Notes: yay, finally got this one up! Umm…I've been having severe writer's block so if this turns out to be really stupid that's why. And if Christian acts a bit girlish, well, let's just say I think he freely shows emotion, so too bad. But constructive criticism, not flames please. THIS CHAPTER HAS SINGING. Lalala, just thought I'd let ya know. "I Loved You Once In Silence" is from Lerner and Lowe's "Camelot", and "At the Beginning" is from 20th Century Fox's Anastasia.
Chapter Three: "Legends Retold"
The scene remained unchanged for about an hour, perhaps a little more. The only difference was that Warner had fled, maybe to find a doctor.
Satine and Christian stayed very cold and lifeless on the floor. That is, until Christian slowly moved his right hand.
Satine felt the sensation of movement on her shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open, and she breathed evenly once more. She was not new at faking a death.
She quietly propped herself up on Christian's chest to see under the table to the other side. The Duke was lying on the floor, and he did not appear to be breathing. Satine let out a sigh of relief, which awoke Christian.
"Did…did we succeed? Are we alright now?"
Satine heard great fear in the young man's voice and saw tears behind his eyes that would surely come forth at any moment. She held his face and rested her head on him.
"I don't know what to feel," he said with a shaky voice. "Joy, relief, fear…"
Satine quieted him. "Love, Christian. A love that will live forever. If we can get through this, we can get through anything."
She pulled him slowly to his feet. The plan had worked. Before they came, Toulouse had switched the glasses around so that the Duke would be drinking poison, which had been intended for Satine and Christian. They did not know how much was in the glass, or what it would do to a person.
What both of them still did not understand however was why they had still been put into a light state of unconsciousness. Christian had walked around the table to stare at the motionless Duke. "I think because Toulouse knew we would be very afraid…well at least I would," he said while smiling and holding Satine's hand. "Our actions can sometimes be ruled by our fear, and he wanted to make sure we didn't do anything…irrational. Also, we had to appear to really be dead." The last word haunted both of them.
Satine was about to say something but jumped as the door behind her opened. For a fearful moment she thought it would be Warner. Luckily it was a doctor whom they had worked with before and trusted.
"Thank God you're here," said Satine, grasping the man's hand. "We're both fine, but we need you to check on the Duke."
This doctor had treated Satine a year ago, and did not question the situation because he trusted Satine and Christian. He also happened to know their story. As he walked around the long table, he explained to them, "As I was coming down the street to find you after Toulouse told me what happened, I passed a man running in the other direction. It was that large bald fellow whom I believe was constantly with the Duke whenever I saw him. He muttered something about running away and not getting involved. Warner? Was that his name? He makes up for in size what he lacks in brains. Bit of an idiot, really."
The doctor finally bent down to check on the Duke. Christian held Satine's hand tightly. Christian understood why Warner had fled; even the manservant had feared his own boss, showing just what a menace the Duke was.
AS the doctor placed his fingers under the Duke's wrist and checked for breathing and other vitals, e looked up grimly at the couple. "Well, I don't know if this is good news or bad news, but you won't be seeing him again. Whatever he drank killed him."
Satine felt somewhat guilty that she experienced a sigh of relief from someone else's death. She walked over beside the doctor and knelt before the Duke.
"I am sorry he had to live a life of jealousy and pain," she said, and she meant it. "Perhaps now he will be at peace."
Satine and the doctor then noticed that Christian was standing frozen to the spot, eyes wide and face pale. "I…I never meant for anyone to die…" he sputtered, sitting at the table and placing his head in his hands.
"The story does not end with the maharaja dying…"
Christian was not outwardly crying, but appeared to be in pain. Sating knew it came from all the stress and struggling they had recently been through. Suddenly, a realization hit her hard. She place her hand on his back.
"It's over, Christian."
"What?" he asked looking up with a tired expression.
"It's over. We're free. We can be together and do whatever we want."
4 hours later, Christian's garret
Satine and Christian had eventually left the doctor and the Duke's body. Both of them felt joy, even though deep down they wished that this had not ended with a death.
Christian sat staring out the window. Bohemia and Paris in general seemed to be a little more spirited again. More than when Satine was gone.
"What are we going to do now that we have the rest of our lives to do as we please?" he asked earnestly.
Satine sat beside him and put her arm around his shoulders. "Well, I was thinking, since many people already know the first part of our story from 'Spectacular Spectacular', why not tell the rest of it in a sequel? We could show that in the end, love really does conquer all."
Christian responded with a long kiss, as if to prove they were finally free. "A brilliant idea. I want to start writing now."
As he sat down at his typewriter, Christian could see the end of the book he had written recently but had been too depressed to publish. Satine read over his shoulder, "'A love that will live forever. The end.' Not the end, the beginning. We must tell our story, Christian."
She was silent and let him work.
Eventually, Zidler had found the money to invest in 'Come What May', as it was called, and let them perform it at the Moulin Rouge. This time, Christian played the penniless sitar player, and the Argentinean played a wise friend who helped him through his troubles. The rest of the cast remained the unchanged from the first installment. All of Christian's original Bohemian friends were there, singing and dancing along with everyone else.
On opening night, as the end of Act One rolled around, over half the audience was crying softly as the Hindu courtesan began to sing to the penniless sitar player:
"I loved you
Once in silence
And misery was all I knew.
Trying so to keep my love from showing
All the while not knowing
You loved me too.
Yes loved me,
In lonesome silence,
Your heart filled with dark despair.
Knowing love would flame in you forever
And I'd never, never know the flame was there.
Then one day we cast away our secret longing,
The raging tide we held inside would hold no more.
The silence
At last was broken.
We flung wide
Our prison door.
Every joyous word of love was spoken,
And now there's twice as much grief
Twice the strain for us.
Twice the despair twice the pain for us,
As we had known before.
The silence
At last was broken.
We flung wide
Our prison door.
Every joyous word of love was spoken,
And after all had been said,
Here we are my love,
Silent once more
And not far my love,
From where we were before."
But the climax of the play was certainly the final number, a duet with help from the rest of the cast:
(Satine):
"We were strangers
Starting out on a journey.
Never dreaming
What we'd have to go through.
Now here we are,
I'm suddenly standing
At the beginning with you.
(Christian):
No one told me
I was going to find you.
Unexpected,
What you did to my heart.
(Both):
When I lost hope,
You were there to remind me
This is the start.
And life is a road and I wanna keep going,
Love is a river and I wanna keep flowing,
Life is road now and forever,
Wonderful journey.
I'll be there when the world stops turning,
I'll be there when the storm is through.
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you.
(Satine):
We were strangers
On a crazy adventure.
(Christian):
Never dreaming
How our dreams would come true.
(Both):
Now here we stand
Unafraid of the future,
At the beginning with you.
And life is a road and I wanna keep going,
Love is a river and I wanna keep flowing,
Life is road now and forever,
Wonderful journey.
I'll be there when the world stops turning,
I'll be there when the storm is through.
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you.
I knew there was somebody somewhere,
Like me alone in the dark.
Now I know my dream will live on
I've been waiting so long,
Nothing's gonna tear us apart.
And life is a road and I wanna keep going,
Love is a river and I wanna keep flowing,
Life is road now and forever,
Wonderful journey.
I'll be there when the world stops turning,
I'll be there when the storm is through.
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you."
At every performance this received an instant standing ovation.
Over the years, 'Come What May' obtained an avid fan group, but eventually faded from society. However, those who had seen it would never forget it. None of them knew though that it was a true story. But they all came away with the same belief: All ya need is love.
Chapter Three: "Legends Retold"
The scene remained unchanged for about an hour, perhaps a little more. The only difference was that Warner had fled, maybe to find a doctor.
Satine and Christian stayed very cold and lifeless on the floor. That is, until Christian slowly moved his right hand.
Satine felt the sensation of movement on her shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open, and she breathed evenly once more. She was not new at faking a death.
She quietly propped herself up on Christian's chest to see under the table to the other side. The Duke was lying on the floor, and he did not appear to be breathing. Satine let out a sigh of relief, which awoke Christian.
"Did…did we succeed? Are we alright now?"
Satine heard great fear in the young man's voice and saw tears behind his eyes that would surely come forth at any moment. She held his face and rested her head on him.
"I don't know what to feel," he said with a shaky voice. "Joy, relief, fear…"
Satine quieted him. "Love, Christian. A love that will live forever. If we can get through this, we can get through anything."
She pulled him slowly to his feet. The plan had worked. Before they came, Toulouse had switched the glasses around so that the Duke would be drinking poison, which had been intended for Satine and Christian. They did not know how much was in the glass, or what it would do to a person.
What both of them still did not understand however was why they had still been put into a light state of unconsciousness. Christian had walked around the table to stare at the motionless Duke. "I think because Toulouse knew we would be very afraid…well at least I would," he said while smiling and holding Satine's hand. "Our actions can sometimes be ruled by our fear, and he wanted to make sure we didn't do anything…irrational. Also, we had to appear to really be dead." The last word haunted both of them.
Satine was about to say something but jumped as the door behind her opened. For a fearful moment she thought it would be Warner. Luckily it was a doctor whom they had worked with before and trusted.
"Thank God you're here," said Satine, grasping the man's hand. "We're both fine, but we need you to check on the Duke."
This doctor had treated Satine a year ago, and did not question the situation because he trusted Satine and Christian. He also happened to know their story. As he walked around the long table, he explained to them, "As I was coming down the street to find you after Toulouse told me what happened, I passed a man running in the other direction. It was that large bald fellow whom I believe was constantly with the Duke whenever I saw him. He muttered something about running away and not getting involved. Warner? Was that his name? He makes up for in size what he lacks in brains. Bit of an idiot, really."
The doctor finally bent down to check on the Duke. Christian held Satine's hand tightly. Christian understood why Warner had fled; even the manservant had feared his own boss, showing just what a menace the Duke was.
AS the doctor placed his fingers under the Duke's wrist and checked for breathing and other vitals, e looked up grimly at the couple. "Well, I don't know if this is good news or bad news, but you won't be seeing him again. Whatever he drank killed him."
Satine felt somewhat guilty that she experienced a sigh of relief from someone else's death. She walked over beside the doctor and knelt before the Duke.
"I am sorry he had to live a life of jealousy and pain," she said, and she meant it. "Perhaps now he will be at peace."
Satine and the doctor then noticed that Christian was standing frozen to the spot, eyes wide and face pale. "I…I never meant for anyone to die…" he sputtered, sitting at the table and placing his head in his hands.
"The story does not end with the maharaja dying…"
Christian was not outwardly crying, but appeared to be in pain. Sating knew it came from all the stress and struggling they had recently been through. Suddenly, a realization hit her hard. She place her hand on his back.
"It's over, Christian."
"What?" he asked looking up with a tired expression.
"It's over. We're free. We can be together and do whatever we want."
4 hours later, Christian's garret
Satine and Christian had eventually left the doctor and the Duke's body. Both of them felt joy, even though deep down they wished that this had not ended with a death.
Christian sat staring out the window. Bohemia and Paris in general seemed to be a little more spirited again. More than when Satine was gone.
"What are we going to do now that we have the rest of our lives to do as we please?" he asked earnestly.
Satine sat beside him and put her arm around his shoulders. "Well, I was thinking, since many people already know the first part of our story from 'Spectacular Spectacular', why not tell the rest of it in a sequel? We could show that in the end, love really does conquer all."
Christian responded with a long kiss, as if to prove they were finally free. "A brilliant idea. I want to start writing now."
As he sat down at his typewriter, Christian could see the end of the book he had written recently but had been too depressed to publish. Satine read over his shoulder, "'A love that will live forever. The end.' Not the end, the beginning. We must tell our story, Christian."
She was silent and let him work.
Eventually, Zidler had found the money to invest in 'Come What May', as it was called, and let them perform it at the Moulin Rouge. This time, Christian played the penniless sitar player, and the Argentinean played a wise friend who helped him through his troubles. The rest of the cast remained the unchanged from the first installment. All of Christian's original Bohemian friends were there, singing and dancing along with everyone else.
On opening night, as the end of Act One rolled around, over half the audience was crying softly as the Hindu courtesan began to sing to the penniless sitar player:
"I loved you
Once in silence
And misery was all I knew.
Trying so to keep my love from showing
All the while not knowing
You loved me too.
Yes loved me,
In lonesome silence,
Your heart filled with dark despair.
Knowing love would flame in you forever
And I'd never, never know the flame was there.
Then one day we cast away our secret longing,
The raging tide we held inside would hold no more.
The silence
At last was broken.
We flung wide
Our prison door.
Every joyous word of love was spoken,
And now there's twice as much grief
Twice the strain for us.
Twice the despair twice the pain for us,
As we had known before.
The silence
At last was broken.
We flung wide
Our prison door.
Every joyous word of love was spoken,
And after all had been said,
Here we are my love,
Silent once more
And not far my love,
From where we were before."
But the climax of the play was certainly the final number, a duet with help from the rest of the cast:
(Satine):
"We were strangers
Starting out on a journey.
Never dreaming
What we'd have to go through.
Now here we are,
I'm suddenly standing
At the beginning with you.
(Christian):
No one told me
I was going to find you.
Unexpected,
What you did to my heart.
(Both):
When I lost hope,
You were there to remind me
This is the start.
And life is a road and I wanna keep going,
Love is a river and I wanna keep flowing,
Life is road now and forever,
Wonderful journey.
I'll be there when the world stops turning,
I'll be there when the storm is through.
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you.
(Satine):
We were strangers
On a crazy adventure.
(Christian):
Never dreaming
How our dreams would come true.
(Both):
Now here we stand
Unafraid of the future,
At the beginning with you.
And life is a road and I wanna keep going,
Love is a river and I wanna keep flowing,
Life is road now and forever,
Wonderful journey.
I'll be there when the world stops turning,
I'll be there when the storm is through.
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you.
I knew there was somebody somewhere,
Like me alone in the dark.
Now I know my dream will live on
I've been waiting so long,
Nothing's gonna tear us apart.
And life is a road and I wanna keep going,
Love is a river and I wanna keep flowing,
Life is road now and forever,
Wonderful journey.
I'll be there when the world stops turning,
I'll be there when the storm is through.
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you."
At every performance this received an instant standing ovation.
Over the years, 'Come What May' obtained an avid fan group, but eventually faded from society. However, those who had seen it would never forget it. None of them knew though that it was a true story. But they all came away with the same belief: All ya need is love.