Christine
-1862-
In a small little cottage near the border of Sweden, a small family was waiting for the birth of their child. The mid-wife stood by and looked at the young woman giving birth. She offered a small smiled and looked to the husband. Looking back down at the task at hand the mid-wife cooed the birthing woman.
"Push, push… almost there, almost done…"
Screaming in pain that young woman gave all that she could, and she pushed just as the mid-wife told her to do. The mass that was growing in weight and appearance was the creation of Gustaave and Katherine Daaè. Pushing one last time Katherine rested her head back against the pillows. A very high-pitched wail pierced the growing silence. The baby took its first breaths in its new world.
"It's a girl… what shall you name her?" The mid-wife held the new clean baby to the mother. Katherine sat up the best that she could and took the young girl. Thinking she looked the little over. Big brown eyes opened up and met aged caring hazel eyes.
"Christine… Christine Daaè… my beautiful little baby… I love you… I…" Katherine winced in pain and she looked to Gustaave. Handing the baby girl over to her husband, Katherine pulled the covers back and saw blood starting to pool where it shouldn't be. Screaming in pain the mid-wife came over and saw what was happening to Katherine. Doing all that she could to stem the flow of blood she looked at her red slicked hands and looked up to Gustaave and shook her head sadly. Gustaave walked over to Katherine; sitting on the edge of the bed he held Christine in one arm and reached out with his free arm to brush away the stray hair from Katherine's face.
"The mid-wife says that there isn't much time left… I don't know what to say... I love you too much to let you go… fight this… pull through please…" Gustaave leaned over carefully and kissed his wife gently before he handed over his daughter to her mother. Katherine took Christine weakly and kissed her forehead, with the last of her energy Katherine whispered prayers in different languages for her daughter and husband to be kept well, she whispered her love and her goodbye to Christine before she handed her over to her husband, she kissed him once last time and whispered that she would be waiting for him and that she loved him. Within minutes Katherine Daaè died of blood loss.
Following the death of Katherine, Gustaave vowed that he would do the best that he could raise his daughter. The first night was hard for him and Christine. To stop her from crying late at night Gustaave sang to Christine. Music would be such a big part of her life, and till the day that he died he would sing to her or play music for he was musician.
-1869-
7 years have past for the young traveling Christine, music was one of the basic necessities for the young girl to grow up by. Her father was a violin player, playing for crowds as a solo player or with others in an orchestra at any place that would take him. Near Paris for one summer the young Christine met the young Vicomte Raoul De Chagny. It would be a day at the beach that would create memories for the two young people. The two became friends but it would be a friendship that would not last long. It seemed to end with the young Vicomte went into the ocean to fetch young Christine's scarf. Upon reaching to shore the vicomte's older brother scowled Raoul. The two left promptly, Christine and Raoul never met again after that.
During a stay in Paris, Gustaave had taken violently ill, taking to a home of his friend Madame Giry, he remained confined to the bed his illness growing worse and worse by the day. The ballet mistress did what she could for rapidly ailing man, along with taking care of Gustaave; Madame Giry took care of the young Christine who never left her father's bedside except to use the bathroom. It was during a late night that Gustaave called to his daughter; he knew that his end was near. Sitting up the best that he could he opened his arms to an upset Christine, the young girl wrapped her arms around her father as tight as she could.
"Christine… I'm not going to make the night… I want to tell you something very important. When I die… and reach heaven… I promise that I will send you the angel of music to protect and guide you. And it's because you're my Little Lotte," turning his head he coughing violently, spasms shook his body, calming down enough Gustaave turned and looked to Christine again. "Now I want you to go with Madame Giry, she will look after you as if you are her daughter… she will be your legal guardian till you are of age… oh Christine, Christine… don't cry…" Gustaave looked at Christine's face, he cupped her face and wiped away the tears that were cascading down her face. Taking the last of his energy he opened his mouth and snag one last song to Christine.
Later that night Gustaave Daaè passed away in his sleep. Christine was torn up about the death of her father, her only true friend. During the funeral Christine cried out to the world and the heavens why did they have to take her father. In the arms of Madame Giry she found a little peace. Several days later Madame Giry took Christine with her to the Opera house. It was there that she put Christine into the Ballet Corps with Meg Giry, her own daughter. The first few months for Christine were hard. But every night Christine would go and prey that the angel of music that her father promised would come.
Once night Christine was alone and she cried out her plight, her anger, and her sadness. Curled up on the floor of the chapel Christine shivered as she tried to sleep where she was. A voice came around her, it was calm, and soothing Christine sat up from her spot and rubbed her eyes tiredly.
"Who's there?" Christine looked around the darkened room, she found herself shivering again. Her candle that she lit for her father burned out, shadows danced around and enveloped her.
"It is your angel of music that is here… hush my child, no more fears, no more tears…" the disembodied voice seemed to come from all around. Closing her eyes, Christine smiled brightly and thought about what she heard.
"Are you really the angel of music that my father promised?" Christine looked around in the shadows seeing it anyone was playing a joke on her. Her eyes spotted nothing so it must be true the voice was so beautiful, and heavenly. There was a pause before the voice answered,
"I am… don't worry your angel of music shall watch over you, there is a cloak in the corner of the room. Take it and cover yourself… I will sing to you tonight…"
Christine did as the voice said and looked around for the cloak. Once she did looked in awe at the appearance of the cloak. Taking it she wrapped it around herself and sat down to listen to her angel, the angel even encouraged young Christine to sing as well. It was a couple of hours later that Christine fell asleep to the sound of the violin and voice. Curled up in the cloak too big for her, she didn't see that her angel was just Erik, just the phantom of the opera. Picking up the little girl, her angel of music took her to bed leaving the cloak with her for the night. He wrote a small note.
Christine,
If you would like to follow your father's wishes, I will be willing to teach you. Meet me in the chapel if you wish to learn to sing.
Yours forever,
Angel of Music
-1881-
Years have past by for Christine, she took the lessons from her Angel of music and her voice flourished. But because of La Carlotta she never really got the chance to sing for any production. Hints from the Opera Ghost and Madame Giry to the managers were made. But of the fear of losing Carlotta, who was a 5 season soprano singer, the management didn't do anything.
Time continued to go by, tears where shed, laugh's where had and the only person really there was her Angel of Music. Waking up Christine grabbed her costume and her shoes. Changing quickly Christine ran out of the room and headed to the warm up room giving Madame Giry an innocent, sheepish smile.
In the middle of rehearsal new management walked onto the stage, it would the start of a ver, very difficult time ahead. In the corner of her eye Christine saw a flicker of white then nothing. The Opera Ghost was there to see who was next time line to run the theatre. Christine looked at the management then to who was once her childhood friend. Times indeed would be difficult.
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