Chapter 32- Bother

The managers had assigned the role of the pageboy to Christine, which she was actually very happy with. The role was silent, it was true, but the pageboy was expected to act well because of this fact. The expressions needed to be in the movements. Still, she had a feeling that this was a temporary assignment. Erik was fully aware of the roles that he been handed out and so far he had been rather quiet about it.

The show opened the next night and, as with Hannibal, he had made sure that she knew all of the lyrics to the main songs.

Their lessons usually took place in her room still but with the difference that now, instead of speaking to her from behind the walls he stood with her. He was standing with her now, she could barely take her eyes from him.

He looked at her. 'What is it?' he asked, frowning.

'Nothing,' she said, feeling hot with embarrassment.

'You're staring,' he said coolly.

'I'm sorry,' she said. 'But... well, you have the most beautiful eyes,'

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but his jaw snapped quickly closed again. He said nothing but did not look displeased with her comment, in fact, if she didn't know better she would say that his eyes were sparkling with the hint of a smile.

'Concentrate,' he finally said, but his voice was not stern.

She began to sing again and he walked around her, studying her, as she looked at her face and body in the mirror. She felt his hand slip onto her stomach, and the other on her back, as he stood behind her. He pushed her back and held her stomach flat under his hand. It had the effect of almost elongating her whole body.

'Remember,' he said, holding her upright. 'Stand up straight,'

'Sorry,' she said.

'Continue,' he said, letting go of her but her body still felt hot where his hands had been.

When she had finished he clapped his hands together twice and, to her surprise, he smiled. It was not an unpleasant sight.

'Beautiful,' he said simply. 'Well done,'

She blushed at the comments and he reached out to touch her face.

'You look embarrassed,' he said, and the feeling of his thumb on her cheek made her breath catch in her throat. 'Don't.'

'Sorry...' she said.

'Stop apologising,' he said. 'You've done very well, you're up to the standard I would expect from you and you sound like... well, an angel,'

At this, it was her turn to smile. Christine still thought of him as her angel despite what she knew about him. His hand was still resting on her face and he was looking at her with such seriousness she stepped back from him.

'What's wrong?' she asked.

He stared at her a moment longer, the weight of his gaze holding her in. 'It's nothing,' he said.

'Are you sure?' she asked, watching sadness dance across his eyes. She had never before met anyone with so much expression in their eyes.

He nodded. 'You should practise a little more,' he said. 'And then get some rest,'

'Where are you going?' she asked.

'Home,'

'Can I come?'

Since he had taken her to his home that first time, the time when she nearly destroyed any relationship they had built, she had been back only twice. Both times simply to rehearse in relative peace and quiet. On the occasions he took her to his home he became quiet, almost subdued, and she wondered if it was the memory of her removing his mask that made him this way.

She liked to think that he had forgiven her moment of weakness, her moment of insane curiosity, but when she looked at him, she realised that he probably never would. How could he forgive her when she could barely forgive herself?

Her own memory of that day, of the sight of his face, had not faded nor had it dulled in the slightest. If anything it had become more vivid with her dreams. It was not a nightmare, as such, but a reminder that sometimes she could just go that one step too far.

'You can't come with me today,' he said, breaking her from her daydream. 'I have some business to take care of,'

She nodded. 'I understand,' or at least she wanted to, tried to.

'I will see you tomorrow,' he said. 'Rest soon, you have your last performance in Hannibal tonight... I don't want you to be too tired for that,'

'I'll rest,' she said.

'Promise me,' he said, firmly.

She answered his question with a nod.

Gilles was sitting on the bottom step of the marble staircase in the lobby. He thought that in the day, when there was no one around, that this was probably the most peaceful place in the whole of Paris. He liked to sit here, on his own, and mull his life over in his mind. Today, however, it was the theatre that plagued his mind.

There were certainly some strange goings on in the place, some he had expected, rumours travelled fast, but some were odd at best. He wondered what he was going to do about the money and if he was really cut out for running a theatre. He was disturbed by the sound of many footsteps behind him.

'There you are,' Richard's voice cracked into his silent thoughts, breaking them to shards.

'Yes,' he said. 'Here I am,'

'We've been looking for you,' Raoul de Chagny said.

'Why?' Gilles asked, looking at the crowd gathering around him. Ubaldo Piangi, Raoul De Chagny, Richard, Carlotta...

'Madame Giry asked us to meet her here,' he said.

'Well, perhaps my psychic powers are working after all,' he said, with a smile.

'Then maybe you can use them to tell us what is going on,' Carlotta snapped.

Silence fell with in the group and it was eventually broken by the sound of Madame Giry's cane at the top of the staircase.

'I have another note,'

Richard rolled his eyes. 'Oh...'

'Another one?' Raoul asked as Madame Giry arrived at the bottom step.

She nodded simply and handed it to Gilles. He opened it carefully, the same paper as before, the same ugly red seal, the same tasteful handwriting...

'Messieurs, I am being ignored,' he read aloud. Everyone looked at each other, confused slightly, pained almost. He continued, 'This really is your last chance,'

Raoul smiled slightly, 'That sounds almost like a threat,'

'This does not worry you, Vicomte?' Richard asked.

The Vicomte responded by simply shaking his head.

Gilles cleared his throat and continued to read from the note, 'Christine Daae is a wonderful talent and I am more than anxious that her career should progress. Therefore, in the new production of Il Muto, Carlotta will be playing the pageboy and Miss Daae will be singing the lead,'

Carlotta gasped loudly but Gilles carried on reading, 'The role which Miss Daae will be playing calls for charm and appeal. The role of the pageboy, however, is silent which makes my casting, in a word, ideal.'

'How dare he!' Carlotta roared, her eyes blazing with anger. Gilles winced slightly at her fury as his partner reached out and touched her arm.

'Carlotta,' he said, softly. Oddly, Richard was rather good at this. 'The man is obviously completely insane if he thinks anyone is better suited to a lead role than you are,'

She huffed but said nothing more.

'Is that all he says?' Raoul said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.

Gilles turned the piece of paper over in his hands, glancing at the back page. 'There's more...'

Everyone looked at him. 'I shall watch my performance from my normal seat in Box five, which, I might add, should remain empty for me. Should these commands be further ignored a disaster beyond your imagination will occur. I remain, gentleman, your obedient servant- O.G'

A quiet settled with in the group, letting the weight of the words from the note sink in. It was Carlotta who, rather angrily, broke the peace.

'Christine!' she shouted.

Raoul looked at her.

'This is all a ploy to help her,' Carlotta said, folding her arms across her chest.

'Insane,' Richard said, shaking his head from side to side.

'I know who sent these,' she said, grabbing note from Gilles hand and holding it above her head. Everyone looked at her, curiously, waiting for answers. 'The Victome... her lover... who else?'

Raoul rolled his eyes dramatically. 'Indeed,' he said. 'Can you believe this?'

'Signora,' Gilles attempted, softly, but she was too angry to listen. She stared at the Victome, her imposing figure bearing down on him.

'Tratadori,' she yelled.

'This changes absolutely nothing,' Richard said, walking towards her. 'You're still our star, Carlotta,'

Gilles nodded his agreement emphatically. 'And you always will be,'

She was shaking her head.

'We don't take orders from madmen!' Gilles insisted, standing to her right.

Richard said, taking his place at Carlotta's left. 'Miss Daae will be playing the pageboy, the silent role and you...' he stared at her, caught her eye. 'Will be playing the lead.'

Carlotta stomped forward, shrugged them both off. 'It's useless trying to appease me,' she said.

'We're not...'

She huffed again. 'Don't try to push it aside, it's not use trying to simply please me...'

As she gained momentum she dropped back into her native tongue leaving all of them lost. They stared at her, Richard pleading with her to calm down, Gilles' feeling an overwhelming sense of doom. He glanced at Raoul and Madame Giry, who were standing at the base of the staircase.

She set her cold eyes on him. 'Those who scorn his word, beware,' she said, her voice so level it was almost monotone. 'He sees all that happens here,'

Carlotta stormed back past them, finally back into French, 'You have rebuked
me and you have replaced me...'

Gilles glanced at her. 'Signora, please,'

'We beseech you... listen...' Richard caught up to her, still attempting to calm her down. Gilles could feel Antoinette Giry close to him.

'This hour shall see your darkest fears,' she said, shaking her head, and for a moment Gilles thought that she looked pale.

Finally, Raoul stepped towards them, back straight, standing tall. 'I haven't see her in nearly a week,'

'Christine?' he asked, though he already knew.

'Yes,' Raoul nodded, glancing at Madame Giry. 'I want to see her, I want to know what's going on, I want to know where she went the other night,'

Gilles attention was caught by Carlotta, once again, at his side. 'Sing for us,' he said. 'We believe in you, your fans await... they come to see you, why would we not put you in the lead role?'

She looked at the ceiling.

'Don't you see,?' Richard asked her, somewhat put of breath. 'Your public needs you,'

'And we need you too,' Gilles added, lifting his eyebrows.

'Would you not rather have your precious little ingénue?' she scoffed.

'No,' Gilles said, shaking his head.

'The world wants you,' Richard smiled at her, noting that she was beginning to calm.

'Prima Donna,' Gilles said, mirroring Richards smile, though his heart was beating wildly. 'You're the first lady of the stage, the fans, they adore you,'

'Think about it,' Richard said, picking up his cue to pacify her more. 'How can you bow out now when they're all waiting for you, shouting your name?'

'Think of the queues around the theatre,'

Carlotta stared at Richard and then settled her eyes back onto Gilles. They had gained some of her trust back by playing to her sense of self worth. He knew that if they simply pushed a little more they would have her back in the fold and ready to perform, her name on the signs still.

'How can you deny us the triumph that awaits,' Richard said, 'How can you deny yourself?

Gilles could hear Madame Giry and Raoul behind her talking, it caught his attention.

'Meg told me that she spoke of an angel,' he said. Madame Giry posture gave away nothing, but it Gilles wasn't mistaken, her eyes widened somewhat.

'She means her tutor,' she said.

'She doesn't believe that he is her angel of music?' Raoul asked. 'Her father... she...'

Gilles listened to both conversations, trying to decide which was more important. Angel of music?

'I don't know monsieur,'

'Her tutor, Madame,' Raoul demanded, suddenly his won eyes wide. 'Is her tutor, this angel, is it this ghost?'

Madame Giry looked away.

The chaos in the lobby continued as Raoul demanded answers of Madame Giry and Richard attempted to calm Carlotta. Gilles could do nothing but shake his head, wondering how on earth they got themselves into a situation they were barely in control of.

'You are our star, you will be the countess, the lead,' Richard was saying. Madame Giry glared at him and he froze. 'Heaven help you,' she said. 'Those who doubt...'

Carlotta smiled as the quiet began to drop in the room. 'I am the prima Donna,' she said. 'I am the countess,'

Gilles nodded, 'Of course,'

'Exactly,' Raoul said. 'We can't just cave to crazy demands,'

'Fools,' Madame Giry said, and her voice echoed around the lobby. 'You are fools to flout his warnings,'

Raoul ignored her. 'We ensure that these demands are rejected,' he said. 'For the sake of our own sanity, for the sake of this theatre and for the sake of Miss Daae,'

'You are putting us all in danger,' Madame Giry said.

Once again Gilles got the impression that there was far more to the relationship between Christine Daae and Raoul De Chagny than anyone was letting on. He was inclined to take up Carlotta's insinuation that the pair were actually lovers.

Raoul shook his head at Madame Giry. 'This charade, his game,' he said. 'It's over,'

'This is not a game,' she said, despair entering her voice. 'And if it were, it is certainly not a game you have any hope of winning,'

'In box five the new game will begin,'

Madame Giry shook her head slowly. 'Then I fear the outcome,' she said turning her back on them and beginning to ascend the staircase.

'Carlotta, the countess,' Raoul said, nodding at her. 'Miss Daae, the pageboy,'

And then a sound came out, blasting over the top of them and all around them, chilling Gilles to the core of his soul. The voice was deep and powerful, so strong it sent vibrations through his nerves and echoes around the room. It was clear and precise, a warning they were expected to head but Gilles feared they had angered a beast.

'So,' it boomed and they all looked at each other. Raoul began to walk around, trying to find the origin of the sound. Gilles glanced to the top of the staircase but Madame Giry was long gone. 'It is to be war between us. If these demands are not met then a disaster beyond your imagination will occur,'