Monsieur Reyes came walking in with a page behind him holding a large stack of the score. Christine and Meg sat in chairs on the stage next to each other, Meg in a dark green rehearsal long dress with embroidery she did herself, and Christine in a light purple dress with a small bustle. Both Carlotta and Piangi still refused to return to the opera, so the two girls sat closest to the piano at the time to chat. A tenor was pulled from the chorus to play the lead, and the rest of the chorus and soloists filled the seats.
"Romeo et Juliette!" Christine clutched Meg's arm in excitement, Meg had to admit it would be nice to do the show. As the score was passed around, The roles were assigned on the first page
Juliette - soprano - Christine Daae
Roméo, son of Montague - tenor - Pierre Cazaux
Frère Laurent - bass - Jean Daram
Mercutio, Romeo's friend - baritone - Auguste-Armand Troy
Stéphano, Romeo's page - soprano, (trouser role) - Marguerite Giry
So on and so forth, etc.
Meg read the list and began to re read the list over and over again. Stephano had a solo aria, Did the managers even know she could do it? Reyes must have pushed for it. Since many didn't know the score well enough, no rehearsal for the leads was to be held. So soloists were dismissed and the chorus stayed behind. Christine smiled and giggled her way off the stage to met Raoul in the grand foyer after she kissed Meg on the cheek.
Meg read the list again. This time she flipped to the every part assigned to Stephano, each word frightened and infuriated her even more. Meg barreled her way through the people left on stage. Grabbing a pastry from the kitchen she ate as she made her way deeper into the cellars. Starting at the mirror, Meg somehow maneuvered through the tunnels without encountering single trap.
Meg remembered how to get to that door that led to the dark hall that opened to the drawing room. Erik heard the door swing open and the steps of fashionable heels click on the stone floor. Walking to the the loveseat across from the throne he usually sat in, Meg threw the score face up onto the empty seat to his left.
"Stephano. Another trouser role, with more singing." She said in a panicked, yet angry tone she didn't expect to use, she then placed her hands on the top of the loveseat. He grabbed the score and read the cast list, his eyes coldly skimmed over Christine's name, and laughed a hearty laugh at Marguerites. Meg walked around to take the place where the score just laid. "What am I going to do?" She said in a whiny voice. She began to play with her boot buttons.
"I'm sure you'll be fine." Meg looked up at his eyes from her low, slumped position.
"You! You have to help me!" She stared at him with wide, searching eyes.
"I can not help you." Erik stood and walked to the bench.
"I don't know what I'll do if they take me off the part, and I don't want to give it up if I'm completely honest with you." Meg added without hearing his answer.
"I do not think it is good idea." Meg still didn't hear his answer, with a little hmph she covered her eyes with her hands and threw her torso over her crossed right leg on the seat. Her forehead touching the seat where he just sat.
"Why am I so dramatic about everything?" She whined. "I mean, all I have to do is say I'm just a dancer and incapable and I won't have to worry about wasting rehearsal time." Now she was crying. Her sobs filled the room for a long time until he spoke again.
"Alright I will help you." Meg sat up like lightning, flipping her hair up and tears in her wide eyes.
"You will?" She sniffled, he simply nodded. "But how? I don't even know what you can do for me."
"Well it seems that all you are worried about is the singing. I do not even think you need to worry about it. The acting will be the easiest thing for you. I will help you with the singing, but you do not need much help, it is up to you to find the confidence." He sat down again while she stood up.
"No you can't do that." Meg took to pacing and biting her long thumb nail, not enough to break her well kept nails, but it made her point.
"And why not?" He sounded genuinely wounded, must be his form of acting. Meg turned around quickly to face him.
"Because… Well because. I-I y-you. Ugh you know why." She turned around to continue walking to the throne."
"No. I really do not." Meg collapsed in the throne. "Why could I not? I have taught a student before, and she is a very successful performer." He crossed his arms over his chest.
"Yes and see where that's got us!" Meg snapped at him, they now sat in even more silence. She refused to look at him, she could tell he was radiating with anger.
Meg couldn't believe she snapped at him like that. It was neither of their faults Christine was happy. It's what all three of them wanted, to be happy. The other two couldn't be angry at the other just because she was happy, It's cruel to think that. Cruel to her, and especially cruel to them. He opened the score to Stephanos aria "Que Fais-Tu"
"Maybe you are right. Maybe you can not perform Stephano as you say. You have the boyish charm, everyone saw it in Il Muto. But can you sing the role?" Erik shifted into his imitating self quickly. "Maybe? No." His drug out the last word for an extra moment of taunting.
"Maybe not." He watched as Meg grew stiff with terror, he spoke in the same tone that petrified her in her dream. How did he know? She thought. Her reaction is not what he expected, she shrunk into herself, and her eyes grew wide yet again as she shook. Meg couldn't reply, she didn't know how. He watched her shake.
"Maybe." He could barely hear her response. She felt as though she would faint. Erik began to worry about her, she was pale, while her cheeks were a bright red. As lovely as she looked, it was worrisome. The adrenaline in her body made her limbs feel odd. More tears slipped from her eyes, but she didn't dare leave. She didn't want to. She wanted them to move past it.
"I would like to help you." He stood up and stood in front of her and held out his hands for her to grab. She stared at his hands then moved her eyes up to his. The compassion in his eyes confused her. How could he act as he just did, then act like this? Which was the sham? Or were both attitudes real? Slowly she outstretched both of her hands to his. He helped her stand but as she stood the room began to spin and she fell unconscious in his arms the same way she had the night they officially met.
Meg woke to the noise of Christine's chatter, and flouncing around her dressing room after finally returning from a late lunch with Le Vicomte. She was confused, she didn't remember what led her to this point, then it all hit her. The fight, the terror, all of it. Christine assumed Meg just fell asleep on her fainting couch waiting for her.
"Oh he makes me so happy 'Uerite!" Christine shocked Meg by calling her a nickname she hasn't heard in a very long time.
"I'm glad, 'Stine!" Meg slowly sat up, rubbing her head.
"Come on! We have warm ups right now!"
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Meg shot up only to end up back down again. "I need a moment." Christine ran to Meg.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes I just stood up too fast."
"I'm worr-" Christine began to protest but Madame Giry cut her off by telling them to come along.
"Alright Madame Giry." Both Christine and Meg said, then all three left for the second cellar. Before they left Meg noticed her score and note with black edging on the trim on the floor. Meg snatched it before anyone could notice, she hid it from Christine and especially her mother who would recognize the signature style. Madame Giry and Christine began to chat with each other, while Meg walked a few steps behind. Meg quietly opened the letter.
"Meet me in my home whenever you like. We will work through your set, and have a meal. - E" He signed his initial in an overly dramatic fashion. Birds of a feather, and lovers of drama they both were. Meg slipped the note into the dark rehearsal dresses pocket.
"One day you will have to accept my invitation to dine with us."
"And one of these days I won't be too tired to entertain. It still feels nice to be invited. Really, thank you, sweets!" Meg hugged her equally bushy haired friend. "Now go! Go! GO! Young lovers!" Meg pushed christine into the arms of Le Vicomte waiting at the open door. The two acquaintances said polite goodbyes. Then Meg locked the door of the dressing room and disappeared into the mirror, score in hand.
"I do not feel any better about this." After dinner Erik played through the voice line of Stephanos aria on the piano. Meg had hummed the melody as she sightread. She was proficient, but humming is different than singing, and the only person she was afraid to sing in front of, was sitting just to her right.
"Read the words. No rhythm. No pitch. Just read." Meg nodded her head.
"Depuis hier je cherche en vain mon maître! Est-il encore chez vous? Mes seigneurs Capulet? Voyons un peu si vos dignes valets - À ma voix ce matin Oseront reparaître." Meg paused and looked at him unsure before reading "Que Fais-Tu."
"Que fais-tu blanche tourterelle, Dans ce nid de vautours? Quelque jour, déployant ton aile, Tu suivras les amours! Aux vautours, il faut la bataille, Pour frapper d'estoc et de taille - Leurs becs sont aiguisés! Laisse-là ces oiseaux de proie, Tourterelle qui fais ta joie Des amoureux baisers! Gardez bien la belle! Qui vivra verra! Votre tourterelle vous échappera, Votre tourterelle vous échappera. Un ramier, loin du vert bocage, Par l'amour attire, À l'entour de ce nid sauvage. A, je crois, soupire! Les vautours sont à la curée, Leurs chansons, que fuit Cythérée, Résonne à grand bruit! Cependant en leur douce ivresse Les amants content leurs tendresses - Aux astres de la nuit! Gardez bien la belle! Qui vivra verra! Votre tourterelle vous échappera, Votre tourterelle vous échappera," Meg finished reading the connected pieces.
"Who is Stephano?"
"He's Romeo's close friend. He's taunting the Capulets in this piece, he is using the symbol of the Capulets, the white dove, as a metaphor for Juliet. He's saying that the dove will fly away from the family, to marry Romeo."
"And this makes the piece?"
"Arrogant."
"Sing 'Dupuis Heir'." He gave her the starting note. Meg fixed her posture, and settled into a haughty form, similar to Serafimo, on the bench.
"Depuis hier je cherche - en vain mon maître! Est-il encore chez vous?" He couldn't believe she wanted his help. She was good. Meg turned to him for for a reaction as she sang. "Mes seigneurs Capulet?"
"Go on." She continued through the piece, it was rocky at times simply because she hadn't heard the show in years, and she was sight reading. Through the little rehearsal Meg wondered how he used to teach Christine.
"You do know that you do not need my help, correct?" Meg turned Erik when he was accompanying her to her room.
"What? Yes I do. Without you I would've demanded to the mangers to get them to give my role away. Your comment made me want to defy you."
"What comment?" She couldn't tell if he was feigning confusion, or simply had forgotten.
"Maybe. No... Maybe not." She said echoed his words and inflection with annoyance. "It made me want to prove it to you that I could indeed play Stephano. I guess that was your intention with that comment. Thank you." Meg slipped the key to her room into the door. They whispered goodbyes, and both separated to finally sleep for the night.
Meg laid in bed later, hoping that no nightmares would occur due to the awful tone he used with her earlier. She would never forget that he actually spoke to her in that way. Even if it was for dramatics.
