Hello again my dear readers! Well, this is it, events will be set into motion that cannot be undone after today! I would like to take this opportunity to once again thank everyone of you for your wonderful reviews and remarks,I hope to be able to repay you in continuing this lovely adventure!

I also like to tip you on two stories I'm currently assisting on as beta: Milegre's Inversion and Dawnstag's Rising from the Ashes. Give these ladies a hand up and check out their amazing work! Oh, and leave them a review obviously, as any author knows how sweet that feels...

Back to Venice now, get back on the roller coaster everyone, cause it's about to leave! -x- Lotte.

The hallways backstage were claustrophobically crowded after the performance. Relatives, patrons, press, servants, all pushing past each other trying to reach that particular person they wished to congratulate or aid in their escape from the Opera House. Young Aurora Alighieri had been an unexpected triumph indeed, and Erik was held up by his fellow directors much longer than he wished to be. He wanted to go to his daughter and quietly share in her success, a success they had accomplished together over their many hours of careful practice. Rolling his eyes at Christine, he motioned for her to go on ahead, both of them not entirely sure where all of their children had scattered off to.

Céline had pushed ahead of her mother somewhat, feeling a slight panic at having lost Roger in the crowd. He did not know this Opera House as they did, and she prayed he would not lose his way. Little was she to know however, Roger had already reached his intended destination long before anyone had found him missing…

Aurora sighed at the sudden silence surrounding her in her dressing room. HER dressing room! Instead of having to share her accommodations with two or three other singers as she would have in the chorus, she now enjoyed every privilege of a soloist. A Prima Donna. And with pride she realised it was unlikely she would be removed from this room any time soon. What a success her night had been! How she wished to see her family, and have a big dinner to celebrate! She welcomed the knock on the door with a radiant smile, until she realised it was only her sister's suitor entering. Pulling her robe somewhat tighter around her, uncomfortable at being so scarcely dressed in front of him, she quietly searched his face.

"Monsieur DuChamps…where…I had expected to see my family…"

"I believe they will be here shortly, the crowds outside are astonishing to say the least…" He was silent for a while, continuing his approach of her until she was backed up against the wall, similarly to that morning in the music room.

"But then again, I have found so many astonishing things here in fair Venice, my darling Aurora…" A lazy finger pushed a golden lock back behind her ear before continuing down towards her neck and her collarbone, causing her to shiver.

"I'm not sure I..." But the finger landed on her lips instead, silencing her.

"Your sister is right, you know. You truly are a Siren. A lovely, haunting creature binding all her listeners to her…seducing them into the impurest of thoughts…"

Aurora's heart beated wildly beneath her tightening chest. Dear God, let me be rid of this man! What did he want with her? Why could he not be with Céline and be happy, instead of hovering over her like this, drowning her in his unwanted attentions.

"Monsieur I think it is best that you leave, my sister will be worried for you and I need to finish dressing..."

Instead of discouraging him, he seemed mildly amused by her attempts to dissuade him. "Why such hurry dearest? Do you not wish to know what rewards I come to offer for your brilliant performance?"

He closed the space between them now completely, making her shamefully aware of his desire for her. His hands landed on her hips, pulling her closer as he huskily whispered in her ear. "I promise it will be very rewarding indeed, and your sister need never know of it at all…it shall be our little secret my darling Siren." And with that his mouth crashed on hers violently.

For a moment she was too shocked to react, before a blind fear and panic overtook her and she attempted at pushing him away from her. He seized her wrists however, keeping them locked against his chest while continuing to pry open her lips with his vicious tongue. She wanted to shout, run, anything to be away from him, her mind racing as to how far he would attempt to take this…until a sudden sob made him pull back, and both of them were staring into the tear stained face of Céline.

"Dearest I… Aurora, she…don't be upset my sweet, it was nothing, nothing at all. I'm sure your sister meant no harm…" Aurora could only stare from one to the other, still too shocked about what had happened and how sudden it had ended. Until Roger's words started filtering through and the horrific realisation dawned on her that he was blaming her for this, suggesting she had just now seduced him behind her sister's back!

"Céline no, I…" but a slap across the face from her enraged older sister silenced her before she could say another word.

"Do not ever attempt to speak to me again you harlot! And to think I loved you once, trusted you…my own sister! How could you Aurora, how! Why must you try and take from me the thing I hold dearest in life? You already have everything you heart could ever desire and still you yearn for more, why? How could you!"

"What's going on here?" The three of them turned at the dangerously low and booming sound of Erik's voice, and noticed only then that by now their entire family was watching. The boys silent and gloomy, their mother trying to comfort dear Giulia who was sobbing of fright at the outburst of her older sisters right in front of her.

" Aurora thought it amusing to try and seduce my fiancé, right under my very nose in this little brothel of hers…" The words were spat out as vicious as anyone present had ever heard the young woman speak.

Aurora could find no words to defend herself, an angry red handprint beginning to colour her pale, tear stained cheek. She merely shook her head in disbelief, searching her father's eyes for some form of protection.

"Monsieur I suggest you escort your fiancée back to the docks. I believe the fresh air might calm her nerves. Christine ma chère please take the children, I will see to it that Aurora gets home…" As always, no one argued with Erik's calm commands and after another short interlude with his wife, and a kiss for his youngest child, the crowd dispersed to make their way back home.

Gentle hands picked Aurora up from the floor where she had crumpled a sobbing mess. Shushing words as a dress was pulled over her head and closed at the back, making her feel warmer instantly. A tissue running along her cheeks to stop the tears from falling.

"Papa, I did not…I never…"

"Hush my angel, I know. I've known from the beginning. I should have been here. Damn those insolent fools for keeping me from reaching you in time!"

"But Céline…"

"Céline is angry and confused my sweet. She does not know what she says. I'm sure when morning comes she will see reason and appologise for her harsh words…"

But in truth he very much doubted if this would be the case. The entire journey home, Aurora having fallen asleep in his arms, he pined the change in Céline that seemed to have arisen so suddenly, and he hated himself for not having been able to do anything about it. It was the boy. The arrogant fop that had dared make a move on his child, God knows for what reason. But no more. No marriage would take place. The boy would leave in the morning and Céline would come to see reason!

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"I'm afraid we shall have to have our celebration dinner without its guest of honour tonight." Their silent reveries were abruptly broken by Erik's entry to the dining room. " Aurora has decided to retreat for the night, the whole…spectacle seems to have drained her immensely…"

Céline needed only to look up at him to know his mind on the matter. Of course he would side with Aurora, how could she ever have expected him to see reason? After all, daddy's little angel could never do any harm!

"Well, all the better, my dinner shall be so much more agreeable without her!"

"Céline I will say this once, and only once. We shall not discuss any of this tonight, nor in the presence of your younger siblings. I will see you and your sister, as well as Monsieur DuChamps, in my study tomorrow morning and that will be final."

Erik's tone of voice once more demanded no countersetting. Curious eyes turned to her but nothing more was spoken as the dishes we brought out on the table. For a while peace seemed to have returned to the house, as Giulia jumped up from her seat and lightly tapped her water glass with her spoon, as she had seen her father do on numerous occasions. Winking at each other, the others all fell silent, raising their glasses to acknowledge her attempt to a toast.

"I would like to make a toast to my dear sister Aurora for singing so beautiful at the Opera tonight, and for having to miss her party now, and for papa for teaching her how to sing so well!" Everyone raised their glasses once more as the common "Salute" echoed around, except for Céline who smacked down her wine glass quite abruptly, snorting in contempt.

"Céline, will you not oblige your sister in sharing her toast?" Her mother's quiet voice rang clear across the table, attempting to brighten the sad gloom that had passed on Giulia's face upon seeing Céline's disapproval of her efforts.

Suddenly Céline stood up, raising her own glass for a toast. "To my sister Aurora, the best actress in the world for letting me believe she ever truly cared for me, and to my father, for indulging her at every whim, and closing his eyes to the obvious truth of her deceit!"

A sudden drop of temperature was felt in the room as all fell quiet, nervously shooting glances from father to daughter. Everyone, including Céline, realised she had pushed her father's patience too far this time and no one could doubt the repercussions that were about to be taken.

"Sit yourself Céline." His voice was flat and betrayed no sign of emotion. As she remained standing however, staring back at him defiantly, his voice dropped even lower, his annoyance and anger at her behavior no longer hidden.

"I said sit yourself Céline, at least try and behave the proper young lady your mother and I have attempted to raise…"

"Attempted? Oh yes, what a disappointment I must be to you…father. All your life you've tried to steer my mind to your liking, only to find you cannot truly rid me of my true nature, now can you? To find his presence in my character still!"

"Céline, please do not do this, not here, not now…" Christine suddenly started to realise where this was heading, and could only guess the outcome of such a battle. After so many years, dear God! Céline had only been three years old! What had happened to her in Paris?

"Please ma chère, let her finish. I would dearly like to hear what our beloved Céline has to say. What would be so important to her that she wishes to ruin everyone's evening with her blurred thoughts and opinions…" Erik's voice had turned to ice by now, making Christine fear the worst. There was still a big gap between Erik's usual gloominess, his sudden yet short bursts of anger and…she shivered to remember.

"Very well then. Only that I am tired of being bullied into a life that is not to my own heart's desire. To lead the life you wish me to have. When will I finally be allowed to make my own decisions? And what right have you to decide my life when you are not the one who gave me this life in the first place?"

Her sibling's eyes turned big, carefully shifting from their mother to their father, none daring to ask if Céline was indeed implying what they thought she was.

"Why will you not allow Roger and I to be married? Is he not good enough for me? Because my family is from a higher class as his? My father was a nobleman, and he chose to marry an Opera singer, and no one thought worse of him for it!"

Christine could only stare at her daughter, where did all these stories come from? In all her years, Céline had shown nothing but disinterest for her father and her descent, she had loved Erik so dearly…

Erik however, managed to remain completely calm under her venomous attack. "You are correct my dear, I have explained to Monsieur DuChamps he needed to prove he is worthy of you before obtaining my consent to your marriage. His rank or position in life however, had nothing to do with this. And this latest…event regarding your sister has not exactly helped him on his way of approval I dare say." With this he sent a cold glare at Roger, making him realise that though his beloved might be in the dark, he himself knew exactly how this story truly went.

"Oh yes of course, because naturally it was all his doing and Aurora was merely an innocent victim right? Why can you never see fault in her? Is it because she is your own and I am but an inconvenience my mother happened to bring along when she came to you? A hateful reminder of your dislike of Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny?"

"Maman, who is Raoul de Chagny?" It was a mere whisper on Matteo's lips, being utterly confused by the argument playing out before him.

"You attempt to accuse me of partiality? When you yourself are clearly so besotted with the boy by your side that you prefer to overlook his wandering eye? I have no other wish than to see you happy Céline, which is the exact reason this marriage has not yet taken place, nor is it likely to anytime soon!"

"You could not be farther from the truth! You have no idea what it feels like to be completely and utterly alone in the world, do you? To wander without knowing your course, your background, your history? To feel like you're screaming for love and attention and no one will hear you, busy as they are with their own, selfish lives? Roger loves me for who I am, not for the talents you seem to think I am lacking!"

Erik's posture was tense in withheld anger now, and Christine sat dumbfounded as her daughter spat out all the anger and frustration she had obviously felt for years yet never bothered to share with anyone. So this was her solution? Attempting to find all answers with her deceased father?

"Do not presume to understand what I do or do not feel, you ignorant girl. You speak of matters you have no knowledge of with a sole purpose to hurt and disgrace those around you, yet all it will ruin is your own good name. In that, I will confess, you are very much your father's daughter my dear Céline, brava!"

For a moment she could only stare at him blankly, surprised perhaps she had finally evoked a response of him concerning her real father. It was also the first time however, he had openly revealed his dislike for her and his words hit her like bullets from a gun. She had been right then in leaving, for he had clearly never loved her at all.

Meanwhile Erik felt himself being pushed towards a dangerous cliff, one he had not encountered for many a year, and he feared it. How he had attempted not to let this argument stray in that direction, to stay calm before his family, but Céline's ignorant, selfish complaints and accusations had struck him deeper than anything. He took his glass, as if to swallow his bitterness and anger with his wine, when her next words rang out cold and emotionless.

"Your heart is as twisted and withered as your miserable face…"

Christine felt as if someone had punched her in the stomach, suddenly having no breath left at all, as a shattering sound broke the deafening silence.

The wineglass that had rested in Erik's hand had no longer been able to resist the pressure his clenching fist applied to it, causing the elegant hand blown bell to explode into a thousand fragments, the wine spattering from it indiscernible from the blood that now ran from his hand.

Erik said nothing, he merely stared down at his hand with an odd mix of surprise and amusement written on his face. Luca had jumped up to assist his father, carefully attempting to remove the shards of glass from his hand before clumsily wrapping it in the white linen napkin that had rested on his knees only moments before. Christine knew right then and there a chord inside her dear Erik had snapped, and nothing she could say or do now would mend what was broken. He had been driven once again to the edge of his abyss and her daughter, Raoul's daughter, had just given him a final push.

Looking up from comforting Giulia, who was by now hysteric in fear and confusion, she noticed Erik had pushed Luca aside and had risen from his chair, slowly looking up at Céline who by now had cowered away from him somewhat. The girl had realised her mistake. Too late. With a voice that seemed to echo twenty years back, he spoke his verdict over her.

"Very well child. If your affection towards your unfaithful lover is thus strong, I suggest you return to Paris to ask your dear father's permission for your marriage. I'm sure his rotting corpse will be happy to oblige you. Bonsoir Mademoiselle de Chagny, I wish you God's speed on your journey home!" And with that he calmly strode out of the room, not looking back once at the confused group of people he had left behind.

Céline turned to her mother, unsure of what to say, hoping to find any sign of sympathy from the woman who had been her closest companion since birth. Christine however, could only let her silent tears fall down as she stared at her child blankly, no longer recognising the girl she raised to a woman.

"What have you done? God help us Céline, what have you done?"