Somewhere inside, hiding (Adina Gillespie)

[Christine Svenna Daaé]

{{Just FYI, she calls Leroux Raoul “Vincent” because she thinks it's too confusing to call him Raoul.))

Christine had not been here in this new place for very long, but honestly, she was almost enjoying it. Yes, she missed many of her friends back at the opera, especially Meg and madame Giry, but Raoul was here, and the Angel of Music was here, and she had made friends with that nice Vincent man, and so she didn't really see that it was bad particularly. In fact, she had rather enjoyed her stay so far. She had her own room (which was much nicer than her one back in the upper levels of the opera house), and Raoul had taken her out for dinner and dancing on her birthday, and she had seen that wonderful story about the mermaid and the talking fish (she honestly didn't think that she could ever see things quite the same way again after that... It was new, and exciting, and she liked it.

She had wandered her way outside for a moment, remembering the way that she and Raoul had gone when he took her to dinner the evening upon her arrival in this place. She had seen the sun shining outside the window and thought that it would be a rather nice day for a simple walk outside. Upon exiting the walls of the manor, she saw a lovely garden just outside, with statues and a fountain and exotic flowers of many different varieties. The girl stepped within the iron gated walls of the garden in order to get a better look, inhaling the sweet scent of the flora as she walked.

[Adina Gillespie]

The sun was bright and the gardens were now blooming again. Adina was able to tend to the weeds and debris easily, and without having to prick her fingers like when she was alive. The flowers were starting to grow again and the trees bore fruit. Oh, how she longed to just pluck an apple and taste the sweetness in her mouth once more... This was a very special place to the maid; this was where she could get away from all the pain that had plagued her in her mortal form, and still did. It was so hard for her to let go of her past, of her father. And to day being Father's Day, it was just a terrible reminder.

The young woman shuddered and quickly turned her attention to a large crow that was now pecking at the strawberries she was tending to. She quickly disappeared then reappeared in front of the thing and threw a small stone at it. "No! Shoo! Get away, you filthy winged rat! Go, find some nasty worms to feast upon, go on! Away with you!!" The bird screeched and flew off when the rock zoomed by its head. Adina smirked inwardly, proud of herself that she was able to ward off the crow. Suddenly, she heard the sound of rusty metal being pushed open and saw the garden gates swing forward. A woman was walking into the grounds, someone else she could speak with? Someone other than that deplorable Dalimar.

[Christine Svenna Daaé]

Christine tripped lightly along the walk to the garden, humming to herself as she went along. There was a pleasant breeze blowing and the young woman inhaled the delicious air of the outdoors. It was perfumed with the summer blooms and quite nice, much better than the stuffy old air in many parts of the manor. She found the iron gates already unlatched and so she stepped right on in, extending her midday stroll.

And she continued down the brink path, amongst the hedges and vines and trees and blossoms, she saw a woman there in the garden, not very far from her. “Hello there,” she called with a wave. She hadn't yet met any other ladies in the manor. “Lovely day for the outdoors, isn't it. I'm Christine. Christine Svenna Daaé. What's your name?”

[Adina Gillespie]

The maid paused for a brief moment, unsure if she should vanish or remain where she was. It didn't take her long to make up her mind when she saw the woman stroll through the gardens. Her face lit up and it felt as if her heart were swelling with joy. Finally! Someone she could speak with, have a more human conversation with!!

Adina smiled and gave a courteous bow to the woman. "Good day to you, madam. Yes, this is quite a lovely day to spend in the gardens. I am Adina Gillespie, maid to the manor and keeper of the gardens. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, madam Daaé." Still dutiful as ever, never faltering in tending to the house and the gardens as when she was alive.

[Christine Svenna Daaé]

“Good to meet you too, Adina. You work here?” Christine looked around at the lovely gardens and the high stone walls of the manor. “You really do a marvelous job. It's quite lovely. Do you have a lot of help? It sure is a very big Manor.”

And then the girl couldn't help a small chuckle. Madam Daaé? “Oh please, just call me Christine. If you insist upon formalities please call me Mademoiselle. Or Miss if you prefer. 'Madam' makes me feel old.”

[Adina Gillespie]

"Why, yes, I do, Madam Daaé." The girl said and curtsied again. "I worked in this manor many years ago... And I still do." Her voice trailed off a bit as she struggled to forget the circumstances that made her the way she is now. "These gardens are my safe haven; I come here when I feel afraid or sad. The work keeps me busy and I enjoy the peacefulness."

"No, I enjoy working on my own... But a little help every now and then is always welcome, of course." Adina covered her mouth and nodded her head. "Do forgive me, Mademoiselle Daaé. I am so used to the formalities. Especially-.... Especially when my father was alive."

[Christine Svenna Daaé]

Christine shook her head, rolling her eyes a little and smiling when the other woman called her 'Madam' again. She really was not used to such formalities. Her interest piked a little though when the other woman said that she worked there and had for quite some time. “Really? Oh! You must know the person who owns this manor then, right?”

“Would you mind if I helped you a bit? It really is a lovely day to be out here, and it feels wrong leaving all of the work for you to do alone.”

The young woman's eyes dimmed a bit though when the other woman said the words when my father was alive... she recalled her own experience with her father's death, and being whisked away to live at the opera with her father's old friend Madame Giry. Everything had changed a bit then, and she had been forced to start using formalities, plunged into a life with which she was not familiar.... and it frightened her. It frightened her so much not knowing a single person there, having so suddenly lost everyone she felt close to.... It had caused her to become almost shy – something she had never at all been before her father died. It was like a part of her soul had died with him...

Surely she would have felt the exact same way upon arriving there at the manor, had her dear old friend and savior, Raoul, not been there to find her in that dusty theatre and explain to her exactly what was going on. “Oh... I.'m sorry, Adina... If it's any consolation at all, I know what it feels like...”

[Adina Gillespie]

...... The maid flinched at Christine's words. You must know the person who owns this manor then, right?. To her dismay, she did know the man who owned the house. She knew all too well who he was and wished to spare the details. "Yes," She said flatly, her eyes not meeting Christine's. "He is a terrible, cruel man and I do not want to discuss him any further."

Adina quickly looked back down at the weeds before her and felt her fingers twitch. She wanted to pluck them out but couldn't. Damn, she wished she had her old body back, more than anything.

A tinge of pain shot through her body as she tried to shake off the memories of her abusive father. She inhaled deeply, though she didn't necessarily need to- being dead and all- but she did it anyway. "Father was..." She started, struggling to get the words out. "Not the kindest I could have, but he was still my father. My mother died giving birth to me and father blamed me for it. Every night he would read Scripture to me and-." She paused, choking on her words as if they were a bone lodged in her throat. "He would whip me with a switch that he made me cut from our birch tree outside. I-I do not h-have very many p-p-pleasant memories of m-my father, no, In fact, I have no pleasant memories of him at all... So tell me now," She looked back at Christine, her eyes pale and both angry and frightened. "Do you REALLY know what it is like?"

She was feeling bitter now. Not towards the poor woman who had inadvertently brought up the subject, but bitter towards herself and her father. She wanted to move on, go into the afterlife and stop being held back by her own feelings and memories. It was becoming too much to bear any longer. If only someone would be able to help her move on, perhaps... Just perhaps, she could finally be at peace with everything.

[Christine Svenna Daaé]

Suddenly their conversation took a turn for the worse, which confused Christine greatly. Had she said something wrong? She didn't understand why the other woman suddenly seemed so bitter. Perhaps it would be better not to bring up the subject of the manor's owner any more, although she really did wish that she could find out more about him. Apparently he was not a very pleasant man...

She listened as the other woman spoke about her own father, and couldn't help but to feel a bit sorry for her. Christine's happy mood was quickly fading, which was a real shame considering what a lovely day it was. She shrank back a bit with Adina's last bitter sentence, stunned at the sort of reaction she had received at what was meant to have been a sympathetic gesture. "I... I'm so sorry. I had no idea. I just meant that... well... I know what it feels like to lose a father... and to have to go through the changes which come with it..." Christine collapsed onto a nearby bench, unsure of what else she could say, or if she should say anything else at all. Oh, now you've done it, Chrisine...

[Adina Gillespie]

The maid quickly wiped away hot tears and brushed dirt from the skirt of her dress. "Forgive me," She said softly, keeping her head down to hide the shade of pink that now flushed her cheeks. "I should not have spoken so rudely to you, Mademoiselle Daaé. It is just that Monsieur Dalimar frightens me so... He is a ghost, you see, like myself. I did not know this man until I recently woke up in this form you see before you."

Adina looked down at her hands; they were pale and a bit transparent. She hated looking at herself. It only made her ashamed and sad that she couldn't be stronger now that she was dead. She was still very timid and nervous around people, especially men. But now she hated herself even more because of her sudden reaction to the poor woman who was now collapsed back on a small bench. "Please," The maid implored, kneeling down beside Christine. "Please, forgive me. I... Have not had many good experiences around men, you understand. But I do know what you mean about the changes after losing a father. I was thrust into this life after becoming an orphan, rather rudely I might add, and have been here ever since. That was many years ago. During the time of the great plague of England, I suppose. Oh, please, mademoiselle, forgive me."

[Christine Svenna Daaé]

“What makes this 'Monsieur Dalimar' so frightening, Adina?” Christine asked. “You say that he is a ghost, but what makes him so different. You yourself are a ghost, and I dare say you are not at all frightening.... He was... here when you first woke up a ghost?”

She looked down at the maid as she knelt before her and begged for forgiveness. “I understand. It just... it seems a bit strange to me... to condemn so many because of experiences with a few... I'm... I'm sorry you had such unpleasant experiences... But you're not alone, you know? Life as an orphan is... difficult at best, but things can change, right? Change again, and for the better...” She gave a brief laughs. “Thing can change right now even, if you want to.... Would you like some help with the garden?”

[Adina Gillespie]

"He has hurt me," The poor girl said as tears began to well up in her eyes. "He used a strange knife to cut me. Me! A ghost! How could he be able to do such a thing?" She stopped her frantic babbling and wiped way the tears. "He was here when I woke up... I know he owned the manor when I first started work here but I never had the honor of meeting him before."

Adina smiled and sniffled lightly, looking at Christine with a gaze of curiosity... Things can change? What did she mean by that? Could she possibly change her future so that she can finally move on with her life? Her afterlife? Then Christine asked if the maid needed help in the gardens. She smiled and nodded. "Yes, I would love some help, thank-you."

[Christine Svenna Daaé]

An expression of concern spread across Christine's face as she listened to Adina speak. He had cut her?... Why would anyone want to do that at all? Adina did not seem like a wicked person in the slightest. Who would ever want to cause harm to her? It was simply unfathomable! And the better question was how? How does one cut a ghost?...

Her face softened a bit though and she managed to smile again when she told her that she would indeed appreciate some help there in the garden. “Wonderful!” she exclaimed. “What would you like me to do? Just tell me and I'll try my best. T's been so long since I was able to work at all in a garden like this...”

[Adina Gillespie]

Adina quickly wiped her eyes and tried her hardest to smile through the pain. "He is not a nice man, though I regrettably work for him- well used to work for him, I should say… But it seems as though I am still trapped in this manor. Try as I may- and I have- I cannot seem to go beyond the forests. It is as if there is a spell of enchantment over the house and the surrounding area. I go in one direction and, oddly enough, find myself right back where I had just been!"

Now things seemed to have settled a bit and the maid felt happier to be around someone she could speak with. She had recently had the pleasure of meeting Meg Giry in the gardens and now Christine. It seemed as though things were finally looking up for her as she looked around the gardens. "You have worked in a garden before?… Hmmm," She mused, chewing on one of her nails. "Perhaps we should start with a bit of watering. There should be a watering can just behind the fountain over there."

[Christine Svenna Daaé]

“He certainly doesn't sound very nice at all,” Christine replied, a hint of sadness in her eyes imagining the pain this woman must have felt, being cut... “I really do wish that there was some way for you to leave here. It sounds horrible from the way that you've described it...” Christine could not really say that she had encountered many unpleasantries herself, though she could certainly imagine the pain and frustration of the other woman.

A small smile returned to her face and she nodded a little when the other woman asked if she'd ever worked in a garden before. “I have,” she said. “It was a very long time ago though, back when father and I lived in Perros... we had a little garden there by the house, though it wasn't nearly the size of this one... In fact, this garden is bigger than our house was,” she said with a little laugh.