~ * ~ E S C A P I N G * T H E * U N D E R W O R L D ~ * ~



by She's a Star and Karitastarlet









~ * ~ F O U R : W I L L * D R I V E * Y O U * M A D ~ * ~



by Karitastarlet





Satine was shivering uncontrollably in the foyer of Claremont. She didn't exactly know why, only that there was going to be a strong barrier between Christian and his father. "I'm sorry, Christian. I caused all this."
"Don't be sorry, diamond." He took her hands in his and gave her a reassuring kiss.
"Mr. Christian?" They were interrupted by a short, pretty blonde maid who grinned broadly and winked at Satine. "Where are you gonna sleep?" She asked.
"In my old rooms."
"Her too?"
"Yes, Daisy."
"Ay, the master's not gonna like this…" She murmured, then waltzed up the stairs to prepare Christian's rooms.



~*~

If Satine didn't exactly warm up to Christian's family, she liked the staff. She met May and Kitty, the tweenmaids, and Bertha, the fat, rosy-cheeked cook. Little Victoria followed at her heels like an adoring puppy as Christian showed her each room, and Satine was a little uneasy. She wasn't used to children.
"Vicky, why don't you show Satine your room?" Christian suggested. "While I go talk to Papa."
The little girl brightened and took Satine's hand. "Come on! Come on!" She pulled Satine up the stairs and through the winding corridors until they finally reached a room that was a mass of pink. It was the epitome of a little girl's room. Evidently Lenora and Edward Claremont had spared no expense when it came to their youngest child. There were dolls and books on all the shelves, and pretty dresses hanging in the wardrobe.
"You have a pretty room," she commented.
"Come see Vinnie's now." Victoria led her out of the room and they stopped at a door that was locked. "VINNIE! LET ME IN!" The little girl crowed. "I brought my new sister with me!"
My new sister…Satine wondered if that would ever be true. Christian's father would never let them marry, she was sure.
Lavinia opened the door and smiled broadly, revealing perfect white teeth. Daisy was in the room, perched on a dressing table. The young maid was probably around Lavinia's age, and with Claremont being so secluded, Satine concluded that Christian's sister and Daisy were probably close friends. "I'm sorry I acted so frosty to you downstairs. Papa thinks I think Christian is a fool. But really, I wish I was the one who could have escaped. Can I look in your bag? Your dress is so pretty. Is it from Paris?"
"Slow down, Lavinia." Daisy laughed. "You're gonna run out of breath."
"Can we look? Can we look?" Victoria chirped, tugging at Satine's hand.
Satine nodded her head, a little overwhelmed. The girls almost tore the small rose colored bag from her hands and looked inside at the few garments and things she had brought with: a string of pearls, a bottle of perfume, her makeup, and her depilatory crème. Victoria opened the jar of creme and sniffed it, making a face. "What is this?"
"Ooh! You have this? I wanted this but Papa said it was sinful." Lavinia made a face equally disgusted as Vicky's.
"It gets rid of the hair you don't want."
"Like where?"
"On your legs, for example."
"Oh."
"This is pretty. Where did you get this?" Daisy was holding a necklace, heavy with diamonds, that was a gift from the Duke. Satine gasped. She hadn't meant to put that in there.
"From…from someone I once knew." She mumbled.
"Was he a lover?"
"No."
"Can you tell us?"
Taking a deep breath, Satine spilled forth their story: hers and Christian's. The three girls sat on Lavinia's bed, totally interested in her story. When she had finished, a tear was trickling down Daisy's tanned cheek.
"You poor thing." She whispered.
"Oh! How romantic! I want to go to the Moulin Rouge! I almost went with Christian, but Papa locked me in the dungeon."
"Dungeon?"
"Oh yes. It's very far downstairs. The early Claremonts used to put their enemies in there."
"He locked you in there?"
"Yes! For a day! I tried to get her out and Mama cried but Papa wouldn't let her out." Vicky added.
There was a loud thud coming from downstairs and some muffled yelling, along with the breaking of glass. Satine flew out the door and raced down the steps, Lavinia, Daisy, and Victoria following closely at her heels. She ran towards Christian's father's study and through the huge, heavy mahogany doors until she reached Christian. She flew into his arms, both of them breathing heavily. He felt her heart thudding against his. Volumes of unspoken words passed between them as they stood, their hearts pounding. "What happened?" She finally asked.
"He threatened to disinherit me and throw me out of the house. Then he took out one of his rifles and shot out the window."
"Oh my God…it's all because of me. I'll go back to Paris, Christian. Your father hates me."
"No! You're not leaving! We're going to stay right here and show him."
Satine started to cough, loud, hacking coughs that tore apart her insides and made blood spurt from her throat. Her knees gave out from under her and she crumpled to the floor in a dead faint.



~*~

When she awoke, there was a kindly gentleman who looked like a middle-aged Christian standing before her, feeling her forehead with the back of his hand. "No fever." He smiled at her. "Good morning, little girl. You've worried everyone sick."
"What's wrong with me, Dr. Claremont?"
"You have consumption. Tuberculosis. But don't worry, dear. It's not a very bad case yet. It's a good thing you fainted when you did. Take this." He held out a white pill and a glass of water, and Satine swallowed it. "It will help fight the virus."
"Is it fatal?"
"It could be unless we kill it in the early stages. Not many live, but some do."
There was a knock on the door and Christian looked through. "Is she awake?" He asked his uncle.
"See for yourself." The door flew open and Christian was at her side in seconds.
"Satine! Oh, God, I thought…I thought…" His eyes started to tear up and he started to cry.
Satine had never seen a man cry. Weren't they supposed to be strong, emotionless? Well, even if they were, she had found her Prince Charming, the Prince that had galloped her off into the sunset…even if it was a sunset like Claremont.

~*~


As it had always been with her coughing attacks, now identified as tuberculosis, Satine was well again after a bit of rest. Well and ready to meet Aunt Sarah, Christian said.
While climbing the stone steps to the high tower where Aunt Sarah was "imprisoned," as Christian put it, they could hear her high, shrill voice singing. "Oh, she wept with delight when he gave her a smile, and trembled with fear at his frown." Then there was a sob that sounded like a laugh or a laugh like a sob. Satine shivered as Christian opened the door. He noticed and whispered, "She's harmless."
The old lady in the pink chair with the poodle in her lap was an unsettling sight. She was very wrinkled, stooped, quite the old lady. Except for her hair. Shocking auburn ringlets like Satine's own cascaded down her back. Sarah looked up at them and giggled like a child. "Philip! How nice to see you!"
"Aunt Sarah," Christian greeted her warmly, taking her hands in his and crouching to her level. "I'm Christian. Edward's son." He kissed her on both rouged cheeks and pulled up a chair next to hers.
"Ah yes. My old brain forgets these things, dear boy."
"How are you, Auntie?"
"As well as can be expected of an old lady who stays locked up here all day."
"Doesn't Father let you out?"
"Not…" her trail of thought was interrupted when she saw Satine standing there, unsure of what she should do. "Who's this?"
"This is Satine, Auntie. My fiancée."
"Is this his whore?" She asked the little dog.
"Aunt Sarah!"
"That's what Eddie and Philip called her when they came up to see me. Why did you leave, dear boy?"
Christian explained to his aunt, who nodded knowingly. "You escaped. Why did you come back? Claremont is like a prison. It will be until your father dies."
"How is my cousin?"
"Philip? Always gallivanting all over Africa and India, like his father. Sit down, girl." The old woman pointed a gnarled hand toward a chair, and Satine sat.
Satine looked about the small room. It was like a child's bedroom, rather like that of Victoria. The walls were pink, as was the carpet. There was a large, pink-covered canopy bed with a teddy bear perched on a pillow. Fairy tale books were strewn across the floor, and dolls were having a tea party at a tiny table. On the walls hung tapestries depicting Claremont life. There was Christian, Satine could clearly see, leaving the house. There were several announcing births and weddings, and another, much more chilling work. It was Satine, the exact mirror image of Satine, crying over a casket. Christian's father and what was probably his cousin were glaring at her with eyes full of hate. Her hands shook as she took the offered cup of tea and brought it to her lips.
"Do you like it? It's my latest work."
"It's very eerie." Satine said. "You're very good."
"Thank you, dear. There's not much else to do around here." Suddenly, Sarah rose from her chair and went to the bassinet that stood by a window. "The baby is crying."
Satine's eyes met Christian's in a glance that meant "What baby?" Sarah picked up an infant sized blanket and rocked it in her arms, humming to it.
"See my baby?" She showed the child to the two still seated; it was a very realistic looking doll. "He's fussy today."
"He's…a lovely child, Auntie." Christian stammered.
"Isn't he? He was born two weeks ago."
The old woman suddenly threw the doll to the floor and went to her vanity table. She smeared on the reddest lipstick, covered her face with rouge. Sarah was screaming and laughing like a wild woman, and Satine and Christian sat, bewildered.
A woman in white hurried in. She was decidedly Scandinavian by the blond hair, rosy cheeks, and blue eyes. "I think you had better leave." She said. "Miss Sarah is having one of her fits."
"Thank you, Tatiana." Christian grabbed for Satine's hand and they left the room.
Satine was still shaking violently. "Did you see her tapestry?"
Christian was silent. "Satine, she's…different. She knows what's going to happen. She knew what you looked like even before she saw you. That tapestry was the exact image of you. She knows…something is going to happen."
"Oh, Christian, don't think like that. Nothing will happen."

~*~



She was still shaky when they sat down to eat that night. Victoria was absent, and when Satine asked why, Edward answered, "Young children should not be allowed to eat at the table. What they do with their food is repulsive."
"She eats with Nanny." Lenora added, giving Satine her sweet, soft smile.
"Is your food all right?" Daisy, entering the room with her hair looking tousled, asked. "Mr. Claremont? Mrs. Claremont?"
"Yes, Daisy." Lenora answered. "Thank you, Daisy."
"Yes, Ma'am." The maid, giving Satine a sly wink before she left, bowed a quick curtsey.
"We went to see Aunt Sarah. Father, why are you keeping her locked up?" Christian asked.
"She is getting madder than ever. I don't trust her in this house without Tatiana."
"She needs to see the sunlight. She's wasting away, Father. Don't you have any compassion for your sister?"
"She's not herself."
"For God's sake, Father, how can she be after what happened? And now you lock her up and forget she's here! She's your sister!"
"A sister who brought shame upon the Claremont name. You seem to take after your aunt, Christian."
"Edward!" Lenora scolded. "Not at the table. Please."
Lavinia looked at Satine. "Are you enjoying Claremont, Satine?" She was putting on her 'I'm acting aloof because I don't want to disappoint Papa' facade, and Satine smiled knowingly.
"Yes. It's a lovely house. What is the history, Mr. Claremont?"
Christian squeezed her hand in approval. She was playing her part to perfection.
Christian's father gave Satine a questioning look. "Are you wondering about what you'll inherit? It's no Moulin Rouge," he spat. "There are no whores here. Except for you, of course."
"I am sorry, Mr. Claremont, if you disagree with my past profession. I will assure you that I have ended that and I am looking forward to starting anew with your son."
Lavinia grinned and laughed from behind her napkin. When her father glanced at her, she coughed and looked down at her plate.
"Would you like to know about our house, dear?" Lenora asked.
"Very much. I am interested in architecture. Have you been to Paris, Mrs. Claremont?"
"Call me Lenora, please, dear."
"Lenora. Have you been to Paris, Lenora?"
"Only once. We were there for the unveiling of the Eiffel Tower."
"Oh yes. It's lovely, isn't it?"
"We enjoyed it. Lavinia was about Victoria's age at the time, and Christian would have been about fifteen."
"It was full of filth." Edward commented. "Whores, disease, drunks."
"Paris is a wonderful city, Father. It is a wonderful city for those of us who are not Bible-thumping old men with minds the size of a pea."
"What did you say, boy?" Edward glared at his son with eyes that looked as though he could kill him.
"I said that Paris is a wonderful city for those who aren't like you, Father."
"For the unholy."
"No. For the free-spirited, the passionate, the beautiful."
"Leave. Take your whore with you and leave my table."
"Goodnight, Mama. Goodnight, Vin. Come, Satine." Christian winked at his sister and kissed his mother before joining Satine.
"How could your mother marry that awful man?" Satine asked as they climbed the staircase.
"It was arranged."
"Why didn't you have an arranged marriage?"
"I escaped." He grinned and opened the door to his room. Daisy had opened the windows and it smelled like the gardens below.
"Your father hates me."
"So what? Let him. He's just a narrow-minded ass."
Satine looked about at Christian's room. There was a desk covered in papers and bookshelves lined the walls. A dusty typewriter sat on the desk, waiting for Christian to bring it to life again. "Welcome to your suite, my lady."
"It's lovely. It looks exactly like your garret in Montmartre."
"Now it's perfect. You're in it."
Satine smiled and tilted her head as a signal for him to kiss her. He did so, sliding her kimono off her shoulders at the same time. She kissed him back and pushed him back on the bed, removing his shirt and throwing the offending garment across the room. Immersed in the heat of the moment, feeling the hot blood running through their veins, they thought of nothing but each other. They were so caught up in their kisses that neither heard the door open.
"NO SINNING UNDERNEATH MY ROOF!" Edward roared, slamming the door shut behind him. Satine pulled her kimono on hastily and tied it, blushing a little. Christian, shirtless, pants undone, stood up to face his father.
"Your whore is not sleeping with you until she has a ring on her finger and you've been to the church! This is not a sanctified union, boy!"
"Father…" Christian fumbled for words, and none came.
"She will sleep in the Lilac Room."
"She will not!"
"It's all right, Christian. I'll go." She looked at him and mouthed, "Until he's asleep."
"Kitty, take her to the Lilac Room."
"Yes, Sir." The redheaded maid curtseyed and said to Satine, "Follow me, Miss Satine."

~*~


There was a long hallway separating Satine's room and Christian's. "The master gave you a nice room."
"Why?" Satine wondered aloud. "He hates me."
"He's a strange one." Kitty laughed. She opened the door to a room filled with lavender colors. Satine, so used to rich reds and golds, was pleased. The soft carpet on the floor was pale, pale lilac, and the walls were a deeper purple. The bed was a light mahogany, four-poster, draped in layers and layers of purple silk. The vanity table was painted gold and a huge mirror glittered on the wall.
"It used to be Miss Sarah's room."
Satine shuddered. That was why.
"She went crazy here."
Oh God.
"Her lover killed himself out there."
Holy Jesus, Satine thought. He's trying to drive me insane.
"Sleep well." Kitty smiled, almost gloating, and left the room.

~*~



Satine found sleep impossible. She rolled over to turn on the light and scribbled out a letter.

"Dear Harold, Marie, and Girls," she wrote. "I am here and well at Christian's family home. The family has received me well except for his father. He has given me the old bedroom of Christian's aunt, Sarah, who went crazy. It's frightening and I can't sleep. Christian's father is very stern and very religious.

Lenora, his mother, is a sweet woman with dark brown curls and Christian's eyes. Lavinia and Victoria, ages seventeen and seven, are lovely girls. The maids are nice and Nanny Kelly, Christian's old nanny, is wonderful. I have yet to meet Colin, his older brother, and Philip, his cousin.
Marie, darling, could you please send me my things? I have very little here with me.

What has happened with the Duke? I heard about a suicide but I was wondering if it were true.

I am going to let you all in on something secret. No one else knows, not even Christian. I will tell him when I go to join him in his room. We're waiting for his father to fall asleep. I am pregnant. Isn't that wonderful? I'm going to have a child! Marie, Harold, you're going to be grandparents! Girls, you're going to be aunts! I will invite you all to the baptism, I promise!

Send all my love to everyone: Toulouse, Chocolat, the Bohemians, and all the girls. You're always in my thoughts.

Love, your Satine."

Christian crept down the hallway towards Satine's room after hearing the heavy, even snoring of his father. Everyone in Claremont was asleep. Except Satine. He opened her door softly and peeked inside. She was lying in the clouds of purple, looking out the window at the moon. The moonlight lit up the room with silvery blue, and Christian lost his breath for a moment, watching Satine. She could feel him staring and turned her head towards the door.
"What are you doing?"
"Writing to Marie and Harold and the girls."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Of course."
"But what about…?"
"The Duke? He committed suicide. Yesterday. I didn't tell you but I read it in the paper." She patted the place next to her and he joined her in the bed. She curled into his embrace and he buried his nose in her hair.
"I'm pregnant, Christian."
He was speechless. The look in his eyes expressed all his feelings. Christian threw his arms around Satine and kissed her long and hard. "Oh my God!" He finally said. "Are you sure?"
"I'm positive. I have been for a few weeks now."
"Oh my God!" He repeated, louder.
"Keep your voice down!" She giggled. "Your father's going to wake up and blast us for being in the same bed."
"Let him."
"He's going to be a grandpa."
Christian laughed. "I don't know if I want my child to have him for a grandfather. It is my child…isn't it, Satine?"
She smiled. "Of course it is. Don't be silly."
He kissed her again and she could feel him shaking beside her. "Christian?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you shaking?"
"Because I'm so happy!"
Satine laughed at him and kissed him softly before falling into dreams.

~*~


She woke late, feeling nauseated. Satine was alone in the Lilac Room and the colors nauseated her even more. She retched into the nearest bowl and fell down upon the bed again, feeling shaky.
"What's wrong, Satine?" It was Daisy, grinning. "You're lookin' kinda green."
"I'm going to have a child."
"Oh! Good for you and Mr. Christian! But the master's gonna be furious. Do you want some tea?"
"That would be nice, Daisy. Thank you."
Victoria and Lavinia knocked on the door. Lavinia, wearing pale green, waltzed in first.

"Mama wants to know if you're coming down to breakfast."
"You look sick." Vicky commented, coming over to Satine and putting her little hand on Satine's shoulder. "You were sick yesterday, too."
"I know. I'm not feeling very well. Lavinia, please tell your mother I'm ill."
Lavinia nodded. "Will you be down later?"
"I suppose. This will pass. It's just morning sickness."
"Morning sickness!?!?!" Lavinia gasped. "Victoria, we're going to be aunts!"
"Aunts? I don't want to be an aunt! Aunt Sarah is scary!"
"Not like Aunt Sarah, pet. You'll be a normal auntie."
"Are you going to have a baby?"
Satine smiled. "Yes, I am."
"When? Tomorrow?"
"No." She laughed. "Not for a few months."
"Is it a boy or a girl?"
"I don't know."
"Will it be able to play with me?"
"Not right away."
"Come on, Vic, let's go. Mama's waiting. Father's not home."
"Oh? Where did he go?"
"He went to get Colin. The mighty conquistador returns home." Lavinia rolled her blue eyes and ushered her sister out the door.

~*~


Several hours passed and soon Satine was feeling better. She dressed herself in a pink gown with black velvet edging, one of the simpler things she'd brought with, and went downstairs for lunch. The family was at the table, waiting for her. "I'm sorry I'm late."
"Are you feeling better, dear?" Lenora asked. Satine noticed Edward was absent and she breathed a sigh of relief before sitting next to Christian.
"Yes. Bertha gave me something and it helped tremendously."

"We're home!" It was a man's voice, unfamiliar to Satine. "Mama! I'm home!"
Lenora made a noise and raced to the door. "Colin!" She gasped, throwing her arms about her son. Satine, Christian, Lavinia, and Victoria exchanged glances, none leaving the table.
"Come see your brother!" Lenora called. Dutifully, the siblings rose and went to the hallway, Satine trailing behind.

Colin looked quite different from his siblings and mother. His hair was a light, sandy blonde and his eyes were very green. "Hullo, Christian. You've returned. Lavinia. Vicky." He greeted his sisters with pecks on the cheek.
"Who's this?"
"Satine." Victoria interrupted Christian. "She's a princess."
"Ah…Satine. I've heard much about you."
"I'm sure they were unflattering remarks."
"Some."
Edward entered, followed by another man. "Philip!" Lenora cried.

There stood the man whose heart Satine had broken.