A/N: I apologize for the earlier misconception on my part. Carlotta is SPANISH NOT ITALIAN. SORRY:D I stand corrected.
Twice the Fools
Christine sat in her room, completely surrounded by roses and other flowers. She was so relieved she could hardly move. She was a success. Her first performance and the audience loved her. There were five curtain calls, the most this opera house has ever seen. M. Firmin and M Andre were happy, Meg was ecstatic. Now she only hoped her Angel was pleased.
The door to her room opened and Mme Giry stepped in. There was a small smile on the woman's lips and she was holding another rose.
"Here, my dear." she said, handing Christine the rose. "He was please with you."
Christine stared at the flower blankly. There was a black velvet ribbon around the stem and a small note attached. It only said 'Brava' in blood red ink.
"Who is this from?" she asked in puzzlement.
"I asked Meg to leave you alone tonight as you are probably tired." was all Mme Giry said in reply and left. This was very curious.
Christine collapsed into a chair, feeling truly exhausted. The rose was still in her hand when she fell asleep.
She was still sleeping when Erik came to visit her, the rose he had given her gently resting on her lap.
"Christine?" he called softly. She did not respond but stirred slightly. She looked so peaceful in her sleep that Erik decided not to wake her up; instead he took out his violin and began to play a tune, quietly softly along.
Christine stirred in her dream. Someone was playing the violin. In her dream, she saw her Angel. He was dressed in splendid white and was singing with her. It was a beautiful dream. Then her eyes fluttered open and she found herself back in her room. The dream had ended, but the music did not stop. Someone was playing the violin. She listened for a moment.
"Is that you, Angel?" she asked. The violin stopped playing but there was no reply. "Are you here?" Christine asked again in a worried tone. She didn't want her Angel to go away. "Angel?"
"Yes, Christine, I am here." came the reply. Christine breathed a sigh of relief. "You did wonderful today, child." The voice said. She blushed. He was pleased with her.
"Tonight, I did my best. I did it for you. Tonight, I gave you my soul."
"And it is the best gift anyone could ever receive. I thank you, Christine."
Silence followed, but the awkward kind. The violin music filled the room once more and Christine drifted back to sleep, feeling considerably lighter.
When Christine was sound asleep, Erik gently put the violin away and gazed at her slumbering form. For three months now he had known her and she never questioned him. Only shown full devotion. He will have to give her more time before he showed her who he really was.
Carlotta paced around the room, fuming. They had replaced her! With a chorus girl no less! She shall never forgive them! Her maid came in with a tray full of letters. Carlotta took them and dismissed the maid. It was all mainly fan mail. But there was one letter that caught her eye in particular. She had never seen anyone write in red ink. The handwriting was rather messy, but still legible. She broke the seal, opened it, and began to read it. As she got further and further, her face became redder and redder, but not from embarrassment.
"Eez this a joke?" she finally uttered. To her, it definitely seemed like one. "Theeze managers!" She re-read the letter and made up her mind to make her way to the opera house and express her views on the whole situation. She will not tolerate this abuse and will not give up her position of Prima donna to a mere girl. She simply will not.
Carlotta popped one last chocolate in her mouth, picked up her dog, and strutted away to her private room.
When next Christine opened her eyes, it was late in the morning and light was streaming in through a small window. She yawned and stretched. And then all the memories flooded back into her. Christine looked around the room at all the flowers, success before her eyes. But nothing pleased her more than the fact that her Angel like her. She stood up and something fell to the floor. Christine glanced down. It was that strange rose with the ribbon and a note. She didn't realize she had it with her all this time. Bending down, Christine gently picked it up. In the light, she could see that the rose was aging, with hints of black around its petals. But that only added to its overall mysterious appearance. For some reason, it felt like the rose had some importance, she just couldn't tell what.
Christine found a small vase and put the flower into it. Setting in on the table, she began to rummage through her clothes for something to wear when the door opened and Meg ran in, her face radiant.
"At last, I am free to see you Christine! Mother wouldn't let me come last night because she said you were probably tired. But look at you now!" She wrapped her arms around Christine in a tight hug. "Oh, Christine, you were absolutely amazing! You knocked them all off their feet. Well, at least you would have if the audience was standing."
Christine laughed. Leave it to Meg to joke about anything.
"You will never guess who arrived today!" Meg said suddenly, holding Christine at arm's length. Christine inclined her head in curiosity.
"You don't mean M Lefevre has returned to buy the Opera house back?"
"No, nothing quite that good."
Christine thought for a moment. Obviously, the arrival of this persona did not make Meg very happy.
"Hmm, the ghost came in person and requested his Box back."
Meg laughed.
"No, the Ghost is always here. It's someone more nasty and with a terrible voice."
Christine sagged. So, Carlotta returned and no doubt wanted her position back. Well, she wasn't going to argue.
"The Ghost will not be happy." Meg said, looking at the full mirror and unknowingly at the man behind it.
Erik heard everything. He knew Carlotta would return, especially after the note he had sent her. She was too proud to ignore it. Perhaps now he can get rid of her for good. Her pride was her weakness and he will use it. Maybe he can even convince the managers that he was real. So far, they had not taken him seriously and he was getting annoyed. The previous manager was definitely more civilized, or at least smarter.
"Angel?" Christine's voice sounded through the mirror. Erik looked into the room and found her alone. He had not noticed Meg leaving. "Angel?" Christine called again.
"Yes, Christine?"
Christine was silent. She did not know how to proceed.
"I know of it, Christine. I know about Carlotta's return."
"You do?" she asked, surprised.
"Do not worry. She will not stay long." I will see to it, he added silently to himself. "When do you wish to start your lesson?"
"I am always ready." Christine replied.
And thus they began.
Firmin was going through the main when he noticed a letter addressed to him in red ink and in a familiar handwriting.
"Oh, not another one." he groaned and without bothering to open it, put a corner of the letter to a candle flame. He then threw it into an ashtray where it burned completely, with only the charred seal remaining. Good riddance! he though when Andre suddenly burst into the room, holding another letter.
"Ah, I see you've got one too." Firmin said sourly.
"What did yours say?" Andre asked. Firmin pointed to the ashtray where the remains of his letter cooled.
"I did not read it. What of yours?"
"Read it!" Andre snapped, handing the letter to a reluctant Firmin.
Dear Andre,
I trust you are well? I understand you have been busy, renewing old contracts and writing new ones. However, there are few favors I would like to ask of you. First of all, when Carlotta returns, and have no doubt, she will, you will not remove Ms. Daae from her position. In your next production of my Opera you will cast Carlotta in the silent role as it seems she is better fit for it. And believe me, you will regret it if you so chose to disobey me. Ms. Daae shall play the main role.
Second, I expect my Box Five to be kept empty for me. I will not be very happy if I will find it occupied once more upon my arrival. If you wish your stay at my Opera house to be peaceful, you should not start by selling my Box.
O.G.
"Obsessed, I say. Obsessed!" Firmin said after he read the letter. "If Lefevre wanted the girl to be the Prima donna, why didn't he just put her there while he was here? And this whole Box Five business is driving me crazy! Who is in charge of it?"
"Mme Giry, I believe." replied Andre.
"Well, summon her."
Andre looked out into the corridor and spotted a cleaning lady to whom he shouted,
"Call Mme Giry to the office, if you please."
The maid nodded and rushed off. Within a few minutes, Mme Giry was standing before the managers.
"You asked for me, monsieurs?"
"Yes, yes. We have a few questions." Firmin said impatiently. "You are the keeper of Box Five, are you not?"
"Yes, monsieur."
"And what do you know of this… ghost business?"
Mme Giry suddenly stiffened.
"I know nothing, monsieur. I only clean the Box after performances."
"I see. And do you know that that is the ghost's box, no?"
Mme Giry did not reply. This was a dangerous topic. The managers were up to something, she could tell. Yes, she knew about the Ghost, everyone did. But they didn't know about Erik, except… no, not even Christine. Though she suspected he was very much involved with her and this whole affair.
"Do you know anyone who writes in red?" Firmin prodded. Mme Giry kept silent.
Firmin was about to ask another question when the door flew open and a fuming Carlotta burst in.
"Ah, you are back, Madame."
"Si, I am back!" she said and slammed the letter down onto the table. "I take it that you sent me this note?"
Both managers looked at each other, confused. But as soon as they saw the note, they understood what this was all about.
"Ah… no, Madame," replied Firmin, "You see, we also received one of those notes." he was getting tired of this note business and Ms. Daae business. In fact, he was getting tired of this job as a whole. It brought nothing but trouble. What idiot said that owning an Opera was a quiet and simple job?
"But you have replaced me!" Carlotta cried out dramatically.
"Well, you see Madame, we had to."
"But now that you have returned, you may have your role back." Andre added hastily. "In the next production, you will play the main role and we will put Christine in the part of the silent Pageboy."
Carlotta smiled to herself. Now, finally these managers were talking sense. She was tired of hearing Ms. Daae's name and Ms. Daae's voice. It was nice having her silent for once.
Fools, Mme Giry thought, to have flouted his warnings. She at least hoped that they would not sell His Box Five. She knew Erik well enough to see what was to come if they did, and none of it was good. The managers, Mme Giry concluded, were either stupid or foolhardy. She gathered her skirts and quietly slipped out of the office.
"Well," Firmin said, "Since we're letting Carlotta have the main role, we might as well take our seat in Box Five. After all, a ghost does not need a seat."
Le Fantome de le Parodie:
"Psst, Meg. Meg!"
"Huh? Wha?"
"Meg, wake up!"
"Wha? Whassgoinon?"
"Meg, its talking to me!"
"What?"
"The mirror! Its talking to me!"
"The mirror? What? Nonsense, Christine, that only happens in fairy tales. Go back to bed."
Parody borrowed from Terry Prattchet
