Thanks to everyone who read my story, and thanks especially to Wistful
Gypsy for reviewing! Once again, I do not own any of the characters of the
Moulin Rouge movie, even though I am using the historical characters, not
the ones from the movie. Pshaw.
Every night she came to our Moulin Rouge, and every night she wooed another man along with another of my friends. Satine became a usual sight at the club at night, and then one day she showed up while we were still preparing for the night's show. She charmed her way into my friend's hearts; they tried to take her under their wing, but she insisted on independence. She was moving in on dangerous territory if she thought she could become a friend of mine.
One day when she was at the club, sitting off to the side of the dance floor watching us dance, Harold noticed her. 'Great!' I thought, 'Finally that tart will get thrown out on her perfectly rounded ass.'
"What are you doing over there? This club does not open until eight!" he bellowed. He could only see the shadow of someone because of the low lighting. He couldn't see, for instance, that she was a woman, let alone beautiful. She stepped out of the shadow to reveal herself, and her body draped in simple, yet stunning clothes. She wore a simple, lace up bodice with loose lace sleeves, and a skirt that seemed oddly like our can-can skirts. She walked to Harold gracefully, never looking up from the floor.
"I am ever so sorry Monsieur Zidler. It's just, I've made friends with the girls here the past few weeks, and I wanted to see what makes the Moulin Rouge so amazing. I was also hoping to meet the man in charge of the magic that goes on here. Bonjour Monsieur." With that, she extended her lace-covered arm. "If you want me to leave, I will immediately, but I would love to be allowed to stay. I will not interrupt you, I will only watch, I promise." The entire time Satine talked, Harold openly stared with his mouth open, taking in her entire form and style. She took in his gazes with grace, but she was wary of the situation. Harold could be quite intimidating with his six-foot two stature, bright red hair and beard, and full body. He seemed larger than life, almost a charicature of man who would own a club like the Moulin Rouge. When she stopped talking, it took Harold a moment to find words.
"I, um, well, Mademoiselle, I see no problem with you staying with us. In fact," he said, with a smile towards us. "why don't you sit down. Girls! Take a break." And with that, he took her arm and led her to the table she was sitting earlier. He started talking, using his hands a lot, and they leaned in towards each other as they talked. Well, actually, Harold did most the talking, and Satine just listened and nodded. After a few minutes, they stood and Harold threw his arm over Satine's graceful shoulders, walking towards us.
"Ladies, I'd like you to meet the newest member of our family; Mademoiselle Satine. She will learn the dances by tomorrow and will be fitted tonight for her costumes. Nini, she will sing tomorrow night, if that is quite alright." I nodded numbly. So it was happening. "Please treat Satine well, she could make us all quite a bit richer!" With his last words, he hugged Satine, pulling her up off her feet about two inches. She smiled and let herself be lifted into his huge bear-hug.
The girls threw curious looks at Satine as Louise and May walked to her with open arms. They showered her with hugs, kisses and congratulations. I stood off to the side with my arms crossed across my chest, refusing to fall to this woman's charm. I walked towards the orchestra's perch, and I saw Jane leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette. She wore the same dress she wore when she posed for the short artist who frequented the club; it was black with a red snake snarling up and around at her hips, coming to it's head at her breast. She watched the group around Satine and smiled. Usually Jane was not very interested in people, she just had a liking for Toulouse. Everyone else seemed like a nuisance, just things in the way of her life. This woman, though, brought a twinkle to here eye that I had never seen when the other girls first started. Hell, when she saw me on her first day, she didn't even see me. She seemed to look through me, like I wasn't worth a second of her time. And here she was, smiling at this girl and says, as if to no one, "A change is in the wind."
Every night she came to our Moulin Rouge, and every night she wooed another man along with another of my friends. Satine became a usual sight at the club at night, and then one day she showed up while we were still preparing for the night's show. She charmed her way into my friend's hearts; they tried to take her under their wing, but she insisted on independence. She was moving in on dangerous territory if she thought she could become a friend of mine.
One day when she was at the club, sitting off to the side of the dance floor watching us dance, Harold noticed her. 'Great!' I thought, 'Finally that tart will get thrown out on her perfectly rounded ass.'
"What are you doing over there? This club does not open until eight!" he bellowed. He could only see the shadow of someone because of the low lighting. He couldn't see, for instance, that she was a woman, let alone beautiful. She stepped out of the shadow to reveal herself, and her body draped in simple, yet stunning clothes. She wore a simple, lace up bodice with loose lace sleeves, and a skirt that seemed oddly like our can-can skirts. She walked to Harold gracefully, never looking up from the floor.
"I am ever so sorry Monsieur Zidler. It's just, I've made friends with the girls here the past few weeks, and I wanted to see what makes the Moulin Rouge so amazing. I was also hoping to meet the man in charge of the magic that goes on here. Bonjour Monsieur." With that, she extended her lace-covered arm. "If you want me to leave, I will immediately, but I would love to be allowed to stay. I will not interrupt you, I will only watch, I promise." The entire time Satine talked, Harold openly stared with his mouth open, taking in her entire form and style. She took in his gazes with grace, but she was wary of the situation. Harold could be quite intimidating with his six-foot two stature, bright red hair and beard, and full body. He seemed larger than life, almost a charicature of man who would own a club like the Moulin Rouge. When she stopped talking, it took Harold a moment to find words.
"I, um, well, Mademoiselle, I see no problem with you staying with us. In fact," he said, with a smile towards us. "why don't you sit down. Girls! Take a break." And with that, he took her arm and led her to the table she was sitting earlier. He started talking, using his hands a lot, and they leaned in towards each other as they talked. Well, actually, Harold did most the talking, and Satine just listened and nodded. After a few minutes, they stood and Harold threw his arm over Satine's graceful shoulders, walking towards us.
"Ladies, I'd like you to meet the newest member of our family; Mademoiselle Satine. She will learn the dances by tomorrow and will be fitted tonight for her costumes. Nini, she will sing tomorrow night, if that is quite alright." I nodded numbly. So it was happening. "Please treat Satine well, she could make us all quite a bit richer!" With his last words, he hugged Satine, pulling her up off her feet about two inches. She smiled and let herself be lifted into his huge bear-hug.
The girls threw curious looks at Satine as Louise and May walked to her with open arms. They showered her with hugs, kisses and congratulations. I stood off to the side with my arms crossed across my chest, refusing to fall to this woman's charm. I walked towards the orchestra's perch, and I saw Jane leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette. She wore the same dress she wore when she posed for the short artist who frequented the club; it was black with a red snake snarling up and around at her hips, coming to it's head at her breast. She watched the group around Satine and smiled. Usually Jane was not very interested in people, she just had a liking for Toulouse. Everyone else seemed like a nuisance, just things in the way of her life. This woman, though, brought a twinkle to here eye that I had never seen when the other girls first started. Hell, when she saw me on her first day, she didn't even see me. She seemed to look through me, like I wasn't worth a second of her time. And here she was, smiling at this girl and says, as if to no one, "A change is in the wind."