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xoxo
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Chapter Nine: Order Your Fine Horses!
Previously,
The Palais Garnier Opera House, Paris, France, August, 1894
"I find the real story better." Meg whispered to Christine as they trailed behind from the girls and Antoinette, only they're walk back from the bakery. Entering the Opera House, Christine let giggle she whispered back. "I know I hardy and can believe I was only ten and he was twelve when we met and now we're here." Meg giggled at her. "Just like a true fairytale mon ami, you've found your handsome prince."
"What are you two brats giggling at!?" Carlotta screeched as she wobbled slightly with each step she took. Christine and Meg looked at each other, hoping the other came up with some clever reason. Christine sprung into action. "We saw someone choke on their lunch today at the bakery, it was quite an amusement you see everyone couldn't help but laugh, even the gentlemen who choked laughed."
"Of course after we checked to make sure he was alright." Christine looked at Meg and nodded. "Of course." Carlotta's eyes flared at their response. "Just get out of my way, and for the last time Mademoiselle Daaé stay out of my aria's you are ruining my career!" She screamed and stormed out of the Opera House.
"Wow, what a career." Christine said staring at the front glass door. Meg laughed. "Come your highness, your Phantom prince is expecting you."
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xoxo
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The Phantom's Lair, Underneath The Palais Garnier Opera House, Paris, France, September, 1894
"Angel, Can I help you with anything?"
"No my love you just sit there at look gorgeous for me and I can get this dinner sorted." She placed her hand on his shoulder, "Erik turn to me." Placing the wooden spoon down, he turned to face her. She grinned noticing some of the soup he'd made for them had somehow managed to spill on his mask, she giggled at his untidiness. "What?"
Christine pulled off his mask, "You have soup all over your mask." Erik look at the red spill on the white porcelain. "Oh."
"It's alright, you don't need it when I'm here. You're beautiful." It had taken Erik a while for him to finally accept the fact the to Christine he was perfect. He knew his face wasn't perfect but it didn't matter he had Christine and that's all that matters.
"I know…"
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The Palais Garnier Stables, The Palais Garnier Opera House, Paris, France, February, 1884
"Erik where are we going?" she whispered, Christine followed her angel through the cold night. He took her hand into his and kissed it. "I want to show another friend of mine." Christine gave him a curious look, as he looked around making sure none of staff were around. "This way Ange." Christine clasped his hand, as they walked up to one of the stalls.
"César." Erik whistled. Christine gasped as a big tall black stallion appeared, and nickered at his master's presence. "Is he yours?" she asked. Erik nodded stroking César's dark mane. "Here," And he took her small hand into his, moving them closer to the stallion's face. Christine's eyes widen in fear. "Do not fear Christine. He won't hurt you. I won't let anyone ever hurt you."
Christine nodded, letting him guide her hand to the horse's face. Christine giggled slightly at César's response to her touch, and rubbed his cold nose against her warm hand. "Hello César. I'm Christine Daaé, it's lovely to meet you." César nickered at her voice.
"Well he and I share something in common." Erik snickered.
Christine turned to look at him. "We're both are quite fond of you." Christine laughed and stepped back from the stall. Watching as Erik reach for the bucket of oats for his beloved horse. "Erik can I ask you something?"
"Of course Christine. You can ask me anything." She looked at their clasped hands, then looked into his emerald eyes. "Will you show me your face?" He pulled his hand away from her and shook his head. "No Christine you'll run away."
"No I won't."
"You will. Christine you are ten years old. And you shouldn't see something so gruesome at such a young age."
"Erik." She grabbed his hand and placed it to her cheek. He looked deep into her auburn eyes, finding only trust and perhaps love?
She stepped closer to him, reaching to caress his mask and whispered. "Trust me angel."
Erik looked deep into her eyes, endless thoughts of fear ran through him. Feeling to cold air against his unmasked cheek, as she pulled the mask off. His eyes closed waiting to her to scream, yell or cry out for his hideous face.
Silence filled the stable as the sound of his porcelain mask hit the ground.
Christine ran her chocolate eyes over his face, traveling over the endless scars that covered his right cheek. She let out a silent gasp as she brushed back his hair that covered his burns. Christine felt grateful for his sake, as his chestnut hair covered most of the massive burn he had on his temple. She gently reached to trace the deep, deep scars on his cheek. The scar seemed to travel over his eye and his top lip seemed slightly bigger then his bottom lip. She opened her mouth. Wanting to tell him that she didn't care what his face looked like. But he turned his face away and covered it with his hand.
Stranger then you dreamt it.
Can you even dare to look,
Of bear to think of me?
This loathsome gargoyle, who burns in hell…
"No." She said.
"No?"
"You're so beautiful." she whispered.
"What?" He shuffled back slightly. "I said you're beautiful." Reaching for his hand was covering his deformity. Erik pulled back shaking his head not believing her words. "Non you must be mistaken I'm a monster."
"No you're not. Not to me." She brushed back his chestnut hair and pressed her other hand to his chest, and smiled at him.
"This beautiful face holds no horror for me now… It's in your soul that the true beauty lies…"
He covered her hand and pressed it to his heart, as she continued. He pulled his from his face, looking down at her. She grins leaning her forehead to his and whispers. "There he is. My handsome angel of music."
"Oh Christine…"
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xoxo
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"Christine? Christine darling…"
"Mmmh?" She looked at his unmasked face, smirking as he placed the bowl of soup in front of her, and gave a kiss on her cheek. "Daydreaming again mon bel ange?" Christine smiled and shook her head. "Non justing remembering our childhood together, how we used to take César out."
"Ah yes I remember you were terrified of him." Erik laughed pouring her a glass of red wine. "Only because I thought he was going to bite me." Erik laughed. "It's not amusing." Christine frowned at him, crossing her arms. "Oh mon amor he wouldn't do that to you." he said as he sat dow beside her. "Well I certainly know that now." Taking her spoon and sipped at her soup. "This is delicious! Well done, mon amor." Erik smiled at her and nodded. "Well I did have an excellent teacher." She gave him a look, "Are you talking about me or Madame Giry."
"Oh Madame Giry, absolutely…" He was teasing her now. Dropping her spoon and she said with a playful smirk. "Oh monsieur would you prefer her company than mine. Because I'm more than happier to dine with either her or La Carlotta…" he eyes darken slightly at the thought of that horrible lady. Who shouldn't even be at his opera house, let alone be a Prima Dona.
"Or even Raoul…" she trailed off. "Right. That's it." He stood from his chair, "Come here, you're in trouble mademoiselle."
And with a giggle Christine ran from the table laughing, as he chased after her around the table before grabbing her by the waist. Pulling her down onto the settee pressing several kisses all over her face, only making her laugh harder.
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The Ballet Dormitories, The Palais Garnier Opera House, Paris, France, September, 1894
"Have you had any idea ask where Christine is?" Ivy asked.
"No I haven't seen her since this morning." Belle said pulling off her ballet slippers. Ivy sighed and turned to see Meg and Madame Giry approaching. "Oh Meg have you seen Christine? She promised me she would lend me her latest book." Meg look at her mother in question. Antoinette nodded turning to the young concerned dancer. "She out at the moment, Ivy."
"Probably with her mysterious suitor." Eloise whispered to Belle who giggled slightly. "I really wanted to hear what happens next in Pride and Prejudice." Antoinette smiled, and wrapped her arm around Ivy's shoulder. "I'm sure Christine will be happy to tell what happens, once she returns."
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Her arms tightened around his waist as they rode on César's back. Christine rubbed and buried her face into his dark velvet cloak, shielding her from the cold night air. Erik pulled César to a holt, and he slid down. Turing to reach up for Christine as she slid off César's back. Her feet met the ground she reached up to kiss his cheek.
The sound of sudden horse hooves came galloping towards the couple. Erik instantly pulled Christine behind him in fear for her safety. A pure white horse came racing towards them frightening César causing him to go on his back legs. Christine screamed out in fright as Erik turned and pull her away from the two horses.
"Christine stay back."
He let out a curse, grabbing César's reins trying to settle him. "Easy boy, easy." Tying him around the tree trunk, as the wild white horse cried again. Christine pulled off her hood and gently walked over towards the wild animal. The horse went back onto its back legs, as if to protest against her. "Christine get away from that horse!" Erik pulled her back against him, and she placed her hand on his arm. "Trust me my love."
Erik, turned her in his arms, "I do trust you. But you're dealing with an animal who can be very aggressive and unappreciable." She cupped his face, caressing his white mask. "Sounds like someone I know and love…" she smiled at him. Erik groaned and rolled his eyes, dropping his arm from around her waist, letting her go. Christine squeezed his arm in reassurance, and pulled his lasso from his cloak and tired the lasso into a handcuff knot like Erik had taught her.
She stepped towards the horse, offering her hand out as the mighty beast took a step towards her. "It's alright, you're alright." Christine encouraged as the horse to come closer. César began to fuss again. Causing the other horse to step onto it's back legs again. But Christine managed to slide the rope around it's neck and mouth, gently pulled to control the feisty horse. Holding the rope with one hand she lifts her other hand towards it's face, stroking the horse gently, instantly calming it down. "There, there easy now."
"Well, she's a feisty one." Erik said as he came up beside stroking the horse's mane. "That was very well done Christine." and he kissed her cheek. "Shall I give her a name?" Christine asked. "Well I suppose so, since she seems quite fond of you, something she and I have in common." Pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I think Duchess would suit her, she looks like one." Christine said as Duchess pushed against her hand causing both Erik and Christine to laugh at the horse's approval.
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The Ballet Dormitories, The Palais Garnier Opera House, Paris, France, September, 1894
Mary giggled at Eloise, "So is it like that all the time?"
Christine's ears perked at the sound of giggling, putting down her well love copy of Pride And Prejudice. "What are they talking about?" Ivy looks over her shoulder at the other girls who sat on Eloise's bed. Meg whispered in her ear, "While you were out with your angel of music, Eloise found one of Carlotta's books on what happens between a man and a women."
Christine cheeks flushed red. "As in…
"Girls come here!" Clarissa gestured to them. "Well I'm curious." Ivy said and ran over the others. "What on earth is that?!" She exclaimed as she pointing to the open book that sat between the four girls on the bed.
"Maybe we shouldn't be looking this, especially since Christine has a suitor in her life this will only scare her." Mary said closing the book. "I'm more scared about what your mother will say to us Meg." Belle eyebrows arched at Meg, who poked her tongue at Belle.
"I'm not scared." Christine protested as she sat down next to Ivy. Her friends all looked at her with disbelief, she rolled her eyes. "Come on it's not that bad…" she trailed off, as Eloise opened up the book again and turned the page. "You read it Eloise." Mary said looking at Christine who picked at her sleeve.
"Chapter One How does a man pleasure a woman…" Eloise began, Christine eyes widen, and Meg just chuckled.
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xoxo
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Songs:
I Remember / Stranger Than You Dreamt It: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Down Once More / Track Down This Murder: Andrew Lloyd Webber