The Smallest of Hamlets (Carlotta)

[Christine Daaé]

It was early fall when Christine managed to work up the courage to go to the village on her own. Quite frankly, she was surprised she had the courage left to even function at all given the... occurrences... The worst part about it was that she couldn't tell another soul about it. It frightened and disturbed her deeply. She only wished that she could believe the whole thing had been absolutely nothing but a hallucination. But it wasn't. And that was what made it so horrid.

But that wasn't why she had come to the village. No. Granted, it was nice to get away from that horrid manor, yes, but she would not have come down to the village had she not felt it to be absolutely necessary. Raoul had been working day in and day out at the zoo in the village in attempt to save up enough money so that they could be wed and so that they and Mamma Valérius would no longer have to stay within the confines of that Hell-House, and perhaps even return to Paris. She had seen so little of him other than his days off, though he made every effort to spend as much time near her as possible. And yet, it still wasn't enough.

Christine was a clever girl. She knew that what Raoul was making at the zoo wasn't much. Or at least, it wasn't enough for what they had planned. She hated seeing him work so hard with so little results. She knew that it was supposed to be the bride's family that paid for the expenses of the wedding, but she didn't want to hurt his feelings by asking him to stop. He seemed so proud of himself that he was trying to provide for her, to show that he could be a good husband, but as much as she knew it would shatter his new-found pride in his work,Christine also knew that he couldn't do it alone. And quite honestly, that he shouldn't have to.

It was for this exact reason that Christine failed to mention to her dear betrothed that she was going to the village that day. He had already left for work at the zoo, and she would be back at the manor before he could ever find out that she had left. She needed to have some sort of work where she could make money . The fact that everyone in the village spoke English as a first language and she could only manage a few basic phrases was certainly a setback in her plans, but there were things that one could do where language played less of a role in creating such a barrier. One such possible job was busking.

Busking was what what she had come to the village to do. She had some experience in it, but it had been such a long time. During the brief time between her mother's death and when Professor Valérius had heard her father playing in Limby, she and Daddy Daaé had traveled around busking. Her father had gone to Upsala, hoping to find fame for his playing, but when they found nothing but poverty, they had busked as their only means of income. It was a very brief period, fortunately enough, but she remembered it well enough.

She had brought with her a small bag for coins and a pitch pipe which she also kept in the bag as a sort of 'just in case' if she should need it. She was dressed in a long pink bustle dress with long sleeves and pleasing around the base of the bodice, and her long golden locks hung in twin French braids, one over draped over her left shoulder and the other hanging against her back, both with little black ribbons tied into bows at the ends. She refused to dress in the scandalous clothing of the villagers around her, though all things given, this might have been better. When she dressed so differently, people noticed her, and watched her, which is exactly what she wanted. If they would watch, then they were likely to listen as well.

She set up on a corner in a section of the village where there was high foot traffic and very few of those frightening mechanical carriages. It was still fairly early in the day, before lunch time, so she hoped when lunch did come, there would be a few more people around. She had already warmed up before leaving the manor, so that was one less thing she had to do when she arrived. She glanced about at the people around her, hoping that they would be receptive of her art. She had recalled times where she ad her father were asked to move on because people did not wish to have them there. She prayed that would not be the case here and, after taking a deep, low breath, she took out her pitch pipe, played a B flat, tucked it away again in the bag she had set on the ground before her, opened her mouth, and began to sing.

“Fjorton år tror jag visst att jag va',
Liten flicka, så munter och så gla';
Ingen friare hörde jag å'.
Å ingen heller jag tänkte uppå.
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la ,la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la[/i]”

[Carlotta Corazon]

Carlotta had been stuck in her room for days on end. She came out only to find her way to the kitchen and bathroom to deal with her necessities, then rush back to her room. The only person she would see was her very best friend Franc, who was in the room 24/7. She gave scraps of nuts and fruits and some veggies to her friend. She refused to leave her room. What kind of place had she been thrown into, that she had explored so little of?

Carlotta was laying on her single person bed, curled up and with her face against the wall. "CASH!" Franc squawked concernedly towards his human companion. The diva groaned but did not move. "Be silent Franc..." She started weakly. "I am not feeling well. You are not going to get be up today. Estoy demasiado cansado.. I'll be quite content with staying in here for the rest of the day." She moaned then covered her pillow with her head. This action caused the bird to go into a frenzy.

Franc was tired of seeing Carlotta laying around all the time now, he knew it was time she faced her fears and get out there after her incident with that strange woman. The colorful Macaw flew and attacked the pillow the Carlotta had thrown over her head. "CASH!! CASH!!" Franc yelled between attacks on the fluffy pillow. Carlotta gasped at this aggressive mood on her pillow and abruptly sat up and clung the pillow to her chest. "No más! No más! I give in! Just leave my pillow alone! Its one of my better ones!" She said, still holding her pillow protectively. Satisfied, Franc flew back to his perch and squawked 'cash' a few more times which seemed to make Carlotta perk up some.

"Hey, you're right, Franc! Oye, I have been so foolish! I have been in hysterics all this time, and what for? Es hora de enfrentar la realidad." Carlotta said with strong courage in her voice. It died for a moment however when she spoke a short prayer in Spanish and then looked ready to face the world once again. She got dressed in a satin green dress with white under the v neck of the dress. She then sat in the mirror for quite a while, getting her golden earrings in, a matching green ribbon bow necklace and putting her hair hair up. Carlotta then stood up with confidence and then smiled at Franc and smiled. "Ah, I wish you could have given me a few words sooner instead of mopping around this room. Por lo menos yo estoy finalmente salir de esta sala!" She chuckled slightly and picked up a green parasol that matched her dress, and placed it under her arm and walked out of the room.

Immediately, Carlotta wanted to recoil from when she had met that imposter. She whined to herself a little then growled and snapped at herself. "Detener esta locura! Imagine if you're mamma and papa saw you!" That statement about her parents seemed to straiten her out. She was not very determined to go on. But the question was... where was she going? So now feeling slightly idiotic, not having a destination, she stood around her door in the unfamiliar hallway. But then her mouth twisted into a grin and she picked a random direction to go, and went. Why did she need a destination in a place she didn't know? So going as far as she could seemed the most reasonable thing to do. Carlotta started walking... and walking... and walking... taking turns and twist and stairs and dusty hallways and rooms which she sneered at the dirtiness. Then finally, she came upon doors that looked greatly important and she pushed open the doors. Light came flooding over her and she smiled triumphantly.

Carlotta had found her way out of the dirty place! Now her only problem what remembering how to get back to her pet. Pushing that out of her mind at the moment, she pulled the parasol from underneath her arm and opened it up, putting it over her head to provide her with shade as she stepped out. She still had no idea where she was going, so she stood behind a tree trying to figure out what to do next. But then, she heard the doors from where she came out open again and she turned to look and see who it was. Carlotta inhaled sharply then held her breath as she took in the sight she saw. It was her! A growl rose in Carlotta's throat but she kept herself quiet and watch like a predator, waiting to jump, as Christine walked away from the large place. She took a moment to look at the place she had just come from and realized how big and creepy it was looking. She had never been in the place before, and to think that she left Franc all alone in there! Carlotta wanted to run back to her pet but then an idea popped in her head and she spun to stare at the Christine who was nearly out of sight now. Carlotta had been kidnapped.... and Christine was obviously the culprit!

The young Spanish woman narrowed her eyes toward Christine and found herself fallowing the other young woman. But no sooner she found herself in a world so strange, she could hardly describe it. There were some shiny carriages that had no horses and people wearing the oddest clothing she had ever seen! Carlotta's mouth gaped open wide, seeing this whole new world. But then she remembered that Christine was to be the blame for all of this and instantly her anger rose above her awe and she continued to silently pursue the blonde. She stopped a little ways off as she saw Christine stop and put a bag out and then began to sing. Carlotta became infuriated, that voice was the one that had tried to steal away her loving public and now she was out to steal this one! But then, she suddenly realized the situation. An amused smile played onto Carlotta's mouth and she allowed herself a few quiet giggles. She began to walk towards Christine and got out a few coins out that she carried around with her on an occasion. Carlotta lowered the parasol over her face some and her head down so it would be harder to see her face. Carlotta now stood in front of her enemy and dropped the few petty coins into the bag. But then as if it were all some big surprise, she rose her head and lifted the parasol up so that she could see the little toad face to face. "Oh Christine! It's you! I am not alone after all!" Carlotta said happily with a wide smile on her face as if seeing an old friend. Though really, inside, she was steaming and boiling and she would have loved to cut her down right where she stood.

[Christine Daaé]

“Serratre när jag blef sjutton år
Solen sken, göken gol, och dä' va' vår,
Allt va' skönt, jorden grön, himlen blå,
Men likväl feltes mig något ändå.
La, la, la,

Ja, nu är dä ej mer som dä' va',
Stundom är jag så sorgsen, stundom gla'
Stundom är jag så hvit stundom rö,
Å' jag vill hvarken kefva eller dö.
La, la, la, ”

Christine finished her song and then looked around, her blue eyes scanning the crowd like a little puppy waiting under the table to see who would drop some scraps. There weren't many people around yet, and of those who were there none seemed to be stopping. They were all headed somewhere, whether to work, or to school, or off to meet someone else. Her bright eyes dimmed a bit. She had forgotten how often no one would stop at all for a while. In a way, the opera had spoiled her; she had never had to worry about not having a paying audience.

Finally, it seemed that one person was stopping. It was a woman dressed in green with a parasol and her face cast downward. Was she from the manor? She most certainly did not dress like the other people she had seen about the village. The girl's eyes brightened and a grateful smile came to her face as the woman stopped and dropped a few coins into the bag she had set out. Christine gave a polite nod in acknowledgment and then managed one of the few English phrases he knew, just hoping that whoever the woman was wouldn't try to engage in further English conversation . “Thank you.”

It was then that the woman under the parasol looked up and Christine paled a bit in recognition of who it was. When did She get here?, she wondered. She managed (though barely) to keep a pleasant expression as the Spanish diva began to speak. “Imagine that,” she chuckled nervously, finding little relief despite the fact that she was able to speak in French. “Have you been here very long?”

[Carlotta Corazon]

Carlotta giggled, playing delighted as Christine chuckled. She nearly thirsted the nervousness in her voice, it made her feel in power. The blonde then asked her if she had been her long. The Spanish diva pouted her bottom lip a bit, as if in deep ponder. Then smiled at Christine, with a slight devious look in her eyes. "Not at all. Two weeks at most. Mi querido ángel, how have you been fairing?"

"And what have you been up to recently?" She asked, the sparkle of deviousness growing in her eyes. Oh yes, maybe Christine could give away something- anything! - that would give Carlotta something to cut her down with. After all, it would be useless to try and be cruel to he right now... it would be like trying to cut down a tree with a dull knife. No... she needed something juicy, something that put Christine in high spirits, then use it against her somehow to have it crashing down on her.

"And what, Christine," The name tasted poisonous on her tongue. " are you doing out here, singing for money?" She asked, smiling and clinging to her parasol, getting close to Christine and yet keeping her distance. The little sapo will get what's coming to her, Carlotta thought in her head. "Ah! And dear, we should really move to a more shaded area if there is one. Then you must tell me all about this... this place that I have never seen before..." She said, glancing a bit, seeing the strangeness again, sending her skin crawling with an unnatural and curious feel. She then looked back at Christine, expecting to obey her demand that nearly sounded like a request, but not quite.

[Christine Daaé]

Christine didn't like this. She was being far too nice. Perhaps it was only because there were so many people around, but this most certainly was not the Carlotta that she had grown used to. “I have been...well,” she lied, wondering how on earth she had even managed to find her here. “I'm here with my fiancé and my mother, actually... Though I must say, I certainly was not expecting to see you so far from the Opéra... I had assumed that they would have given you back your position by now, all things considered.”

Christine closed her eyes for a moment and pursed her lips together in slight irritation. “With all due respect,” though she was certain none was due, “I would prefer to remain where I am. The foot traffic is for better here. Though you have a parasol. You should hold up just fine. And besides, your complexion is darker than mine anyway, so you should really have no reason to worry about being in the sun. It's still early.”

She used a finger to twist her left braid and then bent down to move her bag a little before standing back up, facing Carlotta yet again, and then continuing on. “I am out here doing an honest day's work and earning money to put away for more important things. Ad to where we are exactly, I am not quite sure. Supposedly it is somewhere in England which, judging by the fact that everyone here is speaking in English, seems highly likely.”

[Carlotta Corazon]

Carlotta's smile grew ever so slightly when she had said that her fiance was here. Ah... that means that a wedding must commence sometime... she thought, and she giggled at the thought of watching all of Christine's happiness burn away. Her jaw slightly clutched when Christine had said that she assumed they would have given back her position by now.

She wanted to scream at the blonde. How could the dreadful sapo say such a thing?! She was teasing her, trying to make Carlotta explode. She knew very well that it was her fault that the chandelier had crashed, the blonde was the blame for all of it! That was why Carlotta must bring Christine down, for trying to ruin her own happiness. Carlotta's eyes then widened slightly when Christine began to speak again... starting 'with all due respect', which was due, and then refused to do as Carlotta said to.

Carlotta swallowed hard. She then tried her hardest not to leer at Christine who moved her little -petty- money bag, continuing to speak to Carlotta in words that she did not care to hear. Her teeth began to grind against each other and her nails dug into the palm of her hand. How dare this wench speak to her like such, she knew that she is Carlotta and that no one denies her without suffering for it! Oh yes, she will get her vengeance... but not yet. She knew so well that it was not yet time to strike down. Little by little, Carlotta will get her sweet revenge and tare down Christine into a broken doll. She just needed a way to get to Christine. To find a very vulnerable spot. And then the idea came into mind... the wedding.

Carlotta made her eyes go a little red and tear slightly, then raised a hand and covered her mouth slightly, holding her breath then sighing out and lowered her hand back down. "I am sorry Christine..." She sobbed slightly, though inside she was grinning madly. "Its just I just ended up here out of nowhere and I thought I was alone... it was so good to see someone I recognized. And... and.." Carlotta turned away slightly, adding to the dramatic effect, her eyes getting a little more red. "I know.. I was a little cruel to you at the Opera house... Oh I am so sorry Christine!" Carlotta said looking back at the blonde, outside she looked so pathetic but inside she was cringing and dearly hoping that this pathetic sadness would not go in vain. "Oh please do say you forgive me, Sé que he hecho mal." She said, looking pleadingly towards Christine. Well, she wasn't a well paid woman for nothing.

[Christine Daaé]

Christine pressed her lips together watching that Spanish cow as she began to cry. Of whether she was faking it or not, Christine could not be certain. After all, the woman was paid to put on an act like this, but Christine also recalled being terribly frightened herself when she first arrived here. If Carlotta, by some miraculous shift of events, was telling the truth, then perhaps that was exactly the case in what was happening here.

The girl bit her lower lip a little. What could she say? Surely she wasn't really sorry, even if she were scared. No, she just wanted someone to help her and to talk to, and unfortunately enough for both of them, Christine was the only one around at the moment who fit the bill. She let out a soft sigh and held open her arms to hug her, unsure of whether she would accept the gesture or just turn around completely and start laughing at her for it.

“It's all right. It's all right... I forgive you,” she didn't really, but if it was all she wanted to hear, then perhaps she would shut up for a moment and, if she was lucky, leave. “I know that this place is... frightening to say the least, but who knows... Maybe it's not all bad?...” And then the girl paused. She recalled she and Raoul having discrepancies in what they remembered, and how much time had passed, and apparently there were similar situations with other people who had come to the manor as well. Perhaps.... “What is the last thing that you remember before you came here exactly?”

[Carlotta Corazon]

Carlotta sniffled and hugged the blonde girl once the gesture had been cued. But then... it had turned into something else at the moment. For a moment, she was blinded by a memory of her hugging her mother when she was younger, Christine's voice and Carlotta's mothers voice matched up when they said that it was alright. Suddenly her tears became real ones and she removed herself from Christine's hug so to rip herself away from the memory. Carlotta sniffled once more, though not for the act, but because although she had been independent as she wanted to be all these years, her parents still plagued her every thought and movement.

She looked a bit disconnected as Christine continued to speak, but then her eyes flickered back into the act when Christine had asked what the last thing she remembered before coming. She wasn't completely sure if she should lie or tell the truth... she decided that telling the most truth would make herself sound more believable. Carlotta with little trouble of keeping the coldness from creeping into her voice, spoke to Christine, sniffling a bit here and there to make it more dramatic. "Oh it was terrible... it was the night of the chandelier crash... oh I knew I should have listened to the signs! Oh Christine, watching the chandelier fall was like watching my life go by in a flash. Me sentí muy mal! I realized how foolish I had been.." Carlotta said, turning a bit.

[Christine Daaé]

The girl hugged the other for a moment, holding her gently. She was a little put off by the gesture – it felt unnatural, especially given who the recipient was – but if it would calm her down, then perhaps it was worth the awkwardness. Mamma would surely have a fit, seeing her out in public hugging someone. Hugging was not something that was the norm for a Parisian lady. She didn't know whether to be relieved or offended though when Carlotta suddenly ripped herself away from the hug. Christine promptly clasped her own hands, resting them in front of her, glad the awkward was finally over. She felt somewhat as though it had been for nothing though, unfortunately, seeing as The other young woman still seemed, at least, to be upset.

Christine stiffened a little. When Carlotta mentioned the last thing that she remembered. The chandelier..... That was months ago though... well, months ago to her. She couldn't be certain of anything in time any more it seemed, and it frustrated her so very much. Whether Carlotta was lying or not, of this Christine could not be sure, but she did remember one thing about her experience with Carlotta before the chandelier, and that was that unfavorable way the audience had received her that night. The poor girl had never fully understood why that had been so, but she had half a mind to suspect that Carlotta had had something to do with it. The chandelier had merely been a misfortune afterward occurrence.

“Well... You're not injured, are you? That is at least one blessing... Umm... here...” Christine took out a handkerchief and offered it to her. “It might do you some good... You weren't the only one who was frightened that evening, you know? A.... A very close friend of mine had promised me that he would be in the audience that evening and I was afraid that the chandelier may have come down upon him... But no matter. He was safe... There were killed and wounded that evening. It could have been much worse.”

[Carlotta Corazon]

Carlotta nodded a thank you to Christine and took the handkerchief but never actually used it. She then listened as the blond spoke but the end of her sentence shook her up slightly, people had died. But then a rage that nearly shook her came about, it was Christine who did it. She did it because she was jealous of her! And she caused her poor, adoring audience pain, the she devil!

"Oh those poor people! Las pobres almas! Those good people shouldn't have had to die." She said in a slightly sob she then sighed, as if to try to calm herself and handed back the unused handkerchief. "I wonder what dreadful beast would do such a thing... the chandelier wouldn't have came down by itself, they make sure it wouldn't." Carlotta said as if greatly confused and in sad wonder. But of course inside, she knew just who the culprit was. She stood right in front of her! How she accomplished it, she wasn't yet sure, but she knew she did it.

[Christine Daaé]

((Dang, Carlotta! XD))

Christine furrowed her brow, a bit puzzled. Carlotta had taken the handkerchief from her, and by all means certainly would have done well to have used the thing... But then she had handed it back to her without using it at all. She took the thing. Greatly confused, but did not voice her baffled state at all. What on earth was going on here? She wasn't even quite certain this was Carlotta, considering the fact that they had yet to wring each other's necks...

Christine let out a soft sigh. “It was a terrible misfortune for everyone. I myself had a rather... unpleasant encounter that very night, right afterward, while in my dressing room. The important thing though is that what is past is passed and that we are both standing here today.”How very unfortunate for both of them. “May the good Lord have received those poor souls who were victim to that tragedy.”

[Carlotta Corazon]

((Mwahahahaha! XDD))

Carlotta nodded as Christine spoke. "If only that chandelier didn't fall... it would have been a glamorous night for everyone." She said with extremely slight poison coming from her words at the end. She then wiped her fingers under her eyes as to wipe tears away, that weren't actually quite there, then sighed again and the redness began to leave behind her normal looking eyes. Well, normal except for them looking 'happy' when they see Christine.

"Oh, I would greatly appreciate it if we could talk about something else. As you said, what passed is past. No hay necesidad de pensar en ello nunca más." She said as if to try to sort of comfort them both from that dreadful night. "Perhaps there is something we could go do, other than singing on the streets, yes? Come on, I insist. Tengo curiosidad por ver este lugar." She said, smiling, though tryed to look as if she were still a little sad from their conversation. "Have you looked around this place at all? Perhaps we could go get something to eat, or whatever you may prefer."

[Christine Daaé]

“Perhaps, perhaps not,” she said, not wanting to bring up the obnoxious way that the audience had over-applauded Carlotta's every phrase that evening while at the same time seeming rather bitter toward Christine. She had half a mind to flat out say that Carlotta had been the one responsible, but she had no proof. She had had no contact with the outside world for an entire fortnight after that... “ I suppose we'll never know for sure.”

The girl bit her lips when the other suggested that they go get something to eat. She really couldn't. Besides the fact that she needed to stay out there and continue busking so that she could earn as much as possible to put aside for the wedding and the honeymoon, the only money she had with her was the couple of coins that Carlotta had dropped into her bag (how terribly ironic!)... but she was not about to tell that to Carlotta... “I.... I really shouldn't leave this spot. I may miss people who might stop...” She was beginning to wish more an more that she had accepted Monsieur Lenoir's offer about the money to replace what had been stolen from Raoul...

[Carlotta Corazon]

Carlotta kept herself from rolling her eyes when Christine had tried to refuse her wishes again. Why couldn't the blonde just do as she was told and show Carlotta to a nice place where they could be 'social'. Whatever happens, she would not give up! She had to get information about Christine whether she got it from 'pleasant' conversation or having to strangle her for it!

"Oh come on, you could take a small break. Descansa esa voz. Perhaps when you come back, there will be more people out. A little food will do the both of us some good I am sure. Perhaps even a bit of pleasant conversation if that is not too much to ask for." She said innocently, battering her eyelashes a bit. Surely, Christine would not try to deny Carlotta again. This little innocent roll with Christine was getting on her nerves and she was getting no where. She needed something- anything!

[Christine Daaé]

“Señorita, I have only finished one song. I've been here all of fifteen minutes. I really do not need a break yet. And besides, I am not hungry. If you would care for something to eat, there are plenty of little cafés along here. I'm afraid though that I won't be able to recommend any to you since I generally try to avoid the village. Thank you though for your concern”

Christine wasn't sure how much longer she could manage to keep this up. She really didn't want to have to admit that she was out there singing because she had no money and therefore had no money to spend to have lunch with her.... That and lunch with La Carlotta wasn't exactly something she was looking forward to.