Erik Lenoir
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Hide your face so the world will never find you...
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Nov 19, 2012 21:01:40 GMT -5
Erik continued to listen to little Christine. It seemed that she wanted to take his suggestions, but that she could not. At least, it appeared to Erik that way. She seemed very distraught with the situation.
"Mademoiselle Daaé, there are very few options that we have living here at the Manor. We have indeed been taken here against our wills and we have the choice of living here with all the other residents, whom we may or may not like, or living in the village. Of course there is the option of going beyond the village, but I have been warned by someone who seems to know the truth of this place, and he advises not to venture further than the village. There are a few of the residents who have disappeared and never returned. What their fate was, I cannot say."
Erik spoke in a soft, gentle voice, so as not to upset the girl. She was very fragile and he liked her and did not wish to upset her, but he knew she must know the truth.
"Mademoiselle Daaé, is it Monsieur Érik who stands between you and your fiancé? I have spoken with him and he is indeed difficult to communicate with. And perhaps you need not keep them apart. Perhaps they need to work this out themselves. You appear to be in the midst of this quarrel...My advice would be to let the men work it out." If they don't kill each other... he thought. But what could anyone do about that? A confrontation was inevitable. And there would be no peace for any of the three if it were not settled. And poor Christine was in the middle. Erik smiled at Christine and touched her hand gently. There wasn't any more he could do for her, unless she asked him for something...
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Christine Daaé
The Swedish Nightingale and Fairy of the North
If when the time comes, I refuse to go with you, well then, Raoul, you must carry me off by force!
Posts: 1,592
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Post by Christine Daaé on Dec 7, 2012 2:48:57 GMT -5
Christine froze a moment, her face paling a bit at Monsieur Lenoir's question. What made her tremble more so though was the suggestion that followed. “Monsieur, if the two of them are to meet here, then I do not know if I will ever see both of them alive and well after... The last time that one confronted the other, it was a miracle he did not end up dead...”
She sighed and hung her head again a moment before looking back up at him. “It is to terrible to always be trembling like this... always trying to hide one from the other... I did it once before, but even then... even then, I knew that it couldn't last forever... That the only thing that could be done was to run away... Well... we're away now... and yet... and yet somehow it's not at all what I had imagined....”
She forced a sad smile before turning her eyes downcast yet again. "Monsieur, may I ask you a question?"
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Erik Lenoir
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Hide your face so the world will never find you...
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Dec 8, 2012 12:20:00 GMT -5
It almost seened to Erik that this Christine was afraid of not so much of Érik, but of the confrontation that might happen, indeed, was inevitable, between Érik and Raoul. The only thing to stop a confrontation would be for Raoul and Christine to flee the manor. But they couldn't go far. And would de Chagny really want to avoid a confrontation to settle things between them once and for all? It was likely that the man would want to fight for his Christine.
But, Erik wondered, Raoul against Érik? Did Raoul even stand a chance? Both seemed brave and surely both would take on the other for the love of Christine. But truly it was inevitable. Some type of confrontation must happen. Could it be defused? Could they come to an agreement? Not likely. Both wanted Christine and there was only one of her, at least only one of the little blonde that they both wanted.
Christine was concerned for both of them. Erik realized she had feelings for both of them. Then he thought about Emilie. It was the same situation with her. She had obvious feelings for her husband, Edouard, but also feelings for himself, Erik Lenoir. Perhaps the Christines were doomed ot be torn between two men.
"You fear for their lives if they confront each other. But what can be done to avoid a confrontation?" He paused and stroked her hand gently. "You should not be the one trying to hide them from each other. You should not be in the middle. They need to meet and have done with it. Perhaps you should be at the meeting. They would undoubtedly not fight before a lady." Erik hoped they would not fight in front of a lady. But who knew what they would do?
Then Christine said she had a question for Erik. "What is it, Mademoiselle Daaé? Please, ask what you will."
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Christine Daaé
The Swedish Nightingale and Fairy of the North
If when the time comes, I refuse to go with you, well then, Raoul, you must carry me off by force!
Posts: 1,592
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Post by Christine Daaé on Dec 20, 2012 20:29:22 GMT -5
Christine listened as Monsieur Lenoir spoke. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps that was it... She knew that she was afraid for their safety, although it was most certainly not the only thing for which she feared. None of this should have happened at all! They should have all been miles and miles away from this place, and yet here they all were...
Lenoir rubbed her hand gently and explained to her that she should not have to be in the center of this, and suggested that she just let them have out with it. She flinched at this, but did not draw her hand back. In a way he was right. She knew that neither of them were likely to stop unless they got it out of their systems, but if and when that happened, how could she possibly guarantee that they would be living by the end of it? Érik she did not have too much worry over, for she knew that he was quite deadly when he needed to be... and that was why she was afraid.
Perhaps Lenoir was right. Perhaps if she were there, he would not kill him? She knew that she could keep Raoul at bay, but Érik she was not so sure any more. She couldn't even convince him to give her the key to the torture chamber...
She sighed and then looked up at Lenoir again when he asked her what her question was. It was a question that had been poking at her mind for quite some time now, but one which she hadn't dared bother to ask anyone...
“Oh yes, my question... My question... Do... Do you think me mad?... I... I know it's probably a silly question to ask, but...” She bit her lips as she spoke. It was a question to which she was no longer so certain of the answer.
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Dec 27, 2012 16:43:06 GMT -5
After Lenoir had put forth his proposal that a meeting take place between the little blonde Christine's de Chagny and Érik, with she as mediator, she had seemed to ponder the situation. "Anything could happen, Mademoiselle Daaé, however, as I said before, if they both truly love you, they would not risk hurting the other one for fear of incurring your wrath or disgust. What you need is someone who could be there, to see that what you fear might happen, does not. Someone with no ties to either one of the opponents, someone completely neutral, with neither a dispute nor an alliance with either Monsieur de Chagny or Monsieur Érik."
Erik thought a moment. "Just as a suggestion, perhaps Monsieur Lavalais would agree to mediate between them." Then Christine said she had a question for him. She wanted to know if he thought her mad." He laughed a bit and shook his head. "Dear lady, do not think I disparage you by my laugh. It is merely a laugh of incredulity, for you appear to me to be the sanest of women. Perhaps, because you are in the midst of this crisis, your mental sensibilities are not what they should be, but that can only be natural. However, mad, I think not." Then Erik paused a moment in thought, and rubbing his temple in a nervous gesture, said, "Perhaps I am not the best one to ask about your sanity, though, Mademoiselle Daaé. There are those who have deemed me quite insane."
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Christine Daaé
The Swedish Nightingale and Fairy of the North
If when the time comes, I refuse to go with you, well then, Raoul, you must carry me off by force!
Posts: 1,592
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Post by Christine Daaé on Dec 29, 2012 1:43:18 GMT -5
What he was saying seemed to make sense, but she couldn't help still feeling a little uneasy. After all, she had already nearly lost one to the other once before. Did she really wish to take that risk yet a second time? She knew that they loved her, that they both loved her, but when one would commit murder for love... is love really any sort of safeguard at all against violence? It was of this which she was not convinced. Even in Raoul's situation, when he had first encountered Monsieur Lavalais back during Easter, he had thought him to be Érik and had begun bickering in church. She was sadly convinced that it they hadn't been in the chapel, and had it really been Érik, that things may have turned out much worse than they had....
And then Monsieur Lenoir brought up Monsieur Lavalais, a suggestion at which Christine raised her head once more and tilted it a little as she looked at him. It was a thought, certainly. Monsieur Lavalais had been quite good to her, and perhaps, if she asked, he would be willing to help... Even so though, the girl really would have preferred merely to avoid the situation altogether if at all possible.
And then, came the answer to the question which she had really been wanting an answer to – the question of whether or not she really was going mad. She was normally a quite sensible girl, but with all of the recent occurrences – being sucked into a different time, seeing ghosts, having close encounters with demons, etc. – she wasn't sure if she could trust her senses any more.
Monsieur Lenoir laughed a bit at first, an action to which Christine initially flinched a little and then closed her eyes and turned her face downcast. It was just as she'd feared... Or was it? After he laughed, he began to explain that she did not appear 'mad' to him at all. Her initial thought after this was to be relieved, but then something else he said, as he continued, prevented her from getting so much ease.
Monsieur Lenoir continued on to say that there were those who had deemed him 'quite insane,' and thus he may not be the best of authorities to consult with upon such a matter. Christine was briefly confused by this. Monsieur Lenoir, from what she had seen, was a peculiar man, no doubt, but she had seen nothing to cause her to come to the conclusion that he was 'quite insane'... with the exception, perhaps, of that strange doll she had seen in his home. But then again, this man, with his mask and his name, was another Erik, and if he were anything like Érik in that sense, then she could certainly see why one might call him insane.
She let out a soft sigh before looking back up at him again and mustering up a smile. Even if it couldn't be an authoritative opinion, she was very glad that there was someone who did not think her to be mad, though she herself had been almost certain that she was. “Monsieur Lavalais, you say,” she said, attempting to be pleasant for a change. “I shall certainly keep that in mind. Thank you, Monsieur Lenoir. And... thank you for taking the time to talk to me...”
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Jan 1, 2013 20:42:22 GMT -5
Christine looked as if she were thinking about Lavalais being a mediator in the dispute between de Chagny and Érik. "If you do look for someone other than Lavalais to intervene, I am sure there are a few others who could be impartial. However, I cannot see any way to resolve this, than for them to come together and talk it over and come to a resolution..."
"Dear Mademoiselle Daaé, I do hope you shall find some way to resolve your dilemma." He looked at her and smiled. He liked the girl, a lot. But she always seemed so sad. He thought of her as a friend. Why, they had shared some moments together...the dungeon, a terrible ordeal from which they barely escaped, his rescue of her from the balcony when she had almost fallen from it. And likewise his rescue of her de Chagny, once when he had almost drown and once when Raoul had almost fallen with Christine from the balcony. Then there was the very nice time they had in his lair when she had brought him thank you treats. He had been very touched by that. He leaned toward her gently and smiled. In a soft voice, he said, "You are very dear to me, Mademoiselle Daaé. One of the loveliest people in the mansion. I have appreciated your friendship. And any time that I can talk to you will certainly be a joy..." He hoped she wouldn't mind, but he pulled her hand gently to himself and bent his head to kiss it. "I do wish you the b est of luck with your dilemma."
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Christine Daaé
The Swedish Nightingale and Fairy of the North
If when the time comes, I refuse to go with you, well then, Raoul, you must carry me off by force!
Posts: 1,592
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Post by Christine Daaé on Jan 11, 2013 13:54:23 GMT -5
It was too terrible to always be trembling like this, and yet she found it nearly unavoidable here. There were demons and monsters, terrors at every turn... And while she knew it was possible for her to be brave against them, she knew in her heart that the one thing she was unable to remain brave against was love. That was why she had tried so desperately for the longest time to shield herself from it. She was afraid of it. She was afraid of being hurt by it. She was afraid of losing it... and now she wasn't sure how to avoid those exact situations which she feared most. She silently upbraided herself for allowing her heart to fall when she had. She would have done better to keep it locked away just a tad longer...
“Thank you, Monsieur Lenoir,” she said softly before looking back up at him again. “You have been very kind to me... I couldn't hope to ask any more for you...” She managed a bit of a smile as his lips grazed her hand, wishing her luck. “Thank you...” That was all she knew to say. There was so much to think about now... They would not be able to escape as she'd hoped they would be able to. Now they needed to find something else, some other way... And unfortunately, it seemed the way that Monsieur Lenoir had proposed was the only one available... And she wasn't sure how much longer she would be able to delay the confrontation which now seemed imminent.
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
Posts: 1,241
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Jan 11, 2013 21:10:51 GMT -5
Erik saw that Christine was still trembling. "You are still upset," he said quietly. He knew that many things about the mansion frightened her. Yes, there were indeed ghosts and demons and spirits of every sort here at the mansion. And indeed there were frightful disputes among some of the people who lived here now. Erik took it all in stride. But the little Christine seemed to delicate, to frightened to cope with it herself. Truly, she needed someone with her at all times to help her keep away the fears that she was having.
"Perhaps, if I may suggest something else, you might wish to make sure you are always with someone else, night and day, while you are here. I am sure there may be one of the women who would be willing to stay with you. Pity Giry is not here. She would have been quite happy to do so, especially if I asked her to do it. Once you are married and living in the village, things will undoubtedly be better."
Then Erik added, hoping it might cheer the unhappy girl, "When the opera house is refurbished and ready for musical productions again, I do hope you will consider singing on my stage. I know you have a lovely voice from the time that you sang for me and I would be so pleased if you would be one of the ones who would sing here, even if you are married and living in the village. I assume your de Chagny would have no objections, Mademoiselee?"
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Christine Daaé
The Swedish Nightingale and Fairy of the North
If when the time comes, I refuse to go with you, well then, Raoul, you must carry me off by force!
Posts: 1,592
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Post by Christine Daaé on Jan 12, 2013 23:08:34 GMT -5
Christine hesitated, but then nodded in admittance when Monsieur Lenoir remarked that she was still upset. It was difficult not to be. She did feel better than she had before, though all things considered, that wasn't really saying much. She had so many things to worry about, so many things running through her mind, so many uncertain thoughts in her head...
He spoke, suggesting that she stay with someone at night to ease her thinking and her fears a little. “I... I'm sure Mamma would let me stay in her room at night... She'd probably enjoy the company...” And then she tlted her head a bit. Giry...? “Do you mean Mademoiselle Meg Giry? I met her a few months back.”
And then she smiled a little. It was a small smile, very faint, but it was still there. “Thank you, Monsieur Lenoir. I... I would like that very much. No, I do not believe that Monsieur de Chagny would object... I shall consider.”
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Feb 4, 2013 21:27:32 GMT -5
"Ah, Madame Valerius is here? I have heard word of her, but have not as yet met her. I do think it would be a splendid idea for you to stay with her. It would probably do both of you some good. And certainly she must enjoy your company. "
When Erik mentioned Madame Giry, Christine thought he meant Meg Giry. "No, my dear, Meg is her daughter. I mean Madame Giry. Actually I never learned her first name. Very strange. We were friends, but always formal with each other." His eyes grew a bit sad. "She was a very good friend. The only one I had for a long time. She saved my life once and I shall always be grateful...but that is a story for another day. Suffice to say I do not know her daughter well, although I have met several girls named Meg here at the mansion." He laughed. "One of them quite mistook me for someone else. As if that were possible..."
When she said there was a possibility of singing in the opera, even after her marriage to M. de Chagny, Erik smiled. "I am very heartened by that. And if he does object for some reason, let me speak to him and tell him how much your lovely voice is needed." He paused. "Did you need someone to walk you back to your suite? I would be delighted to do so..."]
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Christine Daaé
The Swedish Nightingale and Fairy of the North
If when the time comes, I refuse to go with you, well then, Raoul, you must carry me off by force!
Posts: 1,592
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Post by Christine Daaé on Feb 5, 2013 4:12:44 GMT -5
Christine nodded a little when Lenoir repeated that Madame Valérius was here, but then paused for a moment. She hadn’t recalled telling him her adoptive mother’s name… “Yes, she is my mother… Well, not technically, but she took me in after my father died… Yes, I’m sure she would enjoy the company, though I’m afraid I’m a bit unsure of how to break all of this to her… or whether I should tell her any of it at all. She is in such a delicate condition… I’m sorry… How do you know of her, exactly?” Christine was a bit curious about it. Had someone else told him? Perhaps Érik, or Raoul?
He explained to her that it was not Meg Giry, but her mother to which he referred. Christine hadn’t though Meg to be married, but she couldn’t have been certain… “Oh… I… I’m afraid I don’t know any ‘Madame Giry’… sorry. The name seems vaguely familiar, but I’m afraid that may only be from meeting Mademoiselle Giry…” And then she gave a sort of nervous chuckle that faded out into silence when he mentioned one mistaking him for someone else. She hadn’t met any people by the name of Erik who looked so much like Monsieur Lenoir per se, but she knew very well the feeling of being unable to identify one Erik from another at a quick glance.
She let out a soft sigh and then shook her head a bit before looking back at him. “It’s not so much I think that he would object, as it is we’d promised one another we would both retire” She gave a sort of bittersweet chuckle. “But considering the circumstances I have a feeling our plans will have to change.” And with this, she forced a smile onto her face. “There are plenty of other sopranos here, I’m sure, though it’s very flattering of you to say. And yes, if you don’t mind? I’m sorry to be such a bother like this, but there is evil in these halls,” she said with a shiver. “It’s terrifying in and of itself to be alone here, even if only for a moment…”
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Feb 7, 2013 21:47:28 GMT -5
Christine spoke of her adoptive mother, Madame Valerius and then she asked Erik how he knew of her since she had not mentioned her name to him. He looked a bit vague as he tried to remember. "I have heard talk of her, but I can't exactly remember where or from whom I heard it There is much said in conversations about the mansion, about every subject one can imagine."
Then she mentioned retirement for both herself and her de Chagny. He frowned. "Mademoiselle, you are much too young to retire that beautiful voice. I could not bear to think of it not being heard again, and I would be so pleased and honoured if it could be upon my stage...please reconsider. And if your de Chagny still wishes you to retire, perhaps I can have a word with him and persuade him to let you sing, at least occasionally." Erik wondered why the two of them would deny the world her lovely voice. He wondered if she were simply going along with de Chagny to avoid argument.
"And yes, I agree, there is something evil that lurks here. I should be delighted to accompany you to your suite or that of your mother. Which shall it be?" He stood and offered his arm for her to grasp and then they would leave the opera house.
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Christine Daaé
The Swedish Nightingale and Fairy of the North
If when the time comes, I refuse to go with you, well then, Raoul, you must carry me off by force!
Posts: 1,592
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Post by Christine Daaé on Feb 22, 2013 4:00:39 GMT -5
Christine let out an audible sigh of relief and pressed a hand to her heart when Monsieur Lenoir stated that he had only heard talk of her adoptive mother previously, and had never actually met the woman. While Christine didn’t think that Monsieur Lenoir would ever mean her mother any sort of harm, she wasn’t sure of what kind of reaction the old woman would have to a strange fellow in a mask, and she would prefer to avoid any sort of potentially frightening circumstances before she could think of a way to explain this whole situation which (for the moment, at least) she did not even fully understand herself.
Rather than stating any of this though, she simply nodded as if to acknowledge his answer and to dismiss the topic. While she couldn’t help but to wonder who had mentioned the name to him (especially considering the effort she’d been taking to be sure to hide the issue from Mamma Valérius for the time being), she supposed it were possible she’d said the name briefly in one of their past conversations… Or perhaps it had been Raoul who had mentioned the name to him? After all, the two did appear to be friends of some sort at least…
At Monsieur Lenoir’s next set of statements though, Christine could not help but to narrow her eyes a little. “Why do you assume that it is Monsieur de Chagny who wishes to remove me from the stage? Do you not consider it possible that I might have made such a decision on my own?” She paused a moment to let her words have effect, and then sighed softly before continuing on. “It is not my singing that I think he might be upset by so much as the fact of a broken promise. Music has been a large part of both of our lives for quite some time now, but… it wasn’t entirely my decision for me to continue it at all…”
She stared down at the floor of the dusty aisle for a moment before making eye contact with Monsieur Lenoir again. “I… I’m sorry… Thank you for offering to accompany me. I.. I would prefer to go see my mother, if at all possible…?” she carefully got up out of her seat and accepted his arm.
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Erik Lenoir
Hide your face, so the world will never find you...
Hide your face so the world will never find you...
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Post by Erik Lenoir on Apr 7, 2013 13:49:53 GMT -5
Christine became a bit ruffled at his next statements. He was startled when she seemed perhaps angry and upset and chided him on thinking that it had been de Chagny who had decided she must retire herself from the stage. "Of course, Mademoiselle, if you wish to step down....but such a voice as yours, of extreme beauty...is a gift not many are given. It would be a shame to silence it. One must not hide one's gifts away, they are for all to enjoy..." He of course thought of himself and how he wished to perform in public, but could not, of course. So this was the reason for his intense enthusiasm for those with a wonderful gift to use it for the enjoyment of others. He paused and then spoke again, "So it is your decision? I was sure de Chagny wanted your voice all to himself," he said a bit sarcastically, but the regretted it. He did not wish to upset Christine. It seemed the de Chagny family, whoever they were, were always doing things that in Erik's mind, were not good for the Christines.
But this was not his Christine. He should not interfere. He longed for his own Christine. Things had gone well with he lately. They had made plans for resuming the vocal lessons and time spent apart from her dragged. But he must take it slow and carefully.
Erik said no more about Christine's decision to give up singing. Perhaps he could speak to her de Chagny to change her mind. He needed everyone who could sing to do so for the operas he planned to produce here at the mansion. It seemed some things were going well with the refurbishing and others were dragging on and on.
Walking arm in arm, the petite blonde singer and the strange looking masked man walked slowly from the opera house. She mentioned she wanted to be taken to Madame Valarius' room. "I am sure you will be safe there with her. And when I leave you with her, perhaps you could introduce me. I would very much like to meet her." He smiled.
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