Chapter 3- Just You Wait
"Well duckie, heres your room" Zidler told Satine as he lead her into it, half an hour later.
"Th...this?" she stammered. It was pure...magnificance. The walls were painted bright red, and the furniture was in bright colours, purples, reds, greens. It was decorated in exotic, jewelled ornaments, velvet cushions, expensive lamps. The bed was huge, and it stood right in the centre of the room, covered in a huge bedspread and yet more velvet, sequined cushions.
"All this is for me?" she asked, completely overwhelmed.
"For our star...anything" Zidler smiled at her. "Now duckie, we're going to have to take you down to meet the other girls, they'll take your measurements for your outfits, and also to see about your hair!"
"Harold...im not sure about the hair, I really dont think it'll suit me!"
"Nonsense poppet! You'll look fabulous!All the girls will agree, trust me. Now come on, lets go!" Zidler said, and lead a reluctant Satine back downstairs.
All the girls, and guys, working at the Moulin Rouge were downstairs, sprawled out all over the main hall, laughing and talking. A hush fell on the room as Zidler and Satine entered, and she could feel everyones eyes upon her.
"Hello everyone!I'm back from my little trip to London, and whilst I was there, I came across our new star!Everyone, welcome Satine!" Zidler boomed.
"Her?!" Nini jeered, and burst out laughing. "Look at that 'air! She'll attract no-one lookin' like that, 'arold"
Satine shrunk back, terrified.
"Do be quiet Nini. Pay no attention to her, Satine. She's just bitter, and the Moulin Rouge's oldest whore" Babydoll said, and everyone laughed.
"Quiet, both of you. Babydoll darling, I'll need you to take Satine's measurements. Nini, you will be working on Satine's hair, seeing as you find it so "appalling". Chocolat, take Satine through some of the easy and most common dance moves, so she has something to go on, after all that has been completed. Got that? Good" Zidler said, and breathed a sigh of relief, before exiting the room.
"Well well well" Nini drawled. "What 'ar we gonna do with that 'air?"
"Harold suggested red" Satine whispered, then changed her mind. She wasnt going to be intimidated by this woman. "Infact, he insisted on it" she said, much clearer and louder.
Nini nodded curtly. "'e was right. Red would suit ya. Well then, follow me" she said, and turned on her heel, walking out the hall into the bathroom.
Satine followed her, but paused at the door, and turned and gave everyone a smile, before going into the bathroom.
"What do you think?" everyone in the hall murmered.
"I think Harold's right. She will be a star, once that hair's been sorted out" was the main reply.
Toulouse had been sitting in the corner, watching Satine in awe as she entered and left the room. "I think shes beautifwul" was his reply, and with a hiccup he finished off the glass of Absinthe, before falling asleep head first onto the table.
"Right dahling. Sit there" Nini pointed to a chair in front of the sink, and Satine followed suit.
"Ever been a redhead before?" Nini asked, as she washed Satine's limp wavy hair, perhaps a bit too roughly.
"No. Im against the idea, but Harold seems to think it'll work" Satine said, wincing in pain.
"Yeah, 'es normally right about these sorta things. Knows what girls suit and doesnt, 'e does. Mans a genius" Nini said, as she began to distribute the colour evenly over Satines hair.
"Hopefully. So, whats it like working at the Moulin Rouge?" Satine asked, feeling a desperate desire to stratch her head, which was starting to itch and burn.
"Aint'cha never worked in a place like this before? Well, let me tell you, its not easy, even if it looks it. You 'ave to dance, sing, rehearse all hours, night and day, in tight costumes. Oh, those corsets, they'll bloody kill ya! And the men. Some of 'em are alright, but most of 'em can be foul. Do all sorts of things to ya, they will! But then, I expect that out new litt'le "star" wont have to do anything like that, will she?" Nini said, sarcastically.
"Harold mentioned it, but I'd never to that!" Satine said, and reached a hand up to scratch her head, but Nini slapped it away. "Is it supposed to itch like that?!" Satine cried.
"Its just a side effect, dont worry that pretty litt'le 'ead of yours" Nini said.
The dye was left on for an hour, to "make sure it really works" Nini said, but Satine suspected it was to annoy her with that dreadful itch. When Nini poured the cool water over it to wash it off, Satine sighed with relief.
Nini spent a good 10 minutes making sure it was all out, and then rubbed it dry briskly with a towel.
"Now then, what do ya make o' that?" Nini asked her, and held a mirror up in front of Satine.
Satine gasped in delight. Her hair fell in soft waves down past her shoulders. This new, vibrant, red colour accentuated her pale skin, and ice- blue eyes. It made her look mysterious, gorgeous, intruiging, sexy...
"Like it?" Nini asked, proud of her work.
"I...I love it! Thank you Nini, it looks fabulous!" Satine cried.
Nini smiled "Told ya, did'nt I?Now, off you go to Babydoll for your measurement. She'll still be in the 'all"
"Oh, ok then. Thank you so much!" Satine said, and scuttled off to Nini.
Nini watched her leave, smirk forming on her face. "Never do that sor'ta thing" she scoffed. "Just you wait, Satine. You'll see. There ain't a girl that works in the Moulin Rouge that dont do that sor'ta thing. Just you wait"
"Well duckie, heres your room" Zidler told Satine as he lead her into it, half an hour later.
"Th...this?" she stammered. It was pure...magnificance. The walls were painted bright red, and the furniture was in bright colours, purples, reds, greens. It was decorated in exotic, jewelled ornaments, velvet cushions, expensive lamps. The bed was huge, and it stood right in the centre of the room, covered in a huge bedspread and yet more velvet, sequined cushions.
"All this is for me?" she asked, completely overwhelmed.
"For our star...anything" Zidler smiled at her. "Now duckie, we're going to have to take you down to meet the other girls, they'll take your measurements for your outfits, and also to see about your hair!"
"Harold...im not sure about the hair, I really dont think it'll suit me!"
"Nonsense poppet! You'll look fabulous!All the girls will agree, trust me. Now come on, lets go!" Zidler said, and lead a reluctant Satine back downstairs.
All the girls, and guys, working at the Moulin Rouge were downstairs, sprawled out all over the main hall, laughing and talking. A hush fell on the room as Zidler and Satine entered, and she could feel everyones eyes upon her.
"Hello everyone!I'm back from my little trip to London, and whilst I was there, I came across our new star!Everyone, welcome Satine!" Zidler boomed.
"Her?!" Nini jeered, and burst out laughing. "Look at that 'air! She'll attract no-one lookin' like that, 'arold"
Satine shrunk back, terrified.
"Do be quiet Nini. Pay no attention to her, Satine. She's just bitter, and the Moulin Rouge's oldest whore" Babydoll said, and everyone laughed.
"Quiet, both of you. Babydoll darling, I'll need you to take Satine's measurements. Nini, you will be working on Satine's hair, seeing as you find it so "appalling". Chocolat, take Satine through some of the easy and most common dance moves, so she has something to go on, after all that has been completed. Got that? Good" Zidler said, and breathed a sigh of relief, before exiting the room.
"Well well well" Nini drawled. "What 'ar we gonna do with that 'air?"
"Harold suggested red" Satine whispered, then changed her mind. She wasnt going to be intimidated by this woman. "Infact, he insisted on it" she said, much clearer and louder.
Nini nodded curtly. "'e was right. Red would suit ya. Well then, follow me" she said, and turned on her heel, walking out the hall into the bathroom.
Satine followed her, but paused at the door, and turned and gave everyone a smile, before going into the bathroom.
"What do you think?" everyone in the hall murmered.
"I think Harold's right. She will be a star, once that hair's been sorted out" was the main reply.
Toulouse had been sitting in the corner, watching Satine in awe as she entered and left the room. "I think shes beautifwul" was his reply, and with a hiccup he finished off the glass of Absinthe, before falling asleep head first onto the table.
"Right dahling. Sit there" Nini pointed to a chair in front of the sink, and Satine followed suit.
"Ever been a redhead before?" Nini asked, as she washed Satine's limp wavy hair, perhaps a bit too roughly.
"No. Im against the idea, but Harold seems to think it'll work" Satine said, wincing in pain.
"Yeah, 'es normally right about these sorta things. Knows what girls suit and doesnt, 'e does. Mans a genius" Nini said, as she began to distribute the colour evenly over Satines hair.
"Hopefully. So, whats it like working at the Moulin Rouge?" Satine asked, feeling a desperate desire to stratch her head, which was starting to itch and burn.
"Aint'cha never worked in a place like this before? Well, let me tell you, its not easy, even if it looks it. You 'ave to dance, sing, rehearse all hours, night and day, in tight costumes. Oh, those corsets, they'll bloody kill ya! And the men. Some of 'em are alright, but most of 'em can be foul. Do all sorts of things to ya, they will! But then, I expect that out new litt'le "star" wont have to do anything like that, will she?" Nini said, sarcastically.
"Harold mentioned it, but I'd never to that!" Satine said, and reached a hand up to scratch her head, but Nini slapped it away. "Is it supposed to itch like that?!" Satine cried.
"Its just a side effect, dont worry that pretty litt'le 'ead of yours" Nini said.
The dye was left on for an hour, to "make sure it really works" Nini said, but Satine suspected it was to annoy her with that dreadful itch. When Nini poured the cool water over it to wash it off, Satine sighed with relief.
Nini spent a good 10 minutes making sure it was all out, and then rubbed it dry briskly with a towel.
"Now then, what do ya make o' that?" Nini asked her, and held a mirror up in front of Satine.
Satine gasped in delight. Her hair fell in soft waves down past her shoulders. This new, vibrant, red colour accentuated her pale skin, and ice- blue eyes. It made her look mysterious, gorgeous, intruiging, sexy...
"Like it?" Nini asked, proud of her work.
"I...I love it! Thank you Nini, it looks fabulous!" Satine cried.
Nini smiled "Told ya, did'nt I?Now, off you go to Babydoll for your measurement. She'll still be in the 'all"
"Oh, ok then. Thank you so much!" Satine said, and scuttled off to Nini.
Nini watched her leave, smirk forming on her face. "Never do that sor'ta thing" she scoffed. "Just you wait, Satine. You'll see. There ain't a girl that works in the Moulin Rouge that dont do that sor'ta thing. Just you wait"