Disclaimer: The names of the characters, the setting, the entire Moulin Rouge story belongs to a brilliant genius named Baz Luhrmann, (and a bunch of other people, companies, etc. I'm sure…).
Author's Note: The title and bits of the plot do come from the book of Hosea in the Bible, though it's based only very loosely around it, and I've taken some major poetic licenses…. Please not that I've minimized the character development to a huge degree in comparison to the movie, and that's intentional. Also, I promise it will not be entirely a movie narration—I began this way only to give you a view into their minds, as I wanted to distinguish between the characters in the movie, and these. Enough said?
Dedication: To Liz (fool-of-a-took2), who has been all for this idea since its birth; to Bethany (Catie Zee), Miss "Let Me Read It!" …And to Crystal (Finding Beauty), the most awesome Moulin Rouge writer out there.
Her Hosea
Prologue
He grinned at her—young, boyish, yet stunningly handsome. Uncommon, but nothing she wasn't used to.
"We could be heroes, just for one day!"She shook her head, red waves swaying, her striking eyes glittering dejectedly in the cynically inviting lights of the place she called home.
"You…you will be mean."
It was the simple nature of men. Nothing against him personally—he might even have meant well, for the time being. But uncovering one more man's true intentions was not high on her list of priorities. She was not ready to risk her career and her title, and, though a string of temptation tugged at her heart, she set her mind against it.
She headed down the stairs towards her red room. As she saw it, he'd had his fun with the little song, and was now more than welcome to leave—particularly, by the same means as he'd entered. Instead, she was aware of him following behind her.
"No, I won't!"
"And I…I'll drink all the time."
She was about as low as a woman could get, but glorified for it. Given the option, she would fly away from it all, however there was a part of her that would miss the celebrative position terribly—the part of her that was an ice cold, though beautiful Sparkling Diamond.
He had followed her into the Elephant, despite her blatant hints of rejection. He had been making such progress—all his hopes were finally materialized and were now simply waiting to be fulfilled. But something, something told him he had a long way to go yet. Feeling that he was slipping, he asserted himself entirely; all his beliefs, all his dreams distilling into one phrase…
"We should be lovers!"
"We can't do that."
Was that a waver he detected in her solid, fixed voice?
"We should be lovers, and that's a fact."
She missed a beat, and then two. His ears strained for her reply, but she simply stared at him, their previously seamless musical flow shattered; burst like a bubble, fragile in its brief beauty.
He didn't understand. He wasn't listening to her. Worst of all, his offer pulled at her heart so strongly that for more than a moment, she truly considered it. Something had to happen before her heart softened and her mind changed. Somebody had to leave…now.
"No," she whispered fiercely, "We can't."
He blinked, and the door had slammed shut behind her.
Final note: Short, I know, but it's a prologue, and…oh, fine, I just really wanted to put it up.
Somebody tell me, which is better—an entire lot of 1000-word chapters, or far fewer and farther between 4000-word chapters? 'Cause this first one is turning out loooong, unless I split it up….
"Elephant Love Medley" was put together by the makers of the movie (Baz and such, I believe…correct me if I'm wrong.)