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Post by Erik Lavalais on Jun 28, 2012 13:56:39 GMT -5
Erik was getting tired of being mistaken for this killer and kidnapper he wasn't. But he was pretty sure that if this man insisted he was this Erik that everyone was on about, he'd start killing people out of sheer annoyance.
"I can assure you, sir, I mean you no harm. Now if you could please lower your voice, you are in a house of God." Erik furrowed his brow. Was this man Christian? Well, if he was, Erik assumed he might have a little respect and fear of God instilled in him.
"Otherwise, it is a pleasure to meet you sir, and, er, Christine? Who's presiding over the mass? I've yet to have met a priest, and I was rather curious..."
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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 Jun 28, 2012 15:42:14 GMT -5
Christine was a bit baffled when Raoul suddenly seized her hand and pulled her behind him. What was he doing? And then she frowned at his words. Do you really think me daft enough to not know who you are Oh dear. It was happening again.... Raoul had made the same mistake that she had upon first seeing him...
Before she had time to react, Raoul grabbed her by the shoulders and started raving about how this man before them was really Érik and that he was trying to trick her. She was going to scold him about shouting in the chapel, bit Monsieur Lavalais addressed him about the matter first.
“Quite agreed, Monsieur,” she said, giving a warning gaze in Raoul's direction. “And no, Raoul, it's not, though I made the same mistake upon first seeing him. That is not his voice despite the similarities in appearance. I assure you that Monsieur Lavalais is not Érik – or at least not the Erik which we know.”
The then turned her speaking to Monsieur Lavalais. “Yes, Monsieur. I know that it is not the most ideal of circumstances, but there really is not much other option in the matter.... Unless of course you would be willing to preside over some parts such as the homily, though I really should not ask that of you, especially not so last minute and after you have already agreed to provide the organ music for the vigil...”
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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 Jul 2, 2012 15:35:05 GMT -5
Erik raised his visible eyebrow as he turned to see what was going on. There was a bit of drama going on in the back of the chapel and it had nothing to do with Easter Vigil. It seemed the tall man in white was disputing with Raoul de Chagny, over the little blonde Christine. He watched in interest. De Chagny pulled Christine behind his back.
It seemed Christine then tried to tell her fiancé that there were two similar Eriks. Lenoir blinked. He had made that same mistake. He couldn't tell them apart either. How odd. How very odd.
They kept up the dispute for a bit and Erik wished the service would begin. He turned back to face the front. He couldn't imagine what they were planning to do, being bereft of a priest. He hoped the Erik who was the designated organist would play some of the beautiful church music he remembered from his childhood...
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Raoul de Chagny
If I don't save her from the hands of that humbug, she is lost. But I shall save her.
Posts: 89
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Post by Raoul de Chagny on Jul 4, 2012 11:49:58 GMT -5
Raoul’s temper just shot up even more when the man had the nerve to tell him to keep his voice down. “Well, then, perhaps we should step outside, hm? I’ll show you to the door…” he snapped back, fists clenching at his side. He would love to give him a punch right to the jaw right now, but he couldn’t—as they were in a church. “Then we can end this charade.”
He softened slightly when Christine glared at him but shook his head. “Christine, he tried to kill us!” he protested in a soft tone. “If he thinks I’m just going to let him walk away he has another thing coming.” he stated, glaring at the man dangerously. “I’ll look him in the face—man-to-man—and we’ll settle this once and for all! Would you care to step outside, sir, I asked?!” he demanded again, starting to take off his coat.
“What do you mean he’s not his voice? He’s a ventriloquist! He could be trying to trick you—again.” Raoul answered, still training his eyes on the man. When she asked him to give a sermon he stared at her as if she had two heads. “He is a monster, Christine! This is a mockery of the church, a mockery!”
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Raoul Edouard de Chagny
You need the man you knew back here beside you?
You need the man you knew back here beside you?
Posts: 365
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Post by Raoul Edouard de Chagny on Jul 4, 2012 19:26:06 GMT -5
Edouard frowned a bit and turned toward the back to see what the ruckus was about. It wasn't loud and would hardly have been heard except in a place as quiet as this. It was the little blonde Christine, her fiancé and the tall man dressed in white who were arguing. Edouard turned back toward the front of the chapel again. His mother had taught him never to stare at anyone in church and to keep your thoughts upon God. He hadn't really listened to that advice lately, but there would not be too many chances for church services here. This might be the last for quite a while.
Edouard glanced at Emilie again, smiling. He squeezed her hand. It was good to see her. He didn't know where she'd been every minute of every day and he reminded himself that he must learn to trust her. It was just so hard though...
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Post by ladybarbossa on Jul 5, 2012 20:47:35 GMT -5
Hearing the commotion behind her somewhat but did not even turn to look. Why would there be a need for her to see when she had her own turmoil to attend to? Closing her eyes she tried to shut out the bickering between men. Oh, how it sounded familiar. All too familiar for her liking. Was this their lot in life? For the men to argue over the woman they loved? Each of the Christines? At least for her, it was driving her mad and into a terribly somber state.
There was nothing attached to the pews for them to kneel upon and wasn't simply willing to just bow her head there and be satisfied. No, for a time such as this, where forgiveness and compassion was needed, drastic measures needed to be taken. At least, to her understanding.
Feeling Raoul's hand gently squeeze her own, she glanced to her Husband with a weak smile. She didn't even notice Lenoir in the back. Barely giving a squeeze in return, she then stood and moved to the front, standing before 'the alter' or what would make as the alter at current as best as they tried to fix it. Then knelt before it. There were times she did this in her most desperate hours of her life. To go before God and beg or pray. To lay her soul out before HIM.
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Post by Erik Lavalais on Jul 11, 2012 14:11:04 GMT -5
"I'm sorry, Christine, but I don't think that I can speak...I'm not...well...I'm not the best at public speaking." Erik turned to the man. "Monsieur...must we really be the focus of everyone in the church?"
Then, again, he turned to Christine. "I think I must observe his wishes to disprove his theory. I'm sorry, but I do believe it will be the only way to satiate him. Shall we?" He nodded at the man, then at the chapel door.
Erik sighed. He hated to have to take a last resort, but he supposed...if it was the only way to keep the man quiet...he'd have to.
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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 Jul 13, 2012 6:22:07 GMT -5
((Aaaaaaaaaaaaand once again, Blondie DOES NOT HATE ERIK! XD ))
“Raoul, despite what circumstances may seem, this man is not Érik. Do you not think that if anyone in this world were to recognize his voice it would be I? I tell you that he is not Érik, so why do you not believe me?”
The petite blonde girl stared up at her fiancé in despair, lips quivering, then shook her head a little. “Raoul, even Érik is a child of the lord and deserves redemption should he choose to seek it. You have no right to deny him that, nor do I. Even if this man were Érik, he would still have every right to be here.”
Pursing her lips a little in an attempt to withhold any sort of emotion, she turned back to the taller of the two men and nodded apologetically. “I understand that, Monsieur Lavalais, and that is quite all right. If the two of you wish to step outside and discuss this like civilized gentlemen, then by all means do so, but I, like everyone else here, would like to go on with the mass as planned.”
She glanced back to her fiancé with pleading eyes. This was extremely important to her, and she hoped that he would realize that and possibly come to his senses about this whole situation, or at least allow it to go enough for them to continue on as planned.
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Raoul de Chagny
If I don't save her from the hands of that humbug, she is lost. But I shall save her.
Posts: 89
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Post by Raoul de Chagny on Jul 23, 2012 0:39:11 GMT -5
“Then perhaps you should stop being such a coward and step outside, so that we may settle this like men.” Raoul snapped acerbically. He was tired of the man scolding him. He was no man of God—he was the most despicable type of man there was. He terrorized his fiancé, as well as the opera house—he was a monster.
“Because he is hypnotizing you! Making you believe that he is not the man who kidnapped you, when in fact he is!” the young man replied in desperation. “Why can’t you see that? I will not lose you, Christine!” He loved her too ardently to let that happen. He would do anything he could to stop this man from taking her again.
He said nothing when she stated that Erik did have a right to be present. She was right, but he preferred him dead and buried—far away from the both of them, far enough away for him not to do any harm—for him not to disrupt the peace, which he already had by hypnotizing his fiancée yet again.
Finally the man accepted his challenge and gestured toward the door. “After you.” Raoul answered stiffly, holding a hand out toward the door. He was about to walk over to it when Christine spoke again. Her words were uttered pleadingly—he could see it in her eyes. “I’m doing this for you.” he murmured before turning his back to her and opening the door.
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Post by Erik Lavalais on Jul 25, 2012 14:46:10 GMT -5
Erik shook his head. This was too much attention. He could feel the eyes burning into him as he walked to the door. He hated this...but if it was the only way for this man to see that he was not the man they all thought he was...then so be it.
He stepped into the hallway, feeling vulnerable, especially for what he was about to do. "Have you seen the face of this other Erik, monsieur?"
He asked the question tentatively, hesitantly. If the man had never seen the other Erik's face, then...what could he possibly so to save himself from the judgement that was supposed to lay on another man's shoulders?
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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 Jul 26, 2012 10:43:29 GMT -5
((for everyone other than Meg and Mel, the link to the mass text I am using (it's surprisingly difficult to find full Easter Vigils) is here in “Blondie's Prayer Book” To Meg and Mel, you can post freely since there are two separate simultaneous events, so posting order does not matter so much.)) Christine shook her head, partially in frustration and partially in despair as her fiancé and Monsieur Lavalais left the little chapel. Why hadn't he listened to her? She had told him, several times, that that was not Érik, and yet he refused to believe her! Worse yet, he had told her that she was hypnotized! Christine was a very clever girl, and she could certainly tell when Érik was controlling her with his voice – and she knew that he had – but this time he was not[! And she knew that she was not. Why were men so impossibly stubborn? She let out a soft sigh. Regardless of what buffoonery they were participating in outside, she needed to uphold things inside. She only hoped that Monsieur Lavalais would return in time to play organ for the service. She would have hoped that he and or Raoul would have been able to play a larger role in this, as it was not traditional for a woman to perform so much of the mass. She already new that there were certain portions which would have to be skipped, as there was no one ordained present. Inhaling, she carefully lit the fire and began to speak. “ Dear friends in Christ: On this most holy night, in which our Lord Jesus passed over from death to life, the Church invites her members, dispersed throughout the world, to gather in vigil and prayer. For this is the Passover of the Lord, in which, be hearing his Word and celebrating his Sacraments, we share in his victory over death.
Let us pray: O God, through your Son you have bestowed upon your people in the brightness of your light. Sanctify this new fire, and grant that in this Pascal feast we may so burn with heavenly desires, that with pure minds we may attain to the festival of everlasting light; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen” She picked up the dusty torch bearing the Pascal candle and, from the fire which had been kindled, lit it and began to process, pausing and chanting. “ The light of Christ.” And she held out the Pascal candle for members of the congregation to light their own candles, waiting for their response to her chant before she would continue on with the procession.
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Raoul de Chagny
If I don't save her from the hands of that humbug, she is lost. But I shall save her.
Posts: 89
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Post by Raoul de Chagny on Jul 27, 2012 0:09:17 GMT -5
Raoul followed the other man out into the hallway. He didn’t once consider that it was rash of him to challenge Erik so openly. If he could get him to stay away from his fiancée, if he could end this madness, then it would all be worth it. Nor did he consider that this man may not even be the Erik that he and Christine both knew. He was hypnotizing her—again—it was as simple as that. This time, however, he would free her.
He crossed his arms in frustration at the man’s insistence on keeping up the charade even when it was just the two of them. “Drop this senseless act, monsieur—I know who you are. You may be able to fool Christine, but you cannot fool me.” he spat out venomously. “No, you and I both know I have never seen your face.” he said brusquely in reply to his question. What the devil was he getting at?
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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 Aug 25, 2012 22:20:04 GMT -5
Erik was quite glad that the service was finally started. He was surprised that, as yet, no priest had arrived. It seemed that the little blonde Christine had to take it upon herself to conduct the service. He could not in his mind call it a Mass, for that would require a priest. He was surprised he remembered so much of his childhood religion. It seemed so long ago now...could it really be that many years ago?
But of course there was no priest available and Erik also thought it good of little Christine to do what she could. He picked up one of the Mass books to find out where she was reading. He found the Easter Vigil and read along with Christine. He noticed that she not only had a beautiful voice for singing, but her speaking voice was lovely too.
Christine lit the Paschal candle from the fire and then each person in the congregation lit their candles from the Paschal candle and soon the chapel became aglow with flickering candlelight, even though there were not many in the congregation. Erik's lair was adorned with many candles and he loved candles, but this one was different. He assumed it was blessed and he rather handled it with reverence. He watched the flame and it almost hypnotized him.
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Raoul Edouard de Chagny
You need the man you knew back here beside you?
You need the man you knew back here beside you?
Posts: 365
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Post by Raoul Edouard de Chagny on Aug 25, 2012 23:09:37 GMT -5
The young de Chagny and Erik wwere out in the hall and their voices could be heard a bit in the chapel.
Then Christine took over because apparently there was no priest or other person to preside. He was a bit astonished that a woman would even consider stepping up to fill in for the priest. But none of the men had stepped up. He touched his wife's wrist and whispered, "Perhaps I should ask if I can help..."
Edouard waited until his turn came to light his candle from the Paschal candle and he whispered to Christine, "Is there anythning I can do to help...read someting aloud perhaps?"
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Post by ladybarbossa on Aug 26, 2012 8:29:02 GMT -5
She had done everything possible to block out the argument that was heard elsewhere in the Chapel before it was taken outside. With a soft sigh and closing her eyes, she was disappointed that men could not lay aside their feud for even the Lord's sake! Sad and pathetic indeed. Silently she prayed that these men here would learn to accept one another and unite in Brotherly Love as God had asked. For the sanity of all, the past of each person must be let go.
Opening her eyes at the touch of Raoul Edouard's hand. Seeing his hand that confirmed his touch before raising those hazel blue eyes to look at him. She never really heard what the blonde had said and felt rather foolish that she'd been distracted with the problem and not focused upon the Vigil. This was new to her in a manner of speaking. A different way of performing the Service of Easter. Blinking as it settled in what her Husband had said. Though she did not agree with it completely, she simply nodded. If he wished to assist who was she to stop him? His intentions were good and she would be supportive of that.
Standing to follow her Husband, slowly realizing what was to be done now. Light the candles. This she had not done in many years. Not since she was a little girl. A weak smile appeared upon her lips as she recalled that long ago moment of a little curly brunette in a darling little dress and frock and new shoes for a religious gathering. The darkness was broken by the many, many candles that cast such a wondrous surreal and warm light over everything as though it were Heaven's Light. Taking the candle to light another. As she did, she said a silent prayer for all of the Manor, for peace to befall all here, hope, for her son to be safely returned to her, for her Husband, for Lenoir... for the garden, for the world. It was her own little tradition that she had not kept true to for a long time. Perhaps now she can return to that tradition.
Glancing over at Raoul Edouard after lighting the candle before she returned to the pew and sat. It was at this time she noticed Lenoir and her breath nearly caught in her throat. Fear attempted to take hold but with the Grace of God, she wouldn't let it control her. They were in the Presence of God. Despite her Husband's presence she had to at least acknowledge Lenoir for it would be poor civility on her part if she ignored him. With a slight smile and a nod as she looked Lenoir yet remained silent. Then turned her sights away as she sat down in the pew to at least attempt to enjoy the Vigil. Awaiting her Husband to return and sit beside her on the pew.
Lord bring reason to the minds of men.
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