but Charlie kept her anyway because she ended up being a great source for business.
"Alice, don't listen to Rosalie. She doesn't know anything! She's just une prostituée arrogante! You are so much better than her."
Alice sniffled. "Why shouldn't I listen to her, eh? She usually turns out right 'bout everythin'! Rosalie is right . . . I'm just a pretty face, and just barely one. I ain't smart or talented. I'm scarcely beau!"
"Alice! Honte sur vous! You are a beautiful and talented person; you know it! You were singing better than me out there! Don't you dare say you're barely even a pretty face, because you're one of the most beautiful people in here. Understood, ma chérie?"
Alice sniffled again, and let out a tight sob. I wiped at her tears hastily. "I have to get ready, no? And you have to find a suitor for tonight. Come on, let's go! Everything will be fine, don't listen to Rosalie, she doesn't know anything at all, understand me?"
She nodded. I helped her reapply her makeup, and picked out a truly sensual outfit for her. She went out into the cabaret dancing, but you could see that she wasn't that into it. Luckily, many suitors went up to her from what I could see backstage.
Well, now I had to get ready for a suitor, too. Esme came running back to help me get ready, and so it all began.