A/N: Hello! I'm hope you're enjoying my story so far! So this really isn't that much of a real chapter, just a collection of things that happened in the three months that Hannibal and Il Muto were being rehearsed. And you know what that means... The movie/broadway is about to start! The next chapter will start at the beginning of the movie ^_^
I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!
Isabelle(3rd person):
Isabelle let out a soft sigh as she rested her feet, leaning back on her hands as she closed her eyes. Rehearsals for Hannibal had been going on for over a week and half. Everything had been going good, the dances pretty easy to learn and there weren't many problems that they had to face. There was talk that they were going to learn another opera at the same time since the one they were working on was going so well.
"What do you think the other opera were going to do is?" Meg asked, sitting down beside Isabelle and Emma. "I still hope it's Romeo and Juliet..."
"I think it's going to be Il Muto," Isabelle said, glancing over at her friend. She knew that things were starting to lead up to the movie and knew that it had to be Il Muto. "I heard someone talk about it the other day..."
"Isn't that a comedy?" Emma asked, turning to look at us with curiosity. "I didn't know we did comedies..."
"We did one before," Christine said, walking over to the group and taking a seat. "But it was before you joined the opera house..."
"Did it turn out well?"
"Very! We had to play it a few extra times since more and more people wanted to watch it," Christine smiled. "That was a fun year..."
"Maybe it'll happen this year too!" Meg said excitedly. Isabelle winced, knowing that it would be the exact opposite of what they wanted. They talked for a few moments more before Madame Giry called them back to continue the rehearsals. It was all going good until Carlotta appeared and began to make a big fuss over everything.
"Ugh! Can she not act like a spoiled brat for one damn day?" Emma growled, glaring harshly at the Prima Donna. Isabelle blinked slowly in surprise, having never heard Emma let out a word that most people would consider unladylike. "It's not our fault that she can't get the note!"
"Just ignore her," Isabelle said, trying to calm down her friend. "If you do, maybe she'll leave and our ears will be saved from her horrible singing."
Soon enough, rehearsals were over and Meg and Isabelle were heading to the music room for their violin lessons. As they walked in, they spotted Wilhelm putting his cello away.
"Hey big brother," Isabelle greeted, sending her brother a smile. Meg perked up when she spotted the boy and she fixed her posture and smiled. "Whats keeping you here? You're usually gone by the time Meg and I get here!"
"I had to fix a string," Wilhelm explained, sending Meg a dazzling smile. "It broke during one of Carlotta's rants. Hello Meg! Are you up for dinner tonight?"
"Tonight?" Meg asked with wide eyes. Isabelle frowned, looking between her brother and friend. "Of corse! I would love to! What time?"
'Wait a moment... When the hell did this begin?' Isabelle asked silently. 'When did Wilhelm start to date Meg? Or court? I think that's what they call it. And when did they plan to tell me? I could've been teasing them by now!'
"I'll meet you by the entrance of the opera house around seven," Wilhelm smiled. "See you soon! Bye little sister!"
"Okay when did you guys begin to court?" Isabelle asked as soon as Wilhelm was out of sight. Meg blushed darkly at the question and didn't look her in the eyes.
"I wouldn't exactly call it courting... I don't know if he wants to marry me or anything," Meg murmured and looked up, catching the unconvinced look Isabelle was sending her. "Okay, okay! We started to... court... a few days after we came back from the break. We've went out a few times already... I'm surprised you haven't noticed!"
"I've been... busy," Isabelle shrugged, knowing that she hadn't been paying attention because she had been busy with rehearsals, lessons with Erik, and the upcoming meeting with Philippe and Raoul. A few days before, Raoul had sent her a letter asking to visit on the next Sunday to meet her other brother. "Now c'mon, we need to start lessons!"
Isabelle(1st person):
"Are you sure you don't need me to come with you?" Wilhelm questioned as he escorted me to my carriage. It was already Sunday and I was about to leave to meet Raoul and Philippe. "I'll come if you want! All I need to do is grab my cloak and I'll be ready-"
"I'll be fine, Wilhelm," I laughed softly and shook my head, making my bangs fall into my eyes. I pushed them behind my ears as I said, "I can do this myself, I don't need you to babysit me!" I climbed into my carriage and gave Wilhelm one last hug. "Don't worry about me, I'll be just fine!"
The ride to the De Changny estate was boring and uneventful, nothing interesting happened and the ride was made in silence. Although I did sing softly once in a while but that was it. It took a few hours to get there and I wasn't looking forward to the ride back. I was thankful when we pulled into the gates of the land, glad that I wouldn't have to stay seated in that tense, uncomfortable carriage.
As I stepped out of the carriage, I straightened my dress and fixed my cloak, pushing my bangs behind my ears. I made sure I looked fine and presentable before I walked toward the front of the house and knocked. Almost instantly the door opened and a young maid opened the door, looking at me with wide eyes.
"Hello mademoiselle," I greeted, offering the maid a kind smile. "Would you please inform Monsieur Raoul that Isabelle is here? I believe he is expecting me..."
"Oh he told me to look out for you," the maid said and ushered me in, taking my cloak off and hanging it on a hook. "I'll take you to him right away!"
I was led through the extremely beautiful house and to a room at the back of the house. The maid opened the door and announced my presence before I walked in with my head held high in an attempt to be confident. Raoul smiled once he saw me and he dismissed the maid, telling my to take a seat. I did and when I turned to look at him, I saw another man sitting at the table. He was older than Raoul, obviously, and had dirty blonde hair that was swept back and blue eyes that were kind but held a touch of coldness in them. I guessed he was Philippe.
"So you're our long-lost sister," Philippe said slowly, looking me over as if trying to make sure I really was the Isabelle they lost. "I can see the resemblance of mother in you... How was she? When she was with you I mean?"
"She was great," I smiled and began to tell them both about my time with mother. I explained all the silly things that had happened and how happy she was. It them both smile when I told them about our relationship and how close we were. Philippe was a little wary when I explained to him about Wilhelm and my stepfather but he seemed to accept it when I explained how much they loved us and how much we cared for them.
We talked for hours, me telling them about mother, my life, interests, and career. In return, they would tell me things about themselves and the family. I was a little surprised when they said it was best to keep me a secret from my sisters since they weren't good at staying quiet and would blurt something out to their husbands. Philippe had agreed that it was best to keep me a secret from most of the Paris nobles, saying that it wouldn't be wise to say anything. I couldn't agree more.
I was a little sad when it was time to leave but we promised to meet up again next week and talk more. Although Raoul said it would probably only be me and him since Philippe is very busy and doesn't have much time to himself. I didn't mind though, I was just happy that he excepted me without demanding to know everything about me.
"I'll see you later, Goldjunge," I said, hugging Raoul tightly. "It was nice getting to know my brothers."
"Goldjunge?" Raoul questioned with a raised brow. "Is that German for something?"
"Yes! It means golden boy," I smiled. "Hey don't give me that look! I can't call you brother in German because it sounds to suspicious so I had to improvise!"
Isabelle(3rd person):
"Maybe I should've picked a different day to visit," Isabelle murmured as she stepped out of the carriage and into windy air. The trees shook from the wind and sent dust and leaves into the air. It also looked like it was going to rain, the clouds a combination of dark greys and whites. "To late to turn back now..."
Isabelle pulled her cloak's hood further up so it could protect her from the wind. She gripped the bouquet of dark purple tulips tightly in her hands, not enough to damage the flowers, but enough to keep a good hold on them. The walk though the cemetary was made in silence, Isabelle walking carefully to avoid the graves and headstones. No one else was in the cemetary and it looked like no one had been there in a while. There were no tracks or flowers placed by graves.
"Hello mother," Isabelle murmured softly as she kneeled down beside her mother's grave. She dusted the leaves and dirt from her grave, taking the dead flowers out of the vase that was placed by her grave. "I brought you some flowers... Tulips, your favorite..." Isabelle placed the flowers in the vase and silently scolded herself for not bringing water. "I should have brought some water with me but I didn't think about it..."
Isabelle sat down on the ground, not caring if her dress got dirty or that it wasn't proper. "I hope you don't mind me sitting down but my feet have been hurting. I bought a new pair of dancing shoes and I still haven't broken them in yet. Wilhelm thinks it's the funniest thing ever since he told to soften them first before using them for rehearsals. I think being right has gone to his head!"
'This isn't the same,' Isabelle thought, pulling her legs close so she could wrap her arms around them and lay her head on her knees. 'I wish I could just talk to you one last time...'
"I miss you mom," Isabelle murmured, rubbing her eyes that were beginning to water. "It hurts to think that I'll never be able to speak to you again or hear you laugh and tease me or Wilhelm." Isabelle continued to wipe her eyes as she spoke. "And there's so many things that I don't understand! Why did you never tell me where we really came from? Were you afraid that I would freak out? Actually, now that I think about it, it probably was a good idea to keep it a secret. I would have probably fangirled hardcore when I was fourteen and learned that Raoul was my brother.
"Now I understand why you loved the movie as much as I did... You got to see your son every time you watched it." Isabelle grinned, "And now I understand why you always rooted for Raoul while I rooted for Erik." Isabelle paused as she thought over what to say next, "since you're in the afterlife now," she held her tears at bay, "you've probably seen me having lessons with Erik. And if I know you, you're probably freaking out and yelling for me not to do it. Just please don't worry for me, I know what I'm doing... Or at least I hope I am.
"Wilhelm was going to visit you to today but he forgot he promised to take his girlfriend to lunch," Isabelle giggled softly. "They're so adorable! I knew that Meg liked him but I never suspected that he would like her back. I warned him that if he broke Meg's heart I would kick his ass because Meg is just so sweet and nice and doesn't deserve to be hurt! Now if only I can find someone to love... Oh well it doesn't matter at the moment, I still have a lot of time to find it!
"Have you seen Emma yet? She's become my best friend since I got here... I'm glad I met her, I've never had a friend like her before. I'm close with Meg and Christine too, but not as much as I am with Emma. And did you see mom? They didn't think my hair was ugly, they thought it was pretty! That was the first time someone other than family told me so! Oh you would love them if you met them! And they would love you too, I'm sure of it...
"Mom... I haven't told anyone, not even Wilhelm, but I'm scared! I don't understand why I'm here or what I'm doing! I know Wilhelm and I being here changed something, since Christine isn't being trained by Erik, and I don't know whats going to happen because of it... Something tells me that I took Christine's place in the story and I'm scared because of it. I'm worried that I'm going to mess something up and cause people pain and I don't want that. I... I just wish you were here to help me and guide me!
"I miss you so so much! Something bad is going to happen mom, I can feel it but I don't know what it is or how to stop it. I need you so much right now!" Isabelle buried her head in her hands and for the first time since she heard of her mother's death, she allowed herself to cry.
Erik(3rd person):
"That violinist has to go," Erik decided as he watched the rehearsals from his seat in box five. He noted which seat the overly sharp and speeding violinist sat at. Every other musician was doing well, although he could tell someone in the brass section was a bit flat in the beginning of rehearsals but it was quickly fixed. His eyes strayed to Isabelle and he saw that she looked uncomfortable as she danced, staying lighter on her feet than usual. There was also a look of pain that sometime crossed her face and it made him worry.
He couldn't see any wounds on her and he wondered what was wrong. It couldn't be her shoes since he remembered her saying that she finally broke them in during one of their lessons. As their lunch break came in, Erik decided to get closer so he might hear what was paining Isabelle.
"Are you doing okay, Isabelle?" Erik heard the girl, Emma, ask with sympathy in her voice. "I didn't know you got pains this bad!"
"I'm fine, I can ignore the cramps pretty easily," Isabelle replied back a moment later. Erik's brows furrowed, wondering why she was getting cramps.
'Maybe she's eating too much in the morning,' Erik thought. 'Or drinking too much or too less...'
"What I can't ignore..." Isabelle continued, catching Erik's attention. "Is my damn craving for chocolate! Milk chocolate to be specific... I can almost taste the sweetness..."
"That I can understand," Emma said. "I always crave chocolate around my time... I usually keep a stash of chocolate in my trunk but someone," she turned and mock-glared at Meg. "Got into it when I wasn't looking!"
"I'll go bug Wilhelm to go get me some after rehearsals," Isabelle shrugged.
'I'll go get you some, my angel,' Erik thought to himself, hoping that if he did, he would be able to see the girl smile. 'I know the hag Carlotta has a stash of them in the Prima Donna room... I'm sure she won't notice if some of them are missing.'
Erik quickly made his way through the tunnels below the opera house and came to the mirror. He eased the mirror open when he saw no one around and he began to look for the chocolate. The flowers that filled the room made it hard for him to find the stash and he was getting annoyed that he couldn't find them. He was about to go back in the mirror empty-handed when he caught sight of a blanket covering something on a table toward the back of the room.
'Might as well see what it is,' Erik thought to himself as he quickly made his way to the blanket and lifted it up. His eyes shinned with triumph as he spotted numberous boxes of chocolate and he picked up a few of them that were milk chocolate. He covered the chocolates back up as he finished grabbing enough boxes and he made his way out, locking the mirror behind him. As he got back to his lair, he put the boxes down on one of the tables before picking up on of the smaller boxes and taking a piece of chocolate out. He debated on whether or not to eat before he shrugged and threw it into his mouth.
"This is delicious," Erik moaned, holding his hand to his normal cheek. "I can see why Isabelle is craving it..." He looked over the five boxes he took from Carlotta and grabbed three of them before heading to the ballet dormitories. "I'm sure my angel wouldn't mind if I kept two of them..."
Isabelle(3rd person):
Something was wrong. Something was so very, very wrong and Isabelle knew it. She was forgetting. Forgetting what was supposed to happen next. She didn't know how or why but she couldn't remember what was supposed to happen next. Isabelle remembered small, minor details but nothing that was important or life changing. She could remember some of the songs that were in the movie and musical but nothing else. It was like her memory of the movie was erased, only leaving things that wouldn't affect the plot of the movie.
Isabelle was pacing in the storage room, wringing her hands out as she tried to remember something, anything. Fenris watched with a tilted head, as if confused by his mistress' worry. Her brows were furrowed and her lips were set in a thin line.
"Why can't I remember?" Isabelle asked herself, stopping in her pacing and holding her head in her hands. "Is there something I'm not supposed to prevent?" Isabelle groaned as she still couldn't come up with an answer. "I need to go talk to Wilhelm, maybe he'll know whats going on."
Isabelle kissed Fenris on the forehead before she left, hurrying to the music room. She knew that Meg and Wilhelm had met up there to practice with each other. She didn't want to interrupt their alone time but Isabelle needed to get an answer. The walk to the music room didn't take long and as soon as Isabelle opened the door, she saw both Wilhelm and Meg playing their instruments. They stopped playing as they saw Isabelle and the look of worry on her face.
"Is everything alright, Izzy?" Wilhelm asked, putting down his cello while walking over to his sister. "You look worried? Did..." He paused before he began to speak to her in German. "Did the Phantom talk to you?"
"No it's not that," Isabelle shook her head. "Wilhelm, I'm forgetting!"
"Forgetting what?" Wilhelm asked, frowning.
"Forgetting what's supposed to happen next," Isabelle clenched her fists. "I can't remember whats supposed to happen at the end of the month, when Hannibal first plays. I know something serous is supposed to happen but I don't know what! I can't remember..."
"It's not just me then," Wilhelm let out a sigh of relief, catching the look Isabelle sent him. "What?"
"I didn't think you paid attention to the movie!"
"I didn't," Wilhelm shrugged. "The only thing I ever paid attention to was the end and I don't even remember it anymore."
"Do... Do you think we should be worried?" Isabelle asked after a moment. "Is it a bad thing?"
"I have no clue... Maybe were just not supposed to remember... It might be better this way. Now, we're not going to be able to interfere with the future. It might be that history is supposed to go this way and it doesn't want us changing something that needs to be left alone. I don't think we need to be worrying!"
"Are you sure?" Isabelle looked at her brother with wide, hopeful eyes.
"Yes, not quit worrying," Wilhelm flicked a strand of her hair. "It's all going to be for the best, just you watch!"
"Thank god we're almost done practicing Hannibal," Isabelle murmured as practice finished for the day, most of the ballerinas heading back to the dorms to undress. Only Isabelle, Emma, and Meg stayed, the former sitting on the stage while the other two continued to practice the dances that they would have to do for the opera. "We really need to work on the dances from Il Muto, I know I'm struggling with the dance in the last act."
"As am I," Emma sighed, running her hand through her silkily black hair. "I cannot for the life of me remember to only twirl once and to take four steps instead of six! I blame my horrible memory..."
"Or perhaps its because you were ogling Archer when Madame Giry explained it to us," Meg teased, giggling softly when Emma's face lit up in a bright blush. "If I do remember correctly, you couldn't keep your eyes off him. Poor boy looked like he was going to explode from a combination of delight and embarrassment!"
"That was only once!" Emma protested, embarrassment bright in her eyes before a look of equal mischief shinned in her eyes. "At least I wasn't the one that caused three dancers to trip and fall when a certain someone was staring at the grey-eyed German boy!"
Isabelle let out a bark of laughter when Meg's face turned the color of a tomato and she buried her head in her hands, remembering what had happened only a week before.
"It's not my fault! His shirt was riling up and I saw his..." Meg froze when she realized what she had just admitted and her face turned an even darker shade of red as she murmured, "oh kill me now!"
"I guess the view of pleasant since you couldn't stop staring," Isabelle laughed then let out a grimace. "The word 'pleasant' shouldn't ever be used to describe my brother..."
Finally shaking off her embarrassment, Meg lifted her gaze up and grinned brightly at Isabelle. "Sadly, it's a word that describes him quiet well! Especially his voice! Your brother has a beautiful voice!"
"I did not expect to hear that being said when I came down here," Wilhelm commented as he walked on to stage, sending his sister a very smug smile when she groaned. "Here I expected to hear some of the dances being performed and instead I hear my lovely lady giving me a compliment. Why it must be my lucky day!"
"Well don't get used to it," Meg joked, her eyes sparkling with mirth. She glanced at Isabelle and saw the grin she was trying to contain as her eyes darted to her brother and then to Meg, going back and forth as her grin widened. Meg, wanting the attention to go away from her and Wilhelm, said, "hey Isabelle, why don't you sing a song with your brother? That way we can not only hear you sing, but prove to you that your brother has a beautiful voice like yours!"
"I uh don't think that is a good idea," Isabelle shook her head, looking around nervously as if searching for a pair of eyes that she knew were sometimes staring at her. "You see-"
"Oh don't be like that Isabelle," Wilhelm grinned, making his sister stand up and patted her back. "Its going to be fun, I'll even let you pick a song to sing..."
Isabelle muttered under her breath but agreed none-the-less and thought of a song to sing. Her eyes lit up as she came up with a song and she away from her brother, walking to the edge of the front of the stage to sing. Letting out a small cough, she closed her fire-blue eyes before beginning to sing,
"Er sang sobald ich schlief und kam mir nah
Mir schien, dass er mich rief und mit mir sprach
Träum ich denn immer noch, ich fühl es hier
Ganz nah ist das Phantom der Oper da
Es lebst in mir!"
Wilhelm rolled his eyes as heard the song that Isabelle had picked and he strained his brain as he tried to remember the lyrics to his part of the song. Finally remembering, he took a deep breath before beginning to sing his own part.
"Komm sing mit mir heut Nacht, bei Kerzenschein
Dann fängt dich meine Macht noch stärker ein
Und wendest du den Blick auch ab von mir
Ganz nah ist das Phantom der Oper da
Es lebt in dir!"
"Brava! Brava!" Emma and Meg cheered, clapping their hands as they grinned at both Isabelle and Wilhelm. Wilhelm smirked and did a little mock bow, thanking them and turning to look at his sister but frowned when he saw her looking around with a dazed look in her eyes.
"Isabelle... Are you okay?" He asked, placing his hand on his sister's shoulder and looking at her with worry. She seemed to snap out of whatever she was in and she turned to him with a soft smile, nodding her head.
"Never felt any better," Isabelle stretched her shoulders. "Now I don't know about you three, but I'm tired! I'll see you tomorrow..."
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Now the song that Isabelle and Wilhelm sang is The Phantom of the Opera in German. Or I think it is, I merely found it on Youtube and decided to use it for the story. If you would like to listen to the German version, simply look up 'The Phantom of the Opera (German) - Das Phantom der oper' on Youtube and you should find the video that I used. Don't know if the lyrics are right, I just found them with the description of the video. Now, thanks for reading!
Till next time :3