Hey hey! Remember this story? Because I didn't! Honestly though it's been a while and I've been meaning to update for some time, but just didn't feel like writing and/or couldn't find anything to put in until basically this Veterans Day weekend, where I wrote about 6,000 words to get to this. And I didn't read through it again so if there's any inconsistencies please point them out to me so I can correct them.
In other news (well still the same news) I wrote a new chapter! Yay! I don't have much more to say so here's Chapter 7!
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Paris: November 15, 1875
Elsa breathed a sigh of relief as the lights came back on. Now that things were illuminated better and the shadows had been chased away she could see her surroundings, and there was nothing out of the ordinary. While the finale of the gala had driven away the feeling of a presence looming around her, she still remembered that voice, the oppressing aura, taunting her. Who was that? Or was it my imagination? No, I'd rather not go down that line of thought again… maybe it was that man, Elsa suddenly thought as she remembered the story Mr. Barrett had told them. That Opera Ghost person…
That's just silly though, and even so, there isn't much I can do about that, she thought trying to dismiss the incident. I have no proof of anything and it would just draw unwanted attention to myself if I tried to make a spectacle out of it. I just have to put it out of my mind for now. "So," she ventured to Anna and Kristoff, "was that as good as you envisioned?"
Anna blinked in momentary surprise before her eyes lit up in excitement. "Oh my goodness yes! The stage! The music! The actors! Squeeee!" Anna squealed, jumping and squirming around in her seat from excitement.
Elsa laughed, glad to have something to take her mind off of what happened. "I know! The music was incredible and the singers were phenomenal! I know that our choirs are very talented, but this opera was something else entirely." Not to mention a different genre.
"And the story was brilliant!" Kristoff added eagerly. "Everything worked so well and that scene at the end really made me tense and the resolution was the cherry on the top." He seemed to have enjoyed himself. That's good, Elsa thought. She was originally worried that Kristoff wouldn't adapt too well to this area of the fine arts, not to be offensive to him and his upraising, but it seemed that she was worrying over nothing.
"I know, right?!" Anna agreed. "We totally need to get an opera house in Arendelle!"
Elsa laughed again and said, "I'll look into it." And this time it isn't one of those, 'I say it just to satisfy you and hope you forget it soon' moments. I am genuinely interested in seeing if there is a way to bring opera to Arendelle. Goodness knows that the crown has the gold Mëten to spare. One good thing my father did. Though finding the space to build an opera house would be a challenge, she thought.
She shook those thoughts out of her head. "This has been a wonderful evening and we should thank Monsieur Barrett for allowing us here. After which let's head back to our flat. It is getting a little late," Elsa said, flipping open her pocket watch that she kept, checking the time. It was a little after ten in the evening.
She looked up and unfortunately for her met Anna's eyes. Anna seemed to be a bit bashful as she whined a bit. She looked at Elsa with those round puppy-dog eyes that she could never say no to and asked, "Elsa? Can we actually stay for a little while longer, pleassssse?"
Elsa groaned internally, wanting to leave before something else happened, but she couldn't say no without a good reason. So she plastered on a convincing smile and said, "Sure."
"Yay! We can probably get the manager-person-guy-whatshis-"
"Barrett," Kristoff supplied.
"Him," Anna added in, "to let us wander around a bit."
Elsa frowned. "Is that a good idea? We don't know our way around, so we could and should ask for a tour."
"Nahh, we'll be fine," Anna dismissed. "Besides, it's not like we're gonna go through every single room. Just some of the main parts that are easily accessible."
Kristoff thought for a bit and shrugged. "I really have no problem with that," he said. "Could be informational for when we want our own opera house," he reasoned. "Plus fun," he added wit ha grin.
This time Elsa did sigh, but gave in to the points made. "Alright, we'll ask him." Well, Kristoff's right, she thought, we could have some fun. As long as that voice doesn't come back, came the unwanted thought. She brushed it aside as she hadn't heard it since a little after the intermission. After her… brief loss of control.
They all stood up and made their way out of box five, not needing to wait for the crowd to pass to get out, since they were higher up in a remote box. However, once they got lower the crowd grew denser and denser as everyone wanted to celebrate afterwards and they needed to slightly push their way through the masses.
It was loud in the lobby, and champagne was flowing like water in the after-party, with waiters skillfully maneuvering around the guests with platters of glasses on them. One of them came up to the three of them and, while Elsa and Kristoff refused a drink, Anna took one.
"Anna, at most three," Elsa warned her younger sibling.
"Oh relax, I'm not trying to get drunk," Anna said, sipping her drink. "Just seeing how different it is here. It's an interesting taste."
Strangely enough, I think about half the people that do end up drunk say those exact words. It's still alcohol. Elsa let it slide however, trusting her sister to control herself and stay sober enough to function through the rest of the night until they get back to their house. Besides, it is a party so why not enjoy ourselves?
No, she suddenly thought. I don't want to run the risk of that voice coming back. Better to leave earlier than later… after the tour. The three of them tried to find the manager in the controlled chaos. There were several people that wanted to introduce themselves to her, but mainly because she was of the highest nobility and even now were playing the political game. There were even a few young (and one old) men who were blatantly trying to 'woo' her. In many circumstances it was amusing, but now she found it more annoying and proved that she was the 'Ice Queen' through her piercing glare. Thankfully for them they got the message and steered clear of her.
Eventually she got one of the performers to point her in the direction of where they last saw the manager and she headed that way. She finally saw the man talking to another finely dressed couple and waited patiently for the current conversation to end, knowing that talks in these events don't last long. Sure enough, Monsieur Barrett noticed her and their talk ended shortly thereafter.
"Queen Elsa, once again it's a pleasure to see you, this time under better circumstances," he greeted her.
Elsa amicably returned the smile offered. "I agree. I wanted to congratulate you on the magnificent performance you arranged tonight. I have truly never experienced an event such as this."
Barrett bowed slightly at her complement. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Your Majesty, for your kind words. I may have brought the performers together, but most of the credit goes to them."
Elsa nodded at this, as it was true. "I agree, they were al remarkable in their roles, and the musicians were phenomenal, but you were the one to revitalize this opera house from what I understand. You do yourself too little credit Monsieur," Elsa said truthfully, but was trying to butter him up a bit. At least he's somebody that I could get along with unlike many other dignitaries I've met, she thought.
"Ah, well," he actually seemed taken aback by her honesty. "It was my absolute pleasure to arrange everything, despite any problems we had to begin with… If I may," he seemed to work up the courage to ask a question, "how did you come to find out about our re-opening?"
Elsa smiled to herself and said, "That would be my sister, Anna. She heard about this opera house re-opening and got it into her head that was should go and see a gala. And also as a break from my royal duties," she added in a conspiratorial undertone. Barrett nodded slowly with a knowing smile on his face. "I must say that this night has been truly wonderful, and honestly has given me an idea to build an opera house in Arendelle if an opportunity arises."
Barrett looked surprised at this news. "I am humbled that my opera house has inspired you so. I do wish that you make that idea a reality as it would be a marvelous thing to do… but if I may say so I hope you don't take away any of my audience or cast if it gets built."
Elsa laughed lightly. "I wouldn't dream of doing that. I would be doing it more for the enjoyment of others and the love of music and song, something that the world needs more of."
"Indeed, and that should be the only goals of an opera house, to further the appreciation for the fine arts… though a little money doesn't hurt either," he added slyly.
Elsa nodded, making her own smile though she didn't really feel the emotion. "I will confess, there is another motive that I came to you for, aside from congratulating you on the performance."
"And what may that be?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Myself, my sister, and our friend Kristoff would like to wander around the Opera Populaire on our own. We wish to see for ourselves the backstage and other areas of the Opera house, mainly just to explore, but also to get an idea for how Arendelle's own would be laid out if we decided to build one. We will not disrupt anything that might be going on, nor damage or change anything we might encounter if that is a concern."
Monsieur Barrett thought for a moment, as it was a serious question she just asked, but eventually decided, "I see no reason not to deny you, so long as nothing is disrupted- for your safety and others as well."
Elsa gave a small bow in return, "Merci. Thank you very much Monsieur."
He waved it off, "Think nothing of it. I wouldn't dream of denying someone of your status. I only ask that you return for another performance in the future."
Elsa's smile almost became fixed at the mention of her royal status, but accepted it with good grace. "I know that we are very much interested in seeing another, and I think we will be staying in France for a while."
"Then I look forward to your presence gracing this opera house in the future," Barrett nodded, with Elsa nodding back.
"Now then, I'll find my sister and tell her the good news," Elsa said.
"Oh, before you go!" Barrett suddenly said just as she was about to turn away. She looked and saw him pulling out a pen and a paper, scribbling something down on it before he gave it to her. "This is my written permission in case anybody asks you."
Elsa took the paper and saw a basic message allowing the three of them to wander the opera house with his permission. She secured it on her person and said, "Merci Monsieur." After that Elsa went to find her sister in the throng of people. After a moment, she saw the red hair and dress in the crowd, next to the taller and bigger form of Kristoff. Elsa had to suppress a chuckle at the differences between the two as she watched. Anna was very animate as she was babbling almost non-stop, only pausing to take a sip of her drink.
Kristoff on the other hand simply stood there and only offered a few key comments or observations, and although looking like he belonged, Elsa could see the little signs that he was uncomfortable in this environment, being, as crude as the label is, a lowborn ice miner. Though being next to Anna helped majorly as she readily took the attention away from him onto her, sometimes unknowingly with her personality.
"Elsa!" Anna almost shouted as she saw her purple and green clad sister approach. "Did you find him?"
Elsa snorted to herself. Straight to the point, huh? "Yes I did." She had to hide her smile as she saw Anna get increasingly worked up as she kept her silence.
"Well?"
"Well what?" Elsa countered.
"Did you get permission?" Anna was chomping at the bit right then.
"Permission for what?"
"Elsaaaaaa," Anna whined, finally making Elsa's icy complexion crack as she smirked.
"Fine. Yes we can wander around- as long as we don't mess around with anything!" Elsa added firmly as she saw Anna was about to cheer, probably loudly.
"Yes!" Didn't stop the cheer, but the volume was lowered.
"So do you want to go now or…?" Elsa felt like she didn't need to ask as Anna placed her drink on a nearby table, grabbed both her and Kristoff, and started dragging them through the crowd to the entrance for the main stage.
"C'mon c'mon c'mon!" Anna said, threading them through everybody, apparently knowing where to go without knowing. Elsa allowed herself to be dragged in good spirits always enjoying seeing her sister so excited about… anything really. And in this case, it was something that she was really interested in too.
Somehow the three of them found themselves in the empty hallways of the Opera House with only the distant sounds of murmuring behind them. Anna finally let them free from her grasp, but still was in the lead. "Okay, saying it right now, I have no idea where I am right now."
Kristoff sighed. "Why am I not surprised," he muttered aloud. "Anna, there are signs pointing where the stage is," he said, pointing to one such sign just behind Anna's head. It was written in French, but with the amulets, they could read it perfectly.
"… Oh." Elsa laughed again at the blank expression on her face at that realization.
"Come on, let's go," Elsa said, still with a smile on her face as she started walking, with Anna recovering from her little episode and now following with Kristoff. A minute later they were thankful for the signs as the hallways were confusing with doors leading to rooms with two other doors that led to other rooms, and so forth.
"Okay, our opera house will need to cut down on the rooms," Anna muttered.
"I think we're going through the long way," Kristoff said after the third room. "These are all the getting ready and makeup rooms."
"I think you're right," Elsa said, looking around at all the stuff.
"If I didn't want to get back to our apartment sometime this week we could probably spend… a long time," Anna finally said, "just discovering all the places here."
"Maybe in the future, but I'd rather hire an architect that knows what they're doing and looking over the plans themselves before building our own," Elsa muttered. Kristoff opened another door and it proved to be the last one as they found themselves backstage.
"Yes!" Anna gave another cheer and she started rushing through the set pieces to get to the main stage. Elsa and Kristoff shared a look and took off after her, both excited to be there, but containing it better than Anna.
As they rounded a curtain, they found Anna standing in the center of the stage, looking around in amazement at the theatre.
"Wow, that's a big theater," Anna said in awe as she looked out upon the empty seats. Elsa was also amazed as she looked out upon where not too long ago that area was bursting to the brim with people. Now it was completely vacant. If she didn't know any better she could believe that they were the only three people in existence. "How do they do all that in front of that many people?" Her voice echoed slightly in the space.
"Experience and practice I reckon," Kristoff said as he stepped closer to her and hugged Anna because he felt like it. "Plus the lights shining on them probably hides the audience in the shadows."
"This is amazing!" Anna said after a moment as she broke away and spun around on the stage with her hands away from her, absolutely enjoying herself. "It's so magnificent, and awe inspiring! I feel like I could burst into song! Oh look, a piano," Anna suddenly saw.
Elsa looked where Anna was looking. On stage right, somebody had moved a grand piano onto the stage so the player would have their back to the audience. It was a beautiful ebony black piano almost begging to be played, but only by someone worthy of touching it. That is a magnificent piano, Elsa thought. As she stared at it though, she felt… something. As if there were a pair of eyes staring into the back of her head.
"Elsa, you should play or sing something!"
Wait, what? "Wait, what?" Her surprise made the strange feeling go away.
Elsa turned to see Anna, and to a lesser extent Kristoff expectantly looking at her. "Elsa?" Anna said, with a giant smirk on her face. Then she tapped something out with her foot. Tap tap ta-tap tap. Elsa's eyes widened at the familiar rhythm. Then Anna started to sing.
~"Do you wanna' sing an opera,
Or maybe dance in the ballet?
I never hear you anymore
Let's rock this floor
C'mon let's go and play!
You used to sing all the time
And now you don't
I think you should tell me whyyyyyy.
Do you wanna' sing an opera?
It doesn't have to be an opera…"~
Elsa was stunned. Is… is she really asking me to sing right now? "Anna?"
Before she could ask anything else, Anna's expression dropped slightly as she became serious. "That's… also another reason why I wanted you to come on this trip. You've been so bogged down back home doing your duties that you don't sing anymore. To be honest, I've missed your singing. Like your powers it's a part of you, and when you don't sing, you loose a part of you too. I'm your sister, and I want to look out for you too. Maybe here you can find the motivation to sing again."
Elsa stared at Anna for a minute, then permitted herself to cry a little bit and she enveloped her sister in a big hug. What did I do to deserve a sister like this? She did all of this for me? I- I… I'm so, so touched by what she did. What she's done… She is right. I've been too consumed in my work and experimenting with my powers to think about singing. That spark… was just never there.
Slowly, missing the warmth of her sister as she did so, she pulled away and wiped at her moist eyes. "T-thank you Anna. I…" She couldn't form the words and just pulled her sister into another hug. No words were needed.
After a while, Elsa calmed down and released Anna, just the two smiling at each other. Elsa took a deep breath. I… I think I can sing now. "I think I can sing right now."
"Yay!" Anna exclaimed pumping her fist in success. "My plan worked!" Once again, her exuberance caused Elsa to giggle. Seeing that there wasn't anything stopping her, Elsa moved to the piano, skimming her hand across the sleek, polished wood. There's… something about being in an opera house… it being completely silent except for you. The smell, something in the very air itself wants you to submerge yourself in music. Anna's right, she admitted, I could burst out into song right now. Taking a moment, she folded her dress under her and sat down on the seat that was there.
Then she blanked. What should I play? I have no clue. How about a warm up scale? Flexing her fingers she rested them on the keys and, almost timidly, pressed a key. A perfect middle 'C' rung out in the empty hall. Growing in confidence, she proceeded to do a scale, then two, then three, remembering more and more as she dusted off her muscle and mental memory.
Finally she stopped, and there was light clapping coming from Anna and Kristoff. Elsa smiled meekly. "It was just a few scales," she said embarrassed.
"Well it sounded good anyway," Kristoff said. "Now are you going to do a piece you know?"
"I… don't know what to play," Elsa admitted.
"Ooh! Why don't you play that one song that you made? The one you said you sang when you made your palace, and then put down in writing about two years ago? I don't even remember it it's been so long."
Elsa stared at the keys for a moment, trying to remember the song in question. She's right, it's been far too long. She started warming up her voice, making different sounds, loosening her throat. Once she was done with that, she said, "Alright, here it goes." Elsa put her hands to the keys and, after a few false starts as she tried to remember how it started, she finally really started playing.
And with the first few bars of her playing, everything came back to her.
~"The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen.
A kingdom of isolation,
and it looks like I'm the Queen."~
In that moment, Elsa was transported to that night of her coronation, stepping through the snow on the North Mountain. The feelings of fear, loneliness, failure, she all remembered.
~"The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn't keep it in;
Heaven knows I've tried.
Don't let them in,
don't let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don't feel
don't let them know…"~
She could still hear her father's voice, making her remember, memorize that mantra. Still remember how it almost destroyed her soul. But with that night, there was release. A feeling of newfound freedom open to her now.
~"Well now they know…
Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door
I don't care
what they're going to say.
Let the storm rage on;
The cold never bothered me anyway."~
Elsa's lips curled upwards in a smile as her fingers played over the notes, the melody turning more playful, more fun, mimicking how she felt at truly being herself for the first time in thirteen years. The almost smug feeling of bucking what people expected, what her father wanted. It was well and truly gone at that point.
~"It's funny how some distance
Makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me
Can't get to me at all.
It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me,
I'm free!
Let it go, let it go
I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
You'll never see me cry!
Here I stand
And here I'll stay!
Let the storm rage on."~
Elsa started really playing the piano. This part was in tribute to when she made her ice palace in mere minutes, the sheer excitement of finally letting lose and testing what she could do. She wanted that to be conveyed in the music as her fingers flew across the keys. She was faintly amused at how she was putting so much of herself into playing right then, remembering a part of her that had been forgotten for a while, that her magic was responding to her emotions and playing, creating faint, little blue magical sparks that flittered upwards for a few inches then vanished, fluttering out.
She would have been a little more concern because this was a lead-up to how she froze pianos when she was given lessons years ago. She would have if she was completely there. But she wasn't. The music had claimed her and her soul was now intertwining both with the song and her memories, all melding into one.
~"My power flurries through the air into the ground
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
I'm never going back, the past is in the past!"~
She remembered the absolute loathing that she felt staring at her crown. What it symbolized, what it meant to have. Her raw determination to never return. Though in the end she did, the remnants of that desire still affected her to this day.
~"Let it go, let it go
And I'll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone!
Here I stand
In the light of day
Let the storm rage on!
The cold never bothered me anyway!"~
The last note faded away, the last echo of her voice disappearing into the air. She just had her hands on the keys, in the last position they needed to be, keeping absolutely still. She was breathing just a little heavier than normal, but the exuberation and exhilaration she felt more than made up for any discomfort she had. The moment, the absolute stillness hung over her, expectant.
Then there was the sound of clapping.
She blinked. Elsa came back.
It took her a couple more seconds of disorientation from the sudden absence of her emotions before she realized that she had stopped playing. She was almost stunned by what happened, like she was almost back there that night, feeling the same things. Elsa had gone back there, leaving the Opera Populaire behind. There was only one thing that she could think right then.
That was… That was different…
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The Phantom had recovered from his shock in Box 5 after the Queen did some parlor trick that fooled even him. I would applaud you for being able to surprise me Madame, but I don't appreciate that you played such a trick on me. And it irks me that I cannot fathom how you accomplished your feat. Some powder with slight mirage qualities to fool the eye? Or is it some other method you used, yet undiscovered save for you. If I were a lesser, more superstitious man, I would believe that it was caused by magic. But there is no such thing, just illusions and trickery.
Some part of him however thought it strange that a royal Queen would have such need of those tricks, and that underlying confusion and uncertainty was what was driving him to examine her from afar.
He saw the end of the performance, an average production in his eyes but a good start for the renewal of his opera house. He understood why Monsieur Barrett went with this opera as it was safe enough to lure in an audience, nothing too controversial but enough to get notice and have people come back for more.
That isn't to say there weren't flaws however, but they were manageable and would be corrected once he got in touch with the new manager, who was a vast improvement over the last two buffoons.
But there were more pressing concerns, such as finding the Queen.
He had moved away from his box after their little tete-à-tete to another vantage point where he could still watch the opera, but after he recovered was angry at the Queen and wanted to teach her a lesson, both for fooling him and for taking his box. But after it ended, he lost sight of the trio in the crowd. It was a few minutes later that he spotted them again, with the redheaded one leading the other two away from the crowd by the hands, almost dragging them. It was slightly amusing to watch.
However, he lost them as soon as they left the main gathering. He growled to himself as he searched. How can I loose them in my own opera house? Even with the renovations I have the layout memorized and can find anything. So how did they slip past me? Finally hearing faint voices, he realized that they had made their way onto the stage. Making a decision, he headed towards his box to overlook everything that they were doing.
He got there in good time and hid himself in the shadows of his box. The Queen and… her sister and the man were looking at the grand piano that was onstage, admiring it. Then the sister said, "Elsa, you should play or sing something!"
Despite himself, the Phantom raised an eyebrow at that, just as the Queen herself said, "Wait, what?" He could hear her surprise in her voice at her sister's request.
Indeed. I find myself wondering if she could even sing or play aside from a passing fancy, he thought. The Queen turned around to face her sister and she said her name. Then the sister made a rhythmic tap tap ta-tap tap with her foot on the floor. He could see the Queen's eyes widen as she did so, but then his own eyes widened slightly as the sister started to sing.
~"Do you wanna' sing an opera,
Or maybe dance in the ballet?
I never hear you anymore
Let's rock this floor
C'mon let's go and play!
You used to sing all the time
And now you don't
I think you should tell me whyyyyyy.
Do you wanna' sing an opera?
It doesn't have to be an opera…"~
The Phantom was slightly incredulous at the princess singing of all things, but automatically started thinking of critiques of just this little song. She has a decent voice, if not trained by professionals. The melody itself was simple, almost childish, but was constructed well enough. All of this was thought dispassionately, barely a footnote.
He heard the Queen say her sister's name, Anna, but her sister started talking again. "That's… also another reason why I wanted you to come on this trip. You've been so bogged down back home doing your duties that you don't sing anymore. To be honest, I've missed your singing. Like your powers it's a part of you, and when you don't sing, you loose a part of you too. I'm your sister, and I want to look out for you too. Maybe here you can find the motivation to sing again."
His interest doubled from that. So she's sung before? Interesting. However, what are these 'powers' she speaks of? He decided not to think deeply about this, as he realized without knowing he would be digging himself into a rut. He merely stared as the sisters had an emotional moment between the two, before the Queen pulled away. "I think I can sing right now," she said.
"Yay!" Her sister exclaimed pumping her fist in success. "My plan worked!" Despite himself, the Phantom snorted softly at her exuberance. Reminds me a bit of Mademoiselle Giry from years ago. He watched as the Queen moved to the piano, her hand skimming over the surface of the wood. She paused, and the Phantom narrowed his eyes slightly at this.
He recognized that pause. It was common for many performers and singers where they suddenly, almost unwillingly, immerse themselves in the environment of the opera house. He himself had done this many times and now he was seeing it mirrored in this Queen. Despite himself, his attention was caught by this blond, blue-eyed Queen.
Taking a moment, the Queen folded her dress under her and sat down on the seat that was there in front of the piano. She sat there for a moment before she put her hands to the keys and played a single note, testing the piano. Then, seemingly satisfied with how it sounded, as she should be for I wouldn't stand for an instrument being out of tune, she started playing several scales. She started a little rough, but as her fingers loosened she got better. Nothing approaching mastery, but fair enough.
Finally she stopped, and there was light clapping coming from the other two. The Queen smiled. "It was just a few scales," she said, and from her tone he could hear that she was embarrassed for some reason.
"Well it sounded good anyway," the man said. Agreed, the Phantom thought, though a little rough but if she hasn't played in years then that's good for her. "Now are you going to do a piece you know?"
"I… don't know what to play," the Queen admitted.
"Ooh! Why don't you play that one song that you made? The one you said you sang when you made your palace, and then put down in writing about two years ago? I don't even remember it it's been so long." She wrote a song herself? I guess that even royalty can do some things themselves. And the princess must have misspoke about her sister making a palace, he dismissed that part.
The Queen stared at the keys for a moment and then she started warming up her voice, making different sounds, loosening her throat. From the few sounds that she made, the Phantom wasn't impressed, preparing himself for another Carlotta at worst, though he admitted she probably wouldn't sound like one. Once she was done with that, she said, "Alright, here it goes." She put her hands to the keys and, played a few notes, but then stopped and started over again. And again. And again. Each time was a little better than the first and it sounded like it would be a beautiful piano piece if she ever got it.
There was a slight pause, and it seemed like the entire opera house was waiting in anticipation. Even himself, reluctantly.
Then the Queen really started playing, and within the first few bars, the Phantom was unwillingly drug into the music. And then she started to sing.
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. The voice that she had, while not proper in an opera, was enchanting and captivating. The words that she sung were mourning, sorrowful, near desperate. And how she sung… He had very rarely seen someone who could sing straight from the soul. She could do it, and there was one other that the Opera Populaire had many many years ago before he left.
But this Queen… her song was straight from the soul. And in that moment, he was ensnared by her. By her sheer emotion that she was putting into her song. His body betrayed him as a shiver went up his spine.
Then the song changed. Different feelings started erupting. Of release from a prison, hopefulness, and 'letting go'. Of reflection, defiance, discarding what others thought about you. Testing the boundaries of possibilities, of limits. The Phantom was stunned. How… how could she know of these emotions? She's a Queen, born and raised with a silver spoon, pampered. Why would she know these feelings? He thought that he should, normally would be angry, as it was a mockery of his own trials and life, but he couldn't. The words were too true to argue, the emotions were as real as they could be.
He almost missed something when she started a solo piano part. But it was impossible not to when he was paying close attention. There were little blue lights coming from her hands that faded like sparks of a fire, but were cooler, calmer. Another one of her tricks? How? And why now? But once again, he was drawn into the music and put that aside. The Phantom really looked at her and could tell the Queen was gone. Physically, yes, she was still there. But he could tell that her mind was elsewhere, probably where and when she created this song.
Then the song ended. The climax and final note rung out, her voice dissipating into the air. The absence of song was jarring for him, making him yearn for more, to hear more from this Queen. Against his will, part of him was captured by the beauty of her music… something that hadn't happened since Her. It seemed that the theatre froze, not wanting the music to inevitably slip away, the moment to break.
Then the princess and her escort started clapping and the bubble burst.
In near mirror actions, both the Queen and the Phantom came back to the present, disoriented after the music stopped. Faintly he saw that she was almost swaying in her seat after playing. What… what was that? The last time was… can't think, don't feel. But even him telling himself that reminded him of the song that he just heard, 'conceal, don't feel'. He muttered to himself, "Brava, your Majesty."
So he fell back to critiquing to hide what he was feeling, how badly that song… she, had affected him. The words were sung from the heart, but there was a hidden meaning to them, something that I can't comprehend until I know her past, but I can make educated guesses. She's gone through all those emotions in the song, how or why I do not know but they were real. Her voice is not suited for opera at this moment, but that is a minor thing for she has a power in her voice. She sounds like she has been trained vocally and it shows, for even though she's not opera worthy, there are many other forms of music that she would excel at. The song itself… matched perfectly with her. Few have a song so perfectly matched to who they are, but to have one right now… If I could, I would write another for her to sing, and with further training she could-
He shook himself, breaking that line of thought before it went too deeply down a path that he didn't want to take, rejecting the emotions and wants that were now brewing inside him. No. Never again. He narrowed his eyes at the Queen who had stood up from the piano and was conversing with the other two.
Just who are you Queen Elsa of Arendelle?
He slunk further into the shadows of the box and exited, taking one of his secret passages away back to his home under the opera house. However, as he traversed the paths to his lair, unbidden he started humming the song, then softly singing, ~"Let it go, let it go…"~
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Elsa looked upwards into the darkness of the boxes, feeling that something- or someone- was watching, but after a moment the feeling disappeared and she relaxed again. After she had finished and the euphoria of playing lessened, she could feel that stare again, but only for a brief moment before it went away.
It was helped by Anna gushing over her. "Oh my god Elsa! That was incredible! I don't think I've ever heard you sing that well before- no, that powerfully before! That was simply amazing!" She was basically bouncing up and down from excitement.
"That was great!" Kristoff added. "I think that was the best thing I've ever heard! That beat the opera we just saw."
Elsa ducked her head, a blush visible. "Thank you, but it wasn't that good."
"False modesty does not suit you Elsa," Kristoff pointed out.
Elsa sighed and shrugged slightly, embarrassed. "I was… really into it then," she admitted. "There is something about being here that gave me the motivation to sing and play. It felt… good." And it did, as if she reconnected with something she didn't even know she was missing until then.
"Are you going to play something else?" Anna asked. Elsa shook her head.
"No, I think that was enough. I don't think I can top that," she said.
Anna opened her mouth to protest, but then thought better and nodded, "Yeahhh, probably. Not that to say that anything else you play won't be good, but it just won't be as good. You get me? You get me don't you Kristoff." She said that as a fact.
"Ah, yep," Kristoff nodded, looking confused at first, but he did truthfully.
"See?"
Elsa laughed. "I understand Anna." There was a pause, then she asked, "So you want to keep looking around some more?"
Anna thought about it for a moment, then looked over at Kristoff, silently asking him if he wanted to as well. He shrugged and nodded to her, differing his answer to her. "You know, I think I'm fine with heading back. I think I've seen all that I wanted to see."
"Oh. Okay," Elsa said, surprisingly disheartened at leaving.
"What? Why? Did you want to stay some more, because I'm completely fine with that too," Anna hurriedly said.
"No, that's fine, we can go," Elsa said. Though I still want to look around some more, but I suppose there's next time… if I can get Monsieur Barrett to agree to it again.
"Actually, how about this," Kristoff interjected. "Anna and I could head back to our flat right now, and you can continue to look around until you feel like coming back. The carriages should be available for a few hours yet, so you can go whenever. Plus I think you can take care of yourself, especially with your powers."
True, she thought to herself. "I think that'll work."
"Great!" Anna said. "I think us two could enjoy the party a little bit more before we go then," she looked at Kristoff again.
He nodded, "Sounds like a plan. Are you joining us?" He asked Elsa.
She shook her head in a negative after a moment of consideration. "I'll be fine wandering some more. You know how I am with crowds." A few short years won't erase thirteen years of… conditioning. I'm still uncomfortable with large groups, much to my ire.
"Okay then… I guess we'll see you later then?" Anna said, unsure how to end this conversation.
"You will. Kristoff, make sure she doesn't drink too much," she said with a smile, ignoring the indignant 'hey!' from the girl in question.
Kristoff answered solemnly, "I will do my best, though I fear my mission will be difficult. Ow." He said when Anna slapped him, though it really didn't hurt him.
Anna kept up the hurt face for another few moments before sliding into a grin. "Well I'll have you to keep all the men away if I do succumb to the clutches of Champagne."
Kristoff then grabbed Anna in a hug. "Yes you do." Surprising her, he bent down and picked her up bridal style, earning a squeal from her. "See you later then Elsa," he said as he started carrying Anna away despite her feeble protests.
Elsa had a fond smile on her face as she watched the two go offstage the way they came. I hope Kristoff asks Anna soon to marry him. They're perfect for each other. She decided to walk in the opposite direction of them offstage too, deciding to find a few more areas of the opera house before calling it a night.
Walking through the opera house, she found many rooms dedicated to costumes and props, like she expected- just not the sheer amount. Quite a few however seemed to have been partially burned at some point. Didn't they say that this place suffered a fire at some point, caused by that man… the Phantom? She frowned. I don't remember if they said he was dead or not. Is he still around, because that could explain quite a few things that have happened this night.
Lost in her thoughts, she continued walking through the hallways, not paying attention to where she was going. It was only when she noticed that the lights had dimmed did she look up. Where am I? It looked like this area hadn't been used, or repaired as there were crinkled and browned wallpaper on the sides. There was a fine layer of dust where she was walking. I probably shouldn't be here.
She was about to leave before a plaque on one of the fanciest doors caught her attention. Curious for some reason, she stepped closer and used her handkerchief to clear the dust off the tarnished metal.
Prima Donna Suite:
Christine Daaé
Elsa blinked. She was the woman in the story, the one the Phantom was fixated on, the singer. Curiosity started overcoming her common sense and she found her hand opening the door to the suite. It opened with a slight squeak of the hinges, and she stepped through, almost as if she were sneaking into a place that she shouldn't be in.
It was dark inside, and she couldn't see anything. Deciding to take a small risk, she held out her hand, pushing just a small amount of her powers through it, and a glowing blue orb formed just slightly above it, illuminating the room with a ghastly blue light. But it worked and she could see everything now. It was finely decorated and furnished, and it seemed that the fire hadn't reached the inside of this room. But there was dust everywhere, save for the carpeted floor where she couldn't see. It was as if nobody had dared to come in and clean, for something unknown kept them out, the fear of a ghost.
Elsa stepped further inside slowly, looking around. What was going through your head I wonder, Elsa thought, asking the young woman that once was here. How were you feeling when the Phantom was teaching you. Did you enjoy it? Did you know what he could do? Did you know how he felt? She stopped when she saw a dresser next to the wall. On top of it was a dead flower, a rose if she wasn't mistaken, with a black ribbon around the stem.
I think you did… And could only do what you thought was best.
The room now felt like a crypt, a mausoleum of a lost love, kept preserved so someone could gaze upon the wasted years.
Elsa looked at something again. Something that seemed out of place. She walked closer to the thing, a mirror. But it took her several moments before she identified what drew her attention.
This mirror wasn't tarnished, wasn't dusty at all. It was in perfect condition aside from slight decay around the edges of the mirror itself, signifying that it was old, but still maintained. Why this? Why is this looking so well when the rest of the room isn't?
Something was nagging her, and she remembered one of the last things Grand Pabbie said to her. "One last thing: you might want to check the top left corners of mirrors if you feel something odd about them."
"Top left of mirrors, huh?…" Her wandering hands reached upwards and gently touched that area of the mirror, scanning the surface. She paused, then moved her hand back. There was a small indent, not visible, but she could feel it. Pushing into that spot, she was rewarded with a soft click, and then the mirror slid open to her right, a small gap to a passage behind it now visible.
A secret passage? She slid the mirror open all the way, allowing for a person to go through into the tunnel. Did the Phantom design this? So he could get into the Prima Donna's room? She peered into the blackness of the tunnel, and could feel a cool breeze start to waft through.
But the cold never bothered her.
Unknown to her, her blue eyes were starting to glitter with excitement, a kind she hadn't felt in a long time and only intermittently. A feeling when she was younger and exploring the castle with Anna. A sense of adventure gripped her and a smile formed on her face. Under her breath she sung to herself, different words but the same tune for what she was doing.
~"It's time to see what lies inside,
to find the secrets that it hides
No right, no wrong, I want to know
So here I go…"~
She stepped through the mirror.
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And I think I'll leave this as a cliffhanger. I'm evil so (don't) sue me. I hope this won't take another half a year + to update again, especially since the next chapter is the one you've been waiting for!
To be honest, I didn't know how long this would be, and was worried that it would be about 3-4 thousand words, a short chapter by my standards. Welp. I doubled that. Shows that I don't need to worry about content depravation so I'll just keep doing what I do.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed, and don't forget to Read, Review, Favorite, and Follow.
Okay, I'm going to sleep and my fingers hurt from typing so much.
I remain your humble writer
-OG
