Love, Beauty and Freedom
A Moulin Rouge Sequel by talking2myself
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the Moulin Rouge characters. I love reviews! Is this good? Bad? Downright crazy? Let me know!
Chapter. 7 Just a Memory
"Everyone listen up!" Zidler hollered over the crowd," Anyone who doesn't give Christian their complete and undivided attention will be fired on the spot! Oh don't groan so much you're not that talented you can all be replaced! Yes, Nini even you..." He elbowed Christian friendly," I got them all warmed up for you."
"Yes, er thank you Harold," Christian said awkwardly," I've finally got our new play ready. For some of you this will seem like a very familiar, but good story. He started handing out scripts. Now the story is about a pair of lovers. One was... is... a penniless writer who believes that love is the only thing you'll need in the world. The other is a beautiful courtesan who loves living life and thinks that love is just a game."
"Elise will play Satine!" Harold said unable to hold his tongue any longer," Our new diamond!"
"I'm the new diamond?!" Elise cried
"What?!" Seduce cried from the back of the theatre," What do you mean?!"
"Sorry, darling," Harold said gently," But Christian and I have an arrangement."
Seduce glared at Harold with mean hard eyes. Toulouse cringed. If looks could kill then Zidler would be dead by now. She didn't say anything. She just sat down with the look of a woman scorned plastered across her face, a dangerous look to have.
"As I was saying," Zidler said," Elise will be Satine. Now we will also need the most handsome actor we have here to play Christian. I nominate myself personally."
Christian fingered his collar awkwardly," You know, I'm really NOT that attractive. I kind of thought you'd be playing the Duke."
"Nonsense," Zidler snapped," Eh.. Er.. Who would play me then?"
"Sir, someone else would have to play you if you were Christian as well," he pointed out.
"Well, yes," Zidler agreed," But since I am the most talented person here..."
"I thought the Duke would be a nice challenge for you," Christian said," Stretch your acting abilities a little."
"Challenge?!" Harold snapped," I could do that part standing on my head!"
"Great!" Christian cried," Then, it will be flawless!"
"Indeed," Harold grumbled.
"Now, Toulouse you will play well... Toulouse."
"Why does HE get to play himself?!" Harold demanded.
"No one else could play Toulouse," Christian said," No one's short enough."
"Oh."
"And you will play Zidler," Christian said to the Argentinian.
"What makes you this oaf is qualified to play me?!" Harold said.
Christian let out a heavy sigh. He was losing his patience with his boss," Why don't you help him with his part?"
"Well, it may take days," Harold mumbled," He may have to interview me, get my life history, and maybe even follow me around for a few days to truly get into the character..."
"Great," Christian continued on," The rest of you will be dancers. You'll have to learn the
steps immediately..."
"Hold on!" Harold interupted.
"WHAT?!" Christian cried before adding sweetly," Harold?"
"You never did say who's playing Christian," he said crossly," You don't plan on doing it do you?"
"No!" Christian sighed," I have my own ideas about who should play the lead. He'll be here as soon as I can get a hold of him. Now the main song will be this one."
Elise looked at the paper. "I've seen this song before!" Elise cried," Phil... I mean I found it inside the elephant outside."
Christian halted and stopped passing pages out," Oh."
"You wrote this?"
"Yes," Christian said as he continued moving," That's where she kept it! Searched everywhere!"
"Christian, how does it go?" Elise asked. She failed to notice the others wincing and shifting about nervously fidgeting. "You'd know better than anyone else. Could you sing it please?"
A shimmering figure hovered near the back of the theatre. Satine walked back to Christian's side. There he was. So close. So very close! She reached out her hands to touch his shoulder. Her hand slipped through him, just like she knew it would. She let a sad sigh. Sing Christian, she begged softly, Sing for me!
Christian let out a sigh," I suppose I could." He took a deep breath. He was about to open his mouth to sing, but all that came up was a coughing fit. No one seemed to notice, but Toulouse perked up quickly. "No," Satine whispered," Consumption!" Which she most likely gave him. She moved a handkerchief close to Christian. To the casual observer it looked like the wind had casually blown it towards him.
"Are you alright, Christian?" Toulouse asked worriedly.
"I must be rusty," Christian said quickly with a small smile. He inhaled again and sang softly. "Never knew that I could feel like this," he sang softly," Like I've never seen the sky before. Want to vanish inside your kiss. Every day I love you more and more. Listen to my heart can you hear it sing? Telling me to give you everything! Seasons may change, winter to spring. But I'll love you until my dying day..." Christian's eyes seemed to drift far away and see things from a different time, but he kept singing. "Come what may! Come what may! I will love you until my dying day..."
Christian stopped abruptly. He quickly rubbed his sleeve across his eyes. "Christian?" Toulouse asked softly.
"It's nothing," he said quickly," It's just... she used to sing this part."
Clear ghostly tears ran down Satine's face. She stood as close as she could to Christian and sang the second verse with him," Suddenly, the world is such a perfect place. Suddenly, it moves with such a perfect grace. Suddenly, my life doesn't seem such a waste. It all revolves around you. And there's no mountain too high. No river too wide. Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side. Storm clouds may gather and stars may collide."
"But I'll love you," Christian sang.
"I'll love you," Satine echoed
"Until the end of time," they sang together in perfect harmony even then," Come what may! Come what may! I will love you until my dying day! Oh come what may! Come what may! I will love you..."
"I will love you," Satine sang wistfully weeping sadly," Suddenly, the world seems such a perfect place..."
"Come what may," They sang with some unseen heavenly choir," Come what may! I will love you until my dying day!" Christian stopped singing. Tears were shining in his eyes. Satine hurried over to him and threw her arms around him. "I'm here!" she whispered," I'm here!" But of course Christian didn't see her. The audience stood there speechless for a few moments.
Elise broke the silence," That was beautiful."
"Anyways!" Zidler interrupted unable to stand the sentimental moment any longer," None of you better be late or else! You'll be on the streets!" The crowd slowly departed leaving only Toulouse and Christian and of course unbeknownst to them Satine.
"Are you alright?" Toulouse asked.
"Yes," Christian said," I'm fine."
"No, I don't think so."
"It's funny, Toulouse," Christian said with a small smile," Sometimes I can even hear her sing..."
"She's singing in your heart, Christian," Toulouse said gently," What about your health?"
"What about it?" Christian shrugged light-heartedly," Nothing's wrong." The two started walking towards the door. Suddenly, a very tired Olivier tripped out from behind the curtains. "Hello, Olivier," Christian said.
Olivier swallowed hard," I didn't want to stay in your theatre, Monsieur Christian! I'll leave right away."
"Calm down, boy," Christian sighed," It's perfectly alright. In fact, when you meet your master again, tell him to stop by my garret. I have a proposition for him. The two walked by leaving behind a very stunned Olivier.
Olivier watched them go before stammering," Y-yes of course sir!"
Before Christian left he felt himself start to cough again. He reached down for handkerchief which had magically been placed there. "That's funny," he said to himself," How did...?" he shrugged and followed Toulouse out the door.
Satine stood there in the lonely dark of the theatre. She looked down sadly and began singing her own song," I follow the night. Can't stand the light. When, will I begin to live again?"
She watched Christian's retreating shadow," Someday we'll fly away. Leave all this to yesterday. What more could your love do for me? When will love be through with me? Why live life from dream to dream? And dread the day when dreaming ends..."
She slowly made her way up the stairs onto the stage. It had been her home for so long. Now it was empty only her and she wasn't even there. She imagined the good old days. When she and Christian stood there singing their hearts out to each other and all under the duke's nose. This only strengthened her resolve," Some day we'll fly away! Leave all this to yesterday! Why live life from dream to dream? And dread the day when dreaming ends." She lifted her tear stained face up," Someday we'll fly away..." Sunlight lit up the stage. Satine stood there a few seconds shimmering like light on the water, before fading away into the distance.
The Gothic tower loomed high above the magical city and the beautiful windmill of Moulin Rouge. It cast a horrible shadow of dread over the sleeping land. The Duke continued to pace up I the highest tower. "That nephew of mine!" he snapped," One day he's gonna push me too hard and I'm not gonna be the nice fellow that I am..."
"My Duke?" a servant asked timidly.
"WHAT?!" The Duke cried throwing the nearest thing, which happened to be a fine Chinese vase, at the door.
"Sorry, my duke," the servant said bowing quickly," But you have a visitor."
"I have no time for visitors!" he declared," I'm terribly..."
"Has information about your nephew," the servant said reading off the visitor's card.
"What?!" The Duke cried," What are you still standing here for! Send him in!"
The Duke didn't know what he had been expecting, but it was not the lovely lady with very long legs that sauntered into his parlor. The Duke looked down at the card. SEDUCE: Mistress and Entertainer. Well, he was entertained... so far. "I-I understand that you have some information about my nephew, Philippe," he stammered struggling not to stare at her legs or cleavage.
Seduce sat down elegantly draping one leg over the other," Boy, do I ever."
Someday I'll Fly Away: Nicole Kidman
Come What May: Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman
(I know they're from the original, but they're so pretty I had to use them again!)