HI, so this is the second chapter that is up but it's still like an introduction to give you a bit of background on Katia and how she came to be at the Opera House. The next chapter gets into the actual story which is in first person in Katias' POV. So she will be telling the story from then on. Until then here is the second chapter and Katia meets someone very important for her in this chapter!
The night was young and the moon shone bright in the sky, lighting the way for 16 year old Katia to follow its path. She had been on the run for a month now and she had no idea of where she would rest tonight. She had no money, no friends and was very far from home. Her only companion was her small Papillion dog Bess whom she found when she was 14 and had kept ever since. She could have stayed at the Inn back home with her Aunt Beatrice and Uncle George, except for the fact that if she had stayed, she would not have lived. They had run her to the ground, treating her as if she owed them for her parents passing away and leaving her in their care. Day in and day out, they made it so she could not leave one room of the house unclean, or they would starve her for days. Bess would bring her scraps of vegetable or bread if she made it upstairs, which wasn't very often. Katia shuddered as she thought of these dark times, glad she had finally broken free from them.
Clutching Bess closer to her chest, she swiftly strode through the deserted streets of Paris desperately seeking sanctuary from the cold. Her midnight blue dress trailed in the dust behind her. The time on the clock tower read 10pm. Surely there was some place that would be open to allowing a young girl and her pet to rest for one night? She began to lose hope as an hour passed and she still had no place to rest. Bess was whimpering and shivering. Katia was sure she had circled the same 5 streets over and over.
"This is hopeless!" she cried out and she leaned against a stone building. Sliding down to the ground, she buried her head in her hands and wept. Maybe she should not have run away? Maybe if she had kept the Inn spic and span, she would not be treated in such a horrible way? She should ask for a carriage to take her back to her home and beg her Aunt and Uncle for forgiveness…
No, she thought. I cannot change the fact that they despise me. Nothing I do would ever be good enough for them. I am better off alone with Bess than left with them.
A shrill bark cut through her thoughts as she realized that Bess was no longer next to her. Panic soared through her and she shot up from the ground and ran out into the square.
"Bess!" she called out.
Another bark sounded from across the square where a dim light was shining from. Katia picked up her dress and rushed towards the street where the light was.
As she turned the corner she saw her pet standing before an impressively large building. Light poured from every window and people dressed in gowns, suits and other finery surrounded the entrance.
"Bess, have you found a palace?" she gasped as she scooped Bess from the ground. She stared in awe at the grand building before her. As if in a trance, she walked up to the doors.
"Hello," she said to the doorman. His eyes skimmed Katia as she stood in the entrance. He looked at her in distaste.
"Do you have a ticket?" he asked her, laughing as he said it. Katia had a feeling that he didn't like her one bit and she clung to Bess a bit tighter.
"I'm sorry? What exactly is the ticket for?" Katia became anxious. She did not know that she had to buy her way in to see the palace grounds.
"Are you unaware that this is The Grande Opera House? The showing tonight is Hannibal and you need a ticket to be allowed inside any further. So do you have one or not?" he crossed his arms as he finished his condescending rant.
"This palace is an Opera House?" she asked in amazement. She peered past the doorman to take a look at the décor inside but he blocked her view.
"Yes of course it is. Now if you do not have a ticket Miss, I will have you escorted off the premises." He stepped towards her, glaring menacingly.
Katia took a step back. She grew scared and immediately wanted to leave. But this was her only chance of finding a place to stay so late at night. She had to think of something!
"Please sir," she said, trying to make herself sound more confident. "I am new in town and only wish for a place to rest for the night. I do not know where to go, can you show me some place…"
"Not my problem," he cut her off unfazed by her plea.
"But sir, I" she leaned toward him as she tried to argue her case.
"Miss, this is your last chance! LEAVE!" he gripped her arm tightly and dragged her to the bottom of the steps, Bess falling from her arms.
Katia struggled to free her arm from his iron grasp and fought against him. She was almost thrown to the ground when, she was saved.
"Excuse me monsieur!" came a booming female voice. Katia and the doorman turned at once to the woman who stood before them.
"Let this child go. She is one of my own." The woman stood proud with dark hair wrapped in a bun and a plain black gown. She seemed like a woman who liked things just so, but took no nonsense from anyone. Her face was fierce but feminine and her skin pale with no blemishes. The woman wore a stern frown and Katia was intimidated.
Whom did she meet that saved her? And how is she now? See for yourself in the next chapterrr!