Drops of Petals

80 miles from Paris, Christine's home.

A/N: Prepare your tissues readers!

In the reclusive darkness of night a wounded and very drunk Viscount staggered his way towards an over-crowded bar.

"Mi lord please, you are injured and require medical treatment!"

"Shut up! I don't care…now get me a damn brandy!"

Raoul's words were severely slurred, but the servant knew they were dismissed and left to find the recluse of sleep. Two hours passed and in the blanket of midnight angry shouts filled the air. From the open door of a shadowy tavern, the body of a young man was tossed unceremoniously into the mud-strewn street. Bedazzled by the hazy fog of drunkenness, Raoul numbly made his way to his horse and the large inn where his men were waiting. Shoving open the terse Oakwood door, Raoul turned bloodshot eyes upon his private army.

"Listen up…we're, we're gonna go ta' that whore's place. I'm gonna, I'm gonna show her, I'll…I'll-stupid woman, no body says no ta' a DeChagny!"

Jean Paul knew something was wrong. The first indication was an unbearably hot environment encasing him like a Punjab lasso. The second troubling matter was the chalky taste of each whispering breath he took. Finally, somewhere in the deep recesses of his half asleep hearing, sound waves tickled his mind and placed the image of a laughing madman. The loud scream emitted from his mother made his half conscious form snap to attention.

The scene before him turned his blood cold, he and his brother were surrounded by four large men who were strategically lighting fire to the large amount of hay that surrounded he and his brother. Immediately he knew he was inside the barn, he and Gustave were tied to one of the support beams and in his peripheral vision he could see two more men trying to control Caesar who was bucking with the Hell-bent intention of stomping the bastards into the ground. Panic surged through the young boy as his eyes brought him to the struggling form of his mother who was being roughly dragged away by the ends of her hair.

"Mommy!"

Tugging painfully at the coarse rope holding him stiff, Jean Paul and Gustave cried desperately as the last of their mother's familiar chocolate curls disappeared around the corner of the barn door.

"Let go of me! Let go! Jean, Gustave! You evil bastard let go!"

"Shuddup!"

Raoul angrily smacked the annoying woman's face and effectively silenced her wailing mouth. Throwing her to the ground Raoul spoke in a hurried and lustful tone.

"Stupid bitch, worthless whore! I spent years looking for you, spending valuable time and money attempting to capture an illusion! I wanted a little virgin to fuck and make my own, but what do I get? A backstabbing little monster fucking tramp and her worthless bastard brats!"

Christine could only whimper as each of his harsh words were administered with fierce blows.

"I will take you like the whore you are Lotte, and then I'll kill you!"

--Back at the Barn

Caesar was getting desperate. The strange humans that had come to attack his Mistress and her Foals were pulling him away from the raging barn fire that would soon kill the two young Foals within. They almost had him out the door when he got a glance from the sickly Foal. Caesar had always loved this Foal the most, he reminded him the most of the Master. Just like the Master, the young Foal wore a mask on his face, but his disposition was completely opposite to the Master. It was the healthy Foal that obviously held the Master's personality. Seeing the sickly Foal with such terror-filled eyes sent Caesar into an insane rage and using every ounce of strength within himself, knocked his captors to smithereens. Caesar was terrified of fire, but somehow he managed to run back into the blaze with his head held low to protect himself from breathing in the burning ashes. When he reached the Foals, he realized one of them was unconscious. The other Foal spoke, coughing as his lungs in took even more ash.

"Quickly Caesar, grab the rope…"

Doing as he was told, Caesar grabbed one of the ends of the rope and began tugging. He supposed that he should thank the Horse God that the rope was frayed and old, but even when the line snapped Caesar knew that he didn't have much time before the Foals died from the smoke and fire. The only conscious Foal drew his brother into his arms and managed to reach out and feel Caesar's flank. The wise stallion knew that the Foal was far too small to be able to climb onto his back, so he went slowly and carefully as he led them all to safety.

Jean Paul collapsed as soon as he got into fresh air. He desperately wanted to get up and save his mother, but his body wouldn't cooperate. Despite his protests, his weary body fell into an exhausted sleep.

Gustave felt the grass beneath his fingertips and instantly knew something was amiss. Leaping to his feet he saw his brother lying unconscious beside him and Caesar urgently nuzzling his side. Turning, Gustave's jaw dropped at the sight of the barn raging with the iridescent glow of amber flames. Everything came back to him like a splash into a cool pond and with nimble feet he took of running towards the nearest neighbor's house, all the while praying he hadn't been unconscious too long.

--With Raoul and Christine

Raoul had dropped his trousers and was roughly puling Christine towards him. He slowly bunched her cotton dress up until only her thin chemise kept her unexposed. To her neck, Raoul administered bruising kisses and to her breasts he applied savage force with his pampered hands. Suddenly his lustful entourage was interrupted by the cries of villagers. Raoul growled in annoyance, but readjusted his clothing nonetheless. Slowly then, he drew a sharp dagger.

"A shame I cannot purify your monster's tainting. I will however end your pathetic life and send you to Hell with those brats and their bastard father!"

With a swift swing of his right arm, Raoul stabbed it into Christine's flesh over and over again. He watched as a delicious pool of life-blood spread from her wounds and her delicate porcelain white form turned a deathly gray. Satisfied, Raoul made a hasty retreat and eventually stumbled far enough away to allow his body to rest and purge the liquid poison swimming in his veins.

--Two Hours Later…

In the swirling mists of the barn fire's dying embers, Gustave sat silent beside Jean and Caesar. Had the adults found anything, they left it undisclosed to the tender youth. Gustave's watery eyes rose to the form of an elderly neighbor approaching.

"Son, you say your Mum was out there?"

"Yes! There was a man and cough, cough, cough"

"Take it easy boy, we think we found her."

"You did!"

Gustave's hopeful visage dissolved when he caught the look of sadness crossing the elder man's face.

"I'm afraid those bandits…sent her to sing with the angels…Sonny."

Gustave's eyes widened and he furiously shook his head.

"No, no, no! Mum is fine! Tell me she's fine! Why her! Why Mommy!"

Breaking down into tears, the old man felt sorry for the deformed little orphan. Even though the man had always held suspicions about the mother, he could not find it in his heart to find dislike for a little boy who had just become an orphan.

"Tell me boy, do you have any family?"

Sniffling, Gustave shook his head and the older neighbor sighed painfully.

"Jock, we gathered the stuff inside the boy's shack."

Jock rose his aging eyes towards the form of another neighbor and disengaged his body from the iron grip of the weeping Gustave in order to stand and take a look at what was brought.

"Did you find anything that might help tell us who we need to tell this about."

"Yes, there are some newspaper articles about the diva Mademoiselle Daae."

"Boy, is that your mother?"

Again Gustave nodded and the two neighbors exchanged a surprised look before sobering up again.

"Well everyone knows that the Daae girl was an orphan herself…"

"So I guess they gotta go to an orphanage eh Jock?"

"Aye, I suppose so…"

The troupe of villagers had found traces of blood and obviously signs of scuffling on the ground, but they never did find Christine's actual body. The large amount of blood however, left the group to deduce that she was dead. While the adults continued to talk all about him, Gustave let silent tears trail down his cheeks before laying back and sending a quiet prayer to the safety of his mother before letting sleep consume him.

End Chapter 11

A/N: Whew! That was a lot to write! Ah well, I'm really proud of how this one turned out. Please review and I shall send you Hugs!