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Post by Madeleine Fontaine on Nov 22, 2012 19:20:16 GMT -5
Madeleine Fontaine had been wandering around the manor for almost the entire day now, simply exploring. She had had very little chance to interact with anyone as of yet, as the manor seemed to be largely deserted. She knew, however, that this could not be the case, as there were many other rooms that, like hers, seemed to be furnished for someone specific to live in, and were not covered in dust like some of the rooms were. She had therefore taken to wandering the halls, looking for anyone who might give her more information about the place that she seemed to be trapped in. On this particular day, she was dressed in a blue satin gown, her hair swept up into a fancy bun. She looked ravishing, something that would normally be considered far too fancy for a trek around the house, but as she was meeting new people, she thought it very important to give a good impression.
She was very annoyed, consequently, when she found no one at all roaming the hallways. She walked down a long hallway in a huff, her head held high, planning on trying to find her way back to her room, as this particular excursion had been a complete and utter waste. The problem was, she had absolutely no idea how to get out of this hallway, let alone make her way back to her room. Deciding she had nothing really to lose, she made a sudden turn and opened a large, ornate door that was situated at the end of a hallway.
For a moment, she merely stood in the doorway, bewildered. Then, slowly, almost as though she were in a trance, she began to walk forward, her eyes darting around the massive room, her brow furrowed, her mouth slightly open. Her dress dragged upon the ground, making a slight whispering sound as she moved along.
It was an opera house. Completely decrepit, to be sure, but still...An opera house. It was clear that, at one time, it had been very beautiful. The seats, some of which were uprooted and some of which were completely missing, were lined with red fabric. There was rust everywhere, but here and there, one could see a glint of gold. The stage, however, seemed relatively unscathed. Curious, Madeleine walked towards it, climbing up the stairs to the stage. She turned to look out into the audience- and froze.
This was not just any opera house. This...This was the Opera Garnier. Or, at the very least, an exact copy of it. She could not mistake that view, the boxes, the seats...But why would an exact copy of the opera house be here, in England? The more she looked about, the more she found herself not caring how it had come here. It was all exactly as she remembered it. She could remember it exactly, the house being packed to hear the opera, to hear Christine Daae's performance, singing in the chorus, always looking out for him, being thrown a rose from that seat...
Front row, 3rd seat left from the center. She could never forget it, never forget that face beaming up at her, so loving and adoring, so caring and excited for her...She could feel anger at the past boiling up inside her and, without thinking, she grabbed the nearest thing she could find (a snuffed out gas lamp) and hurled it at the seat. It shattered upon impact, and clattered to the floor, leaving her alone on the stage, breathing hard, her face red. If anyone had been close to her, they would have seen a small tear running down her cheek...
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Claude Delacroix
Did you really think that we would ever let you go?
All that you love shall become shadow. All that you see shall become death.
Posts: 165
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Post by Claude Delacroix on Nov 25, 2012 13:03:59 GMT -5
The Devil had his eye on the opera house for a while now. He had first been there when he saw the lovely Christine Emilie Daaè and tormented her terribly. He had watched her poor little mind nearly break under his sadistic words. And his apple. Oh, that seductive, red apple! He now held the apple in his hand and gently rolled in between his palms as he looked about the immense room. He was deeply bored after all the fun he had had during Halloween; and what fun it had been! He smirked inwardly to himself as he began to stroll about the aisles.
Claude had lost contact with his little Meg but he did not lose faith in Charles. He knew that the man would not dare to break his pact with HIM. This made the demon chuckle to himself as he continued to move down the aisles. But then something- or someone- caught his eye. There was a woman. That Christine again? No, someone else. She looked very beautiful in the dress she wore and her hair pinned up. For a moment, he forgot about Teressa and just looked upon the lovely woman.
The voices came back… They spoke in soft hisses, tormenting his very mind. She is beautiful, master! So beautiful! So young! So fresh! Bring us to her, give us her soul, our prince!"[/color]
Claude growled and placed a hand to his head. He hissed back at them in an ancient Latin tongue, chiding the demons viciously. "She is ours! We shall do what we will with her when we say so." He moved down the aisles smoothly and came right up behind her. But before he could reach out and touch her, the woman had grabbed a lamp and violently threw it! He paused a moment and blinked, still holding onto the apple. His nails scraped at the red skin of the fruit but his eyes never left the lovely woman. "Hello, madam," He said to her and bowed deeply.
He was about to say more but then he saw it… The tear running down her lovely, pale cheek… There was a hidden pain within her. He wanted to have it. He wanted to taste her tears, her delicious, liquid sorrow. "May we ask why you are crying?"
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Post by Madeleine Fontaine on Nov 25, 2012 19:54:01 GMT -5
Madeleine gave a little gasp when she heard the voice of someone behind her. She whirled around, her eyes betrayed her embarrassment for only a moment. And then, the mask was back on, that unsettling little demure smile was back and her eyes peered up from beneath thick black lashes at the man she had not noticed before. One brow arched a little as she looked him over, noticing the apple, taking in everything about him. It was a full minute before she spoke, "Forgive me, monsieur. I was under the impression that everyone in this house understood the privacy and decency that must be granted to a lady."
Her words were scathing indeed, but her face stayed unsettlingly neutral, apart from the one eyebrow that was raised. It occurred to her that this man might have been watching her from the very beginning- but, then again, she could deny anything that he might assume about her from this one instance. She could have been throwing the lamp at a spider, for all he knew. And she would be damned if he found out why that disgraceful little tear had escaped down her cheek. But it was gone now, had been wiped away very quickly. She doubted he had noticed it.
Normally, a woman might have quickly moved away from any man who snuck up behind her, but Madeleine was different. She stood her ground, staring at the man with her head held high, almost daring him to mock her. Clearly, she was not your average lady.
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Claude Delacroix
Did you really think that we would ever let you go?
All that you love shall become shadow. All that you see shall become death.
Posts: 165
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Post by Claude Delacroix on Nov 27, 2012 15:46:30 GMT -5
Claude raised an eyebrow… My, my! She was a defensive one, it seemed! This brought a slight grin to his face as his eyes seemed to flash with delight. He gave a bow of mocking piety. "Forgive us, dear. It's just that your beauty overwhelmed us for a moment. Claude... Claude Delacroix, madam." He took her hand and kissed it gently, never taking his eyes off of her beautiful face. It was with a single touch that he could learn everything about any human. He forgot all about Teressa and was completely enraptured by this lovely woman. He felt no ill will towards her and only inhaled deeply as he took in the sweet scent of her feminine perfume.
"When we first saw you, you were crying," He continued. Damn it all, she had wiped it away! But though he was hungry, his thirst for her beauty overpowered his lust for pain and agony. He looked down at the apple in his hand and held it now behind his back, not wanting her to have it. He crushed the apple in his grip and it vanished. "Is there anything we can do to help you? Please, sit…" He held out one hand and gestured towards one of the seats in the audience. Claude sat beside her in another seat and interlocked his fingers, pressing his thumbs together as he looked at the woman intensely yet with a kind smile.
This was interesting… No one had one spoken back to HIM- aside from Destler, that damned bastard! But this woman… She was something else. Something interesting.
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Post by Madeleine Fontaine on Nov 28, 2012 17:53:17 GMT -5
Madeleine raised a haughty eyebrow at his compliment to her beauty. She had long since learned that men were not to be trusted. She had learned that lesson the hard way...But no matter. This man needed to be dealt with. He had not done anything at all to earn her trust this far, considering that he had snuck up behind her and seemed like one of those oily men that loved nothing more than to pray on the innocent and unsuspecting rich. Wasn't he in for a surprise...
"Madeleine Fontaine..." The words were said with icy inflection and she gave a tiny curtsey, just enough to be considered polite.
Damn. He had seen her crying. Well, that wouldn't be hard to deflect. He began walked over to the seats in the audience, obviously expecting her to follow. She walked after him slowly, her hips swinging slowly as per usual, sitting herself down a seat away from him. Best to keep her distance. She wished that she had her fan with her...She did not want to be seen by this man, "Ah...You are mistaken, monsieur. I was not crying."
She didn't offer any further explanation, just stared at the man with a hard, calculating gaze. She could, of course, be very rude to him...He had, after all, snuck up behind her and completely shattered her sense of privacy, but he was also the first person that she had met around the manor in the back few days. He could be valuable to talk to...Perhaps he knew something about the manor. She would give him a chance, she decided, "Who are you?"
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Claude Delacroix
Did you really think that we would ever let you go?
All that you love shall become shadow. All that you see shall become death.
Posts: 165
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Post by Claude Delacroix on Nov 28, 2012 20:18:58 GMT -5
Claude gave a small chuckle. Such an ice queen, he thought to himself as he grinned inwardly. Still caressing the apple in his hand, he turned his gaze to the lovely Madeleine. Oh, she was beautiful beyond words! He tried to keep his attention on her face but his eyes wandered a bit; down her neck and over her lovely curves right down to her silky smooth legs. He tried to suppress a groan by masking it with a subtle clearing of his throat.
"A pleasure to meet you, miss Fontaine," He smiled and reached for her hand to give it a gentle kiss. He may be the Devil, but he was quite the gentleman among the ladies.
"No? Not crying, you say?" He asked, leaning against the armrest of the chair and still smiling at her. The sadistic monster was feeling a bit bold now and let his free hand caress her arm while he came up with a quick lie. "We-, I mean… I am a priest attending this manor. There have been some rather wild hauntings around the manor and I have been brought here to settle things." He smiled at her and folded his hand in his lap again before making the apple appear again beneath his palms.
"Would you like it, my dear? I've been carrying this thing with me and, to be honest, I am not hungry. I don't often eat." He smiled again, his eyes growing a bit wider as he held out the apple to her. He hoped that she would eat it, that she would taste the fruit's rotten flesh and succumb to the oddly sweet taste. No one had dared to eat the apple he had previously offered it to; but perhaps this would change. "Please. Go right ahead. I do not mind."
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Post by Madeleine Fontaine on Nov 28, 2012 21:16:54 GMT -5
She could feel his gaze sweeping over her and rose her head a little higher, her lily white neck being exposed. Oh yes, she was a spoiled little princess- but she didn't come without reason for being what she was. She might have been harsh and hard and ice cold, but she had her reasons. And, of course, those reasons were her own. She didn't much like anybody looking at her in the way that this man was looking at her- but she had come to a realization a long time ago that her body was a tool that she had been gifted with and it would be a shame not to use it to her advantage. Better to keep someone wanting something from her than to create an enemy.
This is what she kept running through her head as he took up her hand to kiss it. A little smile covered her face, the same little demure smile from before, a smile that hid a thousand lies and ill wishes. She was a master of deceit- she had to be, really. The French upper class was not a kind place to grow up, especially for a woman such as herself. One had to learn to have thick skin and to make deep cuts with words alone.
This man, too, seemed to be a master of deceit. She knew right away that he was not what he said he was. Not alone could she tell from his body language (his eyes were blinking just a tad faster than was normal), but his actions were not at all befitting a priest. Still, she thought it best to go along with his story, at least until she could learn more about who he really was and what he was doing here.
"What a noble pursuit. I commend you...Not all of us have minds so suited to heavenly pursuits. Most of us have desires that are slightly more...earthbound."
This was accompanied by a coquettish batting of eyelashes, showing that she was not innocent to the implications of what she was saying. Flirt, keep him interested, get what you can out of him and then throw him in the dirt...
She cocked her head slightly when he offered the apple, and smiled a little more at him, reaching with just a finger to touch the ruby read skin. "I appreciate the offer, Father...You are very generous..."
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Claude Delacroix
Did you really think that we would ever let you go?
All that you love shall become shadow. All that you see shall become death.
Posts: 165
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Post by Claude Delacroix on Nov 28, 2012 22:44:13 GMT -5
Ahh, now she was showing off her lovely neck… Oh, how he wanted to taste that neck, just a lick, a nibble! But he held back and watched her hold herself gracefully. He smirked and leaned back, crossing one leg over the other as he kept his eye on Madeleine. He greatly liked her for her attitude and the very blood in her veins. Just by brushing his hand upon her arm, he knew everything about her; her past, her life, her mother. Everything. That was one thing that made Claude so unique as a demonic spirit. Not only could he control a human body, but he could learn so much from a mere brush of the hand.
He knew so much about so many people; people long past. Men, women, children, and the monsters within them. Monsters such as Jack the Ripper, Dahmer, and others. But what he did not know was that she was a rather cunning liar like himself. He did not know that perhaps he was falling into a trap- or worse- that she was a lot like him!
Heavenly?? Oh, what a poor, delusional thing she was! It was almost laughable! But Claude merely smirked and nodded politely in hopes of keeping her interested in talking more. His fingers twitched as he gipped the apple, his nails still scraping at the skin as he toyed with it in his hand. It almost seemed to glow with a strange yet seductive shimmer.
Then came that subtle bat of her eyelashes. Gods, it nearly drove him mad with desire! But, still, he remained calm and still smiling. The demons began to cackle in his mind and taunt him:
"Master likes the lovely lady! Yes! Yes, he does! Why doesn't he take her? Break that pretty little soul of hers? Give us her bones so that we may suck out the marrow! Let us feast! Let us feast!!![/color]"
His nails dug into the apple and broke the blood-colored skin as the devils all laughed and taunted him. A bit of the rotten juice running down his fingers. He gave a low growl to silence them before looking down at the woman's wandering hand. He quickly licked the grey-colored apple juice away when he notice her finger touch it.
"Would you like it?" He almost pushed the apple into her hands now. "Please… Take it."
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Post by Madeleine Fontaine on Nov 28, 2012 22:59:06 GMT -5
Madeleine didn't notice him licking the juice away from his fingers, as she was more focused on the apple...It did look good...But, from a purely practical standpoint, there was no attractive way to eat an apple. And she wanted to keep the man as interested in her looks as possible. Men were simple to manipulate in that way. That was why she often thought that the world was really run by women- even the greatest of men could be torn down from his pedestal by just the right look from a lady.
Wanting to remain obedient to his requests, she took the apple, sliding it around in the palm of her soft hands- hands that had never done a day of hard labor in their life. The apple slipped from hand to hand as she palmed it, looking up at Claude as she toyed with the apple with deft little movements, "Thank you, Father...You seem to have been here for a while...Perhaps you can tell me something about this manor I have found myself in..."
She raised an eyebrow at him, still toying with the apple. She could tell that she had him completely under her power- God, it was almost too simple! Manipulation was easy when one knew how to use their body. Why, she herself was only 5'1". Not exactly promising for a beauty queen, but the way she held herself, no one would have ever guessed that she was as short as she was. Her eyes flashed as she brought the apple up near her lips, almost as though she were about to take a bite, but it was only to examine it further, looking at the ruby red skin.
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Claude Delacroix
Did you really think that we would ever let you go?
All that you love shall become shadow. All that you see shall become death.
Posts: 165
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Post by Claude Delacroix on Nov 29, 2012 18:33:17 GMT -5
Claude knew all too well that this woman was more than what she seemed. Such a little trickster! He could see it in her eyes. She hid a painful past, that he knew. But he wanted to learn more. Oh, she looked so sensual holding her hand out for the apple, her eyes the most lovely shade of hazel, like chestnuts. Her skin was as white as cream and seemed to be as smooth as silk. How he longed to touch her neck, just brush his hand over her hips. No, he longed for more. Her fiery and confident air made her the perfect match for him! Oh, she was a goddess! She would make the perfect Queen of Hell!
He allowed his nails to gently brush against her hand as he released the apple from his grip. He was now focused on her hands as she rolled the apple from one palm to the other, almost teasingly. But then his focus was broken when she inquired about the manor. He quickly straightened up and looked at the woman as if he had just been startled from a peaceful slumber. "Oh! Well," He stammered, trying to seem kind yet slightly scatterbrained. "You see, this manor is the home of a man named Charles Dalimar, a very prestigious man who married a lovely woman. A miss Emma Ravenhearst. Sadly, they are both long dead and this place is haunted. I was brought here to maintain the manor and keep the souls within it at peace. It's a bit more difficult than it seems."
He continued to watch as she toyed with the apple, subtly licking his lips in anticipation. He was much taller than her, by at least a foot. He enjoyed looking down upon her; it gave him a sense of power as he looked down at her from the bridge of his nose. "Go ahead. It won't bite," He teased with a gentle laugh, hoping to break the tension he was sensing from her.
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Post by Madeleine Fontaine on Nov 29, 2012 18:41:27 GMT -5
Madeleine nodded a little as she listened to him talk, the gears in her head whirling. Haunted? Probably just lies he was making up to scare her into thinking she needed some sort of protection within the place, which she most certainly didn't. She was more than capable of looking after herself, no matter what the circumstances. "I see...Perhaps you can enlighten me, then, as to why I am here..."
She raised an eyebrow at him, her eyes scanning over him. If he was who he said he was, he must have noticed her arrival. Perhaps he was the one who had set up her room? In that case, she was very suspicious as to what he might have to do with her coming here in the first place. Certainly, he was not who he seemed...
His insistence on her eating the apple threw her slightly. She didn't like to follow orders without good reason and his pressure made her suspicious. Still, she needed to stay in his good favor if she hoped to learn how she had come to be here and how she might be able to leave. With this in mind, she smiled at him and brought the apple up to her lips, taking a small and dainty bite from the apple.
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Claude Delacroix
Did you really think that we would ever let you go?
All that you love shall become shadow. All that you see shall become death.
Posts: 165
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Post by Claude Delacroix on Nov 30, 2012 12:25:28 GMT -5
Claude's eyes widened a bit and he stared at her as if stunned. "You don't know?" His mouth gaped a bit with feigned shock before grinning at her. "It seems that most of the people here have been brought to this manor by some strange force. It's almost as if the Devil is possessing the entire place." He gave a small laugh to try and break the dark tension. "But there's no need to worry about that... At least, not too much."
"It's been a very strange few months here," He continued, looking around the room. "It is strange that there are so many people here who claim to be from different times. They have all been brought here for some unusual purpose; what that purpose may be, I do not know. And it seems that whoever is brought here has never been able to leave. Very strange, as I have said before." He shrugged and exhaled deeply before returning his gaze to the lovely woman once more.
He continued to watch her as she toyed with the apple. What would she do? Would she throw it at him? Dare to eat it? Then she lifted the apple to her lips and his eyes widened once more as he watched her intensely…. She bit it. It seemed so strange that she would actually dare to take a bite from the Devil's temptation. "How do you feel?" He asked, leaning forward a bit and smiling. "Is there anything you need?"
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Post by Madeleine Fontaine on Dec 2, 2012 0:13:58 GMT -5
She felt...Strange, to say the least. The apple was not at all was she had expected...It was sweet...Overly sweet, one could say. And it made her feel rather light headed. Trying very hard to keep her composure, she looked up, still retaining that icy hard look as she glanced over at Claude...Whom she suddenly seem to find much more trustworthy than she had just a few moments before. How strange...
He didn't seem to be all that bad a man, really. Perhaps he was really a priest. After all, he was giving her all of this information about the manor, his motives couldn't be entirely evil. When he asked how she was doing, she did something rather strange- she smiled, "I'm feeling wonderfully..."
Her voice had a floaty, calm quality to it now, and her eyes mellowed a little as she looked upon Claude, the gaze of which she did not break at all for the next few moment. She raised the apple to her lips and took another bite, chewing slowly as she looked him over. She swallowed, bringing herself up to her full height, straightening her back and extending her neck again, gracing Claude with a smile, "Thank you so very much for how kind you've been..."
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Claude Delacroix
Did you really think that we would ever let you go?
All that you love shall become shadow. All that you see shall become death.
Posts: 165
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Post by Claude Delacroix on Dec 2, 2012 23:21:40 GMT -5
Claude gave a small gasp and reached a hand out to hold her own. She seemed very light headed and almost ill. He took the apple from her hand and set it aside. "My dear, would you like some water?" With a snap of his fingers, a glass of water appeared on the armrest in front of him. He picked it up and held it towards her. "Please, drink. You need fluids to help clear your head. Hydration is very important for the mind…. For the body."
He looked her over and licked his lips. Gods, was he hungry!! He hadn't feasted in a long while and he was famished. He watched her closely and then smiled. His trick had worked; she was no loner suspicious of him. Now that she was seduced by the poison apple, he could possibly steal just a taste of her soul, just a bite!
"Think nothing of it, madam," He said with a gentle tone, his hand reaching out to touch her neck. She was very beautiful. And he needed someone new to be with him. Perhaps he didn't need to take her soul… Unless she gave it willingly. He smiled as she bit into the apple, letting the sweet, dark magic slip down her throat. His gaze now remained emotionless as he watched, wondering, wanting to know how she would react. She thanked him! Perfect! His smile grew a bit more as he took her free hand. "Good," He kissed the back of Madeleine's hand and smirked. "Now, if you do not mind us, what brought you here to the manor?" That little slip of 'us' was very much intentional.
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Post by Madeleine Fontaine on Feb 18, 2013 22:44:50 GMT -5
Madeleine's eyebrows raised when she saw the glass of water appear, but she did not seem extremely surprised by it. Under the influence of the apple, nothing seemed overly strange. She didn't even seem to notice his strange use of pronouns as she wrapped a hand around the glass, bringing it to her lips. Her eyes scanned over him with a placated interest as she took a sip of the water, her guard most certainly down. This man didn't seem to mean her any immediate harm. Perhaps her previous suspicions had been unfounded. She was comfortable enough to let him touch her neck, her head lulling sleepily to one side, her eyes still on him.
"I'm not sure...I simply awoke here. I am certain someone has brought me here with the idea of using my wealth for their own gain."
Previously, this statement would have been rather more accusatory, but now, in this new defenseless state, it was merely conversational, and all her suspicions seemed directed at people who were not present. She placed the glass down on the arm of her chair and leaned closer to the man, her eyes calculating, her head slightly tilted, "You are not who you say you are..."
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